Etsy Business Idea
Discussion
A few days ago Facebook announced the roll-out of their new Facebook Shops which will go head to head with platforms like Etsy and even Shopify for certain types of small business.
Probably easier to build an audience / traffic more quickly to one of these new Facebook shops than an Etsy shop I think but worth trying both platforms as Etsy also has a Google Shopping feed by the looks of it (could be a shop by shop option, not sure on the details).
Both options are worth investigating I think and you could be up and running over the course of a few evenings. Certainly both are a lot less complicated and much easier to get your products in front of an audience compared to setting up a website from scratch and driving traffic to it if you are just wanting to test the water.
Just make sure you have decent photography of the items.
Have you got anything you can use as stock now to get up and running to prove the concept?
Probably easier to build an audience / traffic more quickly to one of these new Facebook shops than an Etsy shop I think but worth trying both platforms as Etsy also has a Google Shopping feed by the looks of it (could be a shop by shop option, not sure on the details).
Both options are worth investigating I think and you could be up and running over the course of a few evenings. Certainly both are a lot less complicated and much easier to get your products in front of an audience compared to setting up a website from scratch and driving traffic to it if you are just wanting to test the water.
Just make sure you have decent photography of the items.
Have you got anything you can use as stock now to get up and running to prove the concept?
My wife sells home decor prints and uses Etsy as one of the ways to sell to the public. She gets a few orders through it a month but only has a small handful of items on there from her range of stock and custom options due to having to pay to list each item which soon adds up as well as the transaction fees. But it was good to her when starting out and needing a platform to sell from.
Definitely give it a go, Facebook has just started working with online stores to make a seamless and cheap platform. New features mean she can easily add click collect and personal delivery easily.
See https://news.shopify.com/shopify-partners-with-fac...
See https://news.shopify.com/shopify-partners-with-fac...
Before she goes online get her to make a few trial pieces & calculate, very accurately, how much of a loss she's going to be selling the items at. My sister is a brilliant seamstress & loves making cushion covers but she simply cannot sell them for a price that makes it worthwhile. Her hourly rate was so low it simply wasn't worth it.
It's all very well making well crafted items but when you are lined up aaginst 5000 other vendors of dog themed cushion covers it's price that matters most. The vast majority of people simply won't pay much of a premium for quality so it's a race to the bottom.
It's all very well making well crafted items but when you are lined up aaginst 5000 other vendors of dog themed cushion covers it's price that matters most. The vast majority of people simply won't pay much of a premium for quality so it's a race to the bottom.
I know a few people who have stores on Etsy, they all do it as a hobby/part time. Their partners have decent jobs so Etsy is a thing to pass the time or to embrace their hobby and make a few quid here and there. I'm sure there are some that make a business of it but we have a pop up store in town and although there's usually a good few people in there the times i've been in there seems to be little in the way of actual sales.
I totally sympathise with the OP's situation. My wife and I like cats, and she's made a number of cat related things such as stuffed toys inspired by the Wacthmeister drawings and catnip mice. In the end she gave them away to the local cat sanctuary to sell on their market stall, still slow going there.
She doesn't bother anymore. She occupies her spare time painting now.
Nobody wants stuff like that, it doesn't matter how good it is or how long it takes to make.
She doesn't bother anymore. She occupies her spare time painting now.
Nobody wants stuff like that, it doesn't matter how good it is or how long it takes to make.
My daughter designs her own knitting patterns and sells them through Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WoolyMcWoolface?ref=search_shop_redirect). Works perfectly well for her and has had no problems in the three years she's been using the site.
The trick, regardless of the platform, is driving people to the page. My daughter uses Instagram and TikTok to engage with her audience - has built over 1,000 followers on each so whenever she launches a new pattern she promotes there which drives people to her Etsy page.
It's not her job but makes an amount that sometimes makes her think she could do it professionally.
The trick, regardless of the platform, is driving people to the page. My daughter uses Instagram and TikTok to engage with her audience - has built over 1,000 followers on each so whenever she launches a new pattern she promotes there which drives people to her Etsy page.
It's not her job but makes an amount that sometimes makes her think she could do it professionally.
StevieBee said:
My daughter designs her own knitting patterns and sells them through Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WoolyMcWoolface?ref=search_shop_redirect). Works perfectly well for her and has had no problems in the three years she's been using the site.
The trick, regardless of the platform, is driving people to the page. My daughter uses Instagram and TikTok to engage with her audience - has built over 1,000 followers on each so whenever she launches a new pattern she promotes there which drives people to her Etsy page.
It's not her job but makes an amount that sometimes makes her think she could do it professionally.
Sounds like she is doing well, but why not promote straight to her own website? It would save lots.The trick, regardless of the platform, is driving people to the page. My daughter uses Instagram and TikTok to engage with her audience - has built over 1,000 followers on each so whenever she launches a new pattern she promotes there which drives people to her Etsy page.
It's not her job but makes an amount that sometimes makes her think she could do it professionally.
If there is little outlay and commitment just give it a go.
ETA : the hardest step is the first one. Make that - even just a single item, limited stock, etc.. there's almost nothing to lose but potentially lots to gain. Just don't go ordering ££££ stock or material!
ETA : the hardest step is the first one. Make that - even just a single item, limited stock, etc.. there's almost nothing to lose but potentially lots to gain. Just don't go ordering ££££ stock or material!
Edited by eps on Friday 5th June 09:06
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