Etsy ??

Discussion in Stores Reviews, Comments & Complaints started by preacherbob50 • Jan 17, 2015.

  1. preacherbob50

    preacherbob50Member

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    I just recently heard of "Etsy." It is supposed to be a site for buying and selling home crafts. I looked it up and it looks like some pretty good products which makes me think I might be able to sell some of the woodworking I can produce.

    Has anyone bought or sold anything on the Etsy web site? I would like to know if their sales are guaranteed or is it like eBay or more like Amazon ect. I appreciate any answers.
     
  2. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    It's so funny because I really like Etsy, and often go on there to have a mooch about and feast my eyes on all the lovely jewellery on there, but I'm yet to commit to a purchase! -and no, I've never sold anything on there either.
     
  3. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    Etsy is famous and has been around for years. There's no such thing as a guaranteed sale on any platform.
    You have to reach out to people and market yourself. They give you a place to sell, but you have to bring in your own traffic.
     
  4. zenfive

    zenfiveMember

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    I think what he was trying to ask was whether Etsy has any sort of guarantee of having an item delivered if you place an order with one of the vendors. I've also checked it out a few times and the idea is great, and there's some really cool products on there too, and of course it's unique. This kind of stuff could be great for a present for someone you care about. Despite this however, I have not yet tried it out. Would love to heard if anyone else has had experience with it though!
     
  5. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    I love Etsy! I appreciate the work that goes into the products and love supporting men and women who work for themselves. I've never had a bad experience and I do think you can do well on there; especially if you have a unique item. If you sell something many people do, you'll have a harder time standing out, but once you do, you can build a following from there. I find it much better and more trustworthy than Ebay and Amazon etc. Good luck :)
     
  6. LitoLawless

    LitoLawlessActive Member

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    I have a friend who loves Etsy. She's always going on there to buy something. Good luck on selling some of your work! Whenever I get to sell something that I created I get really excited and I'm sure you will too.
     
  7. Mackmax

    MackmaxMember

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    I tried to sell on Etsy, but the process you must go through to list your item can be very tedious. I remember I tried to sell my crafts on there, but they wanted the exact weight of my product in grams, and I believe the circumference of my item, as well as many other things. I gave up very quickly. When it comes to Etsy, you either fit in and sell, or you don't fit in and your items go unnoticed. You have to do a decent, but not strenuous amount of marketing in order to sell your items expeditiously. Make sure you market to the right crowd as well! From a selling point, I'm not a fan of Etsy at all, but I wouldn't completely blacklist it. It's worth a shot, perhaps you'll have better luck than I did!
     
  8. janetsjunk1972

    janetsjunk1972New Member

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    I have bought handmade items on Etsy and have been very pleased with each and every one. I've "attempted" to sell on Etsy but have never had any luck yet. There have been lots of views but I think until you create a following and market yourself mainly by word of mouth at first, that's all you're going to get. I have friends that have stores on there that make a pretty good living. Maybe not a full time salary but every little bit counts. I would give it a try, you never know until you put yourself out there.
     
  9. zenfive

    zenfiveMember

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    I think it seems to be a very crowded marketplace, therefore it's very important to try and stand out from the rest and differentiate yourself. This can be done in a number of ways, and possibly the most important one is the branding of your products. Now, of course you don't need to hire professional product developers to do this for you. But paying attention to detail, and perhaps getting feedback from family and friends about what colors are right for your packaging and gauging what will allow you to really put yourself out there in a manner where people will be genuinely interested in your product. The other aspects of branding, such as your product naming and descriptions also come in to play, along with price of course. So be wary of all these aspects, and good luck with selling your products in the future!
     
  10. Juno

    JunoActive Member

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    I shop on Etsy. I love how you can find so many hand made unique items. Some things are so pretty. I like to shop there for birthdays and party décor. You can create a unique them for your parties with some Etsy sellers. The thing about Etsy is that it is hit or miss. I always contact the seller first and get assured that they will deliver. These people work from their homes and they are not all established small businesses. Once or twice I did end up never getting the order and I had to go to the trouble of making sure that my card was not charged.
     
  11. tbrq

    tbrqNew Member

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    I have bought many products from Etsy and it is a great site. Allowing to to buy one of a kind, unique pieces instead of traditional bulk items from stores. I'm not sure how the selling side works but I know you post photos of whatever product you have available and if someone is interested they buy it. You could end up with excess product if it doesn't all sell but you set the return policy, shipping, etc. so once a product is bought it is sold.
     
  12. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    There are some nice things on Etsy but you really need to make sure your product stands out with a great title and photographs for it to be noticed. There are so many similar items sold on there so you need to give yourself a bit of a "leg-up". Etsy doesn't have the global exposure that eBay does so you may find that sals are a little slower then you might be used to. One trick you could use is to update your social media acounts every time you list a new product for sale.
     
