All things Etsy

2007-08-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

Littleputs class wish list:

Things I'd like to learn:
spinning
dying yarn
anything with metals
silk screening
mobil making
sewing machine usage
paper making
wheel throwing (field trip!)
studio visits (mine too)
how to make findings

Things I'd like to teach:
Stab binding
Coptic Binding
Wholesale Workshop
Marketing workshop
Pendant making
Other fun stuff with paper

Combining Blogs

2007-07-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

I cannot keep up with 2 blogs so I've rearranged this one to host my previos tips & will continue on at www.littleput.blogspot.com. Thanks readers, see you on the other site!

:O)

Learn your market via craft shows

2007-05-31T19:07:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of one of the best Etsy photographers Aliciabock

Most top sellers on Etsy (maybe all?) have put in their time in real world markets. Standing outside in the heat, sweat, rain and tears is a rite of passage for any one who wants to make a living as an artist. There is nothing better for your business than meeting the people who buy your work (and meeting those who don't). I spent 4 years at the Portland Saturday Market as a regular vendor. This gave me the best opportunity to see what sells, what hardly sells and what I should never ever make, ever. (Not that I don't try that on Etsy too). Getting real time feedback on your prices, your work and your overall shop image is invaluable!

Go to fair, a craft show or a farmers market. Set up shop and bring on the buyers. Its really late to sign up for most summer shows but a lot of local farmers markets set aside a few corners for craft vendors and booth fees are usually very low. Find an open venue, bring a table and your best display ideas and get to know your market. The information you can gather from one of these venues is priceless.

Side note, not all every market is great for crafts and not all sellers will have "thier" market at every venue. If you find an open one that will let you set up a table, go with out expectation. You could sell out and you could sell nothing. If you approach it from a market research stand point you'll gain tons, even if you sell very little. Once you've had a taste of the craft world you can research and apply to shows that fit your work. A lot of the fall and holiday shows start taking applications now and its great to go to the larger ones with some idea of what to expect.

You can find some of these big shows hunting for vendors on Craigs List, and you local city art council can also give you lots of good information.

Selling On Etsy Tip #10 Create a Buzz 10 ways to advertise, cheaply.

2007-05-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

Photo Courtesy of Keepitmagickal

Great Card!

Its not up to Etsy. While I think Someday Etsy will be as well known as Ebay it is still a well kept secret for many. This means that you cannot sign up with Etsy and expect them to sell your stuff for you. Etsy is a venue, a place to show the world what you make but not a place where the world will find you, yet. If you are ready, if your photos are good, your sales are picking up and you are making enough stuff to really have a "shop" feel it is time to advertise.

Tip 10. Spread the word. Most of my buyers joined the day they bought from me, which tells me that the majority of my sales are from outside marketing. Craigs list is one of my favorite places & I've compiled a list of other things to try. Please let me know how they work for you!

1. Make a Poster of your work, add shop URL & a mini bio in word or text edit, print it on nice paper & hang them in grocery stores, send them to magazines (with samples), leave them in coffee shops & around town. Its almost free and can create a very vivid catalogue of your Etsy shop. Read more about it Here
2. Find a small online venue that offers inexpensive advertising such as trunkt.org or buy a space in the etsy showcase. Its $7.00 and will give you 24 hours of increased visibility.
3. If you sell on Ebay be sure to mention your Etsy shop in every auction
4. Make tags, business cards or stickers and include a few in every package you sell, give your customers a way to spread the word.
5. Start a blog or create a website (or both) If you don't know what to talk about just take photos of your work and post them often.
6. Flickr.com Its a free photo hosting site where people can share photos, I know I have made at least one sale from it and now I have a portfolio of work that I can send my customers to. My flickr
7. Get Moo cards from flickr, these are 1/2 size business cards with your photos & shop information on them. They are adorable, inexpensive (around $20. for 100) and an easy thing to pass out to family or leave behind at restaruants.
8. Join Etsy Teams . Teams are popping up everywhere and having lots of sales, meet & greets and events. Find a team that works for your location or product & get involved.
9. Buy add space on your favorite design blog. I recently purchased a spot for the holidays on Modish for about $50 a month, I'll let you know how well it works.
10. Of course the best advertisement is word of mouth. Be a great seller, communitcate with your customers, ship quickly and sell only the best quality product. If people love what you make, they will rave about it and bring their friends.

