Tips 1-49

Do you have an Etsy store but your sales are not where you wantD them to be? If so, read on for over 300 marketing tips from successful Etsy sellers. Most of these sellers have over 1,000 sales, so they know what they are talking about!

You don’t have to implement all of these Etsy Marketing Tips at once (that would be impossible!) Look through the list, make a note of any tips that you want to try and schedule them in your calendar.

1. STOP Facebooking, Tweeting, and Blogging

You read right! We have over 18,000 sales in 37 countries in less than one year and a half. Gross sales: over $190,000. We have had to close over 7 times being so overwhelmed with orders. Etsy gets over 6 million customers a day and that should be enough. Don’t steer your customers from your to onto making the social media owners richer, keep them on your site, long enough to buy. If your product is good, presented well, and seen, now with relevancy, then your product will sell. We NEVER used any social media to sell our products. We don’t even subscribe. Our products have been featured in 4 national magazines, on HGTV, and in numerous blogs. They all came to us. Let people love your product and talk about it on their own. The energy and result are better. Sure there are exceptions to the rule and those people who spend hours a day tweeting, etc, “may” have benefited, but on average, for the amount of time spent on social media, if people calculated that into the cost of their product, because it is time and advertising, they would see it is not worth it. Use the time more wisely by either bettering your product by taking a course in business or advertising, or figuring out why it does not sell, or come up with a better product. Most important spend those hours you whisk away tweeting, fb, etc, with your family, loved ones, enjoying life. After all life is too short. You shouldn’t have to sell your soul and pawn everyone else’s, to get sales. We didn’t, and millions of other people do not either. Our Etsy shop is not our first success. We had many other successful businesses long before social media came into play. If your product is good, it will sell. If not, face it and get on with life. The truth will not be, because you didn’t utilize social media enough. – This tip courtesy of Black Baroque – 18,637 sales so far

2. List as often as you can

Stay focused on what you are good at, and what sells the most. Although there are many things i can make, in my Etsy shop, I stick to sewing paper and making wallets is my big success. Focus on one to 3 products and use the same mediums. - This tip courtesy of Dumb Kid Designs – 5,280 sales so far

3. Persist

If I had to give one word for succeeding a small business, it would have to be persistence! Do I feel successful? Yes, this year I do! If you know you have a quality product with competitive pricing, you can learn the semantics of selling online as you go – just persist. Don’t give up! Be determined to succeed, and you will succeed! Now go, do, and good luck to you! - This tip courtesy of Sweet Creek Herbal Care – 6,534 sales so far

4. Two things are super important: (1) fantastic photos, and (2) short, pithy descriptions

Think of your customers as friends – you have a short amount of time to build trust and a strong relationship with your clientele. It’s small things, like handwritten notes or individualized email responses, that make a huge difference. - This tip courtesy of SoapWalla – 16,329 sales so far

5. Get featured outside of etsy

The most effective promotion I’ve gotten has been from sources outside of etsy.  I really believe that having someone surf right into your shop is key.  If they find you just from random etsy clicking, they’ve already taken in so much of your competition. I’ve purchased tiny, affordable ads in the back of a few magazines, Bust and Found to name a few, and have been shameless about sending my work to interesting art blogs I’ve found.  It doesn’t hurt to just attach a photo, send a link and ask if they want to feature you.  If your stuff fits their aesthetic, they’re usually thrilled you did the work for them and they didn’t have to search out something themselves.  Getting featured in smaller blogs leads to bigger sources seeing you and featuring you there.  Being featured on small, personal blogs led bigger features in the blog Apartment Therapy, and the now defunct interior design magazine Domino.  It’s been years since those features, and I still get custom requests from clients who discovered me there to this day. - This tip courtesy ofJohn Clark – 3,928 sales so far

6. Creativity & Quality are Key

Although there are many factors to achieving success, I do believe that being fresh and unique in your creativity will definitely aid in setting you apart from your competition. Also, providing a quality product. I have definitely learned that a customer is willing to wait, if they know that they have to wait because you want to offer them the most quality product that you can. Quality should never waver–should always be consistent. - This tip courtesy of Swak Couture – 3,984 sales so far

