Any Etsy sellers want to chat / share tips?

[SinkGirl]

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve restarted my Etsy shop (well it has been up and running for five years, but I was pregnant when I started it then I had twins who are both disabled so I haven’t touched it in four years - I’ve just been selling digital downloads, so it’s just been ticking over with very very few sales (about 40 last year).

I’ve added lots of new items including a kit and have been trying to get back into the swing of social media as my pages had died a death. It’s hard going but feel like I’m getting somewhere (have turned over as much in the last month as I did all of last year).

I have a mammoth to-do list including taking all new photos, and restarting my shop selling finished items to run alongside my templates and kits.

I’ve been out of it for so long that I feel like I’m starting from scratch.

Would be lovely to talk to others about how they are doing, share tips on getting the best results, making listings as effective as possible, share info on things like where to order packaging and stuff like that.

Anyway, I’m here if anyone wants to chat :)

Thanks so much @WhyMrsRobinson - I’m having an imposter syndrome day and your comment cheered me up!

My MIL has bought me a sloping table for my birthday but it’s not my birthday til next week so currently cutting for 10 mins then resting for 10 mins - not making very fast progress!

My shops are deader than dead right now - I guess people are out spending their money in the sunshine when it appears! Hopefully people will want to be crafty again when the autumn comes!

How’s everyone else doing? June hasn’t been bad as I had a good first week - less than half what I made last month but I think that was an anomaly.

Well, I’m feeling good about things. I’ve taken away the advice of the good people on this thread and done loads of work on my listings. Then I did the on boarding call with Etsy so got some free listings and ad credits. I’m currently using the ad credits to try get some payday sales as that’s when I got sales last month, so fingers crossed.

I would always welcome anymore feedback though as its all valuable to me. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/IslandKidsCI

@SinkGirl cant believe the notonAmazon group closed as I joined 😭

It’s open again now, but I posted the other day and got no reactions - not sure if other posts are getting much.

I’m thinking of maybe signing up to marmalead for a couple of months and seeing whether it makes a difference.

I need to get back on social media stuff but ugh, I hate it.

Next week (back dependant!) I’m going to be making some tutorial videos for YouTube so hopefully that will send some traffic my way.

What's marmalead?

I'm having a really annoying time with the print company I work with they have huge delays and I can't restock my best sellers.

I do marketing for a job but I find promoting my own stuff so so hard compared to other people's companies, it's strange isn't it!?

Oh that’s gutting. I lost so much in potential sales when I understocked those prints and still kicking myself. Can you find another supplier? I’m trying to find frame suppliers at the moment and it’s hard to believe it’s so difficult!

I’ve just been looking at all the tarrif code shit and deciding whether to stop selling abroad. Don’t have the ability to figure out all the sodding codes.

@SinkGirl

Oh that’s gutting. I lost so much in potential sales when I understocked those prints and still kicking myself. Can you find another supplier? I’m trying to find frame suppliers at the moment and it’s hard to believe it’s so difficult!

I’ve just been looking at all the tarrif code shit and deciding whether to stop selling abroad. Don’t have the ability to figure out all the sodding codes.

The EU tariff stuff is really confusing, especially as I use Royal Mail, which doesn’t accept their code or something like that. I’ve made the decision not to sell to EU countries this year.

It’s fine for some things I sell (prints, printed papers etc) - but for kits it’s an evil hellscape.

How was everyone’s June? About half what I made in May but that was an anomaly... did get an order for a custom map yesterday though so that’s awesome!

Actually sold a picture! Which has been a massive boost to my flagging ego! Am also trying a lot harder to be organised and guard my time from evil time stealers.
You tube videos! Wow, that’s a huge leap, go girl! Agree, social is an endless challenge .
If it’s not too cheeky, wondering if you print your own stickers and labels and stuff? Because of my small quantities they seem to be quite pricy to buy. And yes, any printer tips for a3 ( and card stock) very welcome - have got as far as canon pixma 100.
Thanks!

Congratulations on your sale!

I recently bought an A3 printer for printing my cards and prints and went for the Canon Pixma iP8750. So far so good, I'm really happy with it! Print quality is excellent, it takes 300gsm card with no issues and is wireless unlike my old printer. I'm not claiming to be a printer expert but this one is working well for me!

I can't help with the stickers, sorry!

