How to Successfully Sell Jewelry on Etsy

Lovely Bracelet by Naturally Heartfelt.

Many people jump into an Etsy shop without taking the time to learn how to be successful at it. I'm an Etsian and I love the community and ease of use of the site itself. However, it took me a year to learn all the ins and outs, tips and tricks, so I'm here to share with you a few things that I wish someone would have told me.

Educate Yourself On Selling First: Do's and Don'ts and The Storque
First take time before stocking your shop to read the Do's and Don'ts of Etsy, and review some of the "Quit Your Day Job" articles in the Official Etsy Blog, called The Storque. Not only with this prepare you for what to expect, but will give you advice and suggestions from peers on how to run your Etsy shop. Education of the Etsy universe is key. Once you are in, continually refer to The Storque, and the Forums for help.

Lovely photos, items, and creative packaging at Heaven Sent Crafts.

Stock Your Shop With Good Selection
Your shop should then be stocked with a good selection of items, ranging in price so that you may eventually find and target your market. Selling all higher-priced items at first may alienate your lower-priced customer base. At first, a good selection is key.

Good, Clear, Close Up Photos Are Key
Gorgeous photos will encourage customers to shop with you. Grainy photos, or photos that do not show detail in your work will not sell your item. Good photographs can be had with even the oldest, cheapest cameras if you capture natural light and know how to zoom in. Practice makes perfect.

Tags and Keywords Will Make or Break You
You can have the best priced, prettiest jewelry in the world, but if it's not properly tagged or categorized no one will ever find it. Read up on how to properly tag your item, and how to use all 14 tags. If you need help, search the web as many sellers discuss this.

Join a Team
Join a Team on Etsy, most are free and are based on either location or theme. You may wish to join a local team and/or a jewelry themed group. Teams band together to help promote each other's items and in turn will obtain more exposure for your items.

Be Prepared to Work to Promote Your Etsy Shop Outside of Etsy
Etsy gives you a low cost platform to sell your wares, with a free shop, charging only minimal listing and sales fees. However, the promotion and success of your shop is up to you. You must work hard outside of Etsy to get your shop noticed, by promoting it on other social networking sites like Facebook, Blogs, or Twitter so that you may drive customers to your Etsy shop.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ira_Mency
Ira Mency sells vintage on Etsy at Retro Chalet Vintage Shop, and runs a vintage blog at Vintage Chalet. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6062363

Etsy Search Ads: What Is This?

Word Search Pillow from pillowhappy

Republished From the Ira Mency blog...

Etsy has revealed that they are now selling search ads to help get your item "found." These ads are based on keywords and search terms that will help your item get premium placement in Etsy searches. To make a long story short, the cost associated with the search ad is based on the number of impressions. For example, if you invest as little as $5 you can get 5000 impressions of your items (or section of items) on the creme de la creme of the search pages. Keep in mind that impressions are how many times your item will show in relevant searches.  

Cons:
Keep in mind there is no guarantee that someone will click on your item. This is not a cost-per-click (CPC) campaign.  This is a fee paid service. 

Pros: 
The pros certainly outweigh the cons in my opinion.

• For as little as as $you set the rate per week it has it's benefits. For instance, you can set it at $2 or $5 or $25....For those of you who have a hard time tagging or finding relevant keywords, or unsure how to title your items this may help you get better placement and help you get your shop noticed!

• There are fee tiers which means you can choose the impression plan that you can afford. 

•  It is cheaper than the previous "showcase" slots where in the old Etsy days you could feature an item for $7 for one slot and it was for one day only.   

• The basis of it is simple. These impressions are ran over a week, and you can set up auto-renew and cancel at any time.  Items you sell are dropped out of the impressions automatically so you won't be wasting impressions on sold items!

• Starting at only $5 is affordable for the low-selling seller. 

Seek Print : Canton Box Company

It is also possible depending on the algorithms (ie: calculations) used those of you not paying for such a service may be bumped out of prime slots. For instance, if you are a seller whose items were coming up high in searches lately since Etsy has redone their Relevancy searches , you may lose your slot so someone paying for this. Although you are used to having relevant keywords, tags, titles, sections etc...it remains to be seen if you now run the risk of  bumped out or second slotted to someone who is indeed paying for this service.  We shall see!  Proof is in the search ads!

If anyone tries it and has feedback, do let us know!


MORE INFORMATION:

On Etsy about Search Ads here.

In the Etsy blog here.

