Start your Etsy shop right with these tips.
Have a Separate Bank Account for Your Shop
The bank account for your Etsy shop doesn’t need to be a business account. It can also be a personal account where you can deposit your income from your Etsy shop sales.
It can be confusing when you have your business finances mixed with your personal money. You want to know how much exactly you are making and spending, which is easy when you have an account specified for your Etsy shop.
Work on Perfecting Your Product
Your item doesn’t need to be perfect, but as close to perfect as you can get it. You have to make sure that the products you’re creating are top-notch. After all, it’s your specialty.
You have to figure out the total cost of producing one item, where you’ll source your materials, how much time it takes to create it, different variations of the item that you can offer, information about the item that the buyer needs to know (care instructions, safety, etc), and how to ship it.
Make Sure That Your Product Photos Look Good
Your product photos can make or break your listings. You want your photos to stand out and look professional. If you want your visitors to become buyers, you must have clear and quality product photos.
If you don’t have a professional camera, you can use your smartphone. Smartphones nowadays take excellent quality pictures. As an Etsy shop owner, you’ll eventually learn the effective ways to take photos of your products.
If you’re selling items that can be mocked up digitally such as t-shirts or mugs, you can use stock photos.
If you have the means for your products to be shot professionally, do it. Professional photos really do elevate your products and will help you increase your sales. It’s a worthy investment.
Research Your Competition
Look at other Etsy shops that are selling products similar to yours. Browse through their items and observe if you notice any patterns – the listing descriptions, style of images, turnaround time, policies, and more.
Use Etsy search using keywords that a customer might use when they’re looking for products like yours. Observe what is being sold, how it is sold, and the price. It is crucial that you have an idea of what else is out there.
Decide on Your Shop Name
One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make for your Etsy business is your shop name. Once you’re registered on Etsy, you will only be allowed to change your shop name once, so it’s important that you take your time deciding on what your shop name would be.
Brainstorm and think of things that are related to your products, your mission, and you. Get your creative juices flowing. You can browse magazines, open a bottle of Moscato, listen to your favorite songs or anything that will keep you motivated.
When deciding on your Etsy shop name, you have to also consider the future. Broaden your overall vision where you want your business to be in the next 5 or 10 years. Keep your shop name memorable, simple, and relatable.
Don’t forget to check the availability of the name on Etsy, social media, and a website. Even though you’re not planning to set up outside of Etsy in the near future, you wouldn’t have a problem when the time comes that you do.
