Etsy (or something like it) as opposed to standing alone Since it doesn't cost money (only time,) I am considering opening up an Etsy store. My sense is that it would give me more visibility than standing alone with my website in the marketplace. A year ago, it looked to me like anything on Etsy was not high enough quality to sell in brick and mortar boutiques, so I did not want to associate my business with it. (I know I sound judgemental - I am working on that.) Now, I am seeing a lot of well-crafted items on Etsy and seeing Etsy pop up on product blogs. It looks to me like they may be leading a big trend toward people buying directly from product makers (who don't want to auction their items on ebay.)
While big orders from boutiques are nice hits financially, they are obviously not as profitable than selling my products directly. This year, I would like my direct sales to overtake my boutique sales.
Do any of you have experience with Etsy or something like it? Is it a move you would recommend?
Hey Cherie,
I don't know much about Etsy, but I will say that I was at a networking meeting for Ladies Who Launch (the group there is all women, and mostly product-based businesses) and Etsy kept coming up a lot. They spoke very favorably about it.
You might talk to Melody Biringer...she's the leader of our local LWL group and she probably has some more experience with Etsy, or at least knows who the gals were that were talking about it. I'll shoot you an intro.
Hi Cherie:
My experience with ETSY has been as a buyer. I have purchased several items from several different artists on ETSY. What is so unique about ETSY is there are folks all over the world that sell items, and you can search by color, texture, etc.
What I can tell you is that what often leads me to ETSY is a link in a blog that I am reading that will reference an ETSY shop. If you have a blog that would be a great place to advertise your ETSY shop and of course, any time you can get mentioned in someone else's blog and have your ETSY shop linked that is also a bonus.
wonder if we could sell flowers on etsy..maybe silks would be a good niche.
I have begun to dip my toe into the Etsy world. There is something on there that might interest you, Justin. It's a thing called "Alchemy" where people post requests for bids on the custom things they want. Maybe you'd find people already looking for flowers that you have. I put in a couple of bids for bags because I happened to have the fabrics they were looking for.
Elizabeth, I agree with you that blogs are the way to go to get the word out about where you can be found on the internet. I am thinking that Etsy might be a good way to let people stumble upon my products even if they haven't heard about me on a blog.
Rachel, thank you for the intro. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Etsy is an iffy place.
You will not see our products listed there. While there are good, quality handcrafted items available there are also a lot that is..shall we say less than perfect.
I shop on etsy and I also feature etsy sellers but they have to be top of the line to meet my standards.
In my catagory there are a few good quality sellers but most of the stuff does not look very professional....more like the homecrafter made it which is fine if that is your target market.... its not mine.
Hmm, I'm glad I haven't switched over from my stand alone store to an etsy store. I appreciate the feedback, Rebecca. I don't want to damage my brand by putting it in a place that people don't associate with quality. I think I'll keep dipping my toe in though, since it's free!
For anyone looking at this who does shop on Etsy, how do you determine quality over the internet? Photography? Price? Do you only shop there for things that have testimonials to go along with them, whether from a blog or someone you know? I like that Etsy allows you to include 5 photos per product. That can really help show the inside and outside details of a bag as well as how it looks being carried by a model.
Cherie, 2 weeks ago I would not have known what you were talking about but as time is such a blessing for me I just learned of Etsy last weekend. I spent hours (dare I say) just looking at all there is for sale. I fell in love with many things.
The site is such a joy! I wish you the best of luck!
I have an etsy necklace around my neck right now, I'm definitely a fan. For me professional photos make a big difference in determining the quality of a product. Having a set of pro photos with a nice background really makes your products stand out.
I think that etsy could be a great test market for your products. If you sell on etsy, move over to your own site to take full control of your presentation (and profits). Or if they don't have a rule against it, why not sell both on etsy and your own site?
While it is true that there are handcrafted items available on Etsy that wouldn't make it past a craft show jury, there are a lot of quality handcraft items as well.
I am an Etsy buyer and seller, and love the platform. I have also had good experiences using their alchemy feature.
As for determining quality of items that I have chosen to purchase on Etsy, I rely heavily on a combination of things:
1) Photos - Give a full view of your product, with good lighting in a setting that doesn't distract from the product. Add close-up photos to show detail work.
2) Good product description - Include materials used, measurements of the product, etc. I particularly enjoy the descriptions that have stories included and have printed those to include with items I have purchased as gifts.
3) Feedback - I look for good feedback on a seller's profile.
4) Good communication - During the sales process, I prefer working with sellers who let me know they've received the purchase request, andn follow-up when it's been sent. Some even follow-up a third time after they've received delivery confirmation to thank me for the sale and encourage feedback.
Be sure to check out the sellers forums on Etsy as there is it includes a lot of great advice on how to promote your Etsy store, stage professional photos, write clear product descriptions, etc.
Tiffany, Thank you for your very thoughtful response. I appreciate hearing from you and will refer to your list as I set up shop on Etsy.
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