Etsy Tips for Beginners

  • Etsy Tips for Beginners

    10 Things You Need to do Before Opening Etsy Shop | What to do Before Starting an Etsy shop

    Starting an Etsy shop is simple and straightforward, but there are a few steps to take before you open your Etsy shop and take the plunge.

    In this blog post, I will talk about 9 Things You Need to do Before Opening Etsy Shop. But don’t take it too seriously; just do the bare minimum and open your Etsy shop as soon as possible because your first sale could be tomorrow. 

    Opening an Etsy shop can be a great way make passive income and sell both physical products (such as handmade, vintage, or one-of-a-kind items) and digital products (such as printables, Canva templates, and spreadsheets) to a large worldwide audience.

    Here are a 10 things on what to know before starting an Etsy shop. 

    If you still doing research, hopefully these 9 Things You Need to do Before Opening Etsy Shop give all the information you can get.

    Without further ado, let’s get started.

    STEP 1: Get 40 Free Listing

    Did you know you can get 40 free listings and save $8 on your listing fee? Opening a shop directly from the referral link gives you 40 free listings, which is equivalent to saving US$8 (Normally, listings fees on Etsy are currently $0.20C per listing). Awesome right?

    This promotion only works for new shop owners and the recommended account must be a new or buyer-only account before the code can be redeemed.

    To claim the 40 free Etsy listings, click on the link above to sign up for Etsy and register your shop. Then click on the “Sell on Etsy” button. From there, you will be taken to a page where you can setup your Etsy shop details and payment information. Once you have completed this step, you will be able to list up to 40 items for free

    Make sure to open your shop directly from the provided link in order to receive the free listings.

    STEP 2: Create a separate business account to open an Etsy shop.

    To open an Etsy shop, it is not compulsory to create a business account but it is generally a good idea to separate your personal and business finances by opening a separate business bank account. 

    This can make it easier to track your Etsy business income and expenses, and can help you to maintain accurate financial records for tax purposes.

    When setting up your Etsy shop, you will need to provide your personal or business information, including your name and contact details. 

    You will also need to provide payment information, such as a credit or debit card or a PayPal account, to process transactions.

    It is important to keep in mind that even if you do not have a separate business bank account, you will still need to report your business income and expenses on your personal tax returns. 

    Keeping accurate financial records and documentation can help you to do this accurately and efficiently.

    Commonly asked question: Do you need a credit card to open a shop on Etsy? The answer is no. You do not need a credit card to open an Etsy shop. You only need a debit card that allows international online transactions.

    STEP 3: Determine what to sell and conduct market research.

    Before you starting an Etsy shop, you must decide what products to sell on Etsy and do market research. The reason you should do market research before opening an Etsy shop is to make sure there is demand for the type of items you want to sell. 

    Look at similar products on Etsy and see what is already available. Just browse on Etsy and see what are products that are proven selling, what are the total sales, what are the bestsellers and how they structure their product cover, title and description.

    If you are interested to sit back, relax, and watch videos that I uncover 300 digital products ideas that are proven selling on Etsy, click here. I covered a lot of common niches for digital products that you can start selling today.

    STEP 4 : Research on Competitors and Pricing on Etsy

    Once you’ve decided what to sell on Etsy, it is also important for you to research your competitors and the product pricing on etsy.

    Why do you need to do Research for Competitor and Pricing before you open an Etsy shop and publish a listing?

    1. Understand the market demand and price

    Researching your competitors and pricing on Etsy is important because it can help you to understand the market and determine how to price your products.

    By looking at similar products on Etsy, you can get a sense of the demand for your type of products, as well as how they are priced and what features they offer. 

    This can help you to determine the right price point for your products and ensure that you are competitive in the market.

    2. Ideas for uniqueness

    Researching your competitors can also give you ideas for how to differentiate your products and make them unique and stand out from the competition. 

    For example, you may find that offering a unique and different feature or a higher quality product can help you to command a higher price.

    Overall, researching your competitors and pricing on Etsy can help you to make informed decisions about your products and give you a better chance of success in the market.

    To be organized, create a spreadsheet of your competitor list. List their shop’s name, link, and total sales.

    STEP 5: Determine your business model 

    Before you even create your first product , you need to determine your business model. 

    Your business model on Etsy could be B2B or B2C. 

    i) What is B2C (Business to Customer) 

    This is where you provide end products to your customers for them to use in their life. 

    ii) What is B2B (Business to Business) 

    This is where you provide resellable products to your customers so that they can use commercially and also for themself.

