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TeeDee
10-06-2014, 05:42 PM
Hope this is the right forum for this.
I recently opened and started populating an Etsy shop having read a fair bit on the forum about the pros and cons.
I had a lot of initial viewings and an unexpected early sale but since then things have slowed to a trickle in terms of views.
I must confess that due to the pressures of retirement, house maintenance and a love of my motorcycle (2nd to my wife and family of course), the shop has taken a bit of a back seat lately but now I must press on.

I really would appreciate though if any Etsy shop owners could advise on a few issues:

1 - Policies.... are there any statutory requirements for returns/refunds for both UK and overseas sales? I have looked at various shops and they often have differing policies.

2 - Advertising....Any advice on linking to social media as I am registered but am a near Facebook virgin and don't Tweet at all. Facebook seems to have options to 'advertise either as a 'Local Business' or as a Product or Brand' which option should I use?
Also any advice on using their tags system to increase exposure?

3 - Payments.......Why do some people only accept Paypal? Is this just to keep the transaction costs down? I have currently opted to use Etsy's online payments system as the cost seems quite reasonable especially when compared to gallery commission costs.

Also, has anyone used http://www.madebyhandonline.com/ ? I went to a craft fair in Bovey Tracey (Devon) at the weekend sponsored by them. very interesting with lots of high quality work from many different crafts.

Tim

EmmaC
10-06-2014, 06:38 PM
I haven't sold on Etsy for some time, but a lot of sellers blatantly disregard distance selling regulations such as providing your actual address, and giving a the statutory cooling off period, returns etc., which is why shop policies seem to vary so widely. The rules have changed recently, there is a load of info here http://dshub.tradingstandards.gov.uk/dsrexplained and on the governments own website .gov.uk which is worth checking out

I've recently got rid of my Facebook page as posts get to only a fraction of the people liking it, unless I pay to boost the reach. Even my own mum stopped getting posts of my artwork in her newsfeed. Eventually I didn't think it was worth my time, however this is just my personal thing as I decided recently to concentrate more on doing work rather than worrying about the promotion and sales aspects. Some people still seem to do quite well on Facebook though. You must have a page if you want to sell, I'd go for local business and again you will need to publicly display your address if you wish to conduct sales via Facebook.

I think people use PayPal now because it's quite easy, I'm not sure how the charges compare to Etsy's own system now.
Good luck with your venture :)

TeeDee
11-06-2014, 05:40 PM
Thanks very much for taking the trouble to reply Emma,
The Trading Standards link on Distance Selling Regs is really useful and certainly not as dry a read as a HRMC guide!
Its certainly given me a few ideas to cut through the mental blocks I was having regarding policies. ( strange really as in my old job I often had to put together policies and procedures but then that was another life)
I think my address is displayed on Etsy whenever an order is raised but I will check.
At the moment I am hoping to use Facebook just as an extension to marketing, but your observations are really useful to me.
Interesting your comment about making rather than promoting. I've been treating it as a bit of a hobby really and every time I learn a new technique I get the bug to make a few things. Unfortunately I now have about 50-60 hallmarked items that I really need to move on and hopefully recoup some of my outlay.
I never realised though just how much work was involved in setting up and maintaining just one Etsy shop let alone setting up a website.

I took the opportunity to look at your website link and I think your artwork is quite stunning. I see you've posted on other threads so I'll add my two pennyworth on one of them.
Thanks again
Tim

CJ57
11-06-2014, 06:47 PM
I registered for etsy but have never done anything because it seems so much work. I have a FB page and before the open studio I seemed to spend as much time taking editing and posting photos as I did working, I now need to do the same for the gallery website. It's just so time consuming and I find FB just a showcase and hard to keep up interest made worse by the fact that little gets shared now. People think that if they like something it's job done but they really need to share or comment or your audience just doesn't grow

EmmaC
11-06-2014, 07:28 PM
I *think* the distance selling regs are changing a bit on 13th of June and buyers will then have 14 days to return items, I'm not totally sure of all the changes but I would think there would be something in Etsy's UK and Ireland support bit.

