5 Common Etsy Seller Mistakes (and how to avoid them!)
We all make mistakes when it comes to adding that first listing, but there is lots of advice out there! So, let’s jump into our 5 common mistakes Etsy sellers make and find out what mistakes to avoid!
Sellers Not Seeing Themselves As Buyers
Sure, you’re selling the items not buying them, but you need to see through the eyes of a buyer to see their view.
One of the best pieces of advice I was given was to always read through the preview of a listing after saving the draft copy. But before making the listing live. Why? Because it allows you to see every detail before you publish it. Doing this, you can see exactly what you’re missing as the seller (in comparison to just reading the listing template). Some of the things that you may notice by doing this include:
- poor image resolution
- not having enough images to showcase the actual product
- spelling or grammatical errors
- excessive repetition of certain words
- unclear shipping selections
It’s not something you need to necessarily do every single time you upload a new product. However, it is worth making a note to go through each section each time. Think: Would you want to buy something from an online shop that had blurred pixelated images and unclear shipping options? Noooo, thank you.
Not Using the Correct Keywords
In Etsy’s Handbook they state that keywords you use in your tags work together with other attributes in your listing to help match your products with shoppers’ searches. This is worth taking note of.
What’s more, there have been a number of recommendations on using random keywords to have your items viewed. For example, using keywords that have nothing to do with your items in the hope they’ll rank on the search page.
How many times do you find your browser showing you adverts for products that you have never searched for in your life? Rarely, is the correct answer! This is because those selling the items use the correct tags and keywords with each product and, in turn, it means you, the buyer, will see items relating to those you’ve previously searched. (cookies!)
Prospective buyers will have their cookies storing valuable information (their searches) and this means there is more chance of your item making an appearance – because they’re not looking for something completely unrelated. So, always use keywords that are fitting to your product and not just because they are popular!
This also works the same way as using saturated keywords – yes, your wall art may indeed be ideal for an office space but the key phrase ‘office art work’ is, without a doubt, a saturated market. In this case, you would be best putting that free keyword to use with something specific to your item. For example, ‘relatable food lover office decor’.
Not Having a Niche
‘Niche’ is a word often thrown around when it comes to selling products online. Believe it or not, there is more to finding your own niche than just sourcing a product you like, sticking with it and hoping it sells because you’ve included a high quality photo and an attractive price tag. Finding your niche comes down to two things:
- Are you interested in the product? Having an interest in the items you make and sell is essential to ensure you don’t get bored with your ETSY shop journey. If you find yourself flooding with ideas or you look forward to making the items as a hobby then you’re on the right track. But if you feel dread the moment you open your ETSY browser, then you need to stand back and have a think about what the right area is for you. We all have something.
- Is there a market for it? You might thoroughly enjoy making dolls made from expensive wool, but is there enough people out there that like the idea and can drum up interest in you successfully selling it? Maybe. The best way to find out if your chosen products have a market is simply by searching for it online. Sure, you don’t necessarily have to look up ‘dolls made from expensive wool’ but you could look up ‘wool dolls, wool toys, wool based home décor, unique handmade wool items’ etc. Doing so will give you an idea of the market available to you.
Being too Expensive/Under-Priced
Everyone loves a bargain. How could you not? But when it comes to buying on marketplaces you can find that items being under-priced can also serve as a warning.
A prime example, would be recently purchasing a set of photo mock-ups, which was on sale for $2. I thought I’d try them out, considering they were unbelievably cheap in comparison to the higher ranked items. The folder contained 50 mock-ups, of which none were PSD (which was what I required) and instead they were all Jpg images – which resulted in me having to cut around the frames myself – and in doing so having little option but to cut over some of the props in the photo – I gave up using them in the end.
One of the best ways you can find out how to price your products is to look at similar listings. It’s important not to base your prices fully on others, as it is essential that not only you make some profit (otherwise, what is the point?) but that you don’t lose any money in the process either. So, before you even begin working on your shop stock, you should work out exactly what your expenses may be. These can include:
- Stationery (Card, Paper Cutter)
- Printer/Printing Services
- Photo Editing Software (Adobe Photoshop, Canva Subscription etc)
- Packaging (Envelopes, Bubble Wrap, Tape)
- Shipping
- ETSY fees (this can include, but is not limited to):
- Listing Fees (& Vat)
- Renewal Fees (& Vat)
- Ads (& Vat)
Adding all of these together will give you your ideal amount to charge, covering all bases and making sure to have a profit. Otherwise, what’s the point? Find out more about what your profit margin should aim to be here, with Shopify.
Not Being Punctual
The biggest mistake a seller, who has sold their first lot of items on ETSY, can do is have the item arrive late.
Types of ETSY Punctuality:
- If you receive a message from a user, reply to them as soon as you are able to.
- Ensure you’re able to meet your dispatching dates and if you’re unable to meet them then change them!
- If an item becomes lost and the buyer does not receive it then use your postage tracking to try locate the item. In the process of doing this be sure to let the customer know what you’re doing to try solve the problem and when they can expect to hear back from you.
- Assume nothing. Uploading tracking information should always be the norm when on Etsy, however, don’t assume the buyer has checked this before contacting you. Check yourself, have the info needed at your grasp so you know exactly the route you need to take.
What mistakes have you picked up on over your time as a seller? We’d love to know!