Further Reading outside of Etsy: 

Ad Program for Etsy Sellers   or further reading on AuctionBytes

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Additional Free Resources:

Check out this "Free Help for the Etsy Seller" page on VintageChalet blog which lists a ton of resources for the Etsy seller! 

Check out Ira Mency Designs for free graphics and Etsy shop banners!

Tips for the Etsy Seller : From Someone With Over 1000 Sales

QACreate has these cool cufflinks for sale!

I have had several shops on Etsy, and have achieved a combined total of over 1000 sales. I get a lot of messages asking me this, or wondering about that, so I finally decided to sit down and spell it all out. Now if I had to do this in one word, I'd say W-O-R-K hard!

Work Hard by BubbleWrappd on Etsy!

Work on your shop everyday and apply the 10 Tips in their entirety I'm about to tell you. Etsy gives you a storefront, but you must do the marketing and spread your product out there. I don't care if you sell peanut containers, or jewelry or vintage items. You are doing it because you love it and making your craft because it's something you enjoy. So who better than to promote your store, your item, or your work besides you?

The Mothership, how I love her.

So, without further ado I am now going to give you the exact 10 Tips that helped me become a successful Etsy seller. I present you my free extended article of 10 Tips for the Etsy Seller!



Warning: May require some reading time! Comments are welcome and appreciated.
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Shared by Ira Mency of Retro Chalet

Revisting the Etsy MARRIAGE Proposal : Social Networking Bridal Style

I originally posted this article on Handmadeology, however; someone has started a Marriage Team up on Etsy because of my article, and it's helping Etsy sellers--- so if you haven't read it yet, maybe you should!



A wedding doll of mine is probably on her 10th marriage by now.



"Will you marry me?", asked RetroBabs. After I thought about the idea of marrying her for about thirty seconds, I agreed.  After all, I was already married to a few others too.  In fact, I'm the one who suggested getting hitched in a few articles.  Of course, I've never met any "my so called wives", never obtained any marriage licenses and certainly husband doesn't even realize I have these other marriages, so perhaps I should explain...now as crazy as this may sound, I am taking the time to share this secret with you because it DID work for me!



My Definition of an Etsy Marriage:
Essentially, an "Etsy Marriage" is my idea on increasing your shop sales by teaming up with another member wherein the relationship mutually benefits you both.   This is where you must seek and find a shop owner who is as passionate about selling as you. By proposing this idea of faux-marriage to them, you both agree to promote each other's shops, blog about each other, and social network each other's items in and outside of Etsy.  Now let me explain further.

Dino Love Cake Topper by Jennifer Marsh shop theaircastle shows the perfect mate!

Your Ideal Marriage Partner:
Your goal is to find a shop who has more sales than you. This is most likely going to be someone who has been on Etsy longer than you, and has learned a thing or two. Read their profile and their announcement, and see if they blog, twitter, or have a Facebook because that is key. 

What Your Potential Husband or Wife Sells is Very Important For Success in Marriage:
One of the key questions I get asked all the time is, should you find someone who sells the same as you? My answer is no.  Someone complete opposite?  No, but this is a tricky question so I'll get more in depth with my answer.

If you make and sell lucite rings, it will do you no good to marry another lucite ring seller. This would be a total conflict of interest, and quite frankly, your direct competition is not going to help you. I'd hate to see you in divorce court before the honeymoon period is over.   Your goal is to find indirect competition where both shops can benefit. Here are a few ideal marriages:

• The lucite ring seller who makes bright and cheery rings marries a scrabble tile pendant seller whose look is the same. 

• The baby onsies seller (with baby hats and clothing) pairs with the baby plush toy seller.

• A necklace shop marries a ring shop.

• The crocheter pairs with the needlepoint seller.

• Someone who wire wraps jewelry marries a metal artist. 

•  A handmade tote bag seller marries someone who sells a lot of homemade cosmetics, hair care products, or someone who sells beach wear.  It would be very easy for the beach seller to promote the bags! 

•  A seller of homemade dog treats marries a dog coat maker. 

•  A ceramic or clay tea pot maker marries someone who sells herbal tea and natural herbs.

•  A bridal veil maker marries a wedding scrapbook or party favor themed shop.

• A handmade upcycled notebook maker marries a handmade greeting card artist. This is easy to cross promote and they have a common love of ephemera.

• A supply seller who sells charms marries someone whose main supplies are jewelry findings. Both cater to people looking to make jewelry and have a love for supplies.

• A jewelry maker whose work is steampunk designs may seek out and marry a gothic hat maker, or clothing maker.  Better yet, what about a clock shop?

