Okay, this might be a little plug towards the Etsy shop that I own with my sister. However, our business has grown in the past two years and it has been giving us a steady bonus in income. So, I wanted to give out some tips to how you can get a successful Etsy shop for some extra income.

1. Find your niche and be passionate about it. My sister wanted to get into the vinyl decal business because she wanted to personalize things in a cool way. If you see the above image, the “decals” “wine glasses” and “decor” image all have vinyl decals as their feature. You don’t want to fall out of love with something. If you can find something that can be expanded, that is where you should head.
2. Don’t pay if you don’t have to. You will have to pay to put your listing on Etsy, however, you don’t have to for traffic unless you want to. Etsy offers you the chance to “upgrade” your listing by making it a featured item so when someone searches for a keyword, your listing is most likely to be appear at the top. My sister and I didn’t do that. Since I am on the social media side of The Crafty Lot, I made a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By making one or more of them, you are increasing your chances to get traffic to your Etsy shop. You can find our social media by searching “The Crafty Lot”.
3. Tell your friends. My sister has co-workers who have purchased items from our shop on multiple occassions. You also cannot give them discounts, especially when you are starting out.
4. Etsy is a business. Treating your Etsy shop as a business automatically puts up boundaries. You are offering a good that they may not be able to get elsewhere so making sure you make a profit inhances your chances for future business. Eventually you may be able to work out a deal or give as a gift to your friends, but until then, keep strong!
5. Ship smart. Go on Amazon to purchase boxes/envelopes or start hoarding old boxes to reuse and recycle. Also, purchasing through Shipstation is a great way to get the best deals on shipping. You can purchase through Etsy which is generally cheaper than the rates on the websites of shippin services.

Okay! I think that this is a great start to what you need to start out a great Etsy shop. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask!

-Tiffany