7. POST! POST! POST

I find that when I post items on a daily basis is when I make the most sales. You have to keep your items in the public eye and on the front page as much as possible so create posts as often as you can. If you have multiples of the same item, list each one individually rather than listing it once and setting your quantity at 10. Listing the item once each day for 10 days increases the chances of visibility over posting the 10 items lumped together in one listing. This also helps keep track of inventory. –This tip courtesy of Last Dollar Comics – 1,395 sales so far

8. I find that products will sell themselves if they do what they claim or are unique in some way

Most of our new customers come from word of mouth advertising. They learn about us in chat rooms and forums as well as blogs and friends. The products we sell are products that we use! I think that says so much about what we do and how we are able to keep doing it. If you make products that you yourself love and don’t want to be without chances are others will love them too. Advertising can get you new customers but keeping customers requires commitment to a great line of products that won’t let them down. – This tip courtesy ofRainwater Botanicals – 10,554 sales so far

9. Try to be as professional as possible in every aspect of your work

Your Etsy shop should look and feel like a respectable business. Trust is important to online buyers. This means good branding, good photos, fast shipping, quick and courteous responses to questions and a quality product. After being featured in Etsy finds a couple of times early on I have found that most of my sales are by word of mouth. Customer experience is everything if you want people to rave about your products. 2 friends tell 2 friends, tell 2 friends and pretty soon you have a good customer base. Oh, and be yourself, love what you do and make a product that people need! It’s the minor details that matter most! – This tip courtesy of The Office of Minor Details – 1,862 sales so far

10. A few well-respected beauty bloggers wrote reviews on my products, and that really helped my business pick up

So I’d say make yourself known to the best bloggers in your field (without being pushy). Follow them on Facebook and Twitter, make thoughtful comments on their posts and hopefully they will take an interest in your work. Many also offer affordable ad space where you can reach your best potential customers  – This tip courtesy of Epically Epic Soap – 10,107 sales so far

11. There are many challenges to selling on Etsy

The traditional advice of taking good product photos, optimizing keywords for the search function, writing interesting concise descriptions, and promoting outside of Etsy is crucial, but it’s also important that the products themselves are desirable, creative and well-made. Of course one still has to make a good profit. Therefore careful design and materials sourcing help keep costs down so one can have a realistically priced, yet amazing product. I find that every time I compromise the quality of an item I regret it, and making things the very best that I can (within my carefully constructed parameters) guarantees delighted customers and continued success for me. – This tip courtesy of bonspielcreation – 2,765 sales so far

12. Pictures are what sells your product

There’s a lot that goes into successful selling on Etsy: staying relevant, joining teams, creating unique products, pricing, embracing the changes, fast shipping, great customer service, the list seems endless! But all of those efforts are in vain if the traffic your driving to your shop arrives, and finds pictures that do not captivate the buyer. Pictures that sell your products by making each item interesting and with a personality all it’s own. Pictures ARE what sells your product. Natural lighting whenever possible, and great close-ups go a long way towards making an inanimate object into something that a buyer is curious about and wants to know more about. Using all the spaces available (5) is really important too! – This tip courtesy of Red Leaf bath and body – 4,898 sales so far

13. Finding a niche is incredibly important

What do you wish was out there that you just can’t seem to find? What could be done better, or differently? I started making Moonpads because I wanted prettier, more affordable menstrual pads. I started my other Etsy business (www.cowgirlsnaps.etsy.com ) because I couldn’t find pearl snaps to use on Moonpads, and figured other people might like them too. And then. Pictures, pictures, pictures! Good photos are a must. The month I got Photoshop, my sales went up immediately and significantly. Oh and one more tip: let your enthusiasm shine! When you love what you do, it will come through! Best of luck! - This tip courtesy of Moonpads – 5,718 sales so far

14. Be Unique

My biggest piece of advice is to be unique. Let your creativity blossom and your work will stand out. Try something new that is uniquely yours. I feel that buyers enjoy the variety. – This tip courtesy of XcessRize Designs – 4,719 sales so far

