3 Tips for Opening an Etsy Shop

Etsy is a platform for e-commerce sellers – many small businesses – to create a storefront of products, and approximately 7.5 million sellers utilize it. If you consider opening an Etsy store, it can be a fantastic way to showcase your products, expand your reach, and connect more with your audience. According to statistics from Statista, 96.3 million active buyers made purchases through Etsy in 2021 – an increase of nearly 18% from the previous year. It is a popular platform with a loyal customer base, but (as with any business opportunity) requires a plan and goals to ensure it thrives. Read on for our tips on opening an Etsy shop.

Make a Business Plan and Bring it to Life

Think of Etsy as a storefront for your brand as a whole. Create a business plan and a branding kit and follow it through as you craft your online webpage for buyers to make purchases. As with any business which sells items, you will need a name, product imagery, pricing structure, and captivating copywriting for descriptions. The latter is critical: Don't brush off product descriptions, as many buyers use this to determine which seller to purchase from. Etsy also provides a helpful checklist of what you must prepare before signing up for the platform; however, this is only an outline of opening the shop and getting it live on the website. Marketing, advertising, and branding are crucial aspects that must also be planned and implemented. Your shop should appear visually appealing with branded graphics to draw someone in who may be researching the items you have listed for sale. Utilize knowledge of SEO with keywords in descriptions and tags to ensure reachability and market your shop across social media platforms – just as you would any business. Check out your Etsy analytics regularly to see what works and what isn't.

Consider the Platform and its User Base

Etsy is a marketing-friendly platform that often provides helpful advice and trending styles to its user base. For example, at the end of each year, they release a list of statistics-backed top searches and items that have caught buyers' eye according to their purchases analysis. Then, they look ahead toward the future to express what sellers should expect of audiences and what to incorporate for success. In December 2021, Etsy revealed that most of the searches correlated with special occasion gift-giving throughout the year, digitally downloadable templates for professional items such as resumes, DIY crafts, home decor, wedding planning, and customizable items. Additionally, they noted "emerald green" as the Etsy Color of the Year, stating that searches for emerald green products increased by 64% in 2021. These tips and trends help sellers determine what items to sell and how to market and advertise them to those who use the platform. Of course, your unique audience should be kept top-of-mind, but appealing to the trends of Etsy's platform assists in expanded reach and potentially new, loyal customers.

Communication is Key: Don't Forget to Follow Up

One of the most powerful aspects of the Etsy platform is the openness with which customers can rate and leave reviews for sellers. Make a great impression on your audience, and your shop will speak for itself with the transparency of testimonials. However, while good reviews can bring in more customers, many bad reviews can deter others. That's why your customer service strategy should be a priority when managing an Etsy shop. Monitor your inbox regularly and plan to respond to inquiries within 24 hours – especially if someone has a question about a product they have purchased. After a purchase is received, Etsy's platform will send a follow-up to the customer to leave a review. However, it's also considered within best practices to send a "thank you" message as a follow-up to purchases. In follow-ups, you can include a reminder to leave a review and an invitation to purchase again in the future. Imagine Etsy as a vessel of your brand that allows communicating directly with the customer via their messaging platform. Always follow up to leave a fantastic impression on your business.

An Etsy shop is a great way to take your business to the next level. Know your business, understand the platform, market your products, and always take advantage of ways to communicate closely with your audience.