    Also consider whether you will be selling items you make yourself, selling vintage items, or looking for a supplier to sell products on Etsy. 

    Similarly, if you sell digital products, consider you will either create the digital products or printables by yourself or outsource the product creation.This will impact the way you set up and run your shop.

    STEP 6: Choose a unique and memorable name

    Thing you should do before starting an Etsy shop, includes picking a name that reflects the theme and style of your shop. Keep in mind that this name will appear on all of your listings and marketing materials.

    Why need to choose a good name for my Etsy shop?

    Choosing a good name for your Etsy shop is important for a few reasons:

    1)First impressions

     Your shop name is often the first thing potential customers will see, so it’s important to make a good impression. A catchy, memorable name can help to grab attention and make your shop stand out.

    2) Brand identity

     Your shop name can help to establish the tone and personality of your brand. It should reflect the theme and style of your products and give customers an idea of what they can expect from your shop.

    3) SEO

    A well-chosen shop name can also help with search engine optimization (SEO). If your shop name includes relevant keywords, it can help to improve your visibility on Etsy and other search engines.

    4) Consistency

    Your shop name will appear on all of your listings, marketing materials, and social media profiles, so it’s important to choose a name that you are happy with and can use consistently.

    When choosing a name for your Etsy shop, consider the theme and style of your products, and think about what sets your shop apart from others. 

    Keep it simple and easy to remember, and try to avoid using overly long or complicated names.

    STEP 7: Create Etsy Shop banner

    Before starting your Etsy shop, get your shop banner ready. Uploading a professional Etsy shop banner will help to showcase your brand and helps to make a good impression on potential customers.

    To create a banner for your Etsy shop, follow these steps:

    1. Choose an image: Select an image that represents your brand and the products you sell. You can use a photo of one of your products, a logo, or an image that reflects the style and theme of your shop.
    2. Edit the image: Use a photo editing tool such as Canva, Adobe Photoshop, or GIMP to adjust the size and crop of the image as needed to fit the banner dimensions.
    3. Add text: If desired, you can add text to your banner to include your shop name or a tagline. Choose a font and color that matches the style of your shop and is easy to read.
    4. Save and upload: Save the final banner image as a .jpg or .png file and then upload it to your Etsy shop. To do this, go to Your Shop > Info & Appearance > Banner in your Etsy dashboard, and click the “Change Banner” button. Select the image file from your computer and click “Save.”

    The dimensions for the banner image on Etsy are 1200 pixels wide by 300 pixels tall. You may need to resize or crop your image to fit these dimensions.

    STEP 8 : Upload Etsy Shop Logo Icons and your Profile Picture

    Aside from that, you need to set your profile picture as soon as you start your Etsy shop.

    Just follow similar steps as above to set your Etsy shop profile picture. 

    1. Go to Your Shop > Info & Appearance > Profile Picture
    2. Click the “Change Profile Picture” button. 
    3. Select the image file from your computer and click “Save.” 

    The profile picture dimensions for Etsy are 500 pixels by 500 pixels.

    Same goes with uploading your shop logo icon, 

    1. Go to Your Shop > Info & Appearance > Icon in your Etsy dashboard
    2. Click the “Change Icon” button.
    3. Select the image file from your computer and click “Save.”

    The icon dimensions for Etsy are 500 pixels by 500 pixels.

    STEP 9 : Create your first product

    It’s time to list your first product on Etsy! You’re officially in business once you add your first product on Etsy.

     To create a good product listing on Etsy that sells, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

    1) Use a clear , straightforward and SEO optimized title

    Title of your product listing will make or break your product listing. Use a title that accurately and concisely describes your product. Include relevant keywords to make it easier for shoppers to find your product. You can do organic research or research on Etsy keyword tools like Erank, Alura,Marmalead, Sale Samurai for a good SEO optimized keyword. 

    2) Write a detailed and informative description

    Etsy announced in mid-2022 that description plays a role in Etsy SEO. The first 100 words of the description are the most important. 

    As a result, fill out the description field with more information about your product, such as its materials, dimensions, how to use it, what to expect, and any special features.

    3) Use high-quality photos

    Take clear, well-lit photos of your product from multiple angles to give shoppers a good sense of what they are buying. Use the zoom feature to show close-up details of your product.

    4)Price your product appropriately

    Determine a price that reflects the value of your product, taking into account the cost of materials, your time, and the demand for similar products.

