10 Steps to take during your First Year Selling on Etsy

Starting your very own Etsy shop is a thrilling endeavour, brimming with possibilities and aspirations. Your first year on this creative marketplace lays the foundation for your brand’s future success. But that does not mean it will all be smooth sailing! In this blog post, we will go through 10 essential steps to take during your first year selling on Etsy.

After failing in my first year on Etsy with my first business, I learned exactly what to do, and what not to do. By implementing these steps I was then able to open my second Etsy shop and generate £1800 in my 4th month selling!

It can be very difficult to navigate the challenges of Etsy when you are just starting out. But the key is to stay consistent and not get discouraged. These strategies will not only boost your shop’s visibility and sales but also hopefully ensure a positive experience for both you and your customer.

This post is focused on what you need to do once you have set up your shop. If you have not opened your Etsy business yet then I would recommend this comprehensive Beginner’s Guide to making money on Etsy. It will take you through all the necessary steps you need to create an Etsy business from scratch, even if you know nothing about business or selling online.

Refine Your Product

When you start Etsy, you are going to believe in your product. I mean…that’s why you started your business in the first place!

The mistake I see most often though is that sellers get overly protective of their product and resist change. During your first year, you must take the time to evaluate the performance of your initial products. Identify the products that have resonated most with customers and consider expanding on them. And if you have a couple of products that have not been very successful, consider how you can adapt them or improve them so they are more appealing to the customer.

Alongside your popular items, you could even consider introducing complementary or related products to broaden your appeal. Don’t stretch yourself too thin too early, just make sure to keep an eye on any tweaks you can make to your product line.

Regularly checking market trends can also be a great way of adjusting your products to fit the current trends. As a new seller, it is very important that you stay relevant and stand out from the crowd.

You will also find that your products will improve naturally over time. But don’t become ashamed of the products you started with! What is important is that you started!

Optimize your Listings

In the bustling world of Etsy, visibility is key. Regularly refreshing your listings is the key to showing Etsy that you are a serious seller. Once you get that kind of credit with Etsy, it will be much easier for your shop to get noticed in search.

Refresh your product titles, descriptions, and tags with carefully chosen keywords that align with your target audience’s search habits. In the first year you should focus on experimenting with different keywords to see what works for your products and to enhance your overall search visibility.

You also need to regularly update your all-important product images to better reflect your product and showcase any improvements you have made. Good product photos can be the make or break of your shop, especially in the beginning when you don’t have many reviews or much customer trust yet. Keep your photos bright, clean and clear. Make your product the star and you should be well on your way to your first 100 sales!

Set Realistic Goals

Setting goals is pivotal to measuring your progress. And I have always advocated for the dreamer. Having aspirational dreams is a great motivator. But when you are starting a new business it is important that you reign in those dreams (temporarily) and set some realistic goals for your first year of selling.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will make millions in your first year on Etsy. In fact most businesses take 3 years to make any real profit. But as long as you go into it with your eyes wide open and realistic expectations, it could turn into a very fulfilling and profitable venture.

Define clear and achievable objectives for your first year on Etsy. Whether it’s a certain number of sales, a growth percentage, or an expanded customer base, having tangible goals will provide you with direction and motivation. At the end of the year, you will also be able to see all of the progress you have made.

Adjust your Pricing Strategy

Pricing plays a significant role in your sales as well as how a potential customer views the value of your product. As a beginner you want to price competitively, but also make sure you are not undervaluing your product.

When you are setting up your shop it is nearly impossible to find that perfect balance and price your product perfectly.

But don’t worry, that is what your first year of selling is for! You should regularly reassess your pricing structure based on your competitors, your costs and Etsy’s fees.

The first year is also the ideal time to experiment with bundled or discount offers to entice new buyers. Limited-time sales can create a sense of urgency, prompting potential customers to take action, even when you are a new seller.

Don’t be afraid to adjust your prices, just make sure you are always keeping your customer in mind whilst still allowing yourself to build a profitable business.

Build Customer Relationships

It is no surprise that customers will favour shops that provide great customer service. In turn, exceptional customer service builds brand loyalty. That is why it is so important in your first year to prioritize responsiveness, send personalized thank-you notes or send them follow-up messages to show your appreciation.

Offering exclusive incentives for returning customers can be a great way to encourage repeat business and build a community of loyal customers.