  13. DTracy3

    DTracy3Member

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    Etsy is basically the web's go-to place for DIY crafts. It's an interesting site, since you will find things on it that you won't be able to find in that way in a big supermarket. If you want to sell on Etsy, it's interesting too. It may be slower and less well-known as ebay or amazon, but the people who hang out on Etsy are already people that show an interest in handmade crafts, so they are more likely to buy what you have to offer^^
     
  14. MrsWilson2012

    MrsWilson2012Member

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    I agree. I have an etsy shop, but haven't sold anything yet. I've only had it open for a few weeks, so I don't have as much traffic as some of the bigger well-known etsy stores. And they have made changes recently to thir listing options that make it much easier to use for both the seller and the buyer- I know they used to get a lot of flack for that, but it's better now. It's cheap and easy to do- I would recommend it. However, No, I don't believe that Etsy has any guarantees concerning shipping and such. Those types of things are dealt with by the shop owner, i believe (though I could be wrong, because I am still newbie shop owner and don't know everything yet). Best of luck.
     
  15. isabbbela

    isabbbelaWell-Known Member

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    Etsy is a really nice website where you can buy unique, handmade stuff. I have bought some nice jewelry from there and I always look there whenever I'm thinking of something specific because I know some things I will only find there. Even costumes I have looked for in there. I didn't end up finding exactly what I was looking for, but there was amazing stuff there.
     
  16. SweetMamaKaty

    SweetMamaKatyActive Member

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    I have an Etsy shop, and I really love selling on that platform. My shop is on vacation right now for personal reasons, but I am looking forward to opening again at some point.

    Here are a few important tips:

    My first tip for you as a seller is join a team... or two... or three. :) You can research what is required of you for team membership, such as creating a certain number of treasuries per month. It's also important to choose a team that's a good fit for the product you make, your philosophy, etc. Etsy is HUGE, and it's very easy for your items to get lost in the sea of similar items. But as a member of a team, you become part of a much smaller community. So when one of your teammates is looking for a product that you create, you are the first person to come to mind. ;)

    My second tip is the creation of treasuries. This is done among teammates much of the time, but doesn't have to be. By creating a treasury, you are getting the attention both of people who like the same style, and also the shop owners you have featured products from. This can generate more interest in you as a person, as well as your shop, and many people will turn around and feature you back, further increasing your visibility!

    My third tip, and possibly the most important, is the use of tags. You'll want to mindfully use all your available tags, because that's how items are brought up by Etsy's search function when people are shopping! Getting a handle on SEO is also incredibly important as you write your listings.

    What is important to understand about selling on Etsy is that it's so much more than creating a quality product. You have to wear a few different hats - designer, creator, photographer, writer, promoter, shipper - and you have to be able to juggle all that well. It can take a little time to get it all "right" - but the great thing about Etsy is that you have the flexibility to make changes as you go.
     
  17. DesignerMum

    DesignerMumActive Member

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    Etsy has a lot of things on offer. I kept returning to their platform because I was interested in selling digital art works with their platform. I take a look at a few stores that offer digital goods. Most stores sell arts and crafts. At first I thought that they specialize on physical goods and things that people make on their own, like scrap books, household products, jewelries, and delicate handmade goods. So yes, Etsy is all that, but it's also where you can purchase handmade and vintage furniture! What I like is that Etsy has a lot of teams to consider joining. :) Also, buyers can ask a question before making purchases.
     
  18. Zyni

    ZyniWell-Known Member

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    Those are some great tips, SweetMamaKaty. Thanks for that. I've been interested in finding an inside view. I'd like to sell on Etsy, but I've found it all very complicated. I know that some people do make excellent money using it, but I got a little overwhelmed by all the extra stuff you need to do. Eventually, I'll try to hunker down and make a go of it, but it's all very time consuming. Worth it in the long run, I'm sure, but finding the time is another story.
     
  19. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    Etsy is now one of my favorite websites. I have sold a few of my handmade beads on there and have purchased a couple of gifts. The buyers and sellers are both very friendly. I really like the fact that there is a website that supports craters and artists alike.
     
  20. tangela

    tangelaActive Member

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    I love Etsy, I really do. I'm all for supporting local and independent artists, and some of the things I see on Etsy is simply incredible and simply too beautiful to pass up. I have quite a few jewelry from Etsy and I've always gotten multiple compliments on them.

    The thing is though, especially with things that's homemade and like independently shipped, it can be hard to know that you will get it on time or sometimes it may not show up at all (due to the post office problem, not necessary the seller's problem). While I've never had this happen to me before, I've heard of some cases of this happening.

    That's why I always check the seller's reviews before I buy anything :p