    5)Use correct tags and categories

    Tags and categories also play a big role in Etsy SEO. Choose relevant tags and categories for your product to make it easier for Etsy to recognize your shop and for shoppers to find your product.

    Offer multiple variations: If you have multiple variations of your product, such as different sizes or colors, consider offering them as separate listings or as variations within a single listing.

    By following these tips, you can create a product listing that is informative, attractive, and easy to find, which can help to increase your chances of making a sale on Etsy.

    STEP 10 : Promote your shop

    Finally, spread the word about your Etsy shop through social media, networking, and other marketing channels. 

    Also consider offering discounts or promotions as your Etsy shop launch strategy to attract new customers including your friends and followers to purchase in your shop.

    These are things on what to know before starting an Etsy shop. 

    Hopefully you’ve gained a lot of knowledge from this blog post and are now able to make some  preparations before starting your Etsy shop. 

    By putting in the time and effort on Etsy, you can successfully launch and grow your Etsy shop even without money.

    Good luck! I am rooting for you 🙂

  • Etsy Tips for Beginners, Make Money Digital Product

    How I Made My First Sale on Etsy Selling Digital Products

    Many people ask me what business I have that provides me with consistent passive income and daily sales; if you haven’t guessed by now, it’s an Etsy shop! In this blog post, I will talk about my experience of how I made my first sale selling digital products on Etsy as a beginner.

    It is no longer a secret, and I am grateful that Etsy has become another source of passive income for me. Sales change frequently, and sometimes it can bring in double of my full-time job income while I only work 1-2 hours per week on Etsy.

    Before I begin talking about my experience on How I Made My First Sale on Etsy Selling Digital Products on Etsy, I want to delve into why choose Etsy to sell digital products?.

    Why use Etsy.com?

    I remember when I first started to open my Etsy shops in 2019, I was a postgraduate student waiting for my first job. As an organisation freak, I was madly in love with a this fantastic digital business planner on Etsy. As a result, I started as a buyer, purchasing a lot of digital items from Etsy such as digital planners, digital stickers, blog themes, clip arts and brushes for my Procreate (drawing apps).

    Etsy is more than just a marketplace for handcrafted item

    Etsy is more than just a marketplace for handcrafted and vintage items; it is also a large marketplace for digital products and printables. Etsy also is a well-known and established platform across the globe. This means that there is already a built-in audience of potential customers.

    Etsy allows digital file uploads

    Etsy has features to upload of digital file during creating a listing. This also means that if a person purchases a digital product on Etsy, the digital files will be downloaded automatically.

    I saw those Etsy sellers who sell digital products (such as Canva templates , Printables and Lightroom preset) made hundreds thousands of sales on Etsy. That really impressed me, and I knew if other people could do it, I could too.

    Thereby, I saw a golden opportunity to start selling digital products for passive income on Etsy.

    In 2019, Etsy was completely new to me,I am a beginner as it is to most regular people, and I had no idea how to open a shop or set up a new shop; thus, I did my research on how to open an Etsy shop, how to sell digital products on Etsy etc

    Sadly, there’s not much resources that teaches us how to sell digital products on Etsy. Therefore, I need to do my own experiment. I purchased a lot of digital products to get the sense of how people deliver the digital items to customer , how they protect the digital product privacy etc.

    Unlike today, you can find so many resources over the internet on how to make money selling digital products or printables on Etsy. I also teaches thousand of people on how to start your Etsy shop the right way and sell digital downloads on Etsy.

    How to Start Selling on Etsy

    Credit card vs Debit Card

    You must provide your credit card information to become an Etsy seller. And, unfortunately, I didn’t have any credit cards because I hadn’t been working and had just finished my studies. I attempted to use my debit card information but was unsuccessful. I tried so many times, but it never worked. So I had no choice but to open an Etsy shop with a credit card.

    The bad news was that I wasn’t working at the time, so I couldn’t get a credit card. However, because I have a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery, which is a very secure degree for getting the job, the bank agent said that all I needed to do was show my offer letter to get a credit card.

    So I was ecstatic to learn that, even though he informed me that the credit card has an annual fee, which I am fine with. I was desperate to get a credit card so that I could start my Etsy shop. I have no intention of using a credit card to make any purchases. It was solely for the purpose of opening a new shop, and the process took about a week to run background checks and finally get approved.

    Is a credit card required to open an Etsy shop?