Some people are amazingly successful selling online, but I think it requires a large investment of time being online promoting, re-listing items, and networking. I ended up with burnout as basically I couldn't cope with that, doing the actual artwork and the small holding, I never got any down time, which is how I got into jewellery as a creative hobby.

If you are thinking of a website I can totally recommend clikpic. I've been with them for ten years, the sites are easy to maintain and use. You can integrate PayPal for purchases online, so you would pay no commission on any sales.
I recently registered with Folksy as I also wanted to recoup some funds and thought I'd get a bit more traffic than to my website alone. However I was told time and time again on their forum I was solely responsible for bringing all the traffic to my shop. From a business point of view personally I think it makes far more sense to drive that traffic to your own website, no chance then of a customer straying off and purchasing from anyone else, as well as less fees. I've since closed my account as I couldn't see any benefit to being there if that was the case. There's a lot of pressure to keep listing new stock to bring in new views on these sites, although I will be very interested to see what happens with Etsy as they are going to advertise on TV to make UK buyers more aware of the site, so in theory you should get more "passing trade" on there.

Many thanks for the compliment too!

camalidesign
11-06-2014, 07:54 PM
A quick few thoughts on having your own web site versus listing with e.g. Etsy (I do both, as well as NotOnTheHighStreet.com)

With Etsy you can have a shop set up and working in minutes really! Descriptions, prices and photos have to be done first obviously but that's the same with your own web site. Yes, on Etsy you are competing with a LOT of other sellers, but they do a lot of marketing to drive traffic there, so there are also a LOT of potential customers there. I sell on Etsy and although I have only sold a few bits yet, there are some people even in the UK who do really well there, so I keep persevering! Listing regularly is definitely the way to go, so I tend to list my one of a kind pieces there, which varies with time as opposed to my ranges which stay pretty static over time. Etsy also don't charge very much, think it's 20 cent per listing and then a PayPal fee, so pretty low.

Having your own web site is all very well and yes you make the most money that way, but it can be costly and time consuming to have one built for you. Setting up a DIY one can work well for you if you want a basic shop but as soon as you want something wiht your own unique branding and some functionality out of the standard ones you are stuck. You get a larger proportion of the money on each sale, but you also need to get traffic to come to your site and get the right kind of traffic (those who actually buy as opposed to just browse!) and this can be very time consuming and requires some knowledge of search engine optimisation. Well worth the trouble if you are serious about selling. Having your own site shows you are serious.

I think, if you are just selling a bit as a hobby, then Etsy or similar is a quick and low cost version, if you are trying to go pro you should probably do both. I find that since I have already done all the pricing, photos and descriptions etc. it isn't that much more work to list on my own site as well as on Etsy and NOTHS.

Oh, and for Facebook, if you have your own web site drive traffic/link to your own web site from Facebook and Twitter obviously.

Just my two pennies worth...

Carin

Wallace
12-06-2014, 04:47 AM
I have found the link between Facebook and Etsy has been invaluable. I have had a few Etsy sales and although the fees for both Etsy and PayPal mean 6% of the total; it has been worth the hassle free, ease of use. I don't have the funds or style of pictures required by not on the.....

As Carin mentions, web site maintainance is onerous. A basic fee for a company to set it up and manage it can be a lot of money. I chose to use my website as a signpost and show and tell with Etsy mini and all the other things needed.

Etsy has been good to me, and so has being active on Facebook. The new changes, mentioned by Caroline mean the audience is down due to the FB drive to have paid for posts. I do encourage post comments, and responding to each person has been a conscious decision I have made that it is now part of my routine. I post later in the evenings if I can, but it still helps. More people are sharing and commenting now, however - it does and can dwindle very quickly, so is high maintenance. It isn't just about the likes, it is the participation. Keeping people engaged is important, as Cookies demonstrate everyday. I have just started on Twitter - now that is hard!

