Hello! Nice to meet you. You must be an artist if you are taking the time to read this article. I cannot wait to help you take your inspired talents and put them to the best use on Etsy. If you are new to the Etsy world, Etsy is an e-commerce website filled with fabulous sellers (like your soon-to-be self). Sellers own their own shops of unique, handmade, or vintage creations that they advertise and sell to buyers (like myself).
I am an actual Etsy addict, so I will be able to give you these six tips for selling art on Etsy coming from a frequent buyer’s perspective. The customer is always right, right? (Just kidding!) Let’s dive right into these tricks and get you out there being a successful seller of your art.
Six Important Tips for Selling Art on Etsy
1.Find the Uniqueness in Your Art
The first step to creating the most fabulous shop on Etsy is to find what really makes your art special. And, there is something!
What makes your art different from another seller’s? Is it the material you use? Is it your passion for what you are creating? Maybe it is something I cannot even come up with right now because it is just that unique to you!
Whatever that factor is, highlight that. Display your passions proudly. Do not be afraid to sound confident in your work. It is possible to be confident but humble. Show your strengths. Sell your work. Sell your talents.
2. Get Your Materials In Order
Next, you should make sure to get your materials prepared. This could mean creating a space in your home for your projects. This could mean cleaning out a specific drawer. Make sure you have everything that you will need to create all of your art.
It may take some money up front to get your materials before you start making back your profit. Make sure you can afford the materials to start out with before your clientele takes off (because that is what we are preparing for- sky-rocketing sales!).
3. Set Your Schedule and Stick to It
This is going to be a job for you. You need to make sure that you have the time to devote to your new endeavor. Depending on how much time you plan on spending creating your art, get a set amount of time every day to check in on it. You will need to be able to respond to customer messages, possibly make custom orders, handle customer reviews, and more.
Make sure you have enough time to devote. The cool thing about being an Etsy artist is that you can make your own schedule! Since you get that luxury, make it and stick to it. You will feel less overwhelmed and overworked if you have been sticking to a set schedule when the project load starts getting higher.
4. Provide Quality Product Photos
Have you ever heard the saying “a picture is worth a 1,000 words”? Well, if you have not… you have now. And, it is so true! So much more can be said in a picture of your product than the most well-written description. However, one of my pet peeves is a poor quality photo. If you are going to sell high quality work, you should invest in high quality photos of your art.
Do not sell yourself short! Give your product the best lighting, the best filter, the best background, the best contrast and brightness and whatever other kind of photographic accent it needs. Show your best. You know how good your work is, but nobody else will unless you show it that way. Get a good camera or even just an iPhone picture. But do not be sloppy on this part. Trust me.
5. Set Reasonable Prices
Now, this is the tricky part. It always gets sticky when the money conversation starts. Nobody can tell you exactly how much you should charge for your products. But, here are some tips for selling art on Etsy. Make the art is worth the price and the price worth your art. Do not overcharge, but get your money’s worth out of creating it. If another Etsy shop owner is crafting a similar product, why would I buy yours for more money? Maybe it is better quality? Maybe some other reason?
Make sure you can sell that reason if you are going to charge higher than similar others, or else the buyers will likely go for the most cost-effective. Hey, just being honest here. But, if you can convince me that I should pay more for yours because it will last longer, look better, sparkle brighter, or attract more attention, chances are I will spend the extra dollar.
6. Be a Kind, Respectful, and Honest Person
This may be more of a tip for life, let alone a tip for selling art on Etsy. Be kind. When a customer reaches out to you with a question or a concern, be kind. When a customer has a complaint or leaves a poor review for something that you could not have controlled, be kind. Be respectful. Understand that this is a business. You are selling a product that people want to be perfect. Someone spent their hard-earned money on something that you are providing.
Do your best work. Ensure that you are doing everything that you say that you will do. If you make a mistake, admit to it. Treat the customers how you would want to be treated if you were a customer. I’ll leave you with a personal story.
I needed some custom floral decor for my upcoming wedding. There were many Etsy shops to choose from, but I had no idea where to begin. So, I started my journey by messaging every one of them personally with questions and ideas. I created a spreadsheet comparing the prices. Above all though, I chose the shop owner that was the most kind over the most cost-effective.
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