Questions About Promoted Listings and Buyer Behavior

[MichaelLovesPhysics]

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Michael, and I have been an Etsy Seller since October 2017, and my shop name is PhabrisaurShop, as I said before.  I have been advertising using both Promoted Listings and Google Shopping on Etsy.  I have advertised using Promoted Listings for over a year.  I posted discussions on this Etsy team multiple times about my concerns about my lack of sales.  I have received multiple replies, some with helpful information.  I am still struggling, and I am writing in reference to a couple of questions that I now have about my Promoted Listings advertising campaign.

Not only have I tried Promoted Listings and Google Shopping with basically no success, but also, I paid for a Fiverr gig last month, which involved my paying a Fiverr Seller to post and promote my Etsy shop and items on her Pinterest page, to her Pinterest followers.  I paid for that Fiverr gig two weeks ago, with no sales whatsoever.  When the Fiverr Seller promoted my shop, a few people favorited my items and shop, but no sales have resulted from it.  Some Fiverr gigs, including the one I purchased a couple of weeks ago, are somewhat more expensive than a few clicks on Promoted Listings or Google Shopping.  

I know that I do not have much in terms of shop reviews, but it is, and it has been, a complete mystery to me about why people do not make any purchases.  Most of the sales that I have made so far are from a few loyal customers who I know personally.  I have received lots of advice about my shop photos, but I am really wondering ... it is clear to me that people are interested in my products and my items, since people click on my ads and they favorite my items and my shop.  Since they are interested in my work, then, how come more buyers do not purchase from me?  How come even the Fiverr gig I paid for two weeks ago resulted in zero sales?  

Here is a link to my shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PhabrisaurShop?ref=search_shop_redirect

Thanks so much for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you!!  I appreciate it tremendously!!

Sincerely,

Michael

[Former_Member]

Hi Michael,

Many Etsy Sellers find themselves in the same dilemma as you.  Unfortunately, one of the plain truths, for this dilemma, is that paying for promotion of your shop & items is not a guarantee of sales and success.  I visited your shop.  While you have some nice items, and your work looks to be of good quality, they are not items that I need.  This brings up another plain truth for this dilemma.

If a favorite an item, on a shop, that does not necessarily mean that I am going to purchase it, for the reason stated above.  It just means that I think the item is nice.  By adding my favorite to the seller's listing, it might help encourage someone else visiting the shop to purchase the item(s), if it is something they need / want / feel they can't live without.  When I shop, I shop under the following guidelines:  1) purpose / usefulness - what is the purpose of the product and will that product be useful to me,  2) need - if the product does has a useful purpose for me, is it a product that I really need,  3) quality - apparent quality of the product, based on the photos & reviews,  4) price - am I willing to pay, or can I afford the price of the product, based on the perceived usefulness I might receive.

This brings up another plain truth, for this dilemma.  I think that many people get into Etsy with big / high hopes and dreams - but have not done adequate, proper, and thorough research, in order to determine the potential market for their product(s).  This, in turn, may lead to big disappointments.  Being a successful Shop Owner, whether on Etsy, eBay, or any of the other available platforms, requires continual hard work.  There is NO EASY WAY.  That hard work has to begin before you open your shop - with proper and thorough research.

One final observation - there are sellers that may do well with items that do not have / serve a specific purpose.  These sellers tend do good when the economy is booming, and people have discretionary money available.  The government is not always forthcoming with economic health information.  Despite what they currently say - the economy is booming - there are signs and indicators that state otherwise.  Things are beginning to slow down.  I have noticed it in my sales recently, along with the sales of some Shop Owner friends of mine.   

I apologize for the length of this.  I hope it has been helpful to you.  Best wishes and good luck with your Etsy Shop.

[NobbyandNice]

Hey there craft guy!  I wanted to let you know that your photo props are awesome.  It's wedding season and lot's of brides would probably like those for their reception.  I think you should add more.