• A vintage jewelry seller marries a vintage clothing shop.  Accessorize those retro clothes!

• A green herbal remedy shop marries a green food shop. Buy some food and healthy alternatives too.

• A person who sells recipes which include desserts marries a cake supply seller. 

• The soap seller pairs with the lipstick seller.  Beautify yourself!

• A shop that sells handmade hats that look like they are from the forties should find a vintage shop who specializes decor from the same era.

• A furniture designer who makes retro looking furniture could marry a vintage housewares shop--the thought process here is someone who likes retro design would shop both.

"The Lovers" Ceramic Wall Platter by AdrienArt of Seattle.

 Propose to the Potential Husband or Wife and Suggest 4 Ways the Marriage Will Work: 
Convo them on Etsy and be honest. Tell them you are asking for their help. Tell them you like their products, and think you could work successfully together on promotions. Offer them an item free from your shop or samples of your products if they help promote you a bit.    Here are ways they can help you and you'll want to suggest some of these at first, but save some for later.  (Don't overwhelm your new husband or wife all at once...)

1) USE YOUR PROPS IN THEIR LISTINGS

• Send them samples of your product and ask them to state this in the item description. I use Mattie Reid's handmade rings (above) and showed them on my glove molds. I use the rings a lot, so she gets credit in the listings over and over again. Note that I used them in a few photos, and make sure to steer people to her shop in the description itself. Your marriage partner could word it a bit differently, but the overall aspect would be the same.

2) SHOP ANNOUNCEMENT REFERRAL: 

 

• Ask them to list your shop in their shop banner as a shop they love. "Shops I love : YOUR SHOP HERE  (see examples above....) A lot of sellers say "For great purses go here, for jewelry go here...." and they have a few shops listed in their announcement which is okay!  After this shop added me my sales went up.

3) TWEETING, FACEBOOK, & SHARING YOUR ITEM:

Tweeting gets people to look at your items.

• Tweeting is very easy on Etsy, there's a share button now when you go into any item! If they are big Twitter users, ask them to tweet your items in question form to their followers ie:  "What do you think of this great rose made from a tie at TranzendentalArts?  If not, maybe they use Facebook?

Today on my blog we're reviewing Bags and Purses like this great one from LizzieCaye!

4) BLOG or GIVEAWAY:

• Ask them to review your products on a blog!  Nothing looks better than the free purse they've sent you smack dab in the middle of their blog!  If they have a HUGE blog following, ask them to do a giveaway for you! This means lots of people looking at your shop. 

Give it Time:
Remember Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is any Made-in-Vegas style wedding.  It may take you a few tries to find the perfect for shop to wed, but if you keep trying, you will and the benefits can pay off. I hope you'll try it and with some practice that it works for you as well as it's worked for me.


Sincerely,

Social Media 101: Placement of Your Etsy Shop in Your Blog

I originally published this article for Handmadeology, and Tim liked it so much it's an a blogging ebook. I want to share it again with you all in case you missed it as placement is so very, very important!

Your Etsy Shop Should Be Visible on Your Blog or Website. 

(Yes, This is an Issue!)

Sometimes, it's the simple things we overlook. I'm here today to tell you how important it is when doing your social networking, to have proper placement of your Etsy shop on your blog or web.  I am not even joking here when I say this is a real issue in one of three blogs or sites. As I am involved in several Etsy teams and come in contact with thousands of members per day, I cannot tell you how many people ask me to look at their blog or web and wonder why it's not driving traffic to their store. Sometimes, we'll be talking about Google Analytics and they say, "Well Google says I get no traffic from my blog."  So , I pull up their blog, and I can't believe my eyes.  Here I will discuss examples of what I'm talking about, (these are real blogs, that I read, and names have been whited-out to protect the unknowing!) I will show you proof that what I'm saying is true. I will then tell you how to fix it, if you fall into one of the two categories below.
Case#1 : "The Lack of Blog" 
No Link to Etsy Shop on an Etsy Seller's Blog.  

This blog has great content,  however, this is an Etsy seller and has nothing to drive you to the Etsy shop.  As soon as I finish this, I'm contacting her as I've made her an avatar to put smack dab onto the top of her blog. 

Case #2 : "Placement Poverty Blog"  
Link to Etsy Shop Is Not "Above the Bar", meaning you have to scroll to find it.  