Good luck, with your decisions and directions. I will be looking at doing some fairs in the coming year, so might find it an area that needs lots of investing in a hair dye company, as I am sure I go grey just at the thought!

medusa
12-06-2014, 07:19 AM
What are paid posts on FB? I don't use it much and only have a handful of friends but I see what they like and share no problem and also see posts by pages (including Tabby's) that I've liked.

medusa
12-06-2014, 07:46 AM
The made by hand site looks interesting, not least because unlike etsy and NOTHS, stuff is actually all hand made. Thanks for alerting us to it, Tim

Wallace
12-06-2014, 09:40 AM
What are paid posts on FB? I don't use it much and only have a handful of friends but I see what they like and share no problem and also see posts by pages (including Tabby's) that I've liked.

FB is now trying to get posts 'boosted' - they have, from research reduced each page's profile by 60% - a marketing ploy of course. If you like the posts, that is not enough, you have to comment and share to ensure that the information continues to show on your feed. Alternatively, it will go to the 'page feed' which you have to intentionally click on. I comment on a few, but I don't see many of Jill or Caroline's in my feed, despite liking and commenting.

medusa
12-06-2014, 09:50 AM
hmmm will like a few more pages and check in to see what shows up. Mind you, people seem to be abandon FB in droves. I use it to keep table on the kids but they have now ditched it for something else.

Lucie
12-06-2014, 09:54 AM
I see all of yours Wallace & Lydia's - Fabulous examples of how to "do facebook" properly. They pop up every day and do their job being interesting / entertaining.
I must remember to comment and share though. I think people have got into a habit of thinking "liking" is sufficient.

Have you had any luck with "paid for" posts? I'm seriously considering it once I get my facebook page sorted as I've had very little joy getting friends to "share" :(
The poor old page is in a really sorry state at the moment (hangs head).

Victoria
12-06-2014, 12:12 PM
Hi Tim

I sell on Etsy and it's been brilliant! I couldn't have got my business where it is today without it. But it does require a fair bit of effort to drive traffic to your shop, especially at first...it eventually snowballs to the point where I'm pretty lazy now about following people/creating treasuries/being active in teams and I still get sales. I have found that there is a much bigger market in the US for buying handmade jewellery online, though the UK is catching up. To be successful on Etsy you need good photos and good product descriptions. I'm not sure you need to keep listing new stuff, but the more you have listed the more likely you are to get found.

I have recently joined NOTHS and have had good sales with them. On the downside they're expensive to join, take a massive cut of each sale and have lots of annoying rules BUT they are good at advertising so you hardly have to make any effort to get sales compared to a site like Etsy. I did also have a Folksy shop until 2 days ago when I've finally given up - jewellery just doesn't seem to do well on there and I've found there's just too many people on there selling very cheaply and I can't compete.

Whichever site you choose I'd say to stick to one site. I've tried most of them but in the end it got too much work trying to keep them all up to date and I ended up with different prices, etc, on different sites.

If you want to have your own url (e.g. www.victoriajarman.com) but don't want to set up a website you could just buy the domain and then link it to your Etsy shop. If you do set up a separate website then there will be an initial outlay of time and effort to set it up (as with setting up Etsy) but it's then just a case of maintaining it. I use Wordpress and can take Paypal payments through that. It really depends how technical you are but it's fairly straightforward to get something basic up and running.

In general - to anyone with their own website - I would recommend registering as a business on Google - I've done this recently and it's made a massive difference to the hits I get on my Wordpress site which = lots of direct sales without any fees :)

Re. policies - yes, you need to be in line with the Distance Selling Regulations. As other people have said they've changed/are changing soon (I need to update mine!) I prefer not to advertise my address as it's my home as well but it is provided in the transaction email to customers.

