There’s rarely such thing as easy money, but with some direction and a little thought and planning, you can start your own on-line shop. You will be able to pull in some extra cash, and at the same time, tending to your own creative shop will feed your soul. Your friends at Hellhound Vintage have put together 5 steps to help you open your own Etsy shop!
You will need:
Etsy Account: www.etsy.com
Paypal Account: www.paypal.com
Optional:
Facebook Account: www.facebook.com
Twitter Account: www.twitter.com
Step 1: Decide What To Sell.
Etsy allows only handmade or vintage (20+ years old) items. Take some time to think about this step. Listen to your heart. What are you drawn to? Is there a special craft that you make, or have seen and would like to learn how to make? Are you drawn to any particular vintage era or theme? Do you have an area of expertise? Are you into any particular subculture or hobby? Think about how you can turn your passion into a product.
Start small, it only takes one product to get started.
Surf around Etsy to get inspired. Search for youtube videos if there is something you would like to learn to make. Go to the library. Peruse antique shops and thrift stores.
Step 2: Pick a Name.
You will want something cute and catchy, but more important than that, something easy to spell. This makes it both easier for people to remember and easier for people to spell in order to look you up on-line. Although Musikbox seems cute for a record shop, it can be frustrating for potential customers when they type in Musicbox and end up at a totally different shop. We suggest you keep your name short and to the point using common spellings of common words.
Step 3: Find Your Vision.
On-line shops require a cohesive vision or theme to make them appealing to customers. Consider a color scheme, or some kind of theme that you will keep consistent. You want all the pieces to fit together.
Things to consider:
An image for the top of your shop, either a photograph or a graphic image that includes your shop name.
Photo display. This includes the background for the photos, and any props or accessories you will need to present your product.
Color Scheme. Having a cohesive color scheme creates an image for your shop and makes it look professional.
For example, if you are knitting hats and scarves, consider a color scheme for your products, then list them in an order that makes the colors flow from one to the next across the page. If you are selling handmade items, you will want the labels or packaging on your product to vibe with the background of your photos and the photo at the top of your shop.
If you are selling antiques or vintage items, you will need to curate a collection that has some sort of theme. We are heavily influenced by the hippie era and gypsy lifestyle. Others are into Rockabilly, or Tiki, or Nautical items, for example.
Picking a theme creates a feel to your shop that customers can identify with and they will come back knowing they can find items similiar to what they have found there before.
Step 4: Photos, Photos, Photos.
Seriously, it’s all about the photos.
We like Camera Jims on-line photo guide to get started: http://www.sigma-2.com/camerajim/
Photos are the single most important part of selling on-line. You want your photos to be as appealing as possible. You will need a digital camera that is capable of capturing clear close up images. You will need good lighting. You can use natural light or make a light box for small items. See Camera Jim’s guide referenced above for simple lighting techniques.
If you are selling clothing, a real model is best, but if that is not possible, a professional looking mannequin, or a cute display on a hanger are other options to consider. Look to other shops for inspiration.
You can display up to 5 photos for each item in your Etsy shop. Take lots of photos so you can pick the best 5 to use. Play with lighting, backgrounds, angles, and camera settings until you come up with a photo representation of your product that you feel good about. Be patient and creative. If you get frustrated, take a break. Keep your eye on the prize. Once your shop is up and looking beautiful, you are going to feel very satisfied.
Only use great photos. If some of the photos didn’t turn out as well as you would have liked cut them. It’s better to use 3 beautiful crisp photos than 3 beautiful photos and 2 unflattering or blurry ones.
Step 5: Listing Your First Collection.
We want to emphasize collection as opposed to items. By listing a cohesive collection of items, instead of a few miscellaneous items, your shop will look professional immediately. Pick a goal of 10 or 20 items (remember to stick to your vision) and get the photos for them.
List half of them immediately, then list 1 or 2 pieces per day until all of the items in your first collection have been listed. We highly recommend this method because Etsy has a Recently Listed scroll bar on its home page that features all newly listed items. The more often you list new items, the more traffic you will get to your shop.
Be sure to include a thorough description of each item and be honest and forthcoming about any flaws when listing vintage or antique pieces. Avoid listing damaged items. A vintage patina is beautiful, but a large stain or broken item usually is not. Keep your shop full of quality pieces.
After you list each item, there is an option to share your listing with Facebook and Twitter. Share with your friends and fans!
Copyright 2011. Not to be re-printed without written permission and link back to this site.
Friday, September 16, 2011
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