How to Start an Etsy Shop
So you want to start an Etsy shop? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete novice, there’s no better time to start than now! Here are some tips to get you started on the right foot.
Introduction: Why sell on Etsy?
Etsy is an online marketplace where people around the world connect to buy and sell unique goods. Our community of sellers offers a creatively diverse collection of items, from handmade goods to vintage pieces and one-of-a-kind gifts.
Etsy is a great platform for anyone interested in running their own creative business—you get to be your boss, set your hours and decide what you want to sell. And because every Etsy seller is unique, there’s no “one size fits all” way to have a successful shop.
Selling on Etsy is flexible and accessible. You can start and grow your business at your own pace, on your terms. Whether you’re a side hustler or a full-time business owner, we’ve got the tools and resources you need to succeed.
Setting up your Etsy shop
Decide what you’re going to sell
Etsy is the marketplace for unique and creative goods. If you’re selling things that you’ve made or designed yourself, you’re in the right place. You can also sell vintage items and craft supplies. And if you have a book, CD, or movie to sell, you can list that too. If you want to sell something that doesn’t fit into one of these categories, take a look at Etsy’s Selling Policies to see if your item is allowed.
Choose your shop language, country, and currency
Etsy supports shops in these countries and currencies right now:
If your country isn’t on the list yet, sign up for their Shop Local program to be notified when Etsy launches in your area. Etsy’s sellers can currently use PayPal to accept payments in US Dollars (USD), Canadian Dollars (CAD), Euros (EUR), Pounds Sterling (GBP), Australian Dollars (AUD), New Zealand Dollars (NZD), Swiss Francs (CHF), and Japanese Yen (JPY). You can learn more about setting up PayPal here.
Sellers outside the United States may also use direct checkout to accept credit cards from buyers in their home country. Learn more about listing items and accepting payments for sellers in these countries: Austria Belgium Canada Denmark Finland France Germany Hong Kong Ireland Italy Japan Netherlands New Zealand Norway Portugal Singapore Spain Sweden Taiwan the United Kingdom
Pick your shop name
Your shop name appears on your shop banner, your invoices, packing slips and all communications with your buyers — be sure to choose wisely! Once you set your shop name, it can’t be changed, so take some time to think about it. Learn more about choosing a great shop name. Pro-tip: Check out this blog post on using keywords in your shop name so potential customers can find you easily on Etsy and search engines like Google.
Complete your “About” page
The “About” page is a great way to introduce yourself and build trust with potential customers. Include information like who you are, what inspires you, what kind of quality buyers can expect from shopping in your store, etc. — anything that will give shoppers confidence about buying from you. You can change the information on this page anytime by going to Your Shop > Info & Appearance > About Section > Edit sections > About section Note: The text editor doesn’t work with mobile devices — please use a desktop computer or laptop to edit this page.”
Listing your first product
Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect to buy and sell unique goods. If you have something handmade, vintage, or created by you, you can join Etsy and start selling your products to millions of people looking for unique items like yours.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps of listing your first product on Etsy. You’ll need to have a few things ready before you can list:
-An Etsy account
-At least one product photo
-Product details such as price, quantity, shipping information, and more
-A payment method set up on Etsy
If you have all of these things ready, you can start listing your product in just a few minutes!
First, log in to your Etsy account and click the Sell on Etsy button. From there, click the Start Selling button on the Sell on Etsy page. You’ll be asked whether you’re selling handmade items, vintage items, or craft supplies. For this example, we’ll assume you’re selling a handmade item. Select that option and click Continue. On the next page, you’ll be asked to choose a category and subcategory for your product. Select the appropriate options from the drop-down menus and click Continue.
Now it’s time to start adding information about your product! First, enter a title and description for your listing. Be sure to include any important details potential buyers might want to know, such as materials used or dimensions of the product. You can also use this space to tell buyers a little bit about yourself or your shop. When you’re finished, click Save and Continue.
Next, add at least one photo of your product. Photos must be at least 500 pixels wide by 500 pixels tall square, but we recommend uploading photos that are 1500 pixels by 1500 pixels for optimal quality. You can upload up to five photos per listing for free! When you’re done adding photos, click Save and Continue.
Now it’s time to add some pricing information. First, enter how much you want to charge for your product in USD. Then select whether you want to charge for shipping and enter how much it will cost to ship your item within the United States. If you want to ship internationally, select that option and enter how much it will cost to ship internationally. When you’re done adding pricing information, click Save and Continue.
On the next page, review all the information about your listing, including pricing, shipping description, pictures, category, etc. If everything looks good, click Publish Listing. ! And that’s it—you’ve just listed your first product on Etsy!
Optimizing your shop for search
To get your items seen by shoppers searching on Etsy, you need to optimize your shop and listings for Etsy search. Etsy’s search uses many factors to rank and surface shops and listings in search results, including relevancy, recency, originality, and popularity.
There are several things you can do to make sure your shop and listings are being found in Etsy searches.
Make sure your shop is set up for success. Start by choosing a great shop name and completing your About section. Then, add good-quality photos and well-written descriptions for each listing.
Use keywords in your shop and listings. When Etsy shoppers search, they type in keywords that describe what they’re looking for. You can use those same keywords in your shop name, sections, listing titles, tags, and descriptions, to help shoppers find your items more easily. Not sure which keywords to use? Check out our guide to finding the right keywords for your business.
Get found in Google search. You can also help shoppers find your Etsy shop outside of Etsy by optimizing your shop for Google Search. To do this, make sure you’re using relevant keywords in your shop name, sections, listing titles, tags, and descriptions. You can also submit your site to Google using Webmaster Tools so it comes up when people search for related terms on Google.
Getting the word out about your Etsy shop
Social media is a great way to get the word out about your Etsy shop. You can create a Facebook page, Twitter account, or Instagram account dedicated to your shop. Make sure to post often and share photos of your products. You can also join relevant online communities and forums, and participate in discussions related to your niche. You can also put a link to your Etsy shop in your email signature.
Managing your orders
One of the most important aspects of running a successful Etsy shop is fulfilling orders promptly and efficiently. As an Etsy seller, you are responsible for:
-Communicating with buyers and responding to their messages in a prompt and professional manner
-Packing and shipping orders within the specified time frame
-Updating buyers on the status of their order
-Providing tracking information for orders, if available
Fulfilling orders promptly and keeping buyers updated throughout the process is one of the best ways to ensure positive feedback and repeat customers.
Getting paid on Etsy
Etsy uses Direct Checkout to process credit cards and some other payments, or you can choose to use PayPal. If you offer digital items, you can also set up automatic delivery.
With Direct Checkout, buyers can pay with credit and debit cards, Etsy gift cards, some Etsy Credits and Apple Pay. Learn more about how to offer Direct Checkout on Etsy.
You can also offer additional payment methods through third-party apps.
If you process payments through PayPal, buyers will be redirected to the PayPal website to complete their purchases. You can accept Etsy gift cards and Etsy Credits with PayPal. Learn more about how to connect your PayPal account on Etsy.
Note: If you’re selling in a country that uses the euro as its currency, read about adding bank accounts in euros on PayPal’s website.
Etsy shop resources
There are many resources available to help you get started with your Etsy shop. The first step is to create an Etsy account. Once you have an account, you can start creating your shop.
The Etsy website has a wealth of information and resources to help you get started, including a step-by-step guide to opening your Etsy shop. You can also find helpful tips and advice in the Etsy forums. In addition, there are several books and online courses available that can teach you the ins and outs of starting and running an Etsy shop.
