Etsy is a popular platform in the third-party marketplace market, giving creatives a place where they can sell their unique products.
You can set up a virtual shop on Etsy and sell products and services online.
There are several things you should consider before you decide to join the almost 2 million Etsy sellers. Do you want to make Etsy your full-time job and rely on Etsy for income? Or are you just interested in Etsy as an additional side project? Your approach will be determined by this.
No matter what your goal is, Etsy can help you make a decent income. These are the steps you need to take in order to open your Etsy shop.
1. Choose your niche
It’s important that you choose a niche that you are passionate about when you decide on an Etsy store niche. This will ensure that you never tire of creating products that fit the category.
Once you have an idea of what products you want to sell, you can start looking at similar sellers. What language do they use to communicate their ideas? What is it that makes their products special? What is their unique way of presenting their content?
Dan Cordero, the owner of Etsy shop Reclaiming Creativity suggests looking for shops that align with your interests and talents in order to test the success rate.
He said, “You must have passion for the products and services you sell. If your niche is profitable and market-friendly, then you are a winner.”
He suggested that you should consider how your products will be packaged for shipping, how they will be shipped, where they can be purchased, and how to provide good customer service and social networking marketing.
2. Register, create, and stock your shop
Before you can open a shop, you will need to register on Etsy. Although it’s free to register, Etsy charges transaction fees (20c), listing fees (5 percent), and shipping fees (3 percent plus 25c).
After you have mapped out your basics, you can create your shop. Make sure you stock it with as many products as possible to get started. Your shop should be professional and offer a wide range of products.
Cordero suggests that you keep your shop full with at least 20 products. The process can take some time so don’t worry if you have only a few products to begin. Keep adding items as often as possible.
He said, “You want your Etsy shop to be treated as a brick and mortar shop.” You wouldn’t go into a brick and mortar store with only five items. You want to be taken seriously.”
The key takeaway: Make sure your Etsy shop is stocked with as many products as possible to make it look professional. Keep in mind that 20 products is a good amount.
These tips will help you make your Etsy shop reach as many Etsy users possible.
Keep adding new products every month. Keep your shop current to keep customers loyal and attract new customers.
Quality photographs are essential. Your site will look more professional and attractive if it has quality photos. Avoid blurry or mediocre images as they could turn off potential buyers.
Write detailed descriptions. You should write detailed descriptions to help promote the product and all that it offers. You shouldn’t make it sound too simple by using generic descriptions.
You should think about titles, tags/keywords, and SEO. It is important to understand how the system works. You will need to use keywords, tags, or titles to your advantage. You can find the keywords that are most popular and then use them to promote your products.
Etsy recently launched two subscription levels. The Plus subscription will be available for $10 per month starting July 2018. This will rise to $20 per mois in January 2019. The Premium subscription will not be available until 2019 and pricing will not be announced until then.
You can customize the look of your store with a Plus subscription. You’ll have access to new banner templates, featured listing options, and other tools to highlight particular products. To send customers, you can obtain a customized.com/.store URL. You’ll also get a discount for custom shipping boxes, business cards, and other marketing materials. You can also email interested shoppers if the item you have sold comes back in stock. It also offers members 15 listing credits as well as $5 credit to advertise in Etsy Search through Promoted Listings. Register to receive notifications when the Plus version of your free account becomes available.
3. Promote your products and services
Your best support system for Etsy is social media. Once you have opened your shop, start creating accounts on different platforms to promote your products.
Cordero stated that although virtual stores have many advantages, there is one downside. This is because customers don’t get to interact face-to-face. To make up for this, it is important to respond quickly to customer comments and questions, as well as to ship orders.
4. Consider your shipping and packaging processes
To find the best shipping and packaging options for your business, research all possible options. The most cost-effective option may not be the best for everyone.
Consider offering shipping options that include signature confirmation, tracking information and insurance. You should be aware of all costs so that you can charge the correct fees to your customers.