4 Critical Mistakes to Avoid if You Want to Become a Successful Seller on Etsy
E-commerce is the way shopping is done in most households today. Sites like Etsy make it easy for small businesses to sell their wares globally – if the seller knows what they’re doing.
Etsy isn’t the most user-friendly site, but it is pretty popular. Known for selling handmade goods and quality items, the platform competes with giants like Amazon and eBay.
If you’re an entrepreneur trying to find success using Etsy, it’s definitely possible. However, you need to make sure you avoid these 4 critical mistakes made by amateur Etsy sellers.
1. Don’t Skip the Research
Researching your target market is a crucial part of starting any business.
Fast-food and dine-in restaurant chains, supermarkets, and department stores all invest heavily in this step before they open a shop anywhere. If you don’t have a market, there’s no point in doing the work and putting your finances there.
Check out your competition on Etsy and elsewhere. What other businesses offer something comparable to your product? How successful are they? How much are they charging for their item and shipping?
Too much competition can make it hard to get your foot in the door. Do your research, and make sure you have a niche that helps you stand out from other businesses. Make certain the target market is wide enough for you to be successful.
2. Don’t Skimp Out on Photos
High-quality photos make all the difference when it comes to selling products. Potential consumers can tell when an amateur takes the picture, and they’ll often turn to “real” businesses instead.
Even if you are an amateur entrepreneur, you shouldn’t look like one. Follow sites like Bullpreneur to see how others in the freelance and independent business industry are finding success. What do their product photos look like?
Be willing to invest in the tools and equipment that make your website look professional. The proper lighting, a little bit of a background tweak, and some software edits, and boom, your product can compete with the big guys.
3. Don’t Ignore the Descriptions
Sure, a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why your photo quality is so important. But you still need words to go with your images!
The keywords you use to tag your photos are picked up by search engines. When a user queries specific terms, they should connect to your Etsy site.
If you’re selling metal Colorado keychains, you’ll need to tag your product with more than “keychain.” Metal, Colorado, gift, keychain, keys, car accessories … the more tags you use, the more exposure you’ll have with search engines.
4. Don’t Forget About Social Media
The power of advertising through social media is immense. More than 3.5 billion people use social media regularly, and those numbers are on the rise.
Each social media platform has its own unique methods of targeting your preferred market. You can opt for inexpensive, general advertisements, or aim for the pricier, more specific ads.
These are going to cost more out of your marketing budget, but the return on your investment should be parallel to your expenses.
From research to marketing, setting up your Etsy website is a lesson in good entrepreneur techniques. Don’t fail the lesson by repeating amateur mistakes. Avoid these common critical errors, and you’ll see your Etsy business becoming a success!
