Like many people, I joined Etsy with the hope of making money. My desire was to make a few extra dollars per month to add to my children’s college fund, while simultaneously enjoying a hobby and passion of mine. Yet in all honestly, I didn’t have the highest of hopes. You see, a couple years prior I opened my very first Etsy shop. Except, I did EVERYTHING wrong. Let’s just say, if there was a title for the “Most Naive Etsy Shop Owner“, I would have won. Wondering how to make money on Etsy? If so, keep reading. I learned the hard way so you don’t have to!
What NOT To Do
I snapped some photos on my phone (not bothering to edit), uploaded them with a corresponding title that I thought was cutesy and creative, did zero research on competitor pricing or market interest, left keywords blank, failed to advertise with anyone, never knew what SEO meant/nor cared to find out, and expected the money to come rolling in. No lie, I refreshed my storefront about 30 times in the first day waiting to see that sale. But the sale didn’t come that first day. Nor did it come the next, or the next, or the next. YEARS later, I had completely forgotten about my shop and effectively made ZERO sales and ZERO dollars! The shop was a complete and utter failure.
Take Two
So, when I decided to put my pride aside and try again, I vowed to lose my title of “Most Naive Etsy Shop Owner” and start off on the right path. I figured if others could open successful Etsy shops, then I could too! And… I was right! In my very first month opening my Etsy shop, I sold over $1,400 worth of merchandise. This number not only surpassed my wildest expectations starting out, but has continued to grow since. Without a doubt, I attribute these sales to a few core elements.
1. Don’t Go In Blind
Research is truly key on so many levels. While there is an exception to every rule, it is very unlikely that simply opening a store with very little market research will make you many sales. Prior to opening your Etsy store you need to know a few key components about how to make money on Etsy.
- Is your product desired? If there isn’t a market for your product (i.e. no interest), then chances are your store will acquire cobwebs. While you may think handcrafted toilet paper holders are adorable and oh so fun to make, but if others don’t agree then your time and efforts are for nothing.
- Is your pricing reasonable? Pricing your merchandise requires just as much research time as finding the correct product. Why? Because it is a very fine line between charging too much, effectively turning customers off and having them choose business from another seller; and charging too little and not making much of a profit/not making your shop worth it’s while.
2. Learn about SEO
SEO (search engine optimization) is something that is crucial for effectively getting your listings noticed. While it is true that it is less important if you have a large personal audience already excited to purchase your products, it is definitely important if you hope for your listings to be found via Etsy search bar. SEO will include effective titles using keywords (and not the cutesy titles I originally used), categorizing your items effectively, having description rich context, and applying the correct keywords to make your listings stand out.
3. A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words
Perhaps one of the biggest elements you should be putting your time and effort into (next to product creation of course) is your photography. While you don’t need to be a professional photographer (or hire one) to get gorgeous mockups and photos… you do need to put in the time and effort. Staging, natural lighting, multiple views, photo quality, etc. are all essential to making your product stand out from the others.
4. Build Up Excitement
One of the big reasons I started out strong in my Etsy shop was that I had built up excitement prior to my launch. By utilizing my blog, email list, and social media platforms, I was eagerly introducing the launch of my line. This excitement allowed me to offer an introductory sale and launch with great success.
5. Customer Service is Key
Think of the last time you purchased a product or went out to eat only to receive terrible customer service. Did you ever buy from that seller again or go back to that restaurant? Chances are, you didn’t. The same rule applies with Etsy shops, especially when starting out. With that said, you want to go the extra mile to reach out to customers, thank them for their business, expedite shipping and production time when possible, and build connections. Not only will this result in return customers, but it will also result in positive reviews on your Etsy shop which will result in additional sales.
6. Have Faith
Above all else, have faith in yourself and in the possibility of success with how to make money on Etsy. There are ENDLESS sellers on Etsy that are making a full-time living by selling products they love. This could be you, just believe in yourself and apply the steps above!
Did you recently open an Etsy shop? I’d love to hear about it below! Do you have tips on how to make money on Etsy? I’d love to hear!