 The Etsy Seller has a beautiful blog, and is making great use of the follow her on Twitter button, but what of the Etsy Mini?  I had to scroll down to see it. It's not at first glance, above the bar. In other words, I'm always reading her TOP POSTS. So, why would I scroll down and read something I've already read, which means, I probably wouldn't notice it. Are you suffering from Placement Poverty?

Primo Placement Solutions
Your blog or web should have a nice avatar going direct to your Etsy shop.  Furthermore, this should be one of the first things you see when you pull up the site or blog. Remember, it's the window you first see when you first pull up the screen -- the top of your computer page or above the bar. You don't want to "scroll down" the blog to find your avatar. Especially if someone is checking your top posts, or visiting your blog frequently, they may only read the first post or so. Here are examples of primo placement.

Primo Placement Position #1 : Next to the Blog Post Title.

Shameless promotion, maybe, but my store is the first thing you see onmy one blog that features other Etsy vintage sellers.  Why not? I'm the top sponsor if it's my own blog, and doing all the work, right? When you read the headline you also see my shop. Very cool placement. 

Primo Placement Position #2 : Next to the Start of your Post.

Now, I'm second down on this blog, and moved from my right hand position. On the right is a paid advertiser, so I decided that the best placement for me is to be right where your eyes start to read the post. The choice of colors for my avatar "pop" out from this page don't you think?

I could go on and on, but you can do this simple math by looking up the blogs you subscribe to. Upon visiting the page, how many actually have links, avatars, or products pointing right to their Etsy shop above the bar, on your screen staring you in the face?  Do you have to scroll to find it?  If this is you, do something now!  If it's your friend, send them this article, quick!

Show them the PROOF of what I'm saying is true!

Here is my 2nd blog above, where I actually have lower placement. It is solely responsible for driving 35 new visits to my shop last month, and those people spent an average of 6 minutes and 46 seconds looking at my Etsy shop.  Each one looked at approximately 4.86 pages per visit. It appears I am my own source of traffic!

 

TAKE ACTION! Make either:


1. An Avatar: Quick and Easy Link to Your Etsy Shop!
These were all made with either basic programs like Paint, or Picnik, which is free to use. They don't have to be fancy , but should peak your curiousity!  Most were used by using Etsy photos, and adding text and a frame in Picnik. What's not to love, 5 minutes later, you are on your way to the perfect shop avatar. Add them as a Picture and link them to your Etsy shop. So quick, and so easy, and FREE.

2. Use the Etsy Mini!
If you do not want to design an avatar,you can use the Etsy Mini, which you can make in different sizes to showcase your items.  I'm sure every Etsy seller is using or has heard of those, if not, this is what it looks like:






Go to Etsy - then Click on Your Account
Find Lower Left Column "Promote"
Click on "Etsy Mini"


3. Use the Pocket Shop!
Here is an example of a pocket shop (and these are great because you can choose different skins to match your blog.) This one is going to highlight Etsy seller BarSoap's shop. You can either highlight everything in the shop, or only "one section" of your shop, for instance, if you have an overstock in earrings leftover from that last crat show and you are dying to unload them. Available at CraftCult.







Tip on Scripts: I personally like the picture avatars because "scripts" can sometimes slow up your blog load times. If you use the "Search this Blog" by Google, that is one script. A pocket shop would be a second script. Too many scripts, and your page load time decreases. Choose what is best for you and your blog. Then use your analytics and compare the month after you made the change. You should see improvement!  Please come back to this post and comment here and tell me how it worked for you!

If you want to thank me for this basic enlightenment, tell people about my new blog, which is all about vintage on Etsy here. 

You May Also Like:  Tim's Post Using Google Analytics.

Etsy Users Should Be Using HandmadeTop10's FREE Exposure!

Have you tried this site---> HandmadeTopTen? It's almost like an "ETSY VOTER" site, I love it, it's addicting and fun to play with.

It's free exposure for your Etsy items!

What's more, if "a list is open" you can add up to 2 items in your own shop to the list for free! Others looking on vote on your items  and during the voting process people get to SEE your item driving more exposure and hearts to your shop.

There's every possible catergory you can think of, from supplies, wedding, soaps, team lists, vintage, and pet accessories only to name a few. I love it!  I have to say I've been secretly checking it every chance I get, and added a few bags from LizzieCaye to the handbag list.  Anyone out there sell purses? Add yours now!
 
Here's the latest supply list, you can view the list by clicking here and please vote for my glove molds !!!! Here is what the list looks like! 




And just who brings us this great site? None other than Timothy Adams of Handmadeology.