I have been on Etsy for just a little over a year now (16 months to be exact) with my Tangled Metal Chainmail and Steampunk Jewelry and Accessories. I was introduced to Etsy by my girlfriend who had just started selling there. She had been a long time eBay seller and was looking for something a little different.
I was working as the Special Events Director for an advertising company. I had all but quit the life of Renaissance Faires and Art shows to settle into a day job. Little did I know I was destined to pick the pliers back up! After being laid off due to changes in management I decided I did not want to continue with the 9 to 5 (for me it was more like 7 to 7) and I started making chainmail again.
I had sold online before with my own website and was not excited about trying all of that out again but I took the plunge. I read everything I could find about Etsy. I experimented with all kinds of SEO. Many experiments were great failures in what NOT to do. I had a couple of arguments with staff members at Etsy. I even had a hand in changing the relevancy search. Etsy used to only want single word tags but I and others helped convince them that was NOT the way people searched for items on Etsy.
I have been enjoying a lifestyle of not working for the man. Though, my 9 to 5 has become 24/7. At least I really enjoy what I do. Out of a desire to help people not make the same mistakes I have made, I decided to start this blog. The rest, as they say, is history.
What is your story? How did you come to Etsy? I would really like to know. Leave a comment with your story or send me an email to MarketMyShop@gmail.com
I am in the learning process right now, trying to experiment with metal jewelry making and doing everything I can to find out about the business. Way to go on your success, it is important to do something you really enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI live in the deep south, specifically Louisiana, where the taste (except for in New Orleans:) tends to be traditional while my work is colorful and whimsical. While I have a loyal following that consistently show up for my open studio events, I never sold as well as I'd like to here. A friend with a letterpress business and an Etsy shop told me about Etsy and encouraged me to try it. I listed my first pots in summer 2009 and over all Etsy has worked out really well for me. I've found customers all over the US (and a little bit in Canada) I wouldn't have reached otherwise. As a bonus, I've also made a few good friends among other sellers as well as unexpectedly with a couple customers. I found this blog through an Etsy team, Eric, and it's been quite helpful. I frequently recommend it to other sellers. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, Etsy has been an entree into a worldwide community. Some artists I respect sell on Etsy and I decided to follow their lead. I did try other sites and didn't have any sales. What is it about Etsy that's different? Probably only my own involvement. You only get out of something what you put into it. Etsy gives you all sorts of chances to get your product out there while not sending out a lot of wasteful spam.
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