Selling On Etsy Tip #9 Price is the Spice

2007-05-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Automaton

Cuteness Shop!!!!

Price is so important. I am still learning how to sort though all this, as some of you may have seen in the Etsy forums today. Its hard to find the right price. We want our work to sell and I think we often don't place enough value on our time. I know my time spent paper shopping, answering convos, shipping and buying supplies is never factored in to my hourly wage. It should be and bit by bit I do test the value of my work by slight increases but it is hard, raising my prices gives me an ulcer :o).

That said.....

Tip 9.

Don't under value your work. If your prices are WAY too low you will be ignored and fall through the cracks. Buyers want two things, value for thier dollar and valuable work. You have to try to find a balance. Is the purse that took 10 hours to hand embroider going to sell on Etsy for $600? Maybe, but probably not. The same purse listed at $10 may also be ignored as it will be seen as cheap and unimportant. When pricing, try to keep in mind what your think your time is worth as well as market value; if they both are about the same then you probably are right on target.

Selling On Etsy Tip #8 Sell what you love and sell more!

2007-05-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Surreal Muse

A great example of what this tip is all about (go see)!

Bring your best.

Why are you wasting time listing stuff that is not the best you can make? For those who are just starting out it is so important that you make your best impression. So you put some beads on elastic and you only want $2.00 for it, they really break up the look of your storefront and over-shadow the awesome peyote stitch earrings you have listed. Sure, maybe someone will buy your cheap stuff because it is cheap but if you want your Etsy shop to thrive you need to put your best work forward and give the crap to your nieces (no offense nieces).

Tip 8.
Your storefront on Etsy says everything. It takes time to make, photograph and list stuff. If you are going to put your time and your .20c in, make it count. Don't sell what you don't love, and if you are not great at what you make, get better. Take classes, try new techniques, keep trying. If you want your etsy shop to seriously work for you, make sure your customers know you take it seriously.

Selling On Etsy Tip #7 The Right Words

2007-04-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Green Chair Press
an incredible and highly recommended place to shop :O)

Words. Words are highly important. Love them or hate them Starbucks is the perfect example of how words sell your product. By the simple Italian-ization of small, medium and large they created a brand for themselves and a new way to market coffee.

Tip 7.
Create an identity for YOUR work. Give it a cool name, a funky description, make it something that people will notice and remember. This is a great thing to do in your listing title. I have a pendant with text on it, originally and genericly named "a word pendant". It didn't sell so I renamed it Bookish and renued it for fresh viewing. The change in text created an identity for the necklace and it sold right away.
A simple play on words can really add a twist to your item, it can be the reason you make a sale.

Mini Tidbit #1

2007-04-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

Have an avatar. It can be your product, something pretty, words, something silly, what ever you feel expresses your shop.

Having an avatar does 2 things:
1. It gives users a way to identify your shop
2. It presents you as someone who is part of the Etsy community, that little picture makes you trustworthy.

Don't make your avatar photo so incredibly beautiful that it outshines your work. Something simple that doesn't change is a good way for people to know who you are :O)

Selling On Etsy Tip #6 Photos 3 part tip.

2007-04-13T21:10:00.002-07:00

Lets take great photos. I'm the first to admit I don't know much about product photography. My biggest issue is lighting. I've bought lamps, used my flash, opened all the blinds and I still had such an issue with yellowing or dark pictures. I don't have time to learn photoshop and besides, I'd rather be making stuff. So I've experimented with a lot of different lighting sources and this is what I have found.

Tip 6.

Try taking photos in natural, indirect sunlight.

This photo was taken with "white light" bulbs (2) and a flash. Its yellow and dull and though passable, not something I am pleased with.

