Opening a store on Etsy is just the starting point. What truly determines life and death is whether the three steps of “product selection – operation – advertising” can work smoothly. Here is a set of practical ideas to help you break down each step into an action list. By following them, you can avoid detours.
I. Product Selection: First determine the tone, then the product
Etsy buyers come with the psychological expectation of “handcrafted, retro, and unique”, so before selecting products, ask yourself:
- Does it have a sense of story? Handcrafted transformation, family inheritance, and environmental protection concepts can all serve as reasons for premium pricing.
- Is it easy to develop peripheral products? Under the same theme, 5 to 10 SKUs can be extended to form the store style.
- Can it solve the gift-giving scenario? Festival, wedding and birthday gifts have consistently high search volumes on Etsy.
Think these three questions through clearly, then go to 1688, Taobao or Yiwu Market to find raw materials or semi-finished products, and carry out secondary design to complete the product. Remember, Etsy doesn’t compete on price, but on “uniqueness + empathy”.
II. Operations: Image > Tag > Title > Description
- Image: The first visual impression determines the click-through rate. Mobile phones can also take great photos. The key lies in the lighting, background and close-up of details. Take several sets of A/B pictures, run the natural traffic for a week, and keep the set with the highest click rate.
- Tags: Use a combination of “precise words + traffic words + scene words”, with a 4:4:3 ratio being the most stable. for example, handmade leather keychain: handmade leather keychain (precise)/gift for him (traffic)/anniversary (scene).
- Title: Embed 2-3 of the most core and precise words, and leave the rest to the tags. A title that is too long actually dilutes the weight.
- Description: Do not pile up keywords. Use a five-paragraph writing format of “story + craftsmanship + usage scenario + size + maintenance”, which is complete and easy to read. The platform is more willing to recommend it.
III. Advertising: Start with a small amount, then increase the volume
It is essential to run advertisements for the first 30 days of a new store. For just one dollar a day, data can be generated. Advertising only addresses “exposure”; whether a deal can be made depends on “conversion”.
- Before advertising: Ensure that the first image, price, and evaluation base score are all in place;
In advertisements: Keep a close eye on CTR (clicks) and CVR (conversions). For those with high CTR and low CVR, optimize the price or the first image first.
After the advertisement: Immediately add 2-3 positive reviews after the order is placed, and use Etsy’s “sales weighting” mechanism to amplify natural traffic.
Avoid spending a lot of money on the budget at the very beginning. If the traffic comes but is not converted, the system will determine that the link quality is poor, and it will be even more difficult to push traffic in the future.
Iv. Price and Service: Cost performance does not equal low price
Global consumption is becoming more rational, but “cost performance” can be reflected in added value:
- Give an extra small gift at the same price.
- Free card writing service to meet gift-giving scenarios;
Fast delivery and exquisite packaging reduce users’ decision-making time.
After each order is completed, proactively send an in-site message to inquire about the experience. Minor issues will be compensated in advance, and the positive review rate will naturally increase. When the link starts to generate sales volume, it is necessary to consider stocking up in advance or using overseas warehouses to shorten the delivery time to avoid running out of stock and being demoted after a flood of orders.
V. Logistics: Entrust the back-end to professional freight forwarders
Packing things by oneself, attaching labels and going to the post office may seem cost-effective, but in fact, it is time-consuming and error-prone. Entrusting the back-end to professional freight forwarders can free up time for front-end growth
- Packaging service: Reinforced to Etsy standards to reduce damage and negative reviews;
- Proxy order placement: The system synchronizes orders to eliminate the error of handwritten waybills.
- Multiple channels: Air freight, dedicated lines, and sea freight can be switched as needed. During peak seasons, the cabin will be locked without price hikes.
- Returns and exchanges: Overseas warehouses can quickly re-list goods, reducing losses.
We recommend SmartDropping – deeply engaged in the cross-border logistics and freight forwarding field, supporting 1688/ Taobao purchasing agency, customized packaging, and global dedicated lines. You just need to synchronize your order to the SmartDropping system. The rest, including packaging, shipping, customs clearance and delivery, will all be handled in one stop. This allows you to focus on product selection and marketing, and easily expand your Etsy business.
Dear friends, if you have any questions, please leave a message in the comment section! Looking forward to your reply. Contact information: WeChat: rongexpress, Whatsapp:19129561508