[InspiredAbstractions]

I just looked at your shop.  One of my thoughts is that you are not getting found when buyers do a search for products similar to yours.  I cannot speak to the lack of success for your promoted listings, as I've only promoted twice on Facebook and once on Instagram - with no sales as a result.  But here's my thoughts about your shop:  you aren't using enough phrases to get found.  Your blue, orange and pink Phabrisaur Cat eraser title is a little problemmatic.  For one, you don't include the word "dinosaur" whenever you use the term "Phabrisaur".  I'm assuming that's what you imply with your eyeball erasers: that they are from a "Phabrisaur".  The problem is, the actual dinosaur is spelled FABROSAUR.  So a science teacher who'd like to hand out erasers for kids who get A's on their tests, for instance, won't find your shop at all.  Why not incorporate more phrases?  "Brown Fabrosaur Dinosaur Eye Eraser, Fantasy Phabrisaur Eraser Student Gift, Funny Teacher School Award".  Then in your tags, get rid of the ones that say "graduation decor", "birthday items" and so forth.  Use tag phrases that come directly from your title:  "Fabrosaur pencil", "Dinosaur Eye", "Phabrisaur eraser" and so forth.  Finally, you say in the description that your 4" x 6" prints will come framed.  But you don't have any pictures of the prints framed.  As a buyer, I want to see what I'm getting.  - Your items are pretty cool.  Best of luck & keep at it (without the promotions, I'd think).

[NobbyandNice]

First let me start by saying that it is a bit slow time on Etsy right now unless you sell seasonal items such as wedding items.  

Now as far as promoted listing go, they don't work if you are trying to promote products that buyers aren't searching for.  Promoted listings get you in front of buyers but you still have to use terms, tags, and titles that Etsy buyers are searching for.  If they aren't looking for your product then it won't matter if you promote it or not.  With that being said, there are very little searches per month for "pencil topper erasers", only 25 searches per month (got this from Marmalead.com). That isn't a practical amount of searches per month to warrant advertising them.  If you do want to continue to try advertising them, you should at the very least have that term at the front of each one listing descriptions titles.  

Nature photography is searched for about 600 times a month, and although it has a lot of competition, you would be better off to promote that product as buyers are looking for that.  I made the same mistake as you when I started my Etsy store.  I posted hand drawn artwork of mine but it didn't sell.  Like the others said above, it's not enough to just like what you make.  Buyers have to actually want and be looking for that item.

I personally don't listen or pay for advice from anyone that doesn't have a shop with proven sales on Etsy.  If you educate yourself, you don't need to pay anyone.  I have posted a youtube video of Dave from "add to cart" (his shop is woodland Zen) below with his advice on promoted listings.  He is a great coach and I have learned a lot from him.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQmv6vC817s&list=PLoTH6BUFk8r5j9OuCU9YGdWhgEuooQ_RK

Hope this helps!

[NobbyandNice]

Oh and I forgot to say..... Favorites help the items "listing quality score" with Etsy so it helps that item rank higher but people that "favorite" items rarely actually buy the item.  But the favorites will help your overall shop.

[Former_Member]

I’ve heard that running promotions is not beneficial for those just starting out. They say the shop has to be really well set up with good inventory and a clear nishe etc before there’s any point to it. Otherwise people won’t buy anyway 😕

[CraftyJosephines]

When I looked at your moon prints, other shops' similar items were shown as I scrolled down. I noticed they did a really nice job framing their prints. I think someone mentioned framing above. I think the framing really helps people imagine the possibilities in their home. The good news is you could just buy one frame and use it many times for many prints listing photos. I would ask the framers at Hobby Lobby or Michael's for help too. They could probably help you with a nice matte/frame combo that's on trend.

[JdvintageCreations]

I am going to suggest that you stop paying to promote your items. You end up putting more money out the door when none is coming in. Instead, renew your items often whether they are up for renewal or not. Show your prints in a room setting, lit nicely and framed, like in a living room setting or bedroom on a nightstand. Offer it framed or unframed in your description and pick something appropriate for the photo. Also more keywords in your titles, for example on your moon photo: Moon Prints, Moon Photos, Planetary Photos, Full Moon, Lunar Photos, Decorative Lunar Photos, Heavenly Bodies, Blue Moon...etc. Once they visit your shop, then your photos of how that print would look in their house and framed nicely should generate some business. Follow this same formula for your other prints.