15. Uniqueness

Creating something that is unique brings sales. We love to be different, and want something that can represent that difference at the same time. The uniqueness isn’t only make your shop stands out from the others, but it also make your shop interesting. Everyone has his own taste, and unique items may be the answer for them. So be unique! – This tip courtesy of iammie – 1,310 sales so far

16. To have excellent customer service

It may seem as though this is a cliche tip, but I have turned unhappy customers into regular buyers by keeping this in mind. If a customer doesn’t like something or it doesn’t work for them, I stick to my ‘Love it’ guarantee (if they don’t love it, they get their money back). I do whatever I can to rectify any issues with orders promptly and kindly. I had an international buyer lose a package in the mail 2 times in a row. I refunded her money after the second time and sent out a third, which made it to her. She was so grateful for the service and left feedback saying it was the best customer service she’s ever received. She buys from my shop regularly. Customers appreciate it so much when a seller treats them well. They share these experiences and almost always return. This not only builds a great reputation for your company, it keeps customers coming back again & again. – This tip courtesy of Noella Beauty Works Cosmetics – 6,922 sales so far

 17. Quantity: You can not expect someone to stay in your shop unless you have something to sell

Having a few items in your shop or even 20 items, does not give the buyer a variety of options. We didn’t start selling steadily until we had 50 items in our shop and we know we have to keep a minimum of 100 items in the shop in order to do well on Etsy. The goal for end-of-year holiday prep is 200+ items which we start making in June.

Quality: Really work hard to put out an amazing handmade product. Quality counts and it brings back return customers. Etsy allows for a few ways to show off quality: great photos in detail of your work, descriptions and the new About page for the shop. However, we found one of the best ways to share more about our books is on our blog (BadgerandChirp.com) in which we not only showcase our custom orders but we also share the bookbinding process with how-to videos and a bookbinding 101 series. This helps other people not only learn how to make their own, but come to appreciate our books a little bit more and brings in customers for us. – This tip courtesy of BadgerandChirp – 2,039 sales so far

 18. Provide stellar customer service

From the first point of contact, to the last, it is essential to provide your customer with the best service possible. After six years in business, the majority of my customers are now repeat and/or referrals from past customers. Beyond producing an exceptional product, I deliver exceptional service. Communication is a key factor in my service policy. I make sure to personally acknowledge every order, upon receipt, and send out regular updates on the status of the order, including tracking info at shipment. My customers let me know that they appreciate my stellar customer service and I believe this has played a key role in my success. – This tip courtesy of Watermelon Wishes – 2,544 sales so far

 19. Offer samples

If possible, always give a chance to the customer to try your products before he/she decides to invest in a full size item. If you make products that are not possible to offer as samples – have something affordable in your shop that will not cost much but will be a chance to feel, touch and give the idea of what you are doing. It can be a small key chain, handkerchief, anything that will show your craftsmanship and quality you offer. Also, if you can – include something for free with every purchase. Even the smallest thing can be a big pleasant surprise and will make customer feel happy and want to come back again  – This tip courtesy of Herbolution – 6,752 sales so far

20. It takes money to make money

When I opened my shop, I decided that I would spend a fairly good amount of money on advertising. I took a bit of a gamble, and spent 400.00 dollars advertising on a really well known home decor blog. Fortunately, the gamble paid off and I made that back! Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. When looking for blogs to advertise your products with, I always have the best luck with blogs I personally enjoy reading. I think that goes along with making sure you know your target audience. Knowing exactly who the type of person is that would buy your products. Would that person likely read that same blog? The first 6 months I reinvested my profit back into advertising. It wasnt always easy to let go of the money, but it definitely paid off and helped me get a good start!  – This tip courtesy of VOL25 – 5,088 sales so far

