If you are good at making things, you might consider monetizing the ability. In the past, you would find it difficult to do so since you would be primarily selling to a local community. But Etsy has changed that. The online selling platform, Etsy, allows anyone to start selling their arts and crafts offerings. With more than 27 million buyers, there is a huge market to work with. But setting up your shop is not a guarantee for success. Here are some tips to help you out if this is your aim.
Focus On A Product
If you plan to start selling on Etsy, you need to have a particular product to sell. Focus on a specific niche so that you can work and develop your product. For example, you might consider selling art prints. That should be the main product for your store. It allows you to build your brand and get better known for it. In the beginning, you might experiment a bit. You might then suddenly hit on a popular concept or product. Once you have product focus, that is when you start making stock for your store.
Have Great Photos And Descriptions
Since Etsy is an online store, there is a notable difference from what you can expect from a physical store. This can be a challenge since arts and crafts are more charming in person. This is where a lot of beginner Etsy sellers make a mistake. They don’t have good pictures of their product. That is very important. Without a visual idea of what they will be paying for, many potential customers hesitate.
It is even worse if the seller uses a bad picture. That might completely ensure that no one buys the product. To correct this, you need to get the best possible promotional shots of your product. You then need to have good detailed descriptions so that your customers would know exactly what they are buying. An angry customer can cause you problems with low reviews and ratings, which can discourage buyers from taking a look at your store.
Pricing Things Right
There is also the fact that you need to price your products right. This involves a bit of market research and critical self-evaluation. Look around on Etsy for other products like yours. And check out their prizes. They should give you a good range. Now you need to decide whether you go for the higher end of pricing or the lower end. Decide it by judging your expertise and how much the product was to produce. The goal is to have a decent amount of profit after Etsy takes its cut.
Besides the normal pricing, you should also consider the shipping costs. Drop by your local post office and see the rates for shipping. Depending on the prices, you might limit your deliveries to certain areas so that the shipping costs won’t frighten off buyers.
Connect With Customers
If you want to succeed on Etsy, you want repeat customers. For that to happen, you’ll need to connect and engage with your buyers. Keep track of orders and learn when they have received theirs. Ask for reviews and do follow-up messages. Ask them what they like about the product and how they want it improved. The attention you give them can help convince them to go with you on their next purchase.
Think About Promos And Marketing
While Etsy does provide stores with some free advertising by showing off some choice shops, you need to go beyond that. Promoting your Etsy store on social media can be a great method to have some customers come your way. This is if you have your following on YouTube or another platform. Converting those followers into buyers can be a challenge. But if you start offering promo codes, they might be willing to spend their money on your products.
Plan Well
You should think about the future of your Etsy shop. For example, you might want to move off Etsy and maintain your online store. This can be a challenge, but it does allow you to cut prices down to a reasonable level. Building a website can be difficult but rewarding. Another expansion of the business would be to come up with ways to expand your product line. For example, buying a laser-engraving machine can allow you to burn beautiful designs on your products. While expensive, you can earn it all back if the products become popular.
An Etsy shop can be a big moneymaker. While the platform gets a cut of your sales, it is not so bad if you sell a high volume of products. Sign up now to see what you can do with your shop.
