5 Strategies for Finding Long-Term Success when selling on Etsy
“Business Hat”, illustration by Amanda Weedmark
We all want sales when we sign up for a shop on Etsy. But how can we find long-term success that will bring us loyal customers and sales beyond next week?
Even though Etsy has an audience 352 million visitors per month, they also have 2.5 millions sellers so being on Etsy does not guarantee views or sales. It will be you who will have to sell your goods to your customers in the end.
So, put your business hats on! In this first chapter, we’ll look at 5 strategies that will help you find long-term success when selling on Etsy.
To learn how to setup shop and understand the details of how Etsy works, please review the Etsy Seller handbook. All of the views, opinions, and tips below are based on my personal experience of making 10,000 sales on Etsy. The information below is not endorsed by Etsy or a guarantee of results.
“Like a well-tended garden, your Etsy shop will take time to bear fruit. But with consistent effort, a solid plan, and a willingness to learn along the way, you’ll start selling and reaching your goals.”
Your Etsy shop is your garden
When you plant a garden in spring, one wouldn’t expect it to flourish the minute the seed is planted. Nor could you just plant a seed any old place and assume great results.
You have to consider what seeds you want to plant, the conditions those seeds need to grow, and how to maintain them so they will be viable for harvest.
To see long-term growth and success with your Etsy shop, the same concept applies; Some forethought, strategy, and intentional action will be required at the outset of setting up your Etsy shop, and throughout your Etsy journey.
By implementing these 5 strategies, you'll begin to:
understand your business on a deeper level,
build a solid business foundation, and;
learn how to apply your plan to reach your goals.
This will hopefully allow you to avoid being distracted and taken off-track by external factors like stats or platform changes.
Chapter 1: 5 Strategies for Long-Term Business Success on Etsy
“It took me a year to really start seeing some momentum with my shop. There is no magic formula to selling successfully on Etsy and none of this comes together overnight. Spend the time you need to create your plan and execute it with intention. ”
STRATEGY #1: Have a plan
There’s nothing worse than spending time setting up a shop, photographing items, and creating listings, only to have little to no sales to show for it.
By having a plan, you’ll have a detailed account of your business and how you would like to run it. This plan will inform all of your decision making and help you be consistent in those efforts.
To create this plan, you must:
Set goals
What are your goals for being on the Etsy platform?
Making sales is great, but you have to understand why you’re making those sales and how you will continue to make sales.
Do you want to be a hobbyist and make enough to support your craft?
Do you want to be a part-time seller and supplement your income?
Do you want to be a full-time seller, making all of your income from Etsy?
Whatever your goals may be, decide how much would you need to earn to have that goal fulfilled.
Additionally, knowing what your goals are and comparing that to how Etsy is serving those goals, will allow you to make informed decisions about whether Etsy is right for you in the long-term.
Plan your inventory
What items will you sell? What are the materials and costs involved in selling the item?
When you know what you will sell and how much it will cost to sell an item, you can figure out how many units you need to make and sell in a month or a year to help reach your big main goal in the previous step.
Is that feasible and manageable for you?
Have a shipping strategy
How will those items be shipped and what do those supplies cost?
In a small envelope? In a bubble mailer? In a box?
Will you include a thank you postcard? A business card? Or any other branded material?
Having all of this in mind will ensure a safe delivery that is personal and will allow you to properly work this cost into your item or shipping price.
Will your items include shipping? Or will shipping be additional?
According to Etsy, buyers are more likely to purchase an item that offers free shipping.
Including the shipping in the cost of the goods, ensures you won’t be out any money. However, the sell price will be higher.
Making the shipping cost an addition to the sell price, will mean a mid to lower priced good but a higher total at checkout, which may turn customers away.
The strategy you choose, may require some research, balancing of costs, and experimenting to see what’s best for your shop.
Price your items appropriately
What will your items sell for?
This sell price is taking ALL your costs into consideration (cost for material to make the items, marketing assets, Etsy fees, and a markup for your time).
Is the sell price reasonable and/or competitive?
Look at similar items on the market and figure out where, how, and if you fit into that. Or even where, how, and if you don’t. Being a little different in price is not wrong. But justifying why the cost is what it is, will be important.
Have a shop policy
What can your customers expect from you?
A shop policy will be a rule book that you and your customers can refer to. It will also prepare you to respond when things happen.
How long can your customers expect to wait for something to ship?
How long will it take for delivery?
Do you accept custom work or offer customization of the items?
How will you handle items that ship to the wrong address and is returned to you?
What are you return / exchange policies?
What do you do about mail delays or damages?
Consider your ideal customer
Who will buy your items?
