What Brought You To Etsy?

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

Etsy Back To School Sales

It seems school starts earlier and earlier each year. I remember when I was a kid it started in September. Now it seems that most schools start in Mid-August. Now is the time to start your Back To School Sales! Remember that it isn't just elementary and high school about to start back up, it is also college.

I generally offer a percentage discount though an Etsy coupon code. Some people offer free shipping on their orders. The choice is up to you but be sure to take advantage of it. Put "Back To School" in your tags and titles on items that are specifically for school.

Oh, and don't forget the teachers! They are going back to school as well! So, if you have items that would look great on a classroom wall or a teacher's desk, there is another opportunity for you. I hope your Back To School Sales are the best they have ever been. Don't forget Halloween is just around the corner so you may want to dust off a few of your items...

Leave a comment or send me an email to MarketMyShop@gmail.com I would love to hear what you have to say.

As always, my blog is 100% free. People ask me all the time why I do this. When I started Etsy there just wasn't all that much info out there to help me figure it all our. Etsy tends to make their instructions difficult to follow. I wanted to be able to help others by making things easier to understand.

People also ask how I make enough money doing this. The honest answer is I don't. I do sell a Facebook Advertising Guide in my Market My Shop Etsy Shop. I also do a little consulting on a one one one basis. If you are getting something out of this blog and you'd like to 'buy me a drink' or say 'thank you' you can send a gift through PayPal using my email: MarketMyShop@gmail.com

Meeting Your Goals

Early last month I set a goal for myself. My goal was to have 400 items in my Tangled Metal Etsy Shop. Yesterday at 3:30pm I listed item number 400. It wasn't easy but I made it happen. You have to have a 'make it happen' attitude if you want to meet your goals.

When setting your goals be sure to make your goals reasonable. Do not set a goal that you cannot reach. It will only bring disappointments. Make sure to make your goals specific. Saying 'my goal is to make a lot of money' is very vague and hard to track. A goal of making $500 in the month of August is a specific goal that can be measured.

I have a new goal to have 650 items in my shop by October 1st. I think it is a reasonable goal. I would like to hear about your goals and how you managed to meet them or why you didn't. Leave a comment or send me an email to MarketMyShop@gmail.com

As always, my blog is 100% free. People ask me all the time why I do this. When I started Etsy there just wasn't all that much info out there to help me figure it all our. Etsy tends to make their instructions difficult to follow. I wanted to be able to help others by making things easier to understand.

People also ask how I make enough money doing this. The honest answer is I don't. I do sell a Facebook Advertising Guide in my Market My Shop Etsy Shop. I also do a little consulting on a one one one basis. If you are getting something out of this blog and you'd like to 'buy me a drink' or say 'thank you' you can send a gift through PayPal using my email: MarketMyShop@gmail.com