Launching an Etsy shop: Orders and convos
Filed under: Entrepreneur, Work & Careers
Launching an Etsy shop isn't as simple as popping up a few snaps of your craft and then sitting back and waiting for the orders to pour in. If only it was that simple! My Etsy shop launched last week and already I've had obstacles to deal with that I wasn't expecting. It's not always that easy. So what do you do once you're up and running?When you've made an order.
- Jump up and down and do a happy dance (seriously, the first order is the best thing and should always be celebrated).
- Do nothing! There isn't really much you can do until you've been paid, and you honestly shouldn't. For all sorts of reasons, you might find that you have to re-list the item if a buyer pulls out, or their payment might be late. There's no need to make up any orders until you've received the money. Certainly don't post anything!
- When you do get payment, make up the order and get it sent out. Remember the post i wrote about packaging and make sure you're happy with how everything looks before you send it. It's essentially the first impression someone gets of your business, make it count.
- Don't go on holiday! If you're going on holiday, make sure your shop is on holiday as well. You want your service to be prompt. Don't keep people waiting. You're a new seller and they don't know you well enough for you to be unreliable. It's a surefire way to get bad feedback.
- Convos (that's an Etsy word, not bad grammar on my part) are so important on Etsy. They're a great way for you to get to know your customers and keep them interested in what you're doing.
- Make sure you answer everything. Yes. Everything. Even if the question seems dull and inane.
- If you keep getting asked the same question, make sure you change your information. Have you forgotten to add your postage details? What about the materials you use? Make sure you've covered everything. It's always better to put too much information than to spend half your day answering unnecessary questions.
- Custom items are so important. They're special. So this means going back and forth with the seller and making sure you get things right.
- It might be something as simple as using a different colour (and if this is do-able, you really should mention it in your listings), but if your customer is looking for something a bit different then you can use it as an opportunity to be creative.
- Often, people are looking for something special, but they're not sure what. A few suggestions and you'll find yourself with a new order, without having to pay a listing fee.
- Doing a completely unique item? If anyone asks me to do this, then I add 25% onto the usual fee. They items often take longer, but you can charge for something special, so make sure you think about that.
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