Business, Crafting, Etsy

The Secret to Selling on Etsy

Kelly

Every now and then I peek into the Etsy forums to gather information. It’s a good place to crowdsource… tons of people killing time on the internet who LOVE to share their opinion with you.

Invariably I see a thread asking about what the secret is to sell on Etsy, how people get so many sales, how much to relist in a day, etc. And I think I am fully qualified to answer these questions. I have an active Etsy shop, generally selling multiple items per day. I also used to work at Etsy, so I have an inside view of how the whole system works.

It turns out the secret to selling on Etsy is the same as selling anywhere: hard work and good products.

Ok, maybe that’s not the most helpful answer. So allow me to elaborate with a list of tips.

  • Take better photos.
    I don’t care how long you spent on your photos. They’re not good enough. Mine sure as heck aren’t. You need to do more than just snap an accurate picture of the product. You need to sell it. I’ve seen a lot of Etsy sellers complain that they shouldn’t have to be photographers. BS. You’re a salesman, and your photos are the biggest part of your sales pitch. If you aren’t willing to put serious and continuous effort into them then you’re not serious about selling online.
    For some quick tips, check out my article, Common Photo Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
  • Make something people want.
    Do market research. And no, posting a forum thread titled “do you think people want to buy ____” doesn’t count. Browse the sold items. What’s selling? Read blogs related to what you’re making. What are they featuring? Does your stuff fit in with that? Or are you still making stirrup pants? Stop. Stirrup pants hurt us all.
    Look at not just styles but also what people are selling. Where is there a void in the market? Fill it.
  • Make something other people aren’t.
    I hate to break it to you, but if you’re making snap bibs out of Amy Butler fabric you’re already at a disadvantage. Why? Because there are already 100 other people selling them. It’s like putting a Starbucks up on every corner and then wondering why you’re only getting 1/4 of the foot traffic.

    Do an Etsy search for your product. If you make bibs, search “bibs.” How many of the search results are the same as what you make? What makes yours different? It’s going to have to be something. Better photos, better prices, better selection, better construction, different style, whatever. But it’s got to be something or you’ll just be lost with the other 20,000 search results.

  • Build a cohesive line.
    Lets say you make pouches. Rectangular zippy pouches out of pretty fabrics. Great. So now you’re “that girl who makes pouches.” It’s pretty nondescript, and when I search for “pouch” on Etsy I’m going to get a ton of other people’s stuff, which I might like better.

    Pick a common theme and run with it. Make pouches in different shapes. Now you’re “that girl who makes round pouches,” and that already sets you apart from other people. Or maybe all of your fabric features skulls on it. Or flowers. Or math equations. Or your pouches all come with built in flashlights. Whatever. Transform yourself to “that person who makes generic” to “that person who makes specific.” You’ll stick in customers’ minds better, be easier to find, and sell more.

  • Give up.
    The flip side of building a line and putting all this effort into your products is you have to be able to let it go. If it’s not working out, you may just need to move on to something else. Not all of your ideas are going to be million dollar sell outs. That’s OK.

    A few years ago I had a line of jewelry that I liked, my friend liked, it went well together without being boring… and it didn’t sell. Anywhere. And for whatever reason I just kept trying to sell it other places instead of moving on or changing it. Needless to say it didn’t work, and I’ve still got a ton of stock for it lying around on a shelf. If you really want to sell, at some point you have to evaluate what you’re doing and change if it’s not working.

  • Take better photos.
    No really, it’s important. And yours still aren’t good enough.

Those are the big secrets. As far as relisting and other nonsense… I relist whenever things sell out, which is once a day or so. By selling something unique I find that even days later I’m still on the front page of search results

There’s also a lot of chatter about twittering/blogging, and whether those are good at driving sales. Yes and no. If you have something interesting to say, eventually people will read it, and if you’ve got your products showcased next to what you’re saying then it’s free advertising. But starting a blog and just posting when you list a new item isn’t interesting to anyone except you.

But it all comes back to your products. You can blog, twitter, and photograph all you want but it isn’t going to do a damned thing if you’re not selling an interesting product at the right price. So get off the Etsy forums and take a hard look at your products. Then fix them and try again.

Published by Kelly

Kelly is a web developer and crafter based in Philadelphia, PA

260 thoughts on “The Secret to Selling on Etsy”

  3. Thanks! I realized that my pictures sucked! Ha! When people see the items in real life they all love them, but in pictures I don’t get much response. So I am bartering with my friends who are photographers ( I have about 6 photographer friends for sure! LOL), to get a good deal on photos so I can set up my shop and really get it going! I was trying to sell things too and it wasn’t working and I wasn’t sure why…it was for all the reasons listed above! I have reluctantly moved on to other things, and just keeping the items that didn’t sell for us!

