Tips and Tricks ~~ Stores That Don't Suck
First off, you need a cohesive theme to your store to draw in your buyers. If you sell a bunch of miscellaneous things that don't have a connection, then you will lose your audience.
For instance, if you are selling paintings and purses, those two items just don't go together. But if you have some items that are painted purses, then there is your connection!
Store reviewers will say you need a cover photo, so before you ask someone to review your store, make a cover photo...this is non negotiable. Cover photos are what introduce potential buyers to your store! They represent the very personality of your store, the heart beat, if you will. If you don't have a professional-ish cover image, then your store just sort of flops.
Now for your pictures. Usually, when people are having problems with their stores and aren't making sales, reviewers blame it on the pictures. Every person to review your store, will have a different idea on what you should have as your image pictures. I am no different in that sense. Usually, if it isn't your lack of cover image, or store description which is also mildly important, so you don't look like a stiff with a stick up your butt, it is your product photos that should change.
Product photos are all usually based on personal preference in their style and design. Many shoppers will tell you to white out your backgrounds to have more professional looking photos. I am the exact opposite. As long as your photos are cohesive, and not blurry, or hard on the eyes, AND you can tell exactly what the product is, and how it should be used, white backgrounds are not necessary. In fact, white backgrounds generally turn me off a product. I want to see personality in the images. I want to see details, and beauty. I don't want a picture that looks like it was taken by some narcissistic person with a penchant for washed out bathroom selfies.
Now for descriptions... Don't be stupid. Please, for the love of all human minds, don't give us descriptions with long winded vaguely relate-able insight to your products. Give us straight up, 'Dog Necklace Pendant On Gold Chain', THEN put in any other BS you think might help it be found in the search bar. But at least this way, people viewing your store can see what your item is, without hovering and squinting at your description of your item.
PUT YOUR ITEMS IN CATEGORIES FROM THE START! -- Most people don't think they need categories for their items if they only have a few. You would be wrong. What if I don't want to look through your three pages of products to find what I want? What if you have something for a holiday I am looking for, but I don't see it because it was over looked and you don't have it in a category labeled 'Holiday'? Yeah...you just lost a potential sale.
What if I want a bracelet, but all I see are necklaces? You have bracelets, but my eyes can't tell the difference anymore because all your items blend together? Categories people....Categories.
As for tags, use everything you can think of to possibly have anything to do with your items, in tagging. Use all 13 options because even if a tag is only loosely related to your item, someone might find it.
Pricing. Look around you. Look at items similar to yours, and price accordingly. If you make a really high quality hair bow, but there is another similar hair bow with a better picture, and a cheaper price, people are not even going to care that yours may be a better quality. Who would even click on your bow to see the other pictures or read the description of your product, when there is another bow that is similar to yours, but about $15 cheaper?
Price your items to compete, or you will be left behind.
Once your store is up and running, promote, promote, promote. You will get nowhere with your perfect store, if people don't know you are out there. Promote on Etsy, and promote on other social media sites. Try not to pay for promotion, because you are just gambling with your money. If something doesn't work out for you, try, and try again. Work until you can't stand it and you are so overwhelmed and your life is crap because all you do is think, craft and post to your etsy page. When your etsy success means more to you than your lazy fun distractions, you will start to sell things in your store. Make your craft fun, but make sure you don't insult your products with bad images and descriptions. You wouldn't want a bad photo of you floating around online, treat your products with the same respect!
Your products will speak for themselves, you just have to make sure they are sweet talking your customers, not telling them off.
Okay, I'm exhausted from this post. I hope you found it helpful if not a bit redundant. Peace!
