Even More Helpful Hints for Etsy!

Part Three

Here's another installment of Helpful Hints. Make sure you read Part One and Part Two first. I want everything to make sense to you.

Take good pictures....really good pictures!...and take them again. I'm always dragging things back out and re-taking the pictures as I learn more and more about picture-taking. My pictures are getting better and better.

Keep your backgrounds from being cluttered with too many props.
Do away with that wrinkled white sheet and go get yourself some white foam board and white poster board, the biggest you can find.

They make excellent backgrounds that highlight the item you're trying to sell.

You'll want your items to show up more than the background. A cluttered background takes away from your product. So, you may want to re-think the doilies, lace, and other odds and ends you put with the item you're trying to sell.
And the whole 'earrings hanging from a teacup' thing has been done to death. Try to come up with something more original. It'll stand out better.

I've had tons of props before, too. I loved setting a theme. However, what worked on eBay doesn't work on Etsy. I observed the items that made it to Treasuries, made it to the Front Page of Etsy, which is the Holy Graile of every seller. And most of those items do not have anything in the background.

I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm just saying, get more experience with just the item you're selling, then try different things later on. It really depends upon WHAT you're selling.

If you have a detailed item, have nothing in the background.
Less is more.

Promoting your shop. This is how we open the doors to our shops, every day!
If you can spend just one hour a day promoting your shop it WILL make a difference. That's honestly all the time I spend promoting mine, on average. And some days I do a little more if I can spare the time.

Some folks do Twitter, some do Facebook, MySpace, their website, etc.

I like going to the Treasury feature on Etsy. I make comments, and I even give shop hearts to a lot of the people in the treasuries.

You can find the Treasury section on the homepage of Etsy. Go there and look to your left. Scroll down and you'll see the word Treasury.
Go there, look, comment.

The more you comment, the more chance of being seen. It's how you GET SEEN.
And here's another tip when commenting on Treasuries. I like going to the ones that have no comments yet...or low views. THOSE are the ones I target.

If you do that, YOU will stand out and get seen. The curator will also appreciate that someone not only stopped in, but they commented. Think of how you would feel if only one or two people came to look at and comment on your Treasury. You'd appreciate it.

A lot of times I'll click on each picture, too. And while I'm there, I heart the shop. People will see your avatar and more than likely come visit YOUR shop and possibly heart YOU.

It gets you seen. It gets your shop out there to the masses and it's done without violating Etsy's policies.

eBay had no way of promoting our shops like that. I know it's more work, but it's worth it. And shop promotion, no matter HOW you do it, is what it's going to take to get seen.

Just think of it like this, any day that you don't promote your shop is a day without exposure, without a shop heart, without an item heart, you won't be seen, and you may have missed a possible sale, and you may have missed being in a Treasury.
They can't see you or buy from you if you're not out there.
On Etsy it's 'out of sight, out of mind'.

Etsy is one of the few things in life where 'you get out of it what you put into it'.

It takes a LOT of work to make it on Etsy. I'm serious. It's an every day job for me....and that doesn't include actually creating and working on items I'm listing.

If you don't have the time to promote your shop, research and read, learn how to improve, and apply all that knowledge, you won't make it.

"If you build it, they will come."

That's not Etsy, that's a line in a movie. You have to actively promote your shop to make it on Etsy.

Here's the link to the Treasury section on Etsy:

Etsy Treasury


But keep in mind, we aren't allowed to Spam people with information, discounts, free shipping, invitations to see our OWN treasuries (especially when you haven't even included the people you write to), or approach people in our circles.

When you make a Treasury it'll show up in the activity feed and others will see it. It'll also show up on your profile, unless you have disabled that function.

And when you make a Treasury, by all means, inform the people who are actually IN it. It's good manners to do so and not considered Spam.
I know it shows up in people's activity feeds, but some people like me have disabled theirs. Or, they don't KNOW to look there.

So, a quick note to inform them that they are featured in your Treasury (and remember to include the link) is appropriate. You can even remind them to come comment, tell their friends, etc.
This is also appropriate.

And this is very important. If you make a Treasury, NEVER, EVER go to OTHER Treasuries to advertise your OWN Treasury. That's a huge no-no.

