More than 8.1 million people operate Etsy shops from home. The platform allows sellers to reach a global audience with a customized, completely branded store. Sellers enjoy the freedom they get as shop owners. In fact, a large number of people have left their full-time jobs to sell full-time.
Selling on Etsy is profitable for many people and can produce the same results for you. Whether you are looking to sell handmade items or dropship print on demand t-shirts or mugs, this is a great opportunity to find buyers for your products.
Whether you plan to take such drastic measures and leave your career or plan to make this your side hustle, you obviously want to make as much money as possible selling on Etsy. Some people think that creating a successful shop requires more work than they can provide, but that just isn’t true. Even without experience, creating a successful Etsy shop is possible when your know-how.
The following guide is the know-how you need to open a successful Etsy shop. It may very well be one of the easiest (and smartest) things you do this entire year. We’ll take you through each step of the process and give you great tips along the way. Just follow the information presented to you here and you’re well on your way to Etsy shop success.
Get Started
To open an Etsy shop you need an Etsy account. If you have ever purchased from Etsy and created an account, go ahead and sign-in. Otherwise, visit the website to complete the process and create your Etsy account. It takes just a couple of minutes to create a new account by providing your name, email address, and a few other important details.
Once you are signed in or have created your account, find the ‘Sell on Etsy’ tab located under the ‘Account’ tab at the top of the page. Click this tab to begin creating your shop.
Set Shop Preferences
After clicking this tab, you’ll need to set your shop preferences. This tells Etsy more about the shop’s location. Choose your shop language, currency, and country to set the shop preferences. Although changing these settings later is not possible, you can translate your listings to other languages later down the road.
They also asks if you are a full-time or a part-time seller. Both types of sellers are welcome on this platform. The information does not affect your store but instead helps them provide sellers with a better platform.
Choose Your Name
Sure, it sounds easy, but choosing your shop name should not happen in a few minutes. This name is the heart of your Etsy business. It reflects your products and presents customers with an image of your store. With the right store name, you’ll attract more attention and distinguish your shop from others on the platform. That’s extremely important for individuals who are hopeful of a successful business.
To choose a great name for your shop when selling on Etsy that garners attention, respect, and identifies with your shop image, consider:
- The products you will sell in your shop
- The personality you wish to reflect
Once you choose a name, enter it into the box on the Etsy website. If someone else has used the name for a shop already, they will suggest other ideas based on the name that you entered. Keep in mind that you cannot use a trademarked name for your shop.
Sellers on Etsy can also click the link underneath the Shop Name box for tips on creating their shop name.
A few more tips for choosing a great name for your shop:
- Don’t be afraid to put your creative talents to work when selecting the name for your shop.
- Make a list of words that you attribute to your shop to help create the perfect name
- Think globally when selecting a name, since your shop is seen by people across the world.
- Ask friends, family, and even social media friends for feedback about your store name.
Stock Up Your Etsy Store
Now it is time to add items to your shop. This is where all the fun starts, but don’t overdo it or things could become overwhelming. Before you start listing items in your shop, you must first have items to sell and photos of those items. Many sellers sit down to create their listings before they begin this portion of the shop sign-up process on Etsy.
Once you’re ready, upload photos of each item you’d like to sell in the Etsy store. Each photo should be clear, taken in a well-lit area, and shows the different angles of the product.
The main listing photo is most important because customers see this first. Etsy allows up to 10 photos with each listing, however, and each photo presents an opportunity to evoke emotion in the customer to sell your products. Upload as many photos as possible with each Etsy listing.
Make sure each photo is unique, captivating, and clear. Whether you sell on Etsy or another platform, the best photos get the most attention.
Once you upload photos to Etsy, it is time to create listings for the item. Each item you list needs both a unique title and description. Together with the photos, the descriptions convince a customer they need this product.
A short, concise title works best. Use descriptive keywords so customers know exactly what they see in the photo.
The title should be around 165 characters or less.
Now, the listing description can make or break the purchase. This description should also be short and to the point, giving shoppers critical information about the product in a fun and engaging style that resonates with them.
How Many Items Should I Add to My Etsy Store?
Add as few or as many items to your Etsy store as you’d like. Etsy recommends sellers list 10 items for best results. The more items available in your shop, the more likely people will take notice. Start slowly and increase the number of listings in your Etsy store as you progress and become more comfortable with the way things work at Etsy.
Design Your Etsy Store
Even more fun than adding items to the store is creating its design. Keep in mind that your store design is a reflection of your store and business. Customers should feel a connection with the colors, logos, designs, and banners that fill your page. And, they should positively highlight your shop.
Basically, this is where you’ll brand your Etsy shop, which impacts its future success. Etsy offers tons of tools to help sellers through this process. Check it out on the Etsy website when you register.
The objective is to tell a story through the colors, images, and designs used on your site. Create a logo for your store and a big banner for attention-grabbing aesthetics. Professional designers can assist with such a project but plenty of free tools are also available if you want to put your creativity skills to the test.
