Looking at an Etsy shop today I clicked on the listing for a necklace. I thought "Nice colours, and it looks like the sort of design and nice long length that such-and-such friend would like."

In the description, the seller used the word "long" to describe the necklace three times, but since there wasn't an image of the piece on a mannequin or a model, and she didn't actually say HOW long, I'm still left wondering. I know, I know, I could convo her to ask, but every extra step a buyer has to take gets in the way of a sale.

This seller is doing a lot right, and has respectable sales and feedback to prove it. But as a potential customer those nuts-and-bolts details are every bit as important to me as knowing her inspiration for the design.

The 20 Questions Your Buyers Are Asking article in Etsy's blog includes a handy checklist of things to think about when listing. After all, size isn't the only thing that matters!

Happy Sales-Ready Holidays

If you haven't been following along with the Holiday Boot Camp, there's still time to catch up! Admin and Lab Rat member daniellexo has posted a week-by-week guide to get every seller in a state of ready-for-the-holidays fitness. Fortunately this workout doesn't involve a single crunch or push-up!

For more help, check out additional seasonal resources:
• Merchandising for the Holidays
• Offering Services (gift wrapping, gift certificates, shipping upgrades)
• Holiday Rush checklist

Time to dust your shop?

It's only reasonable that the focus of most shops is their items: making or acquiring them, taking those awesome photos, writing titles and descriptions, and toiling over tags.

But just as bricks-and-mortar shops need routine cleaning and maintenance to stay fresh and interesting, Etsy shops deserve an occasional tidying too. Some handy links take a look at making the most of those non-item shop elements:

  • An effective Shop Announcement

  • Writing an Engaging Profile

  • Shop Policies that Work

What the heck do buyers want?

Those wascally buyers are a mystery, right?
Sometimes, yes.
But when it comes right down to it, if you offer buyers something original, well made, well priced, well presented (photos and titles, tags and descriptions), and effectively promoted, you're on your way!

Some of the links often cited in the Virtual Labs to help reach those elusive buyers:
• 20 Questions Your Buyers Are Asking
• 5 Tips for Item Descriptions
• Using Social Media to Market Your Business

Life of a NEW Item

Usually at this time of week we'd be taking a close-up look at the creation of a specific item, but this week it's a reminder of some of the information available to help Etsians develop those items.  As always, if you can walk your fellow Team members through how you devise, design, make and market an item on Etsy, please be in touch!

Long before you pick up the camera, or begin to write a description, it starts with creating an item that's fresh and original, that meets an emerging need (or want), or that puts a new twist on something already out there. Here are some Etsy resources to help jump-start that creative process:

  • What's Missing on Etsy?

  • Launching a Product Line

  • Broaden Your Target Audience with Tiered Product Lines