This photo was taken in direct (but partially obscured) sunlight. The shadows are harsh and though I'd take this over the the yellow light it is funky looking, especially in tiny time machine format.

This photo was taken on a window sill, (thanks Gemmafactrix for the spot you did on the Etsy Blog ) out of direct sun. It's still a little dark but much more marketable in my opinion. When I loaded into Iphoto (go mac!) I used the adjust image tool and slid the level bar down just a touch. Voila, a 5 second adjustment and I have a photo worth listing that really shows the nature and tones of the piece.

You can find free programs for PCs that work like Iphoto, Picasa is reportedly great. And for those of you who live in windowless dungeons you can build an inexpensive light box. I'll talk more about photography in the future. Just keep in mind your customers don't really know what they are buying until it arrives. True and accurate photos are a great way to boost your sales.

Part 2.

Photos courtesy of
schOOLLOcker
One of the best stores on
Etsy to find all sorts of supplies.

Taking unique photos is one of the hardest parts of selling on Etsy. Especially if you are like me and make mostly one of a kind peices. (You people who make more than one of the same item are GENIOUS). Having a good camera is step one, step two is setting up your shot. I choose SchOOLLOcker for this piece becuase she sells standard every day items but she photographs them as though they are art (very smart considering her market!).

Make your product stand out through interesting photography. Use of color can be great, pattern, texture, unique lighting. You don't want your picture to detract from the actual object but you do want to make sure you are saying "look at me" with your photographs. A pair of earrings on a nice sheet of construction paper or an old game board cover (my choice) can really add depth and dimension to your image. For those of you photographting prints or artwork, the cleaner and clearer the image the better. Some artists show thier first image in a setting (livingroom, kitchen etc) this can work well for attracting views, especially if the photo is crisp and well lit. Play around with your product, get creative and see what really make you go wow!

Part 3

You can also create recognition for your shop through photography. When you find something that works well, stick with it. I always know when I see certain sellers in the time machine. By taking a similar style photo for your work you help your customers find you, brand recognition is becoming more and more important as Etsy grows. This is hugely important for reaching record sales.

Selling On Etsy Tip #5 Master your craft

2007-04-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy
of no one on Etsy.
(thank goodness)

How good are you at what you do?

It would be pretty miraculous if you could make a living selling jewelry like the earrings pictured above. Do you make something that wows your audience? Famous artists and designers all have a certain appeal (or family name) and have mastered thier skills. They set themselves apart from the DIY crowd by being fantastic at thier jobs.

Tip 5

Master your craft, get really good at what you love to do and give your everything to it. I have made a lot of really bad books in my time, wobbly, floppy, and just plain idiotic designs. But bookbinding is something I love. It is something I really wanted to be good at and so I kept at it. Over time my books got stronger, my ideas got better and I started making things that people were excited to buy.

Let your love for your craft consume you and it will show in your finished products. To quote a wise etsy seller Spazspun

"Learn your craft. Learn it to the point where you can let your instincts take over. Learn all the rules and then break them with abandon! Believe in yourself and your uniqueness."

So beautifully put that it had to be repeated

Selling On Etsy Tip #4 Getting views

2007-04-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Bpgallery
Staying on top of the heap.

Etsy is getting crowded. Jewelry is overflowing, Art is overwhelming and the whole site is getting bigger every day. There is no magic listing time; listing late at night (US) can get you lots of international orders, listing early in the morning can catch you the office crowd (already bored with work).

Tip 4.
List often (this has been said before). Etsy doesn't have much of a search engine these days. If you list 10 items in one day and then nothing for two weeks your product will be buried on page 99, how will people find you? Spread out your listings. I take and upload all of my photos at once and then sit down every once in a while to add a new item. This keeps my views fresh and gives me more exposure to new buyers.

Tip 4.a
You can renew any listing for 20c. If you see a product go by with 4001 views it has been renewed (lets hope it sells this time). Renewing offers the same function as adding a new item; it puts you at the top of the category page and increases your overall exposure. The fee can add up so if you use this feature, do it wisely. And relisting your entire shop at the same time is not only bad etiquette (it pushes all the other sellers items down the page) it is unnecessary and a bit of a turn off. If your items are not getting a high number of views it is probably an issue with your photography, not the time of day it was listed or number of times it was renewed.

