Ifi - Congratulations on your card/letter order! :D

MDKatie - I LOVE your shop! Thank you for sharing and adding your shop to our list here in this thread. You shop is so beautiful...Added you to my circle. :)

Thanks happychick! There are some really nice shops posted here!

There sure are! :)

I think I've only made about 70 dollars on Etsy in the past year but now my cleaning jobs are drying up so I'm trying to sell my frakturs. I sold quite a few of them when my husband and I did art shows years ago. I'll raise the price if they ever catch on.

I posted my Welcome decoupage sign on etsy last night, and today I got an order for my monogram notecards from a friend from FB, yay! Not related to each other, but I'm happy for my order.

FYI, the order was placed from the same person who won the giveaway I did last month, so it pays to give freebies once in a while ;)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93007976...facet=handmade

Ifi

Good for you Ifi! :) You've added some new items since I last checked your shop!

Just got things in our shop!!!!

http://etsy.com/shop/chelseasacres
please check it out, appreciate feedback. Our banner stinks- I do not know how to compress photos in gimp- but it is there, and took a long time to figure out!

A beautiful shop, InHisName! I really like the mohair you sell. :)
I don't think your banner stinks at all - it's really nice colors that compliment your shop.
A few tips:
1) You should add your 'shop policies' (how your ship, how you accept payment, etc - gives your shop that much more of a professional look)
2) Add 'Waldorf', 'Waldorf Doll' & 'Waldorf Supplies' in your search tags - lots of Waldorf people will LOVE your shop and have use for your supplies, and by adding those words to your search terms you will gets LOADS more traffic. :)

Again, your shop is really beautiful - thanks for adding your shop to our list!

thanks for the input- will check out other policies, etc- Had not really looked into that! Do you sell out of the country? How do you determine shipping? Did not include it, as it is "foreign" to me. :)
The background color is a picture of a rose patchouli soap bar, actually the ribbon- Just HUGE- could not minimize it, so went with it.
Will add Waldorf supplies- thanks for the tip! Love your little dolls, too! (and the potholder weaving loom- may go back to get that...)
Where do you go to add to the policies? Found it---- under shop and appearance

You can click on my shop policies for ideas, right here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FolkOfTheWoodCrafts/policy Yours have to be unique to you, and once you make them it's a good idea to stick to them.

As for your international shipping questions:
I do ship internationally, (All over the world on eBay), and on Etsy have made several sales to England, Brazil & Canada already. Just make sure you charge enough. You can calculate what it costs to ship to any country or zip code with eBay's shipping calculator (it's GREAT, just make sure you put in your zip code, their country and the correct package weight it is will always tell you right.) Click here: http://payments.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...pingCalculator
Most of the time you should ship USPS First Class Mail International, (all packages under 4 lbs), over 4lbs and you have to ship USPS Priority Mail International (very costly). Another tip: you can't print international labels through Etsy without having all the right customs forms - you have to fill it out at the post office (not that hard, just can't do it online as easily). It really is a good idea to allow international buyers though - allows for a lot more sales, I would reccommend you adding that option.


I just sold an item today on Etsy to another fellow homesteader - would be thrilled if you bought the loom! :) In the future I might even have need for some of your mohair for my dolls...! :)

Appreciate that ebay link.... will use it for sure! Added policies, etc-
now to work on shipping. Thanks so much for your help, happychick!

Hi everyone,

I added things to my etsy shop...anyone care to critique me? Feel free to add me to your circles too :-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhereDreamsAreMade

Shop Stats, Shop Links, etc.
 

Both of you should add a link to your Etsy shop in your HomesteadingToday signature like I have. Since I added it, 236 people from HT have visited my shop!

You both should also check out your 'shop stats' if you haven't already - shows every time someone clicks on your items, what search words they used to find you and what website they found you from. Plus you can compare how much money you're making week to week, month to month.

InHisName - your very welcome. I enjoy improving & making my shop grow, and seeing others do the same to theirs! :) Great shop policies!

Lindsay2231 - You've got a lot more listed since I last visited your shop! You still need to add shop policies (makes your shop that much more professional), take a look my policies & InHisName's - will give you some good ideas of what needs to be included.
The biggest thing you need to improve is your 'tags' (individual or pairs of words you add as search terms when listing). Most of your listings you don't have any at all, that means the only way someone can find your products is by scrolling through Etsy's hundreds-thousands of search results.
For example: when someone searches for 'custom doll', unless you used that term in the first 3 words of your title or in your tags, you could be on page 25or 50, or more (most people don't look that far). If you add 'custom doll', you will most likely show up in the first 3 pages - a much more likely chance of not only getting your items viewed, but getting people into your shop to find what else you have. For tags you should describe your item with to-the-point search words that everyone would type in, also include the main colors of your item(s). :thumb:

Love your pics, Linsay- favorited your sugar scrub!
thanks again, Happychick!

Goodness, how frustrating! I actually put all the tags in earlier...but I only typed them into the box and didn't press that "add" button so it didnt save. I did that for EVERY SINGLE ITEM! What a waste of time...just re-did it and set my policies.

