:: I Heart Etsy :: Notes :: Part 1

The :: I Heart Etsy :: Information Session in August definitely provided plenty of 'food for thought' for all who attended! So much so that we will be delivering a SNAPSHOT of the notes from the day in three lovely parts.  We will be running the :: I Heart Etsy :: session again next year so for the full experience stay tuned for the announcement of our scheduled 2012 Information Sessions.

Image courtesy of Wicked Child Designs

Today we will be sharing a snapshot of the notes on how to make your Etsy shop shine. Before we get started with all the good stuff we would once again like to thank our panelists from the day for sharing their time and knowledge :: Rachael from Penelope and Pip, Rebecca from edward & lilly, Nicole from Hot Toffee, Jess from Epheriell and Bespoke Zine, Melanie from Kimono Reincarnate, Sophie from Strat Designs, Emma from Red Revival and last but not least El from Rock n' Wrap.

Making Your Shop Shine

:: Stand out from the crowd with unique twists on popular items, fabulous photos, a great shop assortment, and lots of items for your buyers to choose from ::

Shop Name

Having a memorable name is one of the more important things you can do to brand your shop and encourage sales. Your name should be easy to pronounce, easy to spell and should reflect your style or what your shop is all about.

 

 

Shop Banner

Choose something that looks professional and sets the mood for your entire shop! Make it interesting so shoppers are tempted to keep on scrolling down. Hot link for banners!

Avatar

Share a sneak-peek into your personality with a well-lit, well-cropped 75 x 75 pixel photo of you or your most interesting item.

 

 

Shop Policies and Profile

Policies define the rules for your shop and can answer buyer's questions.  Your profile page 'personalises' you. Etsy shoppers love that they buy directly from the artist, so tell them about yourself and your craft to get them interested in your work. Check out this link for some great ideas on crafting a profile page.

 

 

Products

Etsy shoppers connect with items that tell a good story, have a unique point of view, and are quirky, uncommon and beautifully made (or for vintage and supply sellers, thoughtfully curated).

• Make original products that stand out.
• Do your research to make sure your original product isn't already being made by somebody else.
• Take a popular trend and put your own twist on it so it's unique and totally yours!

Photos

Get out your digital camera and start taking photos - hundreds of photos! Photography is the most important aspect of selling online and the most important aspect of your shop.

• Photograph like you have no description/write like you have no photos'.
• It's your images that grab people first.
• Your lead photograph needs to be just a little bit of a tease.
• Keep backgrounds simple - not too busy.
• Keep the look of your photographs consistent.
• Use natural light.
• No flashes.
• Photograph the same time and place each time.
• Photograph in batches - multiple products at the same time.

Useful Links 

• Beginner's Guide to Starting an Etsy Shop
• Shop Makeover

Tune in next week for all the goss on pricing, shipping/postage, product titles, product descriptions and tagging! For a full list of upcoming BrisStyle Information Sessions click here!