Ps I'll be doing a huge segment on photographing your work in upcoming weeks.

Selling On Etsy Tip #3 Selling more than one item in your store

2007-04-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

Photos courtesy of

Allisonsphotography.etsy.com Allison, I love your new

magnet book!

(All readers, go look!)

Variety is the spice of Etsy. Have a well rounded shop. The more the merrier, give your shoppers a reason to fill up their carts, give them a way to find you and show the Etsy world all the many things you can do.

Tip 3.
You can sell more than one kind of thing in your Etsy shop.

Etsy is a visual medium. Most brick and mortar stores have a theme, color scheme or a niche. Successful retail shops often attract customers who will come in for one thing and leave with others they never knew they needed. You can do this with your Etsy shop as well. Your various goods should be complimentary to one another, you can have jewelry and knitting and wood products all in the same shop but they need to mesh, and you need to offer a number of similar products. One cutting board in a shop full of tee shirts probably won't sell but if you have 5 of one and 7 of another you are offering your customers one stop shopping. This is especially great around the holidays, who needs the mall?

Testimonal written by Allison (photos and work above)
One good thing about offering a larger variety of items in your shop is that you can be found by more people who do a search for an item. By only having photographs, my shop was mostly found by searching for photography. Now, someone can come across my shop when looking for cards, journals, postcards and ACEOs, as well as photography. On Etsy, it's all about exposure and getting your shop out there for others to see. They can't buy your items if they can't find you.

Well said, chickadee!

Selling On Etsy Tip #2 Be original, a pep talk

2007-04-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Listing photo courtesy of Etsy Superstar TinyMeat™ (go look at his shop as soon as you are done reading).

I'm just going to say it, you have to have a good and unique product, plain and simple.

Etsy shoppers are savvy. They know how to use the internet, they enjoy shopping from an up and coming website. Buying on Etsy is a statement. Buyers here are hip, in the know, have good taste and take pride in what is unique about themselves. Etsy is not a shopping mall and this is something to be proud of, for both buyers and sellers.

Stop and take a look at your work. Is it new, different, well made, hard to replicate (ahem), something that stands out in a crowd or re-inforces the buyers sense of originality? I spent a lot of time selling journals at the Portland Saturday Market. I made pretty books in all sizes and shapes and sold a few from time to time. But it wasn't until I had the idea to use gameboards as journal covers that I really started to sell well. Taking a common technique and putting a new spin on it can be very profitable. Look at your work, is it contemporary, fresh, brave or bold? How can you use your craft skills to create something brand new?

Tip 2.

Stand up and Stand out. Make something new, make something savy and make something that showcases your originality. There is probably not a big market for an automatic crocheted nose picker, so be brave but be smart about your new designs.

If you have artist's block take your most favorite item that still hasn't sold. How can it be improved? Can you design a line around this item? What can you do to make it stand out in the Etsy crowd?

Again, I'll answer three questions, please post them in the comment box below...

Selling On Etsy Tip #1 Introduce yourself to the Etsy community

2007-04-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

Etsy started out slowly for me, it does for most sellers. I made a total of 4 sales my first month, with a long slow 10 day nothing, right in the middle of it all. I continued to add more items to my shop and got really excited about making new cool Etsy product but it just wasn't happening. I was about to give up when I found myself in the forums. I introduced myself and immediately managed to piss a few people off by bringing up the top sellers list (now gone) and bit by bit my business started to grow, which is your tip of the day.

Tip 1

Post in the forums. Often, occasionally, once in a while. Introduce yourself, start a promotion thread (joining them on page 20 doesn't do much to increase your views), post something silly in the ETC section. Staying out of heated threads *is probably a good idea but sometimes they can be fun.

Etsy people often buy as much as they sell, letting the community know you are there is a good way to start!
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