21. Promote, Create, Promote

In the age of the internet, it’s easy to advertise just about anything…including your latest handcrafted item. Facebook and Twitter are great mainstream tools, but to really market your product to your niche, find blogs that cater to your customers. There’s a lot of other “social” networks that are constantly sprouting up. Etsy forums are a great way to find encouragement and suggestions from more successful sellers to really make you the best you can be. Still, the most important form of advertising is word-of-mouth. So, include business cards with every order, or ask the local coffeeshop, restaurant, etc. if you can display your cards for others to circulate and share. And when you’re not promoting, create! Get crafting on that next big idea to stay fresh and ahead of the curve! – This tip courtesy of Ian’s Cafe– 1,340 sales so far

22. Excellent Customer Service: Go above and beyond with customer service

People shop where they feel appreciated. Excellent products paired with fabulous customer service bring loyal customers who tell their friends about your shop. – This tip courtesy of Shower Treat Soap – 4,694 sales so far

 23. There are No New Customers

I read somewhere once to conduct business as if you could never get another new customer — your only chance of prospering was to turn existing customers into repeat customers. It’s a little tongue-in-cheek, obviously, but I think of it often. What does it look like to cherish my existing customers? How could I fill an order and communicate with someone (either online or in person) in a way that makes them remember us fondly and want to come back? It makes me slow down at shows and when filling orders, even during busy times — double-checking the contents, the packaging, and thank-you note. I try to never fill an order with an imperfect product, even one whose label is slightly off-center, and try to really listen to people when they approach us at shows or send us a conversation, taking a moment for a thoughtful exchange. – This tip courtesy of Mirasol Farm – 5,067 sales so far

24. Get connected & make friends

Offer specials, sales, & coupon codes. It’s a great way to get new customers in and reward your regular customers as well. – This tip courtesy of Lost River Rags – 3,379 sales so far

 25. Virtual Tangibility

Create a description of your product online that is the next best thing to the tangible. This includes a descriptive portrayal of your product in the listing and simple, uncluttered photographs of your item from different angles and views. Atmospheric photos are good too! Potential customers can’t actually pick up your items to scrutinize it, so offer them the next best thing… I like to call it “virtual tangibility”.  – This tip courtesy of La Paperie & Cozy Handmade Journals – 1,899 sales so far

 26. Integrity is important

My success on Etsy is contingent not only on what I have to offer but the variety of cosmetics as well. I offer products that as a consumer, I couldn’t find in the marketplace, so I made them myself. I listen to what my customers are looking for and then offer those products. I want all my cosmetics to exceed expectations without overwhelming my customers with too much information. Pictures and descriptions should be accurate and being available to answer questions is very important when selling cosmetics on line. – This tip courtesy of Erzulie Cosmetics – 12,201 sales so far

27. Branding and Repeat Customers

Before I even stitched my first seam, I gave a lot of thought to creating a brand. I wanted to incorporate my mission into a label that was recognizable and meaningful. Next, I had the label trademarked and A Helping Hand Bag was born. I have worked hard to make my store have a cohesive look but it’s my label that is my best advertisement and creates name recognition and consequently repeat customers. With Etsy growing and greater competition, I feel it’s important to have a quality product, awesome customer service, and a brand that my customers will remember.  - This tip courtesy of A Helping Hand Bag – 2,379 sales so far

 28. Your Photo Says it All

Do your photos attract customers or are you being overlooked? When I first started on Etsy, I did a lot of browsing. I figured that if someone was already successful, I wanted to see how they got there. I watched the front page and carefully scrutinized the photos to see where or how I could improve my own. To do this, you need to think like a customer, pick any category and browse and click. What makes you click? Many customers have told me that my photos are what drew them into my shop and hopefully my descriptions and customer service are what kept them there. - This tip courtesy ofElegant Rose Boutique – 7,733 sales so far

29. Write About Your Work

Tell the story or inspiration behind your work. I know I’m more intrigued by a product that includes a paragraph with information about the creative process. This is a struggle for me because I sometimes find it hard to articulate exactly what was intended by each drawing or painting but I try to explain myself as genuinely as possible. I usually express myself with humor because that’s what comes naturally to me in both my drawing and writing. Sharing your thoughts and processes will hopefully allow your audience to relate and feel more connected to you and your work. – This tip courtesy of Retro Whale – 4,395 sales so far

