I am not one of the top sellers on Etsy or Artfire but after a couple of years at it I have sold a few things and learned a lot. Selling online is a much different experience than in a B & M (brick & mortar) store. Just because you could sell in a shop doesn’t mean you can sell online.
Use your best photos
Take lots of pictures and be ruthless about what looks good and what doesn’t. Your pictures will be the most important thing you do to make a sale. The photos need to pull the customer into the store, interest the customer, and make him or her interested in the item. Take a look at magazines and see how the pros advertise. Look at the pictures they use. That’s the effect you’re looking for. You don’t need a million dollar camera to take a good picture. Just do a little bit of homework. Delete the junky, out-of-focus, not well-lit photos. They won’t help your sales. If anything, they are liable to be a turn-off to a potential customer. Don’t have time to retake the picture? Save the listing for later and activate it when you do. Try different backgrounds that show off your product.
Here’s an example of lighting and background. Bones look best against a dark background. Here’s a coyote skull from the MetalWoodsnWater shop on a white background:
Now that same skull on black:
The skull is positioned the same and the lighting is the same. The only difference is the black cloth it is on. The black makes it pop, makes the white whiter, and gives it more contrast.
Make sure the background isn’t too busy. You are showing off your product, not the leaves on the trees or flowers in the yards.
Your product is wonderful. Tell the world about it
Make an interesting story about the product. You want me, the potential customer, to think I will look fabulous and feel sexy when I wear your creation. If it’s a stuffie, use a story line that makes the little guy come to life. Not only will I be interested in his story, I will be interested in his friends’ stories, too. Tell me about the stones in the jewelry, how they glisten and shine in the moonlight, the fantastic fragrance from your candles, how cuddly soft the scarf is that you made. I am relying on you to tell me about your product.
Use social media to get the word out
Facebook and Twitter are great ways to tell about your products but be gracious and do more than just advertise. There are a few people on Twitter who do nothing but put ads up. There are others who engage their followers by telling them about the football games, asking what colors look better, and other, more personal things. You don’t need to tell everything but you do need to be more than a spammer.
Provide good customer service
Get back to me as soon as possible when I write. I might not buy something right now but I will be impressed that you were quick to respond. Make sure the product is wrapped well to travel without breaking. Get the order out in a timely fashion. That means on your next free day or when the object is completed. If it is a special order, drop the customer a line and keep him or her posted.
Use your downtime to your advantage
Every business has a slow time, use yours to your favor. Now is the time to organize, explore new techniques, restock for your next sale, or take a breather. If you did try something that didn’t work, let go, and try something else. Remember, not every car produced sold, not every fashion was a success. Don’t fall so in love with your product that you back a loser. Save one and reuse the supplies or give the items to charity. You’ll still get your name out and regain needed space.
Well, there’s a few things to get you started. Online selling is more than just taking a picture, putting it online, and raking in cash. It is work. It is a continuous learning process. Be open to advice from others, what makes things work for them. You might not be selling the same thing but some of their advice might be applicable in your world, too.
Good luck, may you have lots of success.
Post by Eileen Patterson of GoofingOff.etsy, GoofingOff.Artfire and MetalWoodsnWater.etsy.