If you ever see that, it's rare. Why? Because it's not done. Otherwise, every Treasury would be full of comments telling other people to go see THEIR Treasury.
I'm sure it would piss you off, understandably.

That's like having a store and the owner of the store across the street comes into YOUR place and tells YOUR customers to come see HIS store.
Tacky.

And if someone includes one of YOUR items in a Treasury, whether they wrote to you, or you saw it yourself in the activity feed, please go and comment and thank them. Click on all the pictures, too. They will really appreciate it. It's being supportive.

And the more we comment and click, the better chance the Treasury will stay within the first few pages of the Treasury section, which means we get seen more.

Remember, when someone includes you in a Treasury, it's a really nice compliment, and it's FREE ADVERTISING. It's great extra exposure. They chose YOUR item out of tons of other items. They deserve to be thanked.

When someone sends a 'convo' to tell me I'm in a Treasury, I go immediately and comment, along with thanking them in my comment. That's how I thank them. I don't send a separate convo. It's not necessary.

But it's good manners to thank them and comment. It shows support. And more than likely they'll put you in another Treasury in the future. Again, more exposure.

And while looking at the Treasuries, take note of other people's pictures and lighting...see the backgrounds, pay attention to angles and perhaps props, or even the lack of props.
You'll learn more than you realize just by looking.

And comment in the forums, even if it's just complimenting other people, or asking questions, etc. It gets you seen. They see your avatar and a lot of people will click on it and check out your shop.

Make sure you pack your items well.
You never want anything to happen to your item before it gets to its destination.

And contrary to what you may have heard and understood, it is the SELLER'S responsibility to get the item to the customer in the condition it was sold in.

It's not true that we can add the statement 'not responsible for items not insured' to our listings and be absolved of all problems.

Here's a classic example of what I'm talking about. I found this in the Etsy Forums:

Oh, no! Damaged shipment and buyer didn't buy insurance!

It's WE the sellers who are responsible. If not, every seller on the planet could easily say that since the customer didn't insure the item, they aren't going to make good on it.

They could 'say' it was shipped, when in fact it wasn't.
Or it could be poorly wrapped because the company doesn't want to invest a lot of money into packing supplies and expenses.
And they wouldn't have to make good on their product if they could just say they aren't responsible once the package leaves their place.

They couldn't be more wrong.

Everyone would be ripped off on everything they ever bought. A seller could easily 'say' he sent it.

So, every time you see a seller say that they aren't responsible for packages once it's in the hands of the post office, they are WRONG.
They just saw it somewhere else and thought it was fact. But it's not.

Insurance is for the SELLER, not the buyer.

For example. If I sold you a doll for $200 and you didn't get it insured, and neither did I, if anything DID happen to it, I'm responsible for making it right. I can either refund your money or replace it with a doll just like it. One way or another, I have to make good on it.

BUT, if I had insured it, whether you paid for it or I did, it would be MY responsibility to turn in the insurance claim to the post office. I'm the one with the receipt.

And THEN I can get my money back and recoup my OWN losses. We both pretty much break even.

But I have to pay you FIRST....THEN go get my money from the post office.

I'm not allowed to make you wait and wait till the post office makes good on the claim to ME.

I HAVE to take care of YOU first, then go get my money back from the post office.
That's good customer service.

If I don't insure it, I'm still responsible for getting the item to you that YOU PAID FOR. And I'D be the one who is out of the money AND the item.

So, even though you see those folks with that magic statement of not being responsible, they are wrong.

Just ask PayPal.

Just ask the United States Post Office.

Just ask eBay or Etsy or ArtFire or ANYWHERE.

If I shipped an item to you and I bought the Delivery Confirmation, which I ALWAYS do, and you decided to say you never got it, PayPal would first ask me for proof of shipment before refunding your money. It's my only protection.

If I can prove it was sent and the Delivery Confirmation says it's been delivered, then I'm protected. It protects me from scams.

Proof of insurance isn't the same as Delivery Confirmation. PayPal wants proof of Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation ....it's all they'll accept in order to side with the seller.

This protects YOU as a seller. ALWAYS get Delivery Confirmation, or Signature Confirmation.