 30. Do Custom work, quick shipping, & communication

For me….sales really went up when I started doing customized work for people. People like to be creative & have something that is unique & their alone. Also, everyone keeps saying they like how I get my packages out to them quickly & they don’t have to wait long like they do with other sellers. When someone orders something they are already thinking of using it & eager to try it out!  Also, they really appreciate my communication with them on thanking them, when the order will be filled, & when it is sent out with confirmation. They don’t want to purchase something & then have no idea when they are going to get it, if the person even knows they ordered it!  – This tip courtesy of Heart J Creations – 6,965 sales so far

31. Branding

A strong brand helps keep your shop fresh in the minds of potential customers. When we first started, this was as easy as creating a simple theme to tie in our Etsy banner with our avatar. Later, we also incorporated the theme over to our business cards, Facebook, Twitter, etc… One of the many awesome things about Etsy is that they give you plenty of opportunities to tell the story of your unique handmade items! Spend time thinking about what best represents the items you sell and create something cohesive and memorable to buyers. – This tip courtesy of kukubee – 3,460 sales so far

32. Be consistent

Never give up. All things are possible. Its definitely true that when one door closes another one opens but only if you think positive and make it happen. If something is not working, figure out how to change things so it does work. You really have to live and breathe whatever your passion is. – This tip courtesy of Love Lee Soaps – 15,898 sales so far

 33. Find What Works For You

I think the thing that’s lead to my most success in my Etsy shop is experimenting with products until I found the ones that were right for me and my shop. I used to make a variety of purses and accessories, adding new designs and fabrics while dropping the ones that didn’t sell as well. In time I learned to anticipate what was going to be a good seller and how to maximize sales of that item with a wide variety of fabrics. (bonus tip: grey wool never goes out of style!) – This tip courtesy of Oh So Retro Accessories – 2,701 sales so far

34. Keep things in your shop fresh

Add new product, retake photos on older items, add new product lines, update packaging. When your shop is slow this is the perfect time to updated it so it always looks new and exciting for your customers. – This tip courtesy of PURE Natural Minerals – 6,961 sales so far

35. Find a niche market and make products not readily available in stores

Our business began because my mom needed a microwave heating pad that covered her neck and shoulders and we couldn’t find a satisfactory product in stores – so I designed one. From there, we built our business around making unique hot and cold pack therapy products.
This taught me to listen carefully to our customers and always try to honor custom requests. If a customer is going to the trouble to ask you to make something, chances are it is because it is a need not being met in the marketplace. Some of our best sellers originally began with a customer asking ‘can you make this?’ Sure, the first one takes extra effort and time to envision the product, make the pattern (sometimes many times to get it right) and then actually make it. But in the end, it is almost always worth it, and you’ve got a new product that you already know customers want. – This tip courtesy of the ferris wheels – 10,572 sales so far

36. Love Your Products

I love creating handmade products. Because I love using handmade products! When I’m in a creative slump I’ll retreat into my innermost selfish being and think… What can I create for myself as a treat?  If I’m lucky it will usually bring about a spark that drives me to mad experimentation, which will result in new scents and soaps. If my ideas sell, wonderful! If not, I’ve got a new bar of soap, perfume or candle that I will enjoy while I mull over new ventures. I encourage everyone be true to themselves, create what they love, live their passions and be led from the heart. – This tip courtesy of Beautiful Soaps – 6,196 sales so far

37. Love Your Shop

If you love what you make and do your very best to make your items and shop the best it can be, your potential customers will pick up on that and want to be apart of the beautiful thing you’ve created. Be open to feedback, and don’t be afraid to experiment. – This tip courtesy ofBlushie – 5,472 sales so far

38. Perfection is Impossible

I’ve been selling online for nearly ten years, and with Etsy for five. The most important thing I’ve learned over the years is that Perfection is Impossible. I see so many beginning entrepreneurs assume that once they get their photos just right, or get their SEO in place, that everything will be perfect and the sales will just start rolling in. This is an absolute myth. Why? Because you’ll never be done improving & your shop will never be perfect. There is ALWAYS something you can do to improve your business. I schedule time every week to work on various parts of my business, so that I know I’m constantly working on improving. I make sure I’m making a couple new products every month to keep things fresh & alive in my shop, and to keep my regulars coming back for more goodies. I spend a couple hours every week taking photographs or new products, or redoing photographs of older products. I dedicate an hour or so every evening to working on my SEO. With over 600 listings on Etsy, as well as a stand alone website, I am NEVER close to being caught up there! I try to send out an email newsletter at least once a week with various specials, updates on new products, and other fun goodies for my customer base.