Re. advertising, Facebook can certainly be helpful for driving traffic to your site but you do have to post regularly. I try to post at least once a week and do ok but I have a friend who posts daily and she does get a lot of work out of it. In terms of the paid advertising I have tried it and whilst it does get you lots of new 'likes' I found that these are fairly fickle likers who will unlike you just as quickly. It's best to try and get authentic likes rather than buy them.

Re. payments, Etsy will always take 20p for a listing and 3.5% of each sale. If a buyer pays with Paypal then Paypal takes a further 3.4% + 20p. If you set up your Etsy shop to accept credit cards then Etsy will charge you 4% transaction fee so it's slightly more expensive than Paypal. I guess this is why some sellers only allow Paypal but it's still a pretty tiny % compared to galleries. People don't necessarily realise that you can pay with a credit card on Paypal and they don't need an account so I guess could be put off by Paypal only payments.

Hope some of this helps! I'm afraid there's no easy answer - selling online requires a fair bit of effort at first but it does pay off! If you get stuck on Etsy feel free to send me a message. I'd be interested to hear if you try madebyhand and how it works out as it's one of the few I've not set up a shop on!

Good luck!
V

Victoria
12-06-2014, 12:13 PM
(oops that was a long reply - sorry!)

TeeDee
12-06-2014, 05:57 PM
(oops that was a long reply - sorry!)

For a subject like this, I like long detailed replies Victoria. I tend to be a bit obsessive about getting things right so the more detail I have the better.

All the responses to my original post have been really helpful especially being written in the light of experience. As a result I have already discounted setting up my own website for the foreseeable future and will concentrate on Etsy + a couple of galleries I have contact with.
I haven't yet worked out how to link the Etsy shop to my forum signature as some do but if anyone cares to look it is called Teedee925 (yes corny I know).
Always interested in feedback good or bad on anything from photography, pricing, standard of work to descriptions and shop layout. Please bear in mind though that it is effectively still under construction
............if any feedback is really bad though you might want to PM!

Many thanks to all of you, you are a great help

Tim

TeeDee
12-06-2014, 06:06 PM
I have found the link between Facebook and Etsy has been invaluable. I have had a few Etsy sales and although the fees for both Etsy and PayPal mean 6% of the total; it has been worth the hassle free, ease of use. I don't have the funds or style of pictures required by not on the.....

As Carin mentions, web site maintainance is onerous. A basic fee for a company to set it up and manage it can be a lot of money. I chose to use my website as a signpost and show and tell with Etsy mini and all the other things needed.

Etsy has been good to me, and so has being active on Facebook. The new changes, mentioned by Caroline mean the audience is down due to the FB drive to have paid for posts. I do encourage post comments, and responding to each person has been a conscious decision I have made that it is now part of my routine. I post later in the evenings if I can, but it still helps. More people are sharing and commenting now, however - it does and can dwindle very quickly, so is high maintenance. It isn't just about the likes, it is the participation. Keeping people engaged is important, as Cookies demonstrate everyday. I have just started on Twitter - now that is hard!

Good luck, with your decisions and directions. I will be looking at doing some fairs in the coming year, so might find it an area that needs lots of investing in a hair dye company, as I am sure I go grey just at the thought!

Many thanks for the info Wallace
As with everyone else's its really helpful.

Your hair looks fine and be thankful you have some.
If I ever get to grips with posting my own photo you'll understand!

Tim

ShinyLauren
12-06-2014, 08:52 PM
I am mainly using Etsy at the moment whilst rebuilding my 'proper' website. I've had quite a few sales recently, which has been nice! I think, as others have said, you can get a bit lost as a jeweller on Etsy if you don't invest time in promoting, but sometimes you get lucky that you have the exact thing people are looking for.

I have a facebook page, Twitter and Pinterest, but am utterly rubbish at updating all of them! Between my 4 day a week law firm job, jewellery making at weekends and evenings, and looking after two wayward cats (how do you guys with children cope?!!) I have no time to sort out my social media properly.

