If you're looking to improve your shop and don't want to wait around for me or someone else to give you a personal critique, this is the thread for you!
While I love doing personal critiques for everyone, I've found that in most cases shops need improvement in the same categories, so I thought it would be worth it to compile some of that information in one place.
First, keep in mind that no one's shop will ever be perfect. Maintaining a shop is an ongoing process, and there will always be something to improve upon. But don't let that get you down! Just do the best you can to continually improve your shop and products.
PHOTOS
Whether you use a white background or not, bright photos are important. Try to take photos with natural light (but not direct sunlight) if possible. If you don't have easy access to natural light, try a light box (you can find easy tutorials online) with daylight bulbs.
Even if you're using wonderful lighting, chances are you'll need to edit your photos a bit. Try using a photo editing program such as photoshop or a free online program to brighten your photos.
Make sure to have at least three photos per item and all five if at all possible. Take photos from all angles. If you choose to use a model, make sure to have photos of the item by itself as well.
TAGS AND TITLES - SEO
Tags and titles are the main way people find your items. Always, always, always make sure to use all 13 tags, and don't be afraid to have long titles.
Always start your title with what the item is followed by descriptive words- for example "Friendship Bracelet - Rainbow Stripes - Colorful - Bright - Summer". Then use these same descriptive words in your tags. If you use "-" in your titles, make sure to leave a space before and after.
Remember not to use tags like "gift" or "stocking stuffer" as this is against Etsy TOUs.
OTHER SEO
Make sure to put a sentence about what you sell at the beginning of your shop announcement.
Never type "l i k e t h i s"- google will not read it as full words but as individual letters.
DESCRIPTIONS
Make sure to include measurements, preferably in both metric and imperial. Most buyers won't bother to convo you if they need to know sizes, they'll just move on to another seller.
Put pertinent information at the beginning of the description- size, style, etc. If you want to put a story or describe your process, put that at the end.
POLICIES
Fill them out! Be honest!
SHIPPING
Don't be afraid to charge what it actually costs to ship. Make sure to ship in a bubble envelope instead of a regular letter envelope to ensure that your item will get there safely. Check out other threads on this team on shipping for more information.
I think that's it for now! Feel free to add to this list if you have any tips and to ask any questions you have!
