Welcome to Holiday Boot Camp!

[#1]

Nothing says the holidays are approaching like the return of Holiday Boot Camp! Over the next 10 weeks we’ll share weekly tips on how to make the most of the holiday season.

This page will act as your Holiday Boot Camp hub:
http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/holiday-boot-camp-2012-get-ready/

Also make sure you’re signed up for the Etsy Success newsletter, where we will share Boot Camp tips (and yes, it wouldn’t be Boot Camp without a little homework):
http://www.etsy.com/emails/success

Don't want to go it alone? Team up with a buddy here: https://www.etsy.com/teams/5002/etsy-success/discuss/10980639/

We can’t wait to read about your progress here in the weeks to come!

Now, let’s discuss -- what are your goals for this holiday season?

[Cynhumphrey]

Since this is my first year with the Boot Camp, can anyone offer some insight on whether it is best to stay with just one buddy or obtain multiple ones who may complement your shop?

[Former_Member]

This will be my first etsy Christmas for my new shop Mr ShillyShallys.
I have found a special origami robin pattern in an old book and am hoping this will be a nice unusual product especially for etsy customers!

Still brainstorming though, looking forward to the etsy lab about christmas merch!

[Former_Member]

My goal is to have at least 300 items listed by mid Nov. and boost up my sales. Hopefully by end of this year I can meet my year long goal of 200 sales.

[JewelMeShop]

I hope I could reach up to 80 items, add some accessories in my shop and improve my tags. I am also hopping to have lots of sales!

[CapeCodArtnNature]

my goal is to just stay on top of things this year. I have 3 shops and the holidays can be very overwhelming. I did the boot camp last year and will do it again just to help me stay on task ;-)

my first goal is to assess supplies, both for my products and for shipping and order what i need this week ;-)

[sheaclay]

My goals include more effective marketing to drive more traffic to my pottery shop and increase sales, listing more items, and investing more time and talent in my Etsy shop because it usually gets lost when I'm supplying brick and mortar shops and galleries!

Best of luck to everyone- oh, and I could use a buddy, or 2, or 10 :)

[raori]

I need to find a good and attractive gift card to sell! I already have loads of demands for that. If anyone has good ideas about how to sell gift cards for custom made clothes or one of a kind clothes , please let me know :)

[Former_Member]

My goal is to keep selling items even once December hits! Last year's sales in December were less than half of my second lowest month here on Etsy!

[Former_Member]

SALES!! I feel like the usual promotions aren't working (coupons etc.) I want to make this a BUSY holiday season!

[SproutsPressDesigns]

Hoping to be prepared for this holiday and have more sales than last year. Looking forward to holiday bootcamp!

[Former_Member]

This will be my first holiday season with etsy AND three craft fairs. Not gonna lie...little scared ;)

[Former_Member]

My first holiday too! I am anxious to receive tips for selling.

[FalconandFinch]

Last year I had a pretty amazing (to me) holiday season. This year, the summer slowdown has hit me worse than normal, leaving me pretty worried about this years holiday shopping season. So I want to prime my shop to overcome this summer's set backs and have another great season.

[purlBknit]

I want 80 items! I am very close. Selling at a local shop in Brooklyn and want to stock up there too with a glitz and glamor collection for holiday parties and such.

As for sales, I want them of course but I am really focusing on fine tuning my natural knitwear brand. Really showing what I got when I am at my best with a pair of needles and some yarn :)

But if a mad rush does happens, I'm sure the upcoming labs will do the trick in preparing me for what's to come.

[Former_Member]

I'm using this year's Holiday BootCamp as a catalyst to start my shop, I've never posted anything in my shop, so now's the time! I'm excited to get a buddy through Etsy's community and kickstart my shop with all of the enthusiasm of the Holiday season. I work best on deadlines, so BootCamp's homework and support can help me achieve my goals!

[Former_Member]

I am looking forward to any tips the Holiday Boot Camp might provide. I want to find my niche and fine tune my shop to reach a greater potential.

[CrystalGaylePhoto]

I'm working one giving my shop a more professional look by revamping and adding photos to the listings.
I want to be prepared for the holiday season and since I didn't get on it last year, shoot and prep listings for next years holidays throughout the holidays so I'm ahead of the game then. Kind of hard to do Christmas prints when they don't have Christmas stuff out in stores yet.

[Former_Member]

My goal is to be prepared and have a lot more items in my shop!! This is my first holiday season with Etsy, I hope it is a success!

[PamGeorgeArt]

I am very excited and have high hopes of finally having success. This is my first holiday on Etsy and I am putting my all into it. Stocking up on supplies and creating on a daily basis. I have upped my photography and changed my listing. I have signed up for two online labs and just emailed a potential buddy for the boot camp. This holiday will be a deciding factor for me. I'm buckled up and ready for the ride!

[Former_Member]

Holiday goals, holiday goals... well this will be my first holiday season here on etsy like many of my fellow etsians! I'm super excited for a bustling busy bee butt! Off the top of my head, I have a few goals - but I need to hunker down and really get my thoughts straight. Here goes anyway -

1. write out my goals on paper and pin em to my wall
2. get my second shop up and running in the next week (Roots Apothecary) where i'll sell my herbal concoctions! :)
3. make more product cards for brooches
4. take photos of the product cards with the brooches
5. had a new idea - crochet garlands! and I need to make a bunch of those. some holiday inspired ones would be good
6. make lots more fall and winter goodies - hats, scarves, and GLOVES


That's a pretty good start, I think. !!! Lots to do this season.

[WizardAtWork]

• I need to lay in a lot more supplies than I did last year. I had no idea how much citric acid I'd go through, for example, or how much of certain fragrances. Which left me waiting for the UPS guy to come in order for me to get orders done. I need to order a bunch of non-perishable stuff ahead of time this year and I need to reorder long before I'll actually run out this year.

• I need to be clearer about the lead time for certain items.

I would end up trying to (for example) unmold certain bath bombs before they'd had enough time to cure to meet a customer's timeframe. I need to make it clear that for the best results, they need to be in the mold a day or two, so if they're looking for *instant* fulfillment, these items wouldn't be their best choice.

• I also need to stretch my line of 'winter-specific' items, while keeping my regular line up to date and current.

[AHoleyMoleyLyfe]

To participate in boot camp fully this year.

[Former_Member]

This will be our first holiday season. Goal is to stay focus, motivated and to enjoy the ride!!!

[CapeCodArtnNature]

bumping this up for the weekend morning crowd. It's a rainy morning in my neck of the woods so I'll be going through my shipping and packing supplies today and reorganizing some of my work space so it will be more efficient!

[Former_Member]

I love Etsy Boot Camp! Bring it on! :)