Take time to create visually appealing logos and banners for your Etsy store. Upgrade to Etsy Pro for access to photography elements like collages for more freedom with your design. Don’t forget to link your big banners to products in your Etsy store. Every marketing strategy counts when you have an Etsy store to promote!
Billing and Payments
Most people will use Etsy Payments to get paid. However, if you do not reside in an eligible country, you’ll use your PayPal account to get paid. Learn more about billing and payments in your Etsy account.
Some sellers may also need to enter credit or debit card information to open their Etsy shop. A small authorization charge is added to the card that you enter. This is merely an identification step that Etsy takes to protect both sellers and buyers. The charge will fall off your card shortly.
Open Your Etsy Shop
That’s all it takes to open an Etsy shop!
Etsy Shop FAQ
Can I Open More Than One Etsy Shop?
Many sellers operate multiple Etsy shops -and so can you.
Is There a Fee to Open an Etsy Shop?
Anyone can open an Etsy shop at no cost. Additional options for pro sellers are available for small costs each month. Etsy sellers only pay when their item sells and never pay to list their items.
How Much Does Etsy Charge When Items Sale?
Etsy takes a small 5% cut from the selling price of every item that sells in your store. There is a small 3% processing fee for Etsy payments.
Is There a Minimum Withdrawal Amount on Etsy?
Etsy sets minimum daily deposit amounts for sellers. Your account must have at least the minimum deposit amount to withdraw funds to your bank account from the Etsy website. Etsy allows sellers with lower amounts to withdraw their funds, but they do pay a fee for the transaction.
How to Set Your Etsy Business Apart From the Competition
Thousands of people operate Etsy shops on a part-time or full-time business. A great portion of those shops is successful. Those who operate successful Etsy shops usually achieved that success with diligence, hard work, and going the extra mile to ensure their shop gets noticed. If you plan to sell on Etsy, why not ensure it is a success? Many people prefer Etsy over other shops because the odds of success are in their favor.
What can you do to set your shop apart and become the next successful name on Etsy?
Take time to carefully consider the price of every item you offer for sale in your shop. Shoppers usually have a price point or budget in mind when they begin browsing the Etsy site. They’re searching for the best deal on the items they want and trust Etsy sellers for those low costs. Know the fair value of the items you sale and be sure to skim the competition to learn their prices for comparable items.
In a 2018 Etsy survey, shoppers said they’re 50% less likely to buy an item if the shipping costs were too high. Consider adding shipping costs to the price of the item to offset the cost of shipping. Customers are likely to respond to this much more effectively and your shop won’t lose money on expensive shipping costs.
Of course, offering free shipping can do great things for your shop when selling on Etsy. Nothing makes shoppers happier than the four-letter F word! If that isn’t enough to convince you to offer free shipping, maybe this will. Etsy gives priority placement to shops that offer free shipping.
Don’t forget to offer special offers, coupons, and sales on Etsy. As much as customers love free shipping, they love deals and bargains, too, even when they shop with a site like Etsy. If you sell on Etsy, you’ll quickly learn the type of offers customers respond to and those they do not. Offering discounted rates can actually increase your sales and profits. Plan a couple of sales during the year and use the insights to learn how profitable they can really be for your shop.
SEO and Marketing
You probably don’t want to hear this, but learning more about SEO and marketing also benefits you as an Etsy seller. Search Engine Optimization is the process of getting your results to rank well in search engines. This can help drive more traffic to your Etsy shop and get your products noticed.
Marketing is the process of advertising your products, your shop, in legitimate ways so others take notice. We’ve discussed a few ways to market your business above, like using catchy titles and worthy photographs. But, marketing takes far more than good listings.
How can you reach more people with your Etsy shop?
- Share your products on social media! You never know what other people need until you show them what you have available!
- Consider writing a blog. Blogging is fun, it increases your SEO, and can really get customers excited about your products. Like your listings, blog posts are easily shared on social media where they can very well go viral if they have what it takes.
- Create social media pages for each of your shops. Gain a following hereby advertising a mixture of your products, fun stuff, and information.
- Create business cards for your Etsy shop. Use every available opportunity to hand out cards, post them at supermarket job boards, etc. The more you advertise the shop, the better the results.
- Advertise your shop online and offline. With a plethora of advertising opportunities available, anyone can reach more people when they place ads on the right platforms.
- A website may also benefit your sales efforts on Etsy. However, operating a website requires cash, maintenance, and upkeep. Keep these things in mind before taking this plunge. When selling on Etsy, you will have double the work with a separate website.
So, there you have it, folks. Everything you need to open your Etsy shop and do so successfully.
Etsy is a trusted platform that people love to shop with. Selling there is a dream come true for many people. Now, all that is left to do is make your shop work. Many people who sell on Etsy, do so successfully and so can you.
Need more information about Etsy or selling on Etsy? Check out our other blog posts or ask a question below.
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