Need a critique for my Etsy shop

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Hi, 

I opened my shop July 2023. I sell holidays, special occasions, and seasonal wreaths.  I have sold about 45 wreaths since I opened the shop.  I have requested critiques from other wreath makers and I have been told the shop looks good to them.

But I feel I’m spending so much money and only selling 2 to 3 wreaths a month,  when others sell 30 or more a week.   I have seen so many videos on how to increase my sales and I feel I have done everything that has been suggested.   if any Etsy expert can please critique my shop and tell me what else I can do to increase sales. The name of my shop is Wreaths by Denise decor. Here is my link 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/WreathsbyDenisedecor

My email is wreathsbydenisedecor@gmail.com 

Thank you 

christina Denise

[sharonjenkins1 · Accepted solution]

I think that your 46 sales in 10 months is great.  I know that you have a lot of competition here….aren’t you losing money by providing free shipping?  I know that’s a big expense.

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Yes, you are right. Shipping is very expensive. I reviewed …

“Strategies for offering free shipping”  on the Etsy seller handbook 

I chose the strategy “ recover the cost of shipping by adjusting your item prices” 

I also viewed this video which further explains shipping strategies for Etsy sellers 

five seller-tested strategies for pricing shipping competitively

[BagmakerSupply]

Undoubtedly Etsy has had teams of lawyers review their Help Articles, but have always wondered how they can suggest "... recover the cost of shipping by adjusting your item prices ..." when the law says "... a purchaser has a right to believe that the merchant will not directly and immediately recover, in whole or in part, the cost of the free merchandise or service by marking up the price of the article which must be purchased ..." Perhaps Etsy will just say the decision was the seller's and they do not offer legal advice and leave the shop to fend on their own.

At any rate, if a shop raises their prices to cover shipping, is it not actually 'shipping included' rather than 'free shipping'?

[PWOriginals · Accepted solution]

You are obviously a talented wreath maker, but I wonder if you can put that talent into making some simpler, more organic wreaths to appeal to buyers who like less flowers/fuss? You've had good sales, but the more buyers you can draw in with different styles, the better.

Also, your no-return policy will be a detriment, especially since it's very difficult to replicate a wreath exactly like the picture, unless you retake photos each time.

I don't remember which item it was (a spring wreath) but the description mentioned a sign and cross, neither of which was shown on that wreath in the pics. It's easy to miss that stuff when you use the "copy" feature for new listings.

Good luck! You've done fairly well so far.

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Thank you so much for your reply.  

yes, actually I do take pictures of every single wreath. Photos of every detail. So buyers can see exactly what they are getting.

wreath w cross and sign wasn’t selling. So I removed the cross and sign and took new pics, reposted and missed removing those details from description.  But noticed it last night and corrected it. 

I agree with designing more simpler organic wreaths. Working on that  

THANK YOU so much for taking the time to review my shop. 

i really appreciate all your suggestions

[LastCentury]

That ALL CAPS shop announcement "yelling" at people to buy a lovely wreath for their mother for mothers day is A LOT! Not lovely!!! It kind of goes against the genteel vibe of your shop.

all caps text = yelling. Using all caps to highlight a word or phrase = not yelling.

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Oh my! I’m not very tech savvy. and I’m not a phone or social media person. 

Thought caps meant “ a form of exciting news”  or “draw attention to information that buyers might want to know. 

At least that’s how I interpreted CAPS. 

I even text in caps.. just because I find it easier  

So I’ve been yelling to my sweet mom and dad, friends, family? For years.  no one ever told me. ( Not even my fellow Etsy wreath makers who have critiqued my shop)

Never thought of it as yelling at all. 

I also  just recently joined social media to post wreaths. Maybe that’s where I missed the meaning of caps 

WOW! Maybe that’s what’s going on

I will remove caps that are not in a sentence.  Maybe that will help. 

Thanks for this information which I  was completely unaware of. 