Victoria
13-06-2014, 07:17 AM
Your shop looks great Tim! Really good photos and descriptions! One tip - vary your listing titles more. If you start every listing with "ring..." then the only searches you'll get found in is anyone just searching 'ring'. It's more likely that people will search for "flower ring" or "fish pendant" or "textured bangle". I think the first word/phrase in your title is quite important for search so try to think like a shopper...

I find that the Seller Success emails are really useful for these kinds of tips - if you login to your profile you can select which emails you want to receive from Etsy. The Seller Blog is also good. Neither spam you too often so it's manageable keeping up with reading them.

Tabby66
13-06-2014, 08:27 AM
Wow, what a wealth of info here, folks,....thank you!!

I have my own website and that has gradually built activity and sales, particularly commissions over the past year. I hadn't thought of registering as a business with google Victoria, but will look more into that!!

I do have a Facebook page (I think it's in my signature link), I try to post once a week, more if there is something new to post and definitely more in the run-up to fairs. Interesting though that you're not seeing mine and Caroline's, Liz. I also thought 'liking' was enough.....I have paid to boost a post about a handful of times, I set a very low budget of £3 (you are able to set your own budget rather than use the suggested budget!!). It certainly seems to have increased activity and generated some business. I haven't paid to boost my page....and am a little sceptical of how many genuine and worthwhile likes this would generate.

I have just started twittering :juggle:, but have decided to link this activity to target fairs that I am involved with (organisers seem to like this and of course, they retweet you and promote you, hence doing a lot of the work on your behalf......well that's my theory at the moment!!).

I have an etsy shop......but have done nothing with it.....just looked yours up Tim, I'm afraid I am of no help in terms of giving tips to generate hits there (Victoria's advice sounds good). Your shop looks good and the images of your work are clear and good. If I was looking as a buyer, I would feel confident that your work looks well made and finished and high quality. (Btw, Tim.....you might not have posted a picture of yourself here.....but there is one of you there...:-")

I too only disclose my address to customers who purchase from me for the same reasons as Victoria.

In the past I tried Odissa.....nothing, madebyhandsofbritain...enquiries, no sales, it was good initially but waned, it has recently been taken over by someone else so we'll wait to see,.....I am in the process of setting up my 'boutique' (yes, a boutique....I know!!), on JewelStreet......that looks promising, they are highly active in promotion, but time will tell....

I am in a couple of galleries and a shop in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, the latter has been fantastic for me, both in sales through the shop and direct commissions.

This year is my year of trying out bigger fairs and travelling further afield.....(your own website seems to be pretty essential to be considered for these)....I have done some local fairs with good success, but since this is my full time occupation I need to get out there more (I think!!....that said, I'm pretty busy...), so first one down,....was a bit disappointing on the actual days, but confirmed commissions since have made it very worthwhile. I also learned loads, signage about being handmade, sterling silver, (despite having my legally required Assay poster visible!!), 9ct gold, not plated, commissions taken....etc, etc... My future Fair involvement will be reviewed at the end of the year!!

Hope there's something of interest to folk in this ramble!!
Tabby x

Wallace
13-06-2014, 01:44 PM
Many thanks for the info Wallace
As with everyone else's its really helpful.

Your hair looks fine and be thankful you have some.
If I ever get to grips with posting my own photo you'll understand!

