Opening Your New Shop

[#1]

WELCOME TO ETSY and the ART Team!  We're glad you're here.  And we want to help you take the first steps toward success.  

SHOP NAME
Here are some tips for choosing a shop name

1. Do you like the name?  You have to see it every day.  And it's your passion
2. Brainstorm with friends and family
3. Make sure it's easy to spell for customers to find
4. Avoid having your products in your name.  It is limiting if/when you diversify in the future
5. Make sure your name is unique by searching Etsy and the internet
6. Does it sound good spoken and look good when it is written.  If not, adjust
7. What does the name mean to you; your customers?
8. Have a few options in case it's already taken.

SETTING UP YOUR SHOP
How do you want your customers to view your business?

1. Everything can be temporary and changed or adjusted later.  But, put up a banner, add a profile picture, write an announcement, share photos of your workspace, include a biography, link your social media, and confirm your policies.
2. Plan your products:  How do you want to photograph your items?  Do you have a template for describing your creations?  What words would you use in titles and tags to describe your products?  How much does it cost to ship?  How much do you (and your competitors) price for your items?
3. Personally, I suggest having at least 12 items in your shop before opening.  It's not always feasible depending on your offerings.  But, you want to have something for your customers to look at.  
4. Make sure your billing/credit/debit/checking is working properly

OPEN YOUR SHOP
You're ready to share your creations with the world.  Here's some ideas for inviting them to visit.

1. Soft Launch - Invite a few friends and family.  See what they like and dislike.  How visitors react.  Make adjustments for the big Grand Opening.
2. Invite a related charity to participate and donate proceeds
3. Offer a giveaway
4. Make samples available
5. Discount your items
6. Make it a social media event
7. Throw a party featuring your product, its use, and other benefits
8. Have a celebrity or influencer endorse your shop
9. Partner with other shops
10. Find a way to get eyes on your shop with social media, snail mail, events, word of mouth, business cards, eblasts, flyers, etc.

QUESTIONS OR OTHER ADVICE?  Please let us know.  We'll add, change, edit, and adjust as Etsy evolves.  THANKS!

[enchantedbeas]

Thank you! this advice is good for everyone!

[2u2penxv]

I am really struggling setting my shop up. Please could anyone help in simple steps I would be very grateful x

[EleanorInkby]

This is fantastic advice, but I'm a little confused. If I follow the shop set up, it appears to only allow me to name the shop, add listings, set up payment and billing, and that's it. How do I fully set up my shop with things like About, Policies, a banner etc?

[Cimibelijewelry]

New shop

https://www.etsy.com/fr/shop/Cimibelibijoux

[ilariastrazzulla]

Hi, I have problems to open my shop, in the last page, where you must insert the credit card to pay bills, ever prepaid card I insert is rejectet. Can you help me, please? 

[LotsaThingsForYou]

I'd be grateful to know how to get my banner to show up. When I upload it, nothing happens.  : (

[AleksandraLoArt]

Thanks you Mike! This information is very helpful for me! I work on my store every day.

[ChanRoseGems]

I am loving all the advice you have to give!

[xygl6ogvalp9wg4w]

Hi Mike, thank you for sharing.

this would be helpful.

[StillGroovin]

Etsy has the answers (For everything but Pinterest help). You have to learn the Etsy app. That is a process. You can also ask Etsy for help, and they will send you pertinent things to read. 
Read it. I’ve been at it awhile. Still need help, some days, I walk away, and revisit next day. I know it can be frustrating. 
Type your descriptions in google with good spell checker (I love Grammarly, which is free, and most helpful!). 
Save your work in snippets. Then later you can copy and paste. Easier. 

[EarthwiseEmporium]

Getting a charity involved and inviting a celebrity or influencer seems a bit remote but before I came one Etsy, I'd started giving away the bags I made on a podcast I've been watching for a few years.  Now that I'm on Etsy, I'll be getting that going again.  Hopefully that'll bring more people in.

I've reopened my shop, after having one years ago, but am really starting from scratch so getting eyes on it is new since things have changed in the past 10 years.  Almost no one comes from social media; I'm on IG, Facebook and MeWe and my stats who that most of the eyes on my shop are from Etsy.  social media makes up 2% of the visitors to my shop.

I know I have much more to learn as things have changed.

[OrbweaverJewellery]

Great, thank you for this

[CraftEase51]

Starting over:

I started my first shop in 2011 shortly after I had an accident and suffered a spinal cord injury.

Not being able to make fine jewelry as before, I started over. Changed my business name as well as my craft.

Now my shop shows that I’ve been open sense 2011 and have only one sell. I think this is a deterrent. Is it possible to change the year to match the opening of my new shop? 
Thank you

[lenore7283]

This is the same problem I have. Opened my shop and unforeseen circumstances caused me to put it on vacation, which thanks then to covid and the aftermath, went longer than anticipated. I am wondering if I just need to start over. 

Did you close your first shop or just rename it. 

[ArmillaGlassJewelry]

hi i am new Etsy and stack at first step on shop name, shop name is uniq etys sas

"Great thinking! This name's available!" I made some little changes like change the letter delete some of but still can't go on. what should I do now?

[WagginBuddies]

Thanks Mike - I am so happy to be a part of your group. What you are doing is amazing and it shows in your efforts to help the Etsy Community. For my Etsy friend my biggest advice if you are stuck and uncertain is to utilize other resources. Mike is giving out great pointers that you should print out and go down this checklist to work on making your company stand out. 

[VinegarJewellery]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1396633833/14k-gold-filled-sun-necklace-star?click_key=95b042d27b285091...

[VinegarJewellery]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1385054990/14k-gold-filled-angel-necklace-angel?click_key=5a83bc7c26751...

[VinegarJewellery]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1399036711/14k-gold-filled-coin-necklace-valentine?click_key=1dcbb63184...

[EleanorasAttic]

Hi !  I am still running Eleanora's Attic, just sort of dormant for now.  There has been some drama in my life, and issues that have taken all my time to deal with.  But I hope to begin listing more items in my VINTAGE store, soon!  Take care,

Jan Weems

Owner of Eleanora's Attic

[TopTrendApparel]

Thank you for sharing

[ThanhDatStudios]

Today i just register Etsy account, and i want open shop. Should i open now or wait for a couple time. Thank you. Have a good day.

[s2tmt6bjoltxxtk0]

Thank you alot. But when i fill bank infomation, my shop has been suspended

[LTLenchantedgiftshop]

Great advice! We have recently opened a New Gift Shop here’s the link - https://ltlenchantedgiftshop.etsy.com

[AnastasiiaAspArt]

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnastasiiaAspArt?ref=dashboard-header

Hello! I'm an artist from Ukraine, and I currently live here. My name is Anastasiia Asp. I draw digital paintings. I integrated my Etsy store AnastasiiaAspArt with Printify, a service that prints and ships my arts

[wqomeukg9olaq5he]

Can someone please tell me why it's taking so long for my page to be verified?