  4. QUESTION TO THIS COMMENT from Etsy dummy 🙂 – “I’m still on the front page of search results” – Is there a way to see what are the most searched items (not the ones just sold, but most searched)

    I have day job, but spend a lot of time on hard work making my items AND pictures, don’t really have time to blog, read, write…I have made a few sales but workin on increasing sales. Technical/website related tips will help.

    Thank you,
    Tanya

  5. thanks, great advise. i’ll work on my photos, you make very good sense. everybody says “photos are important” but you put it into perspective.

  9. Oh Dear, no stirrup-pants???

    All excellent and very valid points. I opened Buster and boo making scrabble tile pendants. Little did I know that the market for scrabble tile pendants was going to explode. If you did a search for scrabble tile pendants, you were likely to find 250,000 items.
    I evolved, and changed, and got better.
    Still working on pics. Always. Of course. Actually just had a professional photographer here. Who told me I was doing pretty good.
    🙂

    1. I know exactly what you mean. I sell out at the markets I attend but not knowing a lot about photography I find that part quite difficult to really showcase my collection. With everything on my camera you think I should be able to point and click and get a great shot!!

    2. I completely agree that it’s all about the picture! Also, I found that the more I create and list, the more I sell… Once I hit 60 items in my shop, they started to move faster…

  12. Cant agree more. Ive always wondered why people do blogs and things. Im not really a mad on the computer but I find I waste time looking at other peoples things, and dont get anything from them . So blogs and twitter and the like I just dont get it. Id rather be sewing!!

  14. Your article here is spot on and I really hope folks yearning to sell on Etsy take it all to heart! My main issue was the quality of the photos but I’m improving all the time! My blog provides the personal “behind the shop view,” for folks that follow my work. And I don’t spend even a fraction of my time in forums, on twitter, etc. as I do right here in the studio, at my work bench, making the best stuff I can come up with. As an art professor in a former life…like I always told my students….it’s all about the work you do & the things you make! Well, the best customer service also keeps most folks coming back!

  18. Great advice, I took a lesson from a professional photographer, and it helped tremendously. My pix still need improvement, but I feel that I’m on my way. Not too many sales, I’m being patient. Don’t know how to blog or twitter, my grands will have to teach me.
    I love what I do and think that I’ve found a niche that is going to work for us. My husband facets stones & I wrap them. Making my pix clearer would certainly help.

    thanks a bunch for taking the time.

  19. Wow!!! Tell it like it is… Don’t hold back! I love it!!!

    I’m a newbie… but starting to figure things out. My kids tell me to stick with what I do best, sewing… so I’m changing my focus and will be up and running soon.

    Thanks for the advice.

    1. Sure. And if you want to run a business, you’re going to have to. I’ve never heard of someone making a living selling things people didn’t want.

      1. Hey to Greg and Kelly, How much do you compromise your enjoyment of hand crafting to find the item that sells?
        I’m kinda stubborn, I tend to make what I like and then hope the right people find me, I really want to develop my own aesthetic withou follwing trends, but Kellys reply is very to the point.I guess if we dont want to compromise on our design and the time spent in development then we better not give up our day jobs:-?

  22. Glad to read this post, thank you. I’ve been slowly figuring this stuff out for myself, and soon I’ll be ready to act on it. 🙂

  24. Thanks much for great advice.
    I am evolving and need all the help I can find….still working on the niche, and awesome pics!

  25. I would love to get some feedback from some of the posters on here on my storefront and product. I think sometimes you get so involved you can’t see what is lacking or the issues are. Being new to etsy I need all the help I can get!

  26. Thanks for the advice. I always try to make my photos look good. It is the first impression sometimes and there are always ways to make your work look better. I do need to do more research. I believe I have a unique product but there are a ton of jewelry designers out there so it is a matter of getting them seen and getting people excited by just a photo first.
    I am encouraged by your success and congratulations on your 750th sale!

  27. This is all so true! I’ve just let go of what I was doing for all the reasons you stated and am on to a new idea. I decided based on what I enjoy and what looks like it’s attracting people on Etsy, etc. This is good, solid advice!

  28. I LOVED reading this post! You write so brilliantly, so witty, and absolutely honest! I love it! And 100% spot on advice! I personally just hit my 500th sale last week and that was a milestone for me. I try to stay focused on the advice above, its always a work in progress. Better products + better photos, Amen! I really enjoyed your perspective, you validated my focus =) Thanks for sharing!

