How I improved my etsy store

[CraftyDecorByNauna]

I opened my shop last August, Have had no sells. I have asked for help befor and got some pretty good advice so i changed things still nothing. What im i doing wrong? I looked at other peoples shops so beautiful and there doing great. Everone says it takes time but come on know this is getting depressing. Be honest, please help, Im real close to shuting down my shop.

Thank you

CraftyDecorbyNauna

Debra

[NobbyandNice]

Hi Debra

At first glance it is hard to tell what your shop focus is.  I would suggest sticking for now, (until you have sales) to one type of item, such as wreaths or birdhouses.  However since both of these categories have a lot of competitors (over 50,000) and you are new you will need to add a lot more items to compete with them and get found in search.  When I did a search on Etsy, most of your competitors using the word "door wreath" have at least 100 items in their store.  I know it seems daunting to have that many items but if you choose to do just wreaths then I would do different categories and add as many items each week as you can.  For example, the keyword phrase "summer wreath for front door" brings your competitors down to 16,000 from 50, 000 but ideally you need to find keywords with even less competition.  For this I would use either Etsyrank, now called erank or Marmalead. 

Etsy rank is a free tool but Marmalead, you have to pay for.  Either one of these tools will show you what words Etsy customers are typing into the search bar and how much competition you have for that keyword.  Pick a keyword that has a decent amount of monthly searches and lower competiton (under 10,000 if you can) and use that keyword in each one of your titles and tags to send Etsy's algorithm a signal that your store has a lot of this item in it.  If you don't want to use these tools, you can type in Etsy's search bar different terms and see how many competitors you have.  This will also be helpful but it won't tell you how many customers are searching for the term like Etsyrank or Marmalead will.

Do this research first and then decide what it is you want to sell, who your customer is and then go for it.  Check out your competitors and see what they are selling.  The competitors that sell a lot will usually have a lot of reviews.  Check out their reviews and see what customers liked about their product.  See if there is something you could do better or different that would set you apart.

I would also try to have your pictures have similar or the same light backgrounds to make your shop look cohesive.  

Etsy loves sellers that are active in their shop.  It tells Etsy that you are serious about your business.  Etsy is in business to make money so when they see you as a serious seller, they really like that so do something to your store each day, whether it be a shop update, a new product, adding ship policies, etc.

Watch some youtube videos on search engine optimization to learn how to use better keywords.  Watch the ones that are Etsy specific as Etsy's algorithm is a bit different than google.  I would suggest these coaches:

Nancy Badillo, Kara Buntin, Dave from "add to cart", Starla Moore - Art by Starla Moore

All of these people have proven sales and really helpful videos.

Anyway, these are just some ideas.  I am still working all the time to get more sales.  It's not easy but stick with it and it will pay off.

Good Luck!

[Former_Member]

Wonderful post, I feel I learnt something too from it!

Thank you :).

[CraftyDecorByNauna]

Thank you for your help, I WILL be trying everthing you suggested.

Debra

[NobbyandNice]

Awesome, I hate to see you close. When I first started I listed my hand drawn art and sold nothing. I didn’t know who my customer was, what they would do with my drawings, I just thought they were cute and I liked them. I didn’t even know what SEO was but I just started watching all the videos I could and learning. I’m still learning but I love helping others through the struggle if I can because I know what it’s like. If I can answer any other questions you might have I will gladly help . 

[NobbyandNice]

They  actually need to do this on their own to be successful.  You can’t always rely on someone else for SEO. 

 It is important to grasp that concept if you’re going to be in the online industry.

[JdvintageCreations]

Well, here is my two cents. Went to your site and read some of your descriptions. (1.) I noticed that your pictures are blury in some cases and too dark to make out. This is probably the MOST important aspect of selling anything online, you really need to have the best pictures and enhance them to show off your products. Try to stick to simple backgrounds for now. I use a bland white background, but it makes it so you are forced to look at the product. It makes the product stand out because it's not competing with a patterned or other background. I sometimes use a prop, but not often. Stick with simple, bright and sharp photos. (2.) Your text needs to describe more of your product, and also try to be grammatically correct. It dimishes your business integrity with incorrect wording in your sentences. (3.) Another thing that I learned, on Etsy marketing, is that you have to RENEW often. At least one product a day or several every few days. It keeps your products up front in the first several pages when people do searches. I notice a difference in my daily traffic when I remember to renew often. To try something different and to show your weavings in use, shoot your weavings or wreaths in a room, such as hanging over an endtable/couch/buffet/bed with a plant or matching throw next to it, but keep it simple. Keep renewing, it's only 20 cents. It makes a difference.

[CleverClayShop]

You now have some interesting things in your shop.  My suggestion for you is going to be a little different.  Join Facebook groups that are about what you do.  Speak up in those groups.  A lot of times they have times or days that you can link and post your shop information or they have files where you can list your shop.  Start a facebook page your shop.  You can post there and get people involved into liking wreaths.  Share content from the other groups you are in if they allow it.  Do videos about making wreaths etc. etc.  Once you get a following your sales will begin.

See what I have done at www.cleverclayshop.etsy.com  AND

https://www.facebook.com/LadyArtist05/

[ExploreJewelryShop]

@CraftyDecorByNauna your shop is super cute :)

I would suggest also focusing more on the wreaths because they are precious! The ones that stood out to me were the ones shown on the door because it gives people some perspective of how big they really are! People enjoy seeing things as they are intended to be used. Hopefully this little advise helps! Good luck and don't give up!! 

Every Etsy seller feels that way when they don't get sales for a while, just keep up the good work! It will happen :) just keep changing things around until something sticks! 

[RecycledBirdSuites]

When I first started I had the same issues, but I had allot of hits and misses and I have finally gotten off the ground.  I have some ideas.  So please bear with me. I am going to start with 1 item first.

Wicker Wine Basket.  Change the photo to #4 for your main photo.  Also change the spelling of whicker to wicker in materials.  In the name listing try; wine basket, wicker wine basket, eligant dinner wine holder, wedding champagne basket, wicker champagne basket.

Change your spelling champain to "Champagne" in your name listing to correct spelling please.  Also if you have it listed as a satin towel have it in one of the pictures. 

Tags should include; wicker basket, wicker, wine basket, champagne basket, wicker holder, wicker chiller, wine chiller, champagne holder, elegant holder, centerpiece, table centerpiece.

Materials: wicker, wicker basket, wicker bottle holder, wicker champagne, champagne holder, wine holder, wine basket, champagne basket, yellow flowers, yellow floral, satin towel, satin towel rap, ice pack chiller