Do your friends turn to you every time they need something crafty? Are you always making gifts for your loved ones?
It’s time to turn that skill into a business.
Spoiler alert: It’s not as hard as you think.
Once you learn how to set up an Etsy shop, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. The average Etsy seller makes more than $50,000 a year – it’s time for you to start, too.
Just follow these simple steps.
1. Make an account
Take the plunge and sign up at Etsy.com. This is how it starts. Enter your personal information and then get to the good stuff – setting up your shop.
Start with these three things:
- Your store name
- Personal photo
- Bio
Your store name should stand out and let viewers know what you’re all about. It can only be 20 characters long with no punctuation, so get creative.
Your personal photo and bio should pull at the reader’s heartstrings.
Help them connect with you.
In your bio, answer questions like: Why do you do this? What makes your items special?
Remember, they buy from Etsy to get hand-created goods with meaning.
2. Create an avatar
Your avatar is your store logo.
It’s different than your personal picture.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself – your logo is just a simple square design. But it’s how customers will recognize you.
Canva is a free graphic design tool that is super easy to use.
Or, if you aren’t good with graphic design, ask someone on Fiverr to create it for you.
3. Create your cover photo
You have two options here – a banner or cover photo.
Canva has free templates, or you can start from scratch.
Just keep in mind that there are size restrictions: a banner measures 760 px x 100 px and a cover photo measures 3360 px x 840 px.
Use this area to your advantage and show off your amazing products.
If you choose the cover photo, users can see it on the computer and their phone. If you use the banner, mobile users won’t see it, so naturally, we suggest the cover photo.
4. Set your prices
Now the hard part… setting your prices.
Set your prices too high and you’ll chase away customers. But set them too low? And you won’t make a profit.
So what do you do?
Take into consideration your costs including materials, labor, and logo design. Also, look at the competitor’s prices.
You don’t need to price your products the same – after all, your products might be similar, but they are unique.
Keeping your prices similar to what similar products are selling for can keep customers interested.
5. Create your listings
Finally, the good part!
You get to make your listings.
Create attractive titles using keywords you think customers would search for products like yours.
Write a listing that gives visual images with words, and of course, include plenty of photos.
6. Publish your store
Once you have a few products ready to go – it’s launch time! Spread the word with your family and friends on social media, on the phone, in person, and through email.
Make sure your descriptions, titles, and even photos use keywords. Soon enough, your products will turn up in Etsy’s search engine – though it might take a day or two for the platform to update.
Now that you know how to start an Etsy store – there’s no better time to start than today!
Show the world your creativity and have some fun making cash on the side.
