For a minute there, I nearly gave up on my Etsy shop. I lost faith in myself, my product, and Etsy. And then I picked myself up off the ground, and started doing some research. Some I paid for, most was free - I'm still up to my eyeballs in the research. There's a common misconception for most Etsy Newbies that they will open a shop, and the sales will rush in. I, admittedly, had the same fantasy, which landed me in the dirt I was discussing at the beginning of this post.
I wanted to tell you about some of the resources I've found, free of any charge whatsoever - because I'm frankly annoyed I spent any money. Also, I don't want anyone to go through what I've been going through - it's SO unproductive.
I say I can't wait to join Team SASsy, because they are one of the most fabulous networks of Etsy Sellers I have found. Every member is devoted to assisting others. Like a co-op, there are responsibilities that come with the membership; such as posting to the blog, being a mentor to a newbie, etc. I currently love helping other Etsy sellers whether through Shop Critiques, Blog Features, or Forum Threads and Chat. I want to be a part of a community which is like minded. Aside from the seemingly entirely altruistic nature of SASsy, one can deduce there must be an amazing ROI for members.
Team SASsy's blog led me to the EtsyWiki - I can't believe I didn't know this existed. My fault for not Googling Etsy more, I guess. But honestly, this thing is chalk full of amazingly useful material - from Etsy sellers! It is clear, you can relate to the author, and it seems the answers to the most urgent of questions about Etsy Success are THERE. Sure it's all in the forums, too - but it's organized amazingly well here.
Bonus, there are links to other great blogs, shops, etc.
If you aren't sure about how to price your listings - here's a great downloadable spreadsheet which will calculate it for you based on wants and needs.
AND, if you still can't get that photography down (I thought I had it - gotta go back to the drawing board!), check out this spot for how to make that cool light box seen on Team SASsy's blog.
Honestly, if you have an online shop anywhere in the world, and you are new to ecommerce, business, and marketing - all of these resources are fabulous!
September 17, 2009
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4 comments:
Good informations, thank you so much!
( I don't really understand the Etsy wiki......How does it work?:))
good luck!
Hi There! I am from Bend, Oregon too! Nice to meet you! YOu have a lovely shop!
Have a great day and oh yes, thanks for the great information. It is tough selling on Etsy, but hang in there.
Awesome. Thanks!
Thanks for taking the time to do this. Very nice.
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