Way back in February, I started thinking about writing a few blog posts with Etsy Tips or general advice about running an online shop. Finally - now that I've got lots of spare time while I recover from the flu - I am actually going to write them! I'll be discussing things like photos, shipping, customer service, branding, promotion, social networking, etc... starting tomorrow with thoughts on Product.
I make no claims to have any super-secret business wisdom, and I don’t plan on writing the ultimate guide to running a crafty business (as if such a thing were even possible!), but I’ve been running my little business for a couple of years now and I’m happy to share a few tips with anyone who might be interested.
If you’re thinking about setting up a shop somewhere like Etsy or Folksy, you may already have an established business that just needs an online presence or you may be starting from scratch and dipping your toes into the world of retail for the first time. I’m going to be writing these posts from the point of view of the latter reader – someone who makes stuff, and is thinking about selling it and maybe dreaming about eventually quitting their day job and becoming a full time designer/maker. Because of this, some of the topics I cover might seem a little basic but please bear with me!
Please do feel free to leave comments with your thoughts on the topics I cover, or to post links to any relevant posts on other blogs :)
15 comments:
Still I'm sure you'll have good advice and tips.
Looking forward to your Branding post in particular :)
Hi
I'll be looking forward to your posts, I'm planning on setting up an Etsy shop this Autumn. I'm particularly interested in the tax side of it, do you have to do anything special if you ship overseas?
This sounds great! I'm about to re-open my Etsy shop for a third time and would like to put a 100% effort into it.
Thank you for sharing your advice and tips with us.
M. x
That'll be great, I bet you have a lot of good advice to give and I need all the help I can get!!
Selling online is something I've been considering for quite some time so I'm really looking forward to your posts! The one thing I haven't been able to find much info on is where handmade sellers stand with trading standards and the law.
I have recently started crafting and plan to set up an etsy shop in the future and ..erm...know nothing!!! need all the advise I can get..
Looking forward to hearing your tips & advice!
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and posting tips! I've been thinking of opening an Etsy shop, and I look forward to reading your posts. I would be happy to be half as successful as you've been!
So looking forward to these posts! Was it really February when you first mentioned them? Seems like not that long ago.
Very interesting! I'm opening an Etsy shop soon too and I am eager to hear all your advise and tips!
This is so generous of you to share your knowledge. Thank you, I'm looking forward to reading your posts, and maybe taking the plunge myself one day.
Bertie x
I'm looking forward to it all! especially as I'm getting ready to set up my own online shops (first up: Etsy).
Everytime I speak to someone about it, family and friends wise, they think that it is such an easy thing to do. But it it taking me so long to get going, and I really do think it takes a lot of hard work.
Anyway, hope your recovery goes well. My sister also has M.E., but so far hasn't caught anything over the summer!
Hi! I'm looking forward to your posts! I've been doing fairly well on Etsy but would like to take it to the next level, so to speak. Thanks for sharing :-)
amy cluck has written quite a few, and really good, posts in this area, here's a link.
i would like to give my etsy shop a little extra love and dedication so i'm really looking forward reading your future articles and get inspired.
I can't wait for your posts. I have set up an Etsy shop (to reserve my name more than anything I suppose lol), but never sold anything as yet as I've only briefly looked into as all the talk about taxes and having a full time job already, and living in council accomodation it's a bit difficult having to contact the council about running a business from their place and how to go about sorting out the tax and making sure I'm not paying too much seeing as I have my job... it just got a bit too much for me who only would sell the odd thing or two if I made something and fancied selling it. LOL, but I would love to see your posts to get a better understanding of how things work, as I got as far as I've said and that's it.
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