I just ordered a ton of additional fly tying items after checking out the site. I had planned on building my surplus of tied flies for eBay anyway so going to give Betsy a try. Gonna start photographing tomorrow.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Lindsay...But glad you got it all in order now!
Great going everyone, there's been alot of homesteaders who've opened new Etsy shops recently!
Wes917, make sure to post a link to your shop here once you get it opened! :thumb:

I just made my first sale...one of my "creatures" for $30...how exciting! :-)

That was quick! Good for you Linsay! :D

How's everyone's sales doing? Been busy working in the garden so haven't spent as much time on Etsy recently, but we're still making some great sales.

Also, I know there are some new shops who need to add their links here! :)

I have an Etsy shop but it's not doing very well. Actually, that's okay. Hubby and I are doing an overhaul of it, plus changing the name. You can do that one time. I started out when I didn't understand what I was doing!!

Plus, there is Bonanza.com. I have a shop there too. It's free to list but you pay when something sells. http://www.bonanza.com/booths/irishwin We are going to redo it also.

Hubby makes fabulous windchimes and we have quite a few to get pictures and posted. Then I have my jewelry things. Not much is happening on either one.

I know that Ebay has a high fees but it does have the traffic. Am wondering if it's better to have the traffic, move things even if the fees are higher or lower fees but not sell as much, if any at all.

As you can probably tell, I'm new to this online selling experience!!

Hello Irish!
What is the name of your new etsy shop? Once you are set up, do post a link here to it!
I have not heard of selling on bonanza before...As for ebay, it IS more expensive then etsy, but is does have more traffic. Some items are better on one site more then another. etsy is geared to more handmade & unique items, whereas ebay is good for collector's items, getting deals, selling off estates, etc.
There is a bit of a learning curve with online selling, but is so fun too!

Hubby opened a little shop selling wind chimes he's made. The website is in my link. Hubby doesn't want to do Ebay, so, that's out, for now. I haven't done anything with my Etsy or Bonanza shops just yet. It takes a bit of time to put a website together!! I don't know how people 'do it all'! There is a lot of online work for even a simple shop!! :-)

Anyway, I'm glad for all the advice and helpfulness on this site!

I forgot to say, my daughter looked at my Etsy and Bonanza sites and will help me straighten it out, to make it look more appealing. I've been clicking on links above and there are some cute things!!

Irish - I love your windchime shop! beautiful work...

Glad to hear your etsy shop is coming along! Do share it with us when you're ready. :)

I am up on etsy now have a website also check it out
HicksWoodShop - Home
Hicks Woodshop by chrishicks2 on Etsy

Not sure if my last post made it on here but here it is again
Just started listing on Etsy I make pens they are pretty cool I make a little money off of them but not much. I have a few custom orders coming in here and there check it out
HicksWoodShop - Home
Hicks Woodshop by chrishicks2 on Etsy

Hello chrishicks82,
Thanks for sharing and adding your Etsy shop to our thread here! Very nice pens! :)

Spring update
 

How's it going Etsy sellers?! What's new with your shops? Do update and share here! :)

Since I last posted I've created a facebook page and pinterest account for our Etsy shop 'Folk of the Wood Crafts' - still in the beginning stages but it is starting to bring in even more traffic! Joined some Etsy teams..

How about you? What are you working on? :)

happychick, congrats on starting the facebook page! I liked it ;)

Ifi

Thanks Ifi! Our page is still really new, so every like counts.
I liked your website fb page - by the way, how's 'heart to craft' coming along? Really well I hope. :)

I'm pretty new to Etsy. I sell stuff that I find on the dump. No kidding. That and yard sales. You can find some good junk on the dump!

Sharpened Axe Mercantile by SharpenedAxe on Etsy

Hey - thanks for posting you shop link here with all the rest of us! Nice shop - it sure is amazing what you can buy and re-sell, those ax heads are great! :)

I've had a shop for almost 2 years, but never did anything with it because we were in Germany and the legalities/logistics of selling things and shipping from an APO were migraine causers. Now that we're back Stateside and settling in, I may start adding things to it.

It's: by Chance by byChanceonEtsy on Etsy

thanks for sharing your link with us jessimeredith! What kind of items do you make/sell? Look forward to seeing some things in your shop. :)

Thanks, lol. Normally knits and hand dyed yarn, I haven't dyed up anything new in a long while though and all the yarn for knitting is packed up in a tote that got shoved into the back of a VERY full shed (sigh). That being said, the tote will get pulled out soon so I can get started on some hats, mittens and shawls.

That's great - I can't wait to see your shop doing well with you work! I know exactly how it goes when you move, or there's anything else that comes up - creativity usually gets put on hold. But I'm glad your settling back in and planning away! It is SO rewarding when you finally list a few things that you have worked on and made from scratch. Do keep in touch and update us when you have some things listed, so we can all favorite them! :)

So...since it appears the yarn is going to be stuck back there a bit longer than expected I've dropped some of my photography on as limited prints. Fingers crossed that my amateur eye grabs someones attention! lol

Wow - looks great!!

I just opened an etsy shop last week. I'm working on building inventory. No sales yet and only a few views. I welcome advice from people who have BTDT :)