  29. I AM STARTING TO THINK EVEN THO I’VE HAD MANY COMPLIMENTS THAT PEOPLE AREN’T INTO CEILING MEDALLIONS
    I JUST CAN’T SEE MYSELF PAINTING THEM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE MARKETPLACE AND THERE AREN’T MANY PEOPLE ON ETSY EVEN DOING THEM SO COMPETITION IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE BUT I ENJOY PAINTING THESE AND WILL JUST CONTINUE ON.

  30. I loved your advice. I have a unique product, by making dress cards using ribbons and materials, but I don’t think I’m using the right keywords for search engines? I do get alot of views but varied on some items.

    I opened my esty doors Mid May and have only had 7 sales, 3 from family members! It could be my pricing? It could be my product? Most people say they love my items but no-one is buying?

    I did get advice in the forums about fixing my photos, am I’m constantly changing pics and trying new backgrounds etc…

    I will keep my chin up and work hard, I want to succeed!

    Thank you so much for your advice. Courage and determination is what you shared with me personally 🙂

  31. Wonderful to the point advise – and yes I take horrible pictures! No time for new productions so I think I’m at the give up point – either find something I can produce in the time I do have or move on. I love Etsy as an outlet – but like you said it requires some hard work and that requires time!

    Thank you

  34. You said to look at the “sold” items and since I am new to etsy, please tell me where to locate SOLD items on the website.
    thanks

  35. I can’t agree with the photos suggestion more. I look through stuff on Etsy when I’m making a treasury and I just want to tell people outright “Hey, I wrote a photo tutorial, BUY IT!!”

    Of course, that would be a way to increase my sales! LOL

    Really, your photos are all you have to hook someone in. If I can’t see your item, I’m not going to buy it.

    And I did write a photo tutorial.;-)

  36. Awesome post. Thanks for all the advice, and we agree:the secret to success is usually the same no matter what you’re doing – hard work.

  37. Not only realistic, but honest refreshing and shot from the hip!
    Thanks for the “wake up and smell the coffee!”

  38. Not only realistic;but honest and shot from the hip!
    Thank you for the”wake up and smell the coffee” call!

  39. Great article and Thank You for the sound advice~ I am a newby and I would love your critique of my photos if you have the time. I just started yesterday but want to add more items soon. I am a single mother of two teens and in Graduate school. I am also a teacher who does this as a hobby. You are Amazing!

  40. This is really eye opening, and really hard to read at the same time. I myself have been trying to take ‘better’ photos. I always thought better in that sense was a white background and clear non-blurry photos of my product. Now I am realizing I need something that compliments or even makes my item stand out. Even a model might help.

    I sell my stuff at anime conventions and make a huge profit. Online, it’s super slow. I’m starting to realize that it is all about my photos. Thank you for the blog. It really helps and I am going to take this to heart.

  41. Photos, photos, photos! It is the equivalent to location, location, location!! Thank you for your honest advice. Now I must go work on my photography skills since I still believe in my jewelry. Happy creating…

  45. Oh Man… I was justing thinking of trying to bring back the stirrup pant along with the oversized fluorescent yellow sweater… you don’t think they will sell? Maybe parachute pants? LOL!

    I agree photos need to be hot… that’s what people look at before they even start reading the description.

    Great read, thanks for sharing!

  46. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. I found it be very helpful and lovingly honest!!!!
    **Sigh** I better get back to work now.
    Thanks again,
    Laura
    laurinalove@etsy.com

  47. Woo Hoo! I got on the forum in April and tried to give similar advice to a PPM (Poor Pitiful Me) and got BASHED for it!! Thank you for expounding on what I was trying to say to the (m)asses.

  48. Thank you for your thoughtful, honest comments.

    So many times, we look for ways to “short cut” around the hard work and there is really no other way. I am trying to find my niche.

    It is coming. I need to implement it!!!!

  49. Very helpful post! I sell expecially in stores, and I have not much time for my Etsy shop, but I try to do always my best!
    I started two years ago as a “girl who makes polymer clay sweets” (bah!) and now I am “the girl who makes wearable tea”, as described on a very important italian magazine some month ago (oh, what a emotion that day!)
    Social networks really works for me.
    I send from 100 to 500 pieces per month to stores and privates and I hope to have more time for my Etsy shop because I love it!
    I need days of 48 hours… ^^’

  50. You got me thinking back to the days when I was selling MORE! And you know what? That Bear of mine, the one I put the cute little pants on, that I knit for babies? Well, he sold A LOT of little pants!!!!

    And you know what else? I got lazy. I’ve been using my phone to take pictures. Don’t hate. I’m going to go get my camera, Big (my bear) and dress up my Etsy!!!!

    Mahalos Nui Loa!!!! And Aloha!

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