If you print your Priority shipping labels online, you get free Delivery Confirmation. Problem solved at no extra expense. But if you have to pay for it, get it. You never know when you'll need it.

I think it costs 19¢ if you print out a label going First Class.

I wouldn't dream of shipping a package without Delivery Confirmation.

Paypal. If you didn't get something you paid for and the seller won't cooperate with you, file a claim with PayPal.

You have only 45 days to do this in.

And some sellers will milk you along, KNOWING you have only 45 days in which to report them and file a claim, and they'll string you along till past the claim date.

Then you are out of everything.

Be careful.

Again, if you find yourself in a sticky situation, don't hesitate to contact me. I'll help you all I can.

Shipping overseas. It's totally up to you. This is your call. Personally, I don't do it. If someone writes to me and it's worth it, I might do it. But I usually don't.

PayPal and even eBay has made it very easy for other countries to rip us off.

I'm not saying everyone is bad.

I'm saying that there are countries that are notorious for ripping off Americans and saying 'they didn't get it'.

They KNOW we aren't going to get on an airplane and go over there and fight for our money.

The first thing they do is get you to ship the cheapest way possible. This means you can't get Delivery Confirmation. You might be able to get Signature Confirmation, though, but it'll cost extra.

Another thing they do is get you to send it really cheap, then you'll end up with a negative feedback rating because they are impatient and think it should have arrived quicker. Everyone knows it can take forever for things to get to their destinations outside of this country.
The cheaper you send it, the slower the delivery.

One time I sent a package to a girlfriend in South Africa.

I sent it Priority, it cost me nearly $46.00 plus insurance...and it took 6 weeks to get there. And I shipped it Priority International!

IF I send overseas I only send it Priority, which is more expensive, and it's the only way to get a Delivery Confirmation...and that's not always guaranteed.

Another protection is a Signature Confirmation and always insure.

But if you don't have that Delivery Confirmation and the customer says they didn't get the package, PayPal will refund the customer's money right from your account.

And you know what else they'll do? PayPal will ALSO charge you an additional $20 for the transaction fee, whether the people are overseas or right here in the U.S.

Unless you have proof of shipping and delivery, PayPal LOVES to side with the buyer.

So, if you sold a $2.00 item and the person said they didn't receive it, PayPal will give them back their $2.00, plus shipping, and then charge YOU an extra $20 for the trouble.....and that's if you can't prove you sent it, like with Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation...and both options cost money....and most of those customers don't want to pay it. They want everything cheap, but if anything goes wrong, it's YOU who will be out of everything.

I will suggest this....if you want to go thru with it, buy the Signature Confirmation yourself. But there goes your profits. Is it really worth it to you?
Again, it's up to you, but it's not worth it to me.


Another thing, people in other countries have to pay 'duties' and taxes on their packages...so they always want us to check the box on the customs form that says 'gift'.


This is lying to our government...lying to the Post Office, and if we get caught WE'RE the ones in trouble, not them.


So, I let people know straight up front that I will NOT lie on those customs forms. These people do not care one bit about YOUR business. They are only interested in getting the item as cheap as they can, even if that means YOU getting into trouble, or paying out of YOUR pocket for expenses.


Many people have rewarding, wonderful experiences in shipping all over the world.

And if shipping internationally is what you choose to do I wish the best for you, just cover your butt and follow all the PayPal guidelines that will serve to help protect YOU the seller.

Don't leave yourself wide open for a rip off or scam. And trusting people blindly can result in disaster. They have nothing to lose, but YOU DO.

Just be careful.

Consignment through the mail.

This is very important. Not long ago there was a consignment shop called Queen City Emporium. They contacted hundreds of people on Etsy and all over the internet to do consignment with them. They wanted people's best items shipped to them, even choosing what they wanted the seller / artist to send.

They'd also send a contract to sign. Sounds great, huh? All you have to do is wait for the money when it sells.

Trouble is, you'll never hear from them again. They kept your items, and if they sold, they kept the money, too. Your contract with them meant nothing. And they know you're not going to hop on a plane and go fight for your money or items.

