If you enjoy creating unique items but are unsure if you could ever turn your creativity into a profitable business, you may want to think about selling your creations on Etsy. Last year, over $180 million dollars of merchandise was sold through Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade crafts. While almost anyone can sell their stuff on Etsy if it is hand made, there are definitely some things that you can do to help your items stand out and be noticed.
When people shop at Etsy, they are usually looking for something unique. Your products will stand out from the other available products if they are just a little bit different or special. Look at the other items on there and think about what you do that is special, and why people would want to buy your item instead of other items that are like it – if there are even any items that are similar to yours. Be sure to emphasize how yours are different.
If you sell things on EBay, you probably know that photographs have a huge impact on how products sell. The great thing is, you can learn how to take great photographs. The important thing is that you do it, and that you do not just snap a couple of quick shots of those hand made baby clothes lying on the bed and put them up. You could hang them on a clothesline on a beautiful day and take a picture that way or even better, display them on a really cute baby. Look at catalogs for inspiration, as well as the stores of other Etsy sellers. There are some gorgeous photographs on there.
The same holds true for product descriptions. A good description goes a long way towards selling your product. Be sure to include as much information about your product as possible in your product descriptions, because people really want to know exactly what they are buying – size, color, everything you can think of. When you give titles to your products, you may think that it is a good idea to give them cool names like “Bookoo Shirt” or “Lindsey Necklace”. It is actually better to give your products a more generic title so that they can turn up in as many searches as possible. Titles like “green baby overalls”, or “silver beaded necklace” will make the products appear in the searches of many potential buyers, and that is how those buyers will find you. If you put a lot of thought into how you set up your Etsy store and list your products, you just might find yourself crafting your way into a successful creative business.