Etsy is a popular e-commerce website for arts and craft lovers where you can also share the story of your craft to shoppers as well as get the chance to meet the Etsy top sellers and learn from them.
Items found on Etsy cover a wide range including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, food, bath and beauty products, quilts, knick-knacks and toys. Lots of people also sell craft supplies such as beads, wire, and jewelry-making tools.
So, how to sell your crafts on Etsy?
Business Planning
Like any business, you need to make a business plan and think of a way to distinguish your products from the rest. You might need to do this and decide which works best for you. Think of what’s hot right now, find a niche market that suits your skills and most importantly, do what you love to do.
Sell On Etsy
Create an account on Etsy to start setting up your shop.
Complete each of the four tabs and you’ll be ready to open. You can go back and edit your shop at any time, before or after opening it.
Shop Name
Your shop name appears with your items in the Etsy marketplace. Pick a name that is catchy and is closely related to what your shop is selling.
List Items
After setting up your account, click on YOUR ETSY and find the link on the left sidebar that says “Add New Item” to start listing your craft products.
- Tell them about your item. Use the drop-down menu to describe who made it, what is it, and when did you make it.
- Categorize. The first drop-down menu is the top-level category will decide where your item appears in various places on Etsy. You’ll then have to choose other subcategories which will describe your item further.
- Select Item Type And Select Variations. Choose whether your item is a physical item or a digital file. You can also use listing variations, if you’re listing an item that has different options (such as color, flavour, shape, size, etc.) that don’t affect the price.
- Add Images. Etsy allows images between 570-1000 pixels wide, but the height can vary. Images more than 1000 pixels wide or tall may not upload correctly.
- Item Info. Keep your product titles short but catchy. This is what people will see in your shop and under the item’s photo if you are featured on Etsy’s homepage or in a treasury. Titles have a 140 character limit. Never underestimate the power of first impressions and one of the best ways to do this is with detailed descriptions. To have an appealing Etsy store, you should learn:
– how to make product descriptions that will make a sale.
– how to make your photos appealing.
– how to make a banner that stands out. - Tags. You will also need tags for your listings which are the search terms that will help somebody find your product and you have 14 tagging options to use so do some research on similar products found on Etsy to check what tags others are using and use them or formulate similar ones of your own. Continue through the next couple of pages, preview the listing and then click Finish if no other changes need to be made. You can edit it later if you need to.
Get Paid
Choose your preferred payment methods. The choices include:
- Credit Cards (US): You can use your credit cards directly on Etsy. This is currently available to US sellers, and they are working on adding more countries.
- Bank transfers (non-US): If you’re not from the US you can give your account holder name, bank name, account number and routing number. A Swift ID or IBAN number may be needed if you choose to accept bank transfers from customers outside your country.
- PayPal: Enter the email address associated with your PayPal account.
- Check or money order: If you use a payment method that needs to be mailed to you, like check or money order, enter your mailing address here. This address will only be shared with a buyer who purchases from you and chooses this method.
- Other: This means you have another way of accepting payment. Include information and instructions about your payment method in your listings and Shop Policies. Buyers don’t submit payment in expectation of you collecting payment from them after they check out.
Billing
Enter your billing information and a valid credit card here to open your shop.
Members in some countries outside the U.S. can open a shop using a PayPal account. If you can do this, you’ll see an Authorize PayPal Account button on your Billing page.
Open Your Shop!
After completing the steps, click Open Shop. Click Publish Listings and Open Shop and your shop will be public. Congratulations!
Tip: Like all things in life, it’s always better to look before you leap. Take a look through the Etsy site and get a feel for what’s going on in there.
Are there items there that are similar to yours?
Could you do better?
What could you improve on stores that you can see that may be your future competitor?
But most importantly make a commitment to yourself to get started!
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