Etsy is an increasingly popular online marketplace for creative professionals, and for consumers seeking products with a boutique or artisanal flair. It’s an especially good environment for selling print on demand products. As you set up an Etsy print on demand shop, there are a few tips and strategies that can help your store stand out, and your sales numbers rise.
Building a Successful Etsy Shop
1) Know what you can sell… and what you can’t.
Etsy is an ideal venue for selling craft supplies, homemade items, and products created with the help of a print on demand production partner.
As you set up your store, it’s important to note a few things you can’t sell, including:
- Any items that glorify or promote violence, hatred, or bigotry
- Any items that could qualify as weapons or explosives
- Handmade items you didn’t make yourself
- Copyrighted materials
This last bullet point is the most salient for print on demand merchants: Ensure that any items you and your partners are printing are wholly original, or justified under fair use laws.
2) Choose the right name for your Etsy shop.
Every Etsy store needs a name, which provides you with an important branding opportunity. Some general tips for selecting an effective Etsy store name:
- Make sure it’s easy to spell and to read; if people can’t remember how to spell the name of your Etsy store, they’ll have a harder time searching for it or recommending it.
- Spend a minute checking Google to make sure there aren’t other brands (or other Etsy stores) that have the same name.
- Etsy will give you a way to check the availability of a given shop name. It’s best to have a couple back-up options, just in case.
3) Offer a number of payment options.
Did you know that one of the leading causes of abandoned Etsy carts is lack of payment options? When shoppers reach checkout and find that there are only one or two ways to pay, they are more likely to give up and look for products elsewhere, where the payment options are more flexible.
Etsy Payments will let you offer a range of options to your customers, including credit and debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and more. We’d recommend taking full advantage of this feature.
4) Build an email marketing list.
One of the smartest ways to cultivate a devoted customer base is to use email marketing. The problem: Etsy’s terms of service won’t allow you to harvest email addresses from the people who buy from you.
What you can do is create email opt-in forms elsewhere, including on social media profiles and landing pages. Include links to these external pages in your Etsy profile. As you gather email addresses, use your mailing list to keep customers informed about new product launches, special deals or promos, etc.
5) Optimize your About page.
Succeeding on Etsy means showcasing impressive print on demand products. It also means highlighting your creative bona fides. And the best way to do that is to fully optimize your Etsy profile. Some general tips and guidelines:
- Use a personal, one-on-one tone. Your primary goal should be connecting. After that, you can worry about selling.
- Be candid about your inspiration, why you got into creative work, how you chose your designs, etc.
- Try to keep your paragraphs short and succinct.
- Remember to include links to social media profiles and external landing pages. Also, highlight any blogs or publications that have featured your work.
- Choose a shop photo that’s consistent with your branding elsewhere on the Web.
6) Add categories and attributes.
Etsy uses categories to make sure that buyers can find the right products… and similarly, that merchants can connect with their target consumers. Try to be as specific as possible as you select categories for your store. Also use attributes to zero in on some of the characteristics that best describe your products, whether that’s colors, materials, etc.
Discover the Possibilities for Succeeding on Etsy Print on Demand
An Etsy shop can be an outstanding platform for connecting with buyers, and for boosting sales of your print on demand products. Just make sure you’re strategic in setting up your storefront. With any questions, reach out to the Gooten team directly.
