My top 6 tips for starting an Etsy store
Starting an Etsy store is so exciting! You have product to sell – either digitally or physically – and you want to make sure you get off on the right foot. I’m going to let you know of 6 tips for starting an etsy store that has worked for me in every single one of my stores. Follow these to ensure that you have the best chances of getting sales right away. In no particular order of importance; here is what I have learned:
#1 Have 20 or More Listings
Start out with at least 20 listings! However, I highly recommend you have more if you have the inventory to do so. You’ll want at least 20 because when customers stumble across your listing, they’ll also want to see what other items you have to offer. If they see that you have just a few listings, they may be more hesitant to buy from you. A full shop = more trust = more sales.
#2 Make your listings pretty!
Of all of these tips for starting an Etsy store, this one is HUGE. If there’s just one thing you take away from this post, have it be this. Your listings photos need to look perfect. You’re competing with thousands of other sellers on Etsy. When a customer does a search, they’re presented with a LOT of options (depending on exactly what they’re searching for of course!). Make your listings look like they came out of a magazine. Use stock photos, invest in a good camera and learn how to photograph your product in the best possible way. Customers will click on listings that look high quality because they’ll have more trust that the product will be high quality as well.
Etsy has some really great resources that teach sellers how to get the best product images.
#3 Have competitive pricing!
Do some research before pricing your product. Look around the web to see what other people are selling similar products for. Choose a happy middle. DO NOT be the cheapest!
I used to have a custom invitation shop on Etsy. It was SO tempting to offer my custom digital invitations for the lowest price. I figured people would buy if the price was low. I got sales here and there, but when I increased my price to be more competitive, I GOT MORE SALES! Why was this? It’s because people were trusting that I was offering a QUALITY product that was WORTH the amount they were paying for. Customers get nervous that your services or product are not as good when it’s cheap. Price competitively!
#4 Achieve 5 star feedback
Etsy displays a shop’s average rating and how many ratings a shop has in their search results. So when a potential customer is looking, they’re seeing this information. It is so important that you deliver a quality product, on time, with the best customer service you can offer. Your goal is 5 star feedback! The more 5 star feedback you have, the more trust you instill in a potential buyer.
#5 Be #1 in customer service
Being the best in customer service is HUGE (it’s what will get you all those 5 stars on reviews.. wink wink). Respond to messages consistently and frequently. When you get a message, respond as quickly as you can. Once you get more established and have more messages pouring in, answer messages in chunks once or twice a day (or more if you can handle it!).
Ship on time, or even a bit early if you can muster it. I set a 1-3 business day fulfillment time on my Etsy shop. This range works well for me because Etsy shows that their item will ship on the 3rd business day. I FREQUENTLY ship before the 3rd business date that Etsy shows them. As a result, they get their products fast. And then as a result of that, they leave good feedback that their item got to them so quickly! Customers like speed!
#6 Be clear on your shop’s policies
I had to learn this one the hard way. Unfortunately, some people will take advantage of a seller. For example, I had an international customer that was really upset that they had to pay their county’s duty tax. The product arrived in the UK and was held until the customer paid for this. The customer messaged me furious with the “extra charge” they were required to pay. Now obviously this was not my fault and this customer should have had knowledge that products that ship from other countries will be taxed upon arrival.
Anyway, I had nothing in my shop’s policies about duty tax on international shipments being their responsibility and they were quick to point that out to me. Definitely a rookie mistake.
Protect yourself and set up clear return, exchange, and shipping policies. Especially if you are shipping internationally.
So there you have it. My tips for starting an etsy store. To recap: have 20 or more listings, make your listings pretty, have competitive pricing, achieve 5 star feedback, be #1 in customer service, and be super clear in your policies. Excel at all of these, and you’ll be getting sales in no time! And as you may notice, TRUST is big in the entrepreneurship game.
If you’d like more information on what you need to start an Etsy shop, see my post: What do you need to start an Etsy shop?
