Anna, don't you dare quit.
My critiques are enormous, but they're meant to help the computer searches help find you and to improve the shop's presence to make customers feel more compelled to by.
If anything is unclear, please let me know and I'll be happy to try and clarify.
I start by opening the shop and going through EVERYTHING that is public for me to see. Your customers will likely only browse a few, but I want to help your shop look as professional as possible.
1. Photography is dark and at an angle which makes the product look smaller. While I understand you're trying to show that the products are candles (or something else) try to take the photo level to the product so the photo isn't looming. Your best photos are even to the camera.
Etsy is a VERY visual sight. All you need to do is take brighter photos of your stuff. I use a white blanket out on my back deck. The lighting is perfect (no weird shadows) and your customer can get a better sense of the real color.
2. Listing Titles Need to be LOoooOOooonng. Here's why: They're extra keywords that help your listing show higher up in the search lists. Sometimes the titles can seem long and annoying, but you will cherish those extra keywords to capture the season trends or holidays.
For Example, I'll steal a title from your shop:
Green Lemon Scented Candle
While Green Lemon is a popular search term (awesome smell, by the way!) , you're going to be WAYYYYY at the bottom of the search list because your search term corners you.
"Homemade Essential Oil Candle- Green Lemon Scent- Small Green Jar"
So now, when a possible customer searches any of those terms (you do have to break it up like I did) you show up higher because search engines will consider you more relevant to the searcher.
New sellers usually don't know this and it's a big reason why the new sellers drown beneath the larger sellers. You can definitely compete with the big sellers. You just have to be shrewd about those titles and keywords.
3. (Sticking to the same listing) Listing description is not well written. Consider your listing a 30 second advertisement to get a customer to know all the fruity details, size, etc and like the idea of your shop. You have to separate yourself from other sellers. When someone (any online retailer goes through this) clicks on a product the customer spends only 30 seconds on that webpage. If you don't sell them to stay longer you won't get the sale.
So if your listing is too short your customer doesn't have enough confidence or information to make the sale.
BUT
If your listing is too long your lazy viewer will click off unless your advertisement is unusually catchy.
I always imagine how it would sound on a radio. Would you buy your own product if you read it aloud?
4. Your keywords are alright, but I'd avoid repeat words so you can add some extra keywords to gain more views in searches.
For example (same listing):
Green candleholder, Green Candle, Lemon Candle
You used the word "Green" twice, you only need to use it once to capture that word. So, in that same breath....you did the same thing with the word "candle". This would completely free up a new keyphrase to add in.
Sometimes you only need to mash words together like:
Candle candles, home decor, lemon lemongrass
What you're doing is manipulating things in a way that (even though your keyphrases sound like a hot mess) you aren't limiting yourself in searches. This allows you to add fun terms for those holidays or trends that you can start catching.
spring candle, new lemon scent,
The EVEN better part is: try to have fun with different keywords in all your listings so your listings are working for you in those searches.
So even if you had two lemongrass scented candles....you might experiment using a different combination in both. You'll still see your candles making views for each other.
5. Fill out your store's policies ASAP. This is BY FAR the most important section besides those keywords/listings. This will make or break your potential sale. If you have a customer that read your listing, is impressed, but needs the item ASAP for a gift. When I click on your policies no estimated shipping is given. Because most online shoppers are lazy they'll skip over your product and buy a similar item elsewhere. You have to use that section to describe how the ordering process is going to go for the customer with you. This is where you build the customer's confidence in you.
Annnnnnd! Of course, it's time to get your teams to help you promote. Feel free to copy the links of your items and post them in our boards in our team. :) We are determined to get you consistent business.
Cash is good, yes?!