With FaceBook causing business pages more and more headaches (reducing the number of people who see our views without paying to promote our posts), I am planning on refocusing more time on my blog. I spend time, on a regular basis, to evaluate my business and see where things can be improved. Where I can strengthen weaknesses, or even just open up new avenues for growth. It’s constantly evolving & changing. But one of the joys of running an online business is that we can move just as quickly as the trends of the internet.
I never strive for perfection or “good enough”, because to me, those words equal death for my business. I strive for growth. – This tip courtesy of Body Language (BLSoaps) – 10,860 sales so far

39. Make it Personal

As an Etsy shop, I try to give each and every buyer a unique handmade experience. This means that every order that goes out is wrapped and packaged like a birthday present: gift wrap, tissues, ribbon, a personalised note and even a unique decorated envelope. Each item needs to feel personal, not something that came off a production line order. Without any other advertising ( no facebook, twitter, paid adverts, etc), this has worked incredibly well. – This tip courtesy of Sakizome – 3,543 sales so far

40. Put in the time

Put in the time….to make the best quality product. I have many repeat customers who leave feedback about how well-made my bags are.
Put in the time….to take and edit the best photos you can manage.
Put in the time….to list items regularly (use all the tags!)
Put in the time….to promote. I use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Ravelry for promotion. Research promotion/advertising/blogs that will reach your target market.
Put in the time….to respond promptly to Conversations or custom requests. Customers love good service! –This tip courtesy of ZigZagStitches – 2,913 sales so far

41. Take Great Photos

A picture is worth a thousand words. Without being able to pick up and feel the items, product pictures need the best they can be. So product photography is high up on my list right next to product quality when it comes to my Etsy business. I almost always use a white background, so there’s no distractions from the products. I use natural lighting, I get the best lighting in the mornings, even and not too strong. When it comes to photo editing, I just brighten up the background, play with contrast to show off fabric detail, crop the picture so the product is in the center and it’s done. - This tip courtesy ofTieObsessed – 8,353 sales so far

42. Perseverance

Since I have been selling on Etsy since 2007, one thing I can say for certain is that many shops will come and go but what has made mine successful in my opinion is perseverance. One of my favorite business quotes which actually is stated in my shop profile: “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go”. You cannot possible have any sort of success in the online handmade industry unless you are willing to stick with it and keep up with the current trends. So for me, it was always easy to keep going since I love what I do. Love of your craft whatever it is and just persevere. – This tip courtesy of JPATPURSES – 9,981 sales so far

 43. INNOVATE

Develop as frequently as possible new and accessible products for my customers. New products revitalize sales. I have had that experience most times when I introduce new items, whether it is jewelry, prints on fabric, prints on wood, etc. They allow you to increase sales to existing customers but also to attract others, and in the end, to sell more of all of your products, not only the one you are introducing. – This tip courtesy of Flor Larios – 4,275 sales so far

44. Re-inventing your shop: Over the last 6 years of being on Etsy, I have had to re-invent my product line a few times

I have been through the cycle of finally having great sales (5 or so a day), then stagnating at a set level and then seeing sales go down. When you are too busy to bring anything fresh and new, you get bored and so does the market. I have 2x now ended up with products that sold great 5 years ago and 2 years ago that are hardly selling now.

The first time it happened I was ready with a new product because I was actively engaged on Etsy. This time, I had stepped away and now I am starting over (product wise) and it is more challenging but it is slowly growing.