@WhyMrsRobinson

Actually sold a picture! Which has been a massive boost to my flagging ego! Am also trying a lot harder to be organised and guard my time from evil time stealers. You tube videos! Wow, that’s a huge leap, go girl! Agree, social is an endless challenge . If it’s not too cheeky, wondering if you print your own stickers and labels and stuff? Because of my small quantities they seem to be quite pricy to buy. And yes, any printer tips for a3 ( and card stock) very welcome - have got as far as canon pixma 100. Thanks!

Wonderful!!! Congratulations

June was a disaster for me, I ended up with an Etsy bill of £3.60 and have also spent £8 on P&P plus materials.

I sold 8 cards but the Etsy advertising used up all my profit. I don't want to give up yet as I've bought a lot of materials.

This is my shop - www.rachelcampbellcards.Etsy.com

All opinions welcome 🙂

@Happyhedgehog20 Your clothes are gorgeous, next time a friend has a baby I'll know where to come 🙂

@Riddo I still think your cards are cheap. Do you charge for postage?

Had my best month actually, with family shop opening and etsy I think I sold about 30 tops. I've got a few more new styles printed. It's hard to think whether to expand new colours, new slogans or new styles.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NamasTClothing

[quote doadeer]@Riddo I still think your cards are cheap. Do you charge for postage?

Had my best month actually, with family shop opening and etsy I think I sold about 30 tops. I've got a few more new styles printed. It's hard to think whether to expand new colours, new slogans or new styles.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NamasTClothing[/quote]
And actually riddo maybe I already said this, but would be fun to send kits with everything to make your own card and instructions. People might like that?

@Riddo Thank you! I’m sure you can tell that I love a bold print 🥰 I’m thinking quite seriously about adding more sizes. I think I need to keep getting more products live as the people who seem to sell well with similar products to mine have nearly 100 variants available.

I’m also quite intrigued to know what people are spending on marketing and ads?

@doadeer I think I will have to put my prices up as postage is included, I package the cards carefully which makes them too fat for an ordinary stamp so it's 96p per card.

You had mentioned kits previously, I like the idea but I don't have a cutting machine so have already bought in all the people and clothes although I hand cut some and mix and match them around.

I did wonder about just selling the personalised person for people to put on their own card. Perhaps I could sell the people for £2.95 and the cards for more?

@Happyhedgehog20 I spend around 85p a day on marketing so I need to sell 2 cards a week to break even and 3 to make a small profit.

I saw an ad today for aUK site called Mademe which charges £5 pcm with no other fees. Their payment scheme takes 20p per item plus 1.4% of the sale cost but it's still a lot cheaper than Etsy.

I might trial having a shop on there too for while.

Thanks so much Lauperr and Doadeer! I am ridiculously chuffed! Thanks for the pixma recommendation too, most reviews seem to lead to the pixma - of course there’s loads of different ones. But am getting the courage to buy one, hurrah!
Riddo, I can’t help wondering is 85p a day a lot for advertising? It sounds it to me! Can you join Facebook groups etc? Though obviously you already do that. Your cards are lovely btw.

I bought an Officejet 7110 A3 printer and I’m really happy with the print quality. Especially if you use good paper for prints. I bought some packs from Amazon (think the brand is Marrutt- I got the matte paper in A4 and A3) and they come out really well. No scanner etc but I don’t need that.

I use DigitalPrinting for all my labels, booklets etc. They have a minimum cost of £15 per item (eg. 50mm round labels, or postcards) but you can upload different versions of the artwork for a couple of quid per item type. So I just buy as many of the item as I can for £15. They are quick and reliable and good quality.

That’s really helpful, thanks sinkgirl. I hope I can offer advice back one day soon!
I was using Bockingford inkjet watercolour paper which was pretty pricey. Well it was ok, except it took ages to get decent blacks. ( and greens) but dies look like a watercolour.

How’s it all going? Very quiet for me this month. Have spent most of July working on this beast which is now finished so now trying to get back to everything else!

Wow that looks amazing!

Quiet few days for me but I have two new items to go up just waiting for my BIL to photograph them for me as I'm pants

Goodness that’s amazing! One slip with the scalpel....!
It’s been super quiet at my end, but I need to do a lot of organising and get some new pictures up, and buy that printer!
Doadeer, am with you on photography, there’s so much to learn!

I hate photography so much - haven’t managed to take any photos I’m happy with yet. My house seems so light but as soon as you point a camera at something it’s all so dark. Have tried smaller lights and light panels but looks like I might actually have to get some proper lighting - just don’t have space at the moment!