[Tucanquecomelapices · Accepted solution]

Sorry, I am not an expert in wreaths, especially in Etsy. But as a normal user and watching other competitors, I don't see a major contrast in comparison with them. However, your store is growing. Maybe you should add some footage as if you were telling a story rather than selling a product. Look this one: Making A Wreath Stock Video (youtube.com)

I'm starting too. 

I wish you good luck!

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Hi 

Thank You so much for your wonderful idea and the video. I really appreciate you sharing this with me. So kind of you .

i wish you good luck and success in your shop as well.

[BagmakerSupply · Accepted solution]

@WreathsbyDenisedecor: "I have seen so many videos on how to increase my sales and I feel I have done everything that has been suggested." Do these videos mention that given the state of Etsy search you need to drive your own traffic and sales and hope that the algorithm learns that people want what you are selling? Many shops are reporting that organic Etsy traffic is consistently decreasing as a percentage of their total traffic.

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

I have done the following to drive my own traffic 

1. have all products on

facebook, instagram, Pinterest, TikTok W longer videos

2. researched top Etsy wreath sellers.  Compare what their top selling wreaths are and designing similar. NEVER COPYING! 

3. researching what is trending ( niche) in high end stores. Pottery barn, Nordstrom etc

4. joined two vip groups. Each who are top sellers on Etsy. They teach you everything from writing your description, setting up your shop, sharing their most popular tag keywords, etc.      

5. paying for Etsy ads, 

6. purchased equipment for photography 

7. i hv wonderful reviews and a 5 star rating 

8. I get  views and visits but minimal sales

9. I have discount codes, run sales 

sooo much more and so much work 

I MUST BE MISSING SOMETHING . 

any more suggestions? 

[steelhipdesign · Accepted solution]

Your wreaths are gorgeous.  To keep ahead of the market, it's essential for sellers to innovate and try something new/novel in the market.  It can also be fun breaking the rules of the particular craft.  The beauty of Etsy is, it's really cheap to test the market with unusual designs.  Many sellers have been wildly successful with just one unique product at the right time.  If we ever want a pay raise, "handmade" sellers should be aiming on increasing their profit margins by selling less product, for more money.  

Just some ideas off the top of my head without checking if these ideas are already on the market: 

I'd love to see a "message" wreath.  If friends/family/neighbour drop in unexpectedly and no one is home - a wreath with a note pad in the center and a pen/pencil attached - would be really helpful albeit, low tech.  

A wreath thanking delivery drivers would be novel.  They were the unsung heroes during the pandemic.  

Are there "gender reveal" wreaths?  A "bridal wreath" for a couple's new home?  I'd also research some other cultural/religious, even superstitions, for the home's front door or "threshold".  Using new/novel/exotic materials can make your wreaths unique in the market and command higher prices.  Can you add felt "fragrance" balls so people can add their favourite scent or essential oils to the wreath?  

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Hi. Thank you so much for your suggestions. I have a wedding wreath and a spiritual wreath on my listings. But I’m loving your other ideas!! 
I will definitely start working on some designs. 

So appreciative 
christina

[Natalya1905]

ALL CAPS in the announcement look like yelling. 

You may want to move your "Spring Summer Wreaths" section to the top. Right now, it's below Christmas, Winter and Valentine's.

I would suggest to make your favorites private. As of now, they're showing your competitors. 

Take your time to read Etsy Handbook and Shop Critiques forum section. You'll find very detailed information on titles, descriptions and tags. 

I checked your "Spring Wreath, Rose Wreath,Mauve Wreath Dusty Rose Wreath, Rose Peony Flower Wreath" listing. You don't need this many repeats. Description is really long, has many emojis (some shoppers find them annoying). A long paragraph with a dozen "gift" word repeats is spammy. "Easter Decor" and "Valentines for Her" tags are not up-to-date. 

No-return policy can be a turn off for many buyers. Is free shipping sustainable for your business?

Hope it helps. Good luck!

[WreathsbyDenisedecor]

Thank you so much for taking the time to critique.  I will definitely work on those recommendations.