Whether starting from scratch or starting over, the key is to actively watch what is happening on Etsy. I ask what colors are in? What is Etsy promoting? What is happening seasonally? What animals, shapes, natural elements are popping up on the front page? When I see what is trending I apply that to what I can do. I sew. What you can do and your style will influence what you make. Make things you love and likely others will too (if not try a different angle). – This tip courtesy of Evelyn Fields – 2,049 sales so far

45. Be noticed

There are several things that I would recommend, including interacting with potential customers via social media and your email responses to questions, taking great pictures that show off the quality of your product, and writing great descriptions. BUT the most important thing to me is keeping up with keywords and doing research.

Etsy has this WONDERFUL tool called Shop Stats… USE IT! Pay attention to the keywords customers are using to find you, and change your listings accordingly. Even if your items are not seasonal, change the wording in your title so they can be found as gifts for the holidays. Think of every reason why someone would be interested in your item, and list it for them. The more listings you have, the higher your chance of being found. And even if your customer decides they don’t want to buy your product for Thanksgiving, just bringing them to your store may have sparked an idea for Christmas, or Valentine’s Day, or Mom’s birthday. If a product should be aimed toward Grandpa, research to find out what other words people call their Grandpa… Papa, PawPaw, Gramps, Pop, etc… list them ALL, and add keywords to those listings so that someone looking for a gift for Papa, can find your Grandpa listing.

Keywords are VERY important in listings, and it takes time to research what is trending. Test yourself by going to Etsy’s home page to search for your own items. Think of what you would type in to find that special gift or item, and make sure your keywords include that phrase or word. Start out more vague, like birthday gift for mom, then start adding more descriptive words, to see how long it takes for one of your items to be on the first page of your search. You can see what your competitor is using for keywords by opening their listing and right-clicking anywhere on the page (not on the photo) and choosing page source. Scroll down to find out what they’re using that would make their listing come up ahead of yours. Make sure you use ALL 13 slots to your advantage as well.

Of course getting people to your store is only part of the battle of being noticed. If you want to be successful, you have to go all out. Great product, great quality and great service. If your customers come back again and again, you’re doing it right! BUT, you can never just sit back and watch orders come in. Keeping up on the trends and keywords is a full time job and that changes every day. The more effort you put into it, the more your sales will reflect your hard work. – This tip courtesy of Waste Not Recycled Art – 3,918 sales so far

 46. Trial and Error

Etsy is a great place to share and do the “trial and error” method to see what will be appealing to others. I decided to create a shop where I could share nature and art through using purses as my canvas. I soon realized that the shape of the purse and materials used was as important as the design placed upon the purse. Through constantly working on my designs and watching the number of “views” they received, helped me to know what needed to change as well as what was working. –This tip courtesy of LB Artworks – 2,594 sales so far

47. Look Professional Act Professional

What I practice in my shop and what I look for in shops that I buy from is a polished look. This means fill out everything Etsy offers like Shop Announcement/Profile, About Page and Policy Page, a Shop Banner and a full row of Featured Items. Shops missing these tell me no one is minding the store. Make sure your description includes details like size and function. Simply saying here is a pretty candle I made without giving size and burn time with pictures of the actual item sends me running for the hills. Saying things in your policy like I’m not responsible once an item ships also makes me run the other way. You, as a seller are always responsible until the customer gets their item and is happy with it. My shop runs on the Golden Rule – treat every customer as you would want to be treated. It is how I’ve built a loyal customer base who come back year after year no matter what changes Etsy makes. – This tip courtesy of Woodcrafts and Candles – 5,870 sales so far

48. Customer service is key

Respond promptly to your convos. People appreciate the attentiveness and it helps develop a relationship with your customers which is otherwise lacking online. – This tip courtesy of Page Pottery – 1,625 sales so far

49. Have amazing customer service!

Be known for having amazing customer service and going above and beyond for your customers! I find that to be a HUGE part of my success. Make that name for yourself, have a product that people want and respond to inquiries/emails as quickly as you can. Whether your customer has a simple question, wants something completely custom or is looking for information, they will appreciate you being prompt and courteous in your response and much more likely to recommend you to their friends and family. – This tip courtesy of Baby Fables – 14,529 sales