Tim

it isn't much, I know - but the computer feeds the brain in so many ways these days. Re the hair... the female seem to keep their hair in my family right through the generations, so I think I am safe. :D

TeeDee
13-06-2014, 04:09 PM
[QUOTE=EmmaC;67392]I *think* the distance selling regs are changing a bit on 13th of June and buyers will then have 14 days to return items, I'm not totally sure of all the changes but I would think there would be something in Etsy's UK and Ireland support bit.
QUOTE]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/310044/bis-13-1368-consumer-contracts-information-cancellation-and-additional-payments-regulations-guidance.pdf

A bit of light bedtime reading!( actually its not that bad)
After a couple of people mentioned this, I had a trawl and found this Government Implementation Guidance note which may be helpful.
If I am reading it correctly it seems that the Distance Selling Regs 2000 are actually being replaced by the Consumer Contracts (Information Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations. I guess any reference to regulations in Etsy Policies will need to reflect this now.
Sections D and H seem to be the most relevant and as Emma mentions the cancellation period extends from 7 - 14 days.
I expect the DSR already covered these but there are some interesting exemptions for bespoke and customised products as well as things that are sealed for hygiene. Does anyone one have a source of single use sealable transparent bags for earrings?

I'm beginning to feel really glad about starting this thread although ignorance was quite blissful before

Tim

medusa
14-06-2014, 06:12 PM
Tabby, I only 'liked' your FB page the other day when the thread it was in got bumped. I only use FB via my husband's account to spy on the kids but they have now deserted it for something newer and more oldie repelling :) I have got your brooch in my timeline and a couple of Wallace's posts as well, so they are coming through on my (OH's) page and we have a fair few liked pages as well.

Tim, I love the anticlastic bangles but I am wondering about the pricing. Some of it seems like it should cost more to make.

Binraker
22-06-2014, 09:00 PM
I tried Etsy first and got nothing. I tried Folksy and got lots of views but not a single sale. I have now rephotographed everything, pulled all my various bits in boxes out and finished those that needed finishing and had everything hallmarked (even the underweight stuff) and I am now about to embark on revisiting Etsy. This time I am going to offer international shipping (hopefully get some American interest), btw anyone got any tips on who to use for posting abroad? The bit I'm finding hard is, since I am starting from scratch again, deciding on prices. I don't want to appear cheap but I also don't want to price myself out of the market.

theresa
23-06-2014, 09:31 AM
I always use Royal Mail & (touch wood) have had no problems with them.
Everything is sent International Insured + Tracking. The maximum I have paid is around £10. But it's easy to get a price by going to the Royal Mail website.
In the beginning I used to include shipping, not any more. I think for most people buying online +P&P is accepted now.
I have shops on Folksy & Etsy, but Etsy brings in the most sales & interest.
Good luck

Patstone
23-06-2014, 03:45 PM
Another Devonian, whereabouts are you Tim, I am in Exeter. Bovey last time I went there was a bit quiet, but saying that the weather wasnt great either. We are going to foreign parts this coming weekend, Wells, Somerset. I have been told its quite good, but will let you know later what happens. I have thought about Etsy but feel a bit unsure as mine is a hobby and I dont want it to become full time as I too am retired.

TeeDee
25-06-2014, 08:11 AM
Your shop looks great Tim! Really good photos and descriptions! One tip - vary your listing titles more. If you start every listing with "ring..." then the only searches you'll get found in is anyone just searching 'ring'. It's more likely that people will search for "flower ring" or "fish pendant" or "textured bangle". I think the first word/phrase in your title is quite important for search so try to think like a shopper...

I find that the Seller Success emails are really useful for these kinds of tips - if you login to your profile you can select which emails you want to receive from Etsy. The Seller Blog is also good. Neither spam you too often so it's manageable keeping up with reading them.

Thanks for that Victoria,
Have altered all my listings and added a couple more. so will keep an eye on shop stats to see how it goes.
I think I spent too long working on engineering maintenance databases where everything had to be input just the same or it got lost in the ether somewhere!
Tim

TeeDee
25-06-2014, 08:21 AM
Tim, I love the anticlastic bangles but I am wondering about the pricing. Some of it seems like it should cost more to make.