Having an idea of who will buy your items will not only help you style your shop, your marketing materials, and photographs, but also give you a sense for how to speak to their senses, wants, and needs.
What type of person will purchase your items? Expecting couples? Plant lovers?
Is this a luxury item? Or a rustic item?
Is it for decoration? Organization? Self expression?
Think about your brand
What do you want customers to feel or experience when shopping with you?
Most people are looking for something personal when shopping on Etsy that will express something on their behalf or to support something they believe in.
Do your items make good gifts?
Will they find comfort in your items?
Will your item add more colour to their life?
Are they supporting a specific cause when shopping with you?
Will your items help them tell a story or share who they are?
Will your item make them feel more productive?
How will you bring potential buyers to your shop?
If Etsy didn’t exist, how would you bring customers to your store or market booth?
If you’re starting from scratch, you may not have a social following. But you most likely have friends, family, and co-workers you can share with. Sharing with whomever is in your circle is a great way to help you kick-start your shop when it opens.
From there you can expand to social media and find virtual markets that might help you find new customers.
Make a list of places you can share your shop, sell your items, and how you might incentivize people to shop to help boost your Etsy shop reputation.
Some ideas:
Friends, family, coworkers
Social media
Newsletter
Handouts like business cards and postcards
Connecting with other makers
Participating in virtual markets
Continue to share - even if you don’t get much interest to start. Consistent sharing will build interest as you share different items that are available, showcase the process of making them, or promotions you might be hosting. It will also show your audience that you are committed to your business and your craft.
STRATEGY #2: Apply your plan
After filling out your plan, you should have a REALLY good idea of what your shop will be all about and how you might attract your potential buyers.
Now it’s time to execute the plan and apply it to every nook and cranny of your shop like your:
About Page
Shop Announcement
Shop Banner
Item Descriptions
Item Photographs
Order Thank You Messages
Shipping Confirmation Message
As an example, if your shop sells rustic jewelry, you might:
share why you love this aesthetic in your about page or shop announcement.
use earth-tones in your shop banner.
speak to the coastal inspiration in the description.
use keywords that align with the item aesthetic, who your customer is, and how the item can be used.
photograph the items on pieces of wood.
be personable and down-to-earth in your thank you / confirmation messages.
STRATEGY #3: Be professional
No matter how casual or full-time you are, or who you may encounter, always be professional in dealing with customers.
Certain things may be obvious to some but not others. If it’s not obvious, is there a way you can make it more-so? If it is obvious, please don’t lose patience; Be kind and help the customer with their questions or concerns. Oversights happens. Mistakes get made. We’re all human.
Being professional also shows that you are committed to your customers and take your business seriously, which immediately makes you trustworthy. This will hopefully turn into good word of mouth and customer loyalty!
STRATEGY #4: Do something with downtime
There is a natural ebb and flow to sales. It’s normal as the world and marketplace is an ever-changing place.
Instead of picking apart stats on a daily basis and worrying about drops in views or sales, turn your focus toward things you can take control of, and take advantage of, during this downtime.
Take some time to regroup and rest.
Be open to learning something new or reflect on lessons learned.
Find ways to improve your shop; Update banners, clean up photos, rewrite some descriptions.
Look for opportunities to bring customers to your shop.
Make note of how you might diversify your business which could lead to brand awareness and increase income; Open a print on demand shop to offer items you don’t have available in your Etsy shop, write blog posts about your processes, make a Skillshare class to teach others, be a guest on a podcast.
Create fresh inventory or start a new project that might spark some excitement.
STRATEGY #5: Don’t rush the process; Be patient!
It took me a year to really start seeing some momentum with my shop. Even after 10,000 sales, I’m STILL learning, improving, and adapting. I don’t expect that to change.
There is no magic formula to selling successfully on Etsy and none of this comes together overnight. It will take time. Most likely more than you think!
Spend the time you need to create your plan, execute it with intention, and focus on what YOU can improve or control. Always.
When you start getting sales, take note of what is selling well and why.
When you get a review, take note of what people like and what people don’t so you can use that to improve things as you go.
When you review stats, look at them in 30 day blocks and only if you’re using the information to implement a strategy, like updating keywords or reviewing where your traffic is coming from so you can double-down on those efforts. Looking at them daily or comparing them day-to-day will only serve to drive you mad.
After a year or two on Etsy, you’ll start to see trends and those ebbs and flows will become a little more predictable.
Like a well-tended garden, it will take time to bear fruit. But with consistent effort, a solid plan, and a willingness to learn along the way, you’ll start selling and reaching your goals.
Let me know if this information helped you or share your own Etsy business tips, below!
The next chapter looks at crafting the customer experience in more detail.
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