Anyone know how Etsy works

[Harelady]

I had a shop on Etsy for sometime but only been trying to sell anything for the last six months. I have trying to market the shop and get hits. I redone the pictures a few times and have lowered prices a bit. But I haven't been able to sell anything. I barely get anyone looking at my yarn unless I post to Facebook. I just not a good at marketing in general. Could someone who knows Etsy critique my shop? I know my biggest problem is that I run out of supplies and don't make long enough yardage for a decent project. Or I have plenty of the same materials and I create a different weighted yarn then the first. I have problems recreating my work so everything is pretty much one of a kind. Something I need to work on. Here is the link to my shop.

http://etsy.me/2wTgfES

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

Your yarn looks pretty good. What's the shortest you can sheer the bunny to make wool? I don't like letting my angora grow too much cause I dont have time to brush her so much so I tend to sheer her frequently. I was thinking I'd just use the fur as plushie stuffing.
I'll have to figure out Etsy myself once I finish a plushie, I've never used it before.

 

[Rainey]

My son started selling some of his wodworking stuff on etsy a few years ago. It was slow starting. Now he is mostly making and selling musical instruments he sells more banjos on banjohangout and on his own website he set up a year and a half ago. But he still sells some mountain dulcimers and fiddles and an occasional banjo on etsy. I think there are 2 factors to consider. On is how much competition there is on the site for the things you're selling. The other is that you have to sell things and get feedback to build a reputation, but it is hard to make sales before you have feedback. Don't know the solution to that.
Don't know if that helps at all, but wish you success

 

[Harelady]

Your yarn looks pretty good. What's the shortest you can sheer the bunny to make wool?

I would say at least an inch. Between 1 and 2 1/2 inches you will need to blend it with a longer fiber to spin. You might be able to spin 2 1/2 inch on its own but 3 is usually considered the minimum length for spinning. 3-4 inches is ideal length anything longer than 5 inches I find to be a pain to spin.

Thanks for the compliment. I know my yarn isn't perfect but I think it is very useable.

 

[PSFAngoras]

I think your yarn is nice, but I think the titles are more what should be in your tags. Also, photos are key to your sales. I don't think your photos are bad, but people like to see photo props and whatnots. It's a PITA, but I've gotten a lot more likes since I started using photo props and backdrops. Nothing fancy needed, I just use my wood pile or an old weathered bench for a backdrop and antlers, firewood or dried flowers as props. Another thing I would suggest is to run a search through Etsy and see if a search pertaining to the attributes of your yarn actually pulls up your yarn. If not, revamp your tags. If people can't find your yarn they'll never know it's there.

It does take a while to get going on Etsy, and patience helps. The more you put in your shop, and the better you fill out your 'tags' the easier it is to find in searches. Maybe that particular skein isn't what their looking for, but they check your shop anyway. Also, look at other shops selling similar items with success and see how they list their items and what the prices are. Angora is a hard one to price, as a lot of people either underprice theirs or act like it's gold, so keep it where youre comfortable. I based my prices off a local fiber artist's prices and so far many people have told me they think it's very reasonable for handspun.

It took me over 3 months to get my first sale when I was on it years ago, but since starting up again this year, revamping my shop, photos, and keeping my descriptions short sweet and to the point but still slightly personal, I made 4 sales since I opened the shop again in January. Not much, but it's $200 I wouldn't have had otherwise. I personally think my problem is that everyone else is selling angora as 50g or 100 yard skeins, and mine is in batch quantity, so it'scloser to 200+ yards per skein. Most people like smaller amounts of Angora for baby hats and faux fur trims, so I am going to be spending some time in a The next few weeks to break down my skeins to smaller sizes. I get a lot of likes, so I wonder if this wouldn't help sales. As far as reviews, I bribe people. You can write coupon codes, so I offer to send them a coupon code for 10% off their next order if they leave a review. All three sales since I started the coupon have left wonderful reviews.

That's just my suggestions, anywho.

 

[KimitsuKouseki]

Your yarn looks pretty good. What's the shortest you can sheer the bunny to make wool?

I would say at least an inch. Between 1 and 2 1/2 inches you will need to blend it with a longer fiber to spin. You might be able to spin 2 1/2 inch on its own but 3 is usually considered the minimum length for spinning. 3-4 inches is ideal length anything longer than 5 inches I find to be a pain to spin.

Thanks for the compliment. I know my yarn isn't perfect but I think it is very useable.

The fur on the last one I did was between 1 and 2 inches and the one before that was 3 inches. If I try to wait on a 3 inch next time would it work to blend it with the shorter one? Also do you use any type of machine to spin?
Sorry for the questions x.x

Also I agree with PSFAngoras on the bribing and tags/title thing, but I like your pictures. I'd make a swatch though, a small one with an item next to it for size reference, so people can see an exemple of what a project could look like. I know this is comon practice when selling yarn online from past research.

 

[SarniaTricia]

I know nothing about Etsy.... but I love some of the suggestions you have gotten!!

I would like to add a personal experience in trying to make a local market for my pasture raised chicken.
I have been a member of a small local farmer's market for 3 years.
The first year I did 10 weeks at the beginning of the season.... that year next to no sales... most of my chicken was given to my in-laws and parents as I didn't have enough freezer space.
Year 2 - I didn't have to give away any chicken, but I still have some in the freezer.
This year I added my rabbit meat and posted heavily on FB and on the Farmers Market FB page..... (I raise small batches of 30 birds at a time)
Batch #1 ran out the day before batch #2 went for processing.... Batch #2 ran out a week before Batch #3 is being picked up today!!! I have people calling to tell me how many they want and what time they will be at the market to pick-up!!!

The moral of this storey is .... don't give up!
Starting your market takes time and $... if you don't have the $ it takes more time!
Advertise your site on FB and keep advertising!

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm not great at marketing either, but as a buyer (not for yarn, just in general) I like the rustic props that PSFAngoras suggested. They whet my appetite for the product shown, they are eyecatching and memorable.

One thing did strike me about the yarn itself. I would imagine that people into fabric arts might like to see some more subtle colours: earthtones, muted plant dyes etc. as well as the very bright shades you currently offer. I could be dead wrong about this -- and I certainly don't know what is fashionable at the moment -- so please take my comments with a generous pinch of salt. It might be just my own tastes intruding.

Your yarn textures look very nice and I think the other posters have offered great advice. Wishing you much success with your sales.

 

[alforddm]

I agree with the improving pictures. I think PSFAngoras gave you some wonderful advice for those. I also agree that having photos of items made from similar yards are a great idea. Especially, if you have access to a cute baby or kid to model the items.

In your descriptions, you need to be more descriptive of why a buyer should choose your yarn. Quick example, "Angora fiber is one of the softest natural fibers known to man. It is excellent for those who need or want only the softest natural fiber next to their skin. "

Don't use more generic terms such as pretty. Use something more descriptive "exquisite" might be a good. Read through the item postings from successful angora fiber seller. You don't want to copy their listings exactly, but it will give you a good idea of what descriptions work. You might consider adding some natural dyes to your inventory. So many people want non-synthetic now that you may have better luck if you can offer both natural fibers and natural dye.

I think your yarns look lovely and I hope to purchase some in the future.

 

[Shea]

This is a tactic a woman I know uses on her shop. If true, tag your yarn 100% American made, or Handmade in the USA, it also helps to add that to the pictures because well people are lazy and if they dont have to read the descripton to get what they want they are more likely to click and buy.