Etsy customers always love to ask questions about the product before buying, so make sure you use this opportunity to help your potential customer as much as possible and if you can, start building a relationship with them. Address customer concerns promptly, professionally and kindly to build and maintain a positive reputation.

Get on Social Media

Etsy is an excellent way to get free and “easy” traffic to your shop. But you shouldn’t rely on Etsy for marketing alone. If you want to start your business off right, you need to start building a social media presence as soon as you can. Social media can be an invaluable tool for reaching a wider audience.

As you are building your business, make sure to leverage social media platforms to showcase your products and connect with as many potential customers as possible.

Instagram is a great platform if your product is all about the aesthetics. If you can take beautiful photos and like to showcase the making of your product then Instagram could be a great place to start. You could also consider TikTok if you are looking to appeal to a younger audience.

Alternatively, you could start with what I consider to be the Queen of marketing, Pinterest. Now dubbed as a search engine rather than a social media platform, Pinterest can be an amazing way to tap into your audience and build a real and enduring presence online.

Once you are on social media you can start to connect and collaborate with other brands and business owners for cross-promotion where you can tap into each other’s audience.

In your first year you can experiment with various social media channels to find what resonates best with your niche, but I would definitely recommend starting and focusing on one for the first few months as it can take quite a while to get a feel for the platform and start getting any traction.

Monitor Analytics and Adjust

Etsy is a unique platform as they provide the seller with a treasure trove of accessible data through its analytics. They break everything down for you so that even business beginners can see and understand what is happening with their shops.

In your first year of selling, regularly reviewing your shop’s performance can be a great way to monitor your progress and find out what works and what doesn’t. You can start to identify trends in sales, traffic sources, and most importantly your customer behaviour.

Use all of this data to your advantage. Adapt your strategies based on the insights you gather and make sure you stay open to new approaches. The first year on Etsy is all about learning, making mistakes and adapting. Flexibility and responsiveness are vital traits in the ever-changing world of e-commerce.

Work to Get your First Reviews

Good reviews are like the golden currency of Etsy. If your shop has 100 5 Star reviews, any potential customer is going to instantly trust you as a seller much more than a shop with fewer or less favourable reviews. That is why it is so hard to make your first few sales on Etsy. With no reviews, it is very difficult for you to prove to potential customers that you are a trustworthy seller with a high-quality product.

In a nutshell, reviews contribute immensely to your shop’s credibility. So make sure you work for every single review! Go out of your way to impress the customer and then politely ask them to leave a review if they are happy with their purchase. Don’t repeatedly message them for reviews though!

Positive reviews can serve as powerful testimonials, influencing future customers’ decisions. Provide excellent products and customer service and you will soon naturally accumulate that important positive feedback.

Jump into the Etsy Community

As a newbie, you are going to face so many challenges that you will not be prepared for. From postage problems, listing glitches and even getting wrongfully shutdown by Etsy themself, I faced them all!

Etsy’s community offers a wealth of knowledge and support. When you are facing a new problem, being able to talk to someone who has done it all before can be invaluable. Engage in forums, groups, and discussions to connect with fellow sellers and share experiences. You will be surprised how many people have been, or are in the same boat as you.

Having a community around you can also give you the vital boost you need when you start to doubt yourself and lose your motivation. Everyone will go through moments like this in the first year, having like-minded people around you can make all the difference.

Never Give Up!

Finally we have reached the most important step you should take during your first year selling on Etsy… Never Give Up!

Your journey on Etsy will undoubtedly have its challenges. Make sure to embrace any setbacks as learning opportunities. Remember, success takes time, perseverance, and the willingness to adapt. The only difference between a successful seller and an unsuccessful one is that the successful seller never gave up!

The first year is just the beginning, and the road ahead is full of possibilities.

Conclusion

As you reflect on your first year on Etsy, make sure to take the time to celebrate your achievements and appreciate your growth. This year sets the stage for an exciting entrepreneurial journey. Continuous learning and adaptation are crucial as you strive for ongoing success. Embrace the Etsy community, refine your skills, and keep pushing your boundaries. Your debut year is a stepping stone to a thriving and fulfilling Etsy venture, but don’t worry when it inevitably doesn’t go quite to plan! The path ahead is rich with potential – embrace it!