    I remember how desperate I was, and while I waited for that approval, I opened an Etsy shop with my second debit card. I didn’t use that debit card earlier because the bank card was old and I hadn’t used it in a long time. I had heard that I needed to switch to a new card and activate it.

    Can you guess what happened? It surprised me how well it worked. Guys, the debit card actually worked! So, if you don’t have a credit card, you can use a debit card instead. If the debit card does not work, simply use a different debit card.

    I was ecstatic to finally have an Etsy shop. I was so happy that I decided to post it on Instagram. And people DM with questions like, “What is Etsy?” What type of store is that? “Can you tell me what you do for a living?” Etsy clearly does not have a large following in my country.

    What are my initial products?

    I can’t wait to launch my first product. Because my first two Etsy purchases were a blog theme and a digital planner, I created and uploaded my first digital planner! I also attempted to make stickers after falling in love with others’, but I’m not a good designer. I’m not particularly talented at colouring or designing. But I was still giving it my all. I look for ideas and try to model them, but the stickers turn out terrible.

    Digital planners, a notebook, and sticky notes are my first products. They are still available in my shop. My expectations were high; I expected to make 1–10 sales in my first week or month, but I was not making any. So I was devastated and ready to give up.

    It’s time to change course.

    When something isn’t working, it’s sometimes necessary to pivot and try selling something else. As a buyer myself, I enjoy searching and browsing on Etsy, so I did a lot of window shopping (which was super fun).

    On Etsy, I came across a few intriguing ideas while browsing. I saw people selling thank-you cards, social media templates, and ebook templates. My interest was piqued most by the online course templates. 

    I saw other people creating multiple templates for online courses, and the owner made thousands of sales at a higher price point. So I thought, “Oh, this is a great idea,” and I saw an opportunity for me to step in, and perhaps people will also buy my templates.

    So I made my first online course template and made my first sale. Hooray! 

    I then began researching tips for making sales on Etsy and implemented some of the advice I received from YouTube.

    My Quick Tips on How I Made My First Sale on Etsy Selling Digital Products

    Etsy Tips 1 : Make a stunning cover.

    So the first thing I did was design lovely covers. It is difficult to create colours that are both engaging and beautiful. My first Etsy cover looked like a regular photograph. The cover was not at all appealing. So the idea is that you want to create beautiful covers in order to drive sales to your Etsy shop. For inspiration, look at other people’s work. Look at what they put on the front of their product! What are they attempting to highlight?

    because that is also something you should emphasize. I sell course templates, for example. Perhaps I should emphasise who my template is intended for, which is an online course instructor. Perhaps I should emphasise who my template is intended for, which is an online course instructor. I also want to emphasise what they get from my templates, which contain more than 30 pages. As a result, I made that feature stand out on my Etsy cover.

    Etsy Tips 2 : Keywords | SEO Optimized Title

    My second piece of advice is to optimise the keywords. You can conduct research beginning with the title. It is acceptable to create your own title and keywords. Make sure to use long-tail keywords, and if you can do research, that’s even better. You want to know what keywords your competitor is using, and you can certainly use the same ones by gathering them first and selecting the best. Simply combine them to form your title and keywords.

    Etsy Tips 3 : Keywords |SEO Optimized Descriptions 

    The third piece of advice is to include a few more keywords in the descriptions. because it indicates to Etsy that you are emphasising this. So you can put a lot of the same thing in the descriptions, like when I started [inaudible 07:30]. This is similar to digital products. Online course instructors can use Canva templates.

    These lovely Canva templates are essential for online course instructors. Make sure to repeat the keywords in whatever you want to see in the description. And two or three keywords are sufficient. However, you want it to include the keywords.

    After that, you’ll want to the buyer’s cart. So all you have to do is tell them about a product and how it will benefit them. and how they will gain access to your products if you buy them. Simply describe their journey prior to, during, and after their purchases.

    Etsy Tips 4 : Add several products.

    That’s exactly what I did earlier today. And I was constantly adding new products. It will probably take two to three weeks or a month. So I’ve got four Canva templates and then some products on [inaudible 08:42]. That was the end of it. I couldn’t commit because I was too preoccupied with my horsemanship training, where it says I’m studying to be a real doctor. So, in essence, I was not managing Etsy full-time. But then I made my first sale using Etsy’s algorithm and actual traffic. The process is then repeated for a total of ten sales. I eventually had 100 sales.

    However, in order to achieve 100 sales, I implemented additional strategies, which I will discuss in the following post. So make sure you read it.

    Thank you for your contributions!

    Download this free Etsy shop owner planner.