In August 2016, I opened my Etsy shop. Since then, I’ve learned quite a lot about Etsy, about myself, about my product, about marketing and selling...and I have a feeling I still have a lot to learn.
Before I sold on Etsy, I thought it was so cool. There are unique products of all kinds. The photos were always beautiful (I often wondered why everyone’s photos seemed perfect. Were they all photographers? Did they hire people to take their photos? Did Etsy screen all photos before they went live?). It seemed to be a hub of creative minds selling beautiful goods. I desperately wanted to be a part of it, but never had anything I thought worthy of public sale...until last summer. So, I made my products, thought of a shop name, took some decent pictures, and just like that, I was an Etsy seller. Here’s what I’ve learned on this journey (so far).
1. You will nitpick your product.
This could be something you’ve made for years. Something you’ve never doubted before. But suddenly, when it’s pitted against other products, when you know strangers are looking at it, you start to question it. You start to pay attention to the tiniest details. This can be good and help you improve your product to the next level, as long as you don’t become too obsessive about it. Handmade items will always have little quirks-this is a part of the appeal!
2. Your first less-than-perfect review will crush you.
I got a four-star review shortly after I opened. I was enjoying my weekend, and when the “new review” notification popped up I was excited to have some action in my shop. When I opened the app and read the review, which wasn’t even that harsh, I was devastated. I immediately contacted the buyer to see if there was anything I could do. I also learned to put a note about certain small imperfections into my listings just in case the buyers didn’t notice them in the photos. All my reviews since have been very positive, but that one still sticks with me.
3. Shipping can get complex.
Especially if you have a fragile product. You’ll also be shipping stuff before work, during your lunch break at work, and on your weekends. It can get expensive, between the actual shipping cost and the packaging costs. You always need to keep an eye on these expenses and make sure they don’t eat up too much of your sale price, otherwise you could be selling your product with no profit and maybe even at a cost to you. I always keep boxes, bubble wrap, tissue paper, and any other packing material from everything I order for myself online. Re-using these items saves a lot of money.
4. You will become a better photographer.
Whether you’re using your phone or a nice camera, you will develop new photography techniques that specifically suit your product. You’ll know the all the spots in your house that get the best lighting and have the best backdrops. You might even get into a little bit of photo editing to correct lighting issues or to blur out backgrounds.
5. You will spend more time on Etsy.
If you were already an Etsy shopper before, you might be surprised that you can spend even more time on the site. And I don’t mean just to set up your listings, but you will actively stalk other similar shops. Your favorites list will go from shops you might want to buy things from to shops you want to keep an eye on. How do they write their headlines? Do they have more sales? How long have they been open? Do they do something cool in their pictures? Do they have a professionally done logo? All this information can help you improve your own shop.
6. Making a sale is a true high.
And you will chase that high. When you make a sale, the Etsy app notifies you with a cash register sound, and it is music to my ears. If you have some sales consistently and then they suddenly drop off, you will analyze every possible reason. You’ll read marketing articles. You’ll be on Etsy seller tip blogs. It will make you crazy. But let me tell you, when you’re selling, you feel amazing.
I have loved my Etsy journey, ups, downs and all. I feel amazed and flattered that other people would want to buy something I made and have it in their house. Custom orders are even more fun as I get to know the buyer and create something specifically for them. I feel a complete peace and satisfaction when I’m sitting at my work table creating.
I encourage anyone out there who is a maker to give it a try.
To anybody who wants to check out my shop and see how I’m doing these days, it can be found at http://www.TypeFrameStudio.com. I am still a baby in the Etsy world, but I am having so much fun there.