Thanks for the feedback and compliment,
Like Binraker, I find pricing a bit of a minefield especially when using new techniques (cant ask the customer to pay for correcting mistakes and lack of speed)so its always useful to hear from others with more experience.
When I looked at how I priced the anticlastic bangles, I realised I hadn't included hallmarking packaging and an allowance for tooling etc.
Also looking at other items on Etsy, mine did seem a bit low.
Have upped them a little so hopefully nearer the 'sweet spot' of not to cheap and not too dear. Always receptive to further feedback.
Tim

TeeDee
25-06-2014, 08:39 AM
Another Devonian, whereabouts are you Tim, I am in Exeter. Bovey last time I went there was a bit quiet, but saying that the weather wasnt great either. We are going to foreign parts this coming weekend, Wells, Somerset. I have been told its quite good, but will let you know later what happens. I have thought about Etsy but feel a bit unsure as mine is a hobby and I dont want it to become full time as I too am retired.

I'm 'ere just down the road in Tavistock Pat.
We hit the Bovey fair on one of the better days weather wise and there was a good turnout.
Like you I don't want to become full time as I struggle to fit in my other interests (including my wife I have recently been told, although she helps me a lot with Etsy)I chose Etsy because it seemed one of the easiest to set up and they have an optional 'Direct Checkout' facility which doesn't cost too much and deals totally with customer payments. Their sales commission is also quite low.
I find the most time consuming part is the photography which is why I only have 15 items on there so far. Need to buy some props like ring stands and a bust for pendants soon to make photos easier and quicker.
I've only made one sale since April, but this thread has generated more helpful hints and tips than I ever expected so hopefully over a period of time I'll increase my Etsy shop exposure and sell more.
I also need to look at increasing to a global market instead of just UK. But one step at a time for me.
All the best
Tim

TeeDee
25-06-2014, 08:55 AM
(Btw, Tim.....you might not have posted a picture of yourself here.....but there is one of you there...:-")

Thanks for all your good advice and information Tabby.
Re the picture ........its not my best side but better than a blank space..................or maybe not!
At least Wallace will understand my comments about hair if she see's it.
Also Wallace if you do see this one, How do you insert the 'Etsy' link in your signature so that it doesn't show the whole hyperlink?
I've had a go at putting my own signature and link in, not sure how it will turn out.

Wallace
25-06-2014, 04:02 PM
hi Tim,

you need to go to the

Forum Actions link at the top
click that to scroll over the list until you see the Edit Profile link
click that then look on the list of available links
you will see 'My Settings' in one of the boxes on the left - here you will see a link where you can 'edit signature' . Follow the scripting like you do here on the forum posts. Just put in the word you want, highlight it, then click on to the add link button, paste your hyperlink, select your font size, colour.... etc. I am still messing with it, made mine a little too big. oops!


Etsy is a very competitive market, and postage just adds to the costs. But, with Special delivery costing a minimum of £6.40 and international Signed for £8 - it is not an amount I can ignore. I could just add it to the price and no one would know, but it does not carry a VAT amount and I already pay and charge so it is cheaper for the customer to pay the cost of it as a separate figure. (Don't ask about the VAT, it has been the bane of my business since accidentally registering for it many years ago at the advice of an accountant!)

Paul Townsend
21-09-2014, 06:40 AM
I have been on ETSY for many years - my name is "beaujangles" and I now regularly sell over 30 pairs of cufflinks a month.

A few things I have learnt.

1. The more you list (assuming its priced correctly, good photo's etc) - the more you sell.
2. Spread your listings out -e.g. dont add them all in one go, add a few each day.
3. TAGS are key - make sure you use all 13 of them, and I include words for why people would be searching for your work like wedding, anniversary, valentines etc
4. You can list the same product many times with different photo's in different sections, and with different TAGS. This way you can see which things work and which don't. For example I sell guitar pick cufflinks. I listed them under cufflinks, and under musical instruments - I sell a lot more under musical instruments than I do under cufflinks.

I hope this Helps ...

Thanks Paul