Lots of sellers started coming onto the Etsy forums a few months ago about that consignment shop. The list of those who were ripped off grew and grew. The last I saw that list it was just under a hundred people. I saw it months ago. I'm sure it's grown by now.

And just imagine, that's only the people who thought to check out the forums for others who were having trouble reaching that shop.

Lots of people would never think to go to the forums to complain or see if anyone else is familiar with them.

This doesn't include the countless people on other auction and listing sites, or personal websites where people sell items.

This story even made the local news. People are angry, and rightfully so.

My heart goes out to those people who lost everything.

And the consignment shop? Closed up, chains on the door, and the two women who owned it and pulled all these scams are no where to be found.

I heard they just set up shop elsewhere when things catch up to them. These women are probably right back in business and approaching people online.

Also, their website is still up. The posts are about a year old, but you can see where people were excited to send their items blindly to these people. We'll never know just how many people have been ripped off by that place.

Queen City Emporium

There are updates near the bottom of the list of comments. There's even a Facebook page detailing the people who were scammed.

I was just reading over there where a seller is out over $600 in jewelry she sent to them. I've read comments on the Etsy forums of people who have sent thousands of dollars worth of their items and art. GONE.

Facbook Page: Stop Queen City Emporium

So, my point is, I never, ever send my items anywhere.
If I can't walk into a consignment shop no farther than 15 minutes from me, I won't do it. It's too easy to be ripped off.

I stay away from consignment, period. It's just too risky for me. I'm also not willing to part with my profits. I'm already selling my dolls dirt cheap.

And these people also target a lot of new sellers. They know they aren't as experienced. New sellers are eager and excited about possible sales, and the fact that someone chose THEIR items to sell in their store. It all looks good on paper, but it could be a scam.

I'm not saying everyone is a rip off. But, for ME, I just won't do it. It's too much of a risk. And if the item never sells, well, it sat in their one store with a limited amount of people and now it's either going to be shipped back, at my expense, or they'll put it on sale just to get rid of it, and that cuts into my already low profit.

Nope, not worth it.

What if I shipped my items to Texas to a consignment shop, and the person who would have bought them is in Maine? They'll never see it because it's sitting in a Texas store.

No thanks. I make my items to sell online. I want no one but ME to get the profits. And besides, EVERYONE can see my items online, but not in a store somewhere.

I wish I could count the people over the years who have tried to talk me into selling my items in consignment shops all over the United States. And when I'd explain that I don't want to do that, I'm sure they all thought I was stupid for not branching out that way....for not taking their advice.

I guess I'm not looking so stupid NOW, am I?

I really wish people would trust that I know what's best for my own business. The people who tried talking me into shipping my items all over the place on consignment has NEVER sold a thing online. They have no clue what they're talking about.

There's ways to sell online and keep yourself safe. I've been doing it for years, but I have my boundaries and rules. No one else is going to look out for me and my business. So, it's up to ME to set my own rules and stand by them.

Every time you take a chance on international sales and consignment shops across the country, you are increasing your chances of being ripped off or having a problem eventually.

And yes, people right here in the states can rip us off. HOWEVER, there are laws and the Post Office gets involved and you can call local police in the scammer's town. There's things that CAN be done.

But when your problem is in another country, it's over. You lose, they win, and they KNOW you can't do a thing about it.

Just keep that in mind and do what's best for you and your business. We each have to make these decisions for ourselves.

I'm just telling you what I do.

I've spent many years reading about other seller's nightmare situations. I don't want them for myself. I'm doing what works for ME.

As you learn more and more about selling online you might want to branch out into international sales, maybe even consignment shops. At least by then you'll be more experienced and know the business much better. It might work out great for you then.

In the meantime, just learn all you can, get some experience under your belt, and then take it from there.

Recently I sold something to a woman in Australia. I had no problems. She wrote to me and I agreed to do the transaction. I will also sell to Canada.

But, they all have to realize I ship Priority ONLY. I have to protect myself.

I just take it as a case by case situation.

More tips are coming soon!!

 Copyright © March 16, 2011 Catt Alexander

No portion of my Etsy Helpful Hints and Tips are to be copied in part or in it's entirety without my permission. These installments are the result of my own hard work, research, opinion, and experience.