Selling Venues Series: Tell Me More : Etsy

Etsy gets the first look into setting up shop and listing on the sell sites Roseworks and I are researching. First off, let me show you the front page:


The items you see rotate daily and feature products chosen by other etsians in what is called a Treasury. There is a limited number of treasuries available and the more clicks and comments made, the better the chances are of it showing up on the front page. Snagging one can be fun...and addicting!

I set up shop on etsy this past summer and recall it being quite simple.
Today I registered under a different username to start a second shop (which I will not be opening for a little while). This is the sign up page:


Listing new items is a bit of a chore. While it is not difficult, it is time consuming since each step is a separate page. Each item is titled, described, tagged (up to 14), priced, given shipping options and allowed 5 photos. You are charged $0.20 once the listing is finish. It can take up to 24 hours for your new listing to show up in searches. Your shop page shows it immediately. This is a screen shot of an etsy shop...mine :)



The newly listed item is placed at the top of it's category (until the next newest listing). Given the large size of the site, your item may be on page 10 by the time you can go and see it in the categories. This is a bit of a grievance among many sellers. Renewing your items (for another $0.20) will put your item back on top. It is recommended by many sellers that you renew at least one item daily to keep your shop seen. This doesn't have to be a large sum - once a day is only $1.40 every week.

You are notified through your e-mail account when one of your items is sold. Now it is time to do your happy dance. Then you can head over to "Your Shop" and manage the sale - view invoice, check off once shipped and relist if you have another to sell. There is also a feedback area for both buyers and sellers to rate transactions.


So, what do I think of my experience selling on etsy? It's OK.
It is the teams that keep me going. They are a great support system and my buddies are always there to help motivate me and keep my spirits up when things go wonky.

Looking around the forums there seems to be quite a bit of wonky, but also too many people who complain more than try to work it out. I am sure this can be a problem whenever you have such a large group of people with a place to air their grievances. Luckily, etsy does try to remove those threads that are nasty, spiteful or call out others. There thankfully has not been too much wonkiness for me, but I have had quite a few questions answered by fellow etsians along the way.

All in all, I would rate it rather high.