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How to Get More Sales on Etsy (Without Increasing Your Overhead)

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By Emily Nelson - December 6, 2022- in Go-Getter Blog

In 2021, Etsy generated $13.5 million in gross merchandise sales volume, driving up its shares & further cementing its reputation as an ecommerce juggernaut. Although the sales figures are impressive, it also means there’s increasing competition in a saturated marketplace.

The good news is that you can increase your sales without increasing your overhead. With some creativity & a strategy to put in time over money, you can earn more sales and grow your Etsy store. Here’s how to get started.

Get Creative Finding New Keywords

If your Etsy store struggles to make sales or hasn’t seen any traction at all, the problem could point to your keywords. Like Google, Etsy relies on keywords to find the products customers want most. Start by using the Etsy search bar & start typing in your product to see what automatically populates. You can also use this same approach with Google & Pinterest.

You can also find valuable clues about keywords by browsing Etsy ads with similar products. Look at advertisements that align with your products & search for relevant keywords to add to your list.

Expand Your Products with Print-On-Demand

As a rule of thumb, you need at least ten listings to attract attention when you open your Etsy store. But you can rapidly expand your listings by integrating print-on-demand (POD) products into your Etsy store. 

Etsy allows you to sell print-on-demand products directly on its platform, but there are some rules to consider. The designs must be your own & not infringe on copyrights. Once you create your new designs, you can upload them into CustomCat’s library & apply them to mugs, hoodies, pillows, totes, & more. 

CustomCat easily integrates into Etsy with a simple plugin. You decide when your listings go live & are ready to sell. Your Etsy orders are automatically sent to CustomCat to be decorated & fulfilled, & best of all, orders are batched into our system every two hours. We ship everything out in a white labeled package with your business displayed on the shipping label for a stress-free, done-for-you experience.

Read more about how to integrate print-on-demand with Etsy here.

Focus on Cross-Selling

If you sell like-minded products that pair well together, cross-sell them in your descriptions with a link. Etsy allows clickable links in your product descriptions, allowing you to reference other products. Make sure whatever you are cross-selling makes sense together to increase your odds of making the extra sale.

Promote Your Email List

Etsy doesn’t incorporate email marketing into its marketplace, but there are some workarounds that can maximize your marketing efforts. Create a landing page with a URL that offers a coupon code or freebie in exchange for their email address. You can also add a colorful business card or postcard to your packages that prompts users to sign-up for future sales. 

Maximize Your Photos & Product Descriptions

Product photography is crucial to your Etsy store’s success. Studies show that 75% of online shoppers rely on product photos when deciding on a potential purchase. The good news is you don’t have to be a pro to take stunning photos. Start with natural light & a bright, clean surface. Or, depending on your product, take photos staged outdoors to make the most of a natural backdrop.

Beyond photos, your product descriptions also matter. Write to-the-point, snappy copy that showcases the features & benefits of your products. Make the descriptions easy to read by using bold, italics, & other formatting while breaking up the text into smaller paragraphs & lists. Remember, customers can’t touch your products or try them out, so make it feel like they understand what they’re buying just by reading your copy.

Include a Freebie with Every Purchase

There are ways to offer freebies without increasing your overhead in your e-commerce business. Add a free digital download with every item sold, like a scavenger hunt game or coupon code. It helps grab customers’ attention & gives them a reason to keep coming back to your store again & again.

Dig Into Etsy’s Analytics

There’s no need to guess where your traffic is coming from. Etsy’s stats show sellers the traffic volume to their shop & the traffic sources that brought them there. 

You can also sign-up for Web Analytics through Google & integrate it into your Etsy shop website address. Together you have powerful insights & know which traffic sources are working & which aren’t. For example, if you can see most of your sales are coming from Pinterest, you can double down on your Pinning strategy to bolster the traffic most likely to convert.

What are your favorite ways to earn more sales from Etsy without increasing your overhead? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

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