Has Anyone Ever Sold Something On Etsy.com?

Discussion in Stores Reviews, Comments & Complaints started by Colebra • Mar 12, 2015.

  1. Colebra

    ColebraActive Member

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    My mom does some really cool artsy stuff, and I'm thinking that I could probably get her addicted to this website... Even I might enjoy getting onboard with it.
    Ever tried either buying, or selling something there?

    As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated! :)
     
  2. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    I've only ever sold one thing on Etsy - a bag of expired 35mm camera film. Apparently, expired film gives the photographs all sorts or weird and wonderful effects. The selling process was simple and quick. I've never bought anything though.
     
  3. hellonamesdana

    hellonamesdanaMember

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    I've never sold on Etsy yet, just purchased. I've purchased one thing on there so far, but I'd like to buy more things eventually when I have the money to do so. I have a shop set up because I would really love to start selling things on there eventually, maybe in a couple of months, but for right now I haven't had the time or energy or products to really sell on there.
     
  4. Nikole

    NikoleMember

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    I purchase on Etsy a great deal. I personally do not sell on Etsy, but I have 2 friends who have very successful Etsy businesses. By successful, I mean it is their main source of income. I know they work very hard and they also market themselves on social media like Facebook and Instagram to get the word out about their businesses, and it took them years to get the customer base they currently have. My advice would be to make sure you have high quality photos and descriptions, and don't undersell yourself - handmade goods are worth the money in my opinion. Good luck to you guys!
     
  5. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I have sold some beads I made on Etsy and the process was very quick and easy. The key is to make sure you add good tags and take beautiful pictures so that your items will be noticed. There are a lot of sellers on this site, so you have to market yourself. I sold a bag of beads for $2.50 for a package of 10 and then the buyer came back to me and requested about 120 more. I was making beads until my head was numb, but I got the order done and out on time!
     
  6. Colebra

    ColebraActive Member

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    Thanks guys!
    I'll have to wait for the right moment, but I'm definitely show this to my Mom.
    We'll also have to see how being a seller based outside of the U.S. is.
    Not looking to make a bunch of income. Just having fun with my Mom.
     
  7. tangela

    tangelaActive Member

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    I haven't, but my friend has and a lot of it just have to do with how you market your stuff and how you decide to ship your items. My friend said the biggest headache she gets from selling on Etsy is dealing with people who want to haggle for a lower price but doesn't take into consideration how long it took my friend to make the item, and the material/time cost and shipping cost and stuff like that.

    She also said that another issue you may run into is if your postal service isn't super reliable, packages can be lost so she highly recommends like package sending insurance or something just in case that happens.
     
  8. DancingLady

    DancingLadyActive Member

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    I once considered it, then looked at the competition and realized IF I managed to sell anything I would have to be content with earning about $1 an hour to sell at a competitive rate. Not worth it, especially since you have to pay to list, even if you never sell anything.
     
  9. Winnie

    WinnieActive Member

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    I've looked at a lot of things on Etsy, but have not yet bought or sold, but have been considering doing both. I've gleaned some information from this thread, but I need a bit more info to see if I actually want to sell on Etsty. I think it's a great site though, I see all kinds of things that I would like to buy from there.
    If your mom does start selling there, you should give us her info on the site so that we can buy from her :).
     
  10. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I think Etsy is one of those sites in which you have to have a love for your product first. You can't just make random things to sell on there, but everything should be made from the heart. Once you have that down, you can work on advertisements and product packaging. I really enjoy packaging my items and getting them ready to ship because you can be very creative in the process. It also helps if you send a note to your buyer in the package thanking them for their order.
     
  11. PatriciaKay

    PatriciaKayNew Member

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    I have sold on Etsy, Ebay, Amazon and a few other sites for several years. I see vintage wedding dresses and used books. I love Etsy. Listing price is $.20 for about three months, which is really cheap. They don't take as much from your sale as the others do, and it is widely known and used. The pictures are high quality and they have a loyal following. At one point, for a few months, I was earning about $700/month on Etsy, when I was working my store consistently.

    I run a "Term" on Etsy, otherwise known as a forum, for new people. It is call "Newbies and Mentors," though I haven't been on it for some time. If you join, check out my little group. The archives have some great information for new sellers.
     
  12. ABC123

    ABC123Member

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    I have been wanting to invest in such a site. My concern is the .20 to post a product. My understanding is that it is .20 pre product. My question would I make a profit to get the cost of shipping and posting fee back.
     
  13. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I sell my art on eBay. I have Etsy and Bonanza accounts but haven't used them yet.
    Supposedly it helps to compile a big email list and let everyone you know that you have items for sale.
    As an artist, I'm still uncomfortable with marketing but trying to learn.
    Items on eBay and Etsy don't sell themselves. You have to do a little shameless self promotion on social media to drum up business.
     
  14. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    I have a shop there, and it seems to depend on the season. I agree with the statements above. It helps to market nonstop, and having a pre-existing following, whether from craft fairs and shows, or a brick and mortar store, would definitely help. It's a crowded field (handcrafted/handmade), so it is difficult to stand out, even if you have wonderful products. Many don't know that etsy is also for vintage items, so that might be a way to get a food in the door and rack up some sales, prior to branching out and listing handmade items.
     
  15. Miaka_M

    Miaka_MActive Member

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    I've never sold anything on etsy, but my boyfriend sells things on it. I do want to learn how to sell things on etsy and how much of a profit I can actually make. One day I want to be able to sell my art. I know many artists that make prints of their arts and seem to be making a wonderful profit. On the other hand, I do prefer buying things elsewhere.
     
  16. GenevB

    GenevBActive Member

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    I was thinking about starting selling it until I've heard some bad reviews, my grandfather was an artist, I still have some of his work and wanted to sell them to someone who would really appreciate his job, it's not about the money, but after I've heard some rumors I've decided that I'd better sell them myself rather then letting his work ending up on some garbage because someone lost it.
     
  17. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I have an ebay and bonanza account that I use to resell items on but I have never really paid any attention to etsy. I have not sold anything for a month on either of my accounts and was just thinking about getting back into listings some things on ebay.
     
  18. JessiFox

    JessiFoxActive Member

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    I've never sold on Etsy, only purchased and talked with a few sellers to get an idea of it...for the most part it seems like a fair system, pricing and all that. And not the most complicated, I think it could be a good resource for someone artsy and interested enough to keep a tiny business going :).
     
  19. jneanz

    jneanzActive Member

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    I've had an Etsy store for years and I enjoy it even though I am not as active as I once was. First, I sold handmade jewelry and desktop publishing artwork, then I sold paper zines. Now that they have the digital upload option, I plan to convert these to PDFs so I can increase sales.
     
  20. MMercury

    MMercuryNew Member

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    I started an etsy shop last year. It is not open right now but I do plan to re-open it once I learn a bit more about how to work etsy into a more profitable business. I think etsy can be great but you should have a plan set up before you open your shop.

    That said, I did sell a few items and between the shipping costs, the cost to open an etsy account and the cost to list an item I did not lose money. I just made a small profit but with enough sales and business, an etsy shop can be pretty profitable. I've heard of a few people being able to turn etsy into their main source of income too. I would think that you should not only rely on etsy for selling your goods though.