How to Sell Products on Etsy: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners to Set Up and Succeed
Discover how to sell products on Etsy with our step-by-step guide for beginners. Learn essential tips and strategies to set up your shop, list products, attract customers, and boost sales.
Table of Contents
How to Sell Products on Etsy
Selling on Etsy can be a rewarding way to turn your passion into profit. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a beginner, this guide will walk you through the steps needed to start selling products on Etsy.
Create an Etsy Account
Go to Etsy.com and click "Sign in." Click "Register" and fill out the required information. Confirm your email to activate your account.
Open Your Etsy Shop
Click "Sell on Etsy" at the top right of the homepage. Follow the prompts to set your shop preferences, including language, country, and currency.
Choose Your Shop Name
Pick a unique name that reflects your brand and products. Ensure the name is not already in use by checking availability on Etsy.
Product Photos
Use high-quality images to showcase your products. Include multiple angles and detailed shots.
Product Descriptions
Write clear and detailed descriptions. Highlight features, materials, dimensions, and any special care instructions.
Pricing Your Products
Research similar items to determine competitive pricing. Consider costs such as materials, labor, and shipping.
Shipping
Set up shipping profiles for your products. Choose whether to offer domestic and international shipping.
Keywords
Use relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions. Think like a buyer and include terms they might search for.
Tags
Add up to 13 tags per listing. Use a mix of specific and broad tags to reach a wider audience.
Social Media
Promote your products on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Engage with your audience and share behind-the-scenes content.
Etsy Ads
Use Etsy's advertising platform to increase visibility. Set a daily budget and monitor performance.
SEO
Optimize your shop for search engines. Use keywords in your shop title, announcement, and about section.
Communication
Respond promptly to customer inquiries. Provide clear and friendly communication
Handling Orders
Process orders quickly and efficiently. Keep customers informed about shipping and delivery
Dealing with Issues
Address any issues or complaints professionally. Offer solutions such as refunds or replacements if necessary
How to Sell Products on Etsy
Etsy is making waves in the online retail marketplace with its focus on apparel, beauty and health products, jewelry and accessories, electronic devices and appliances, 700 categories in all. It is an ideal platform to join as a seller and achieve unprecedented success in a short time. One of the best advantages for sellers on Etsy is that you access 11 crores buyers and pay 0% commission. Etsy serves over 28000 pin codes for delivery and it has a seller base of over 6 lakhs. Sellers receive solid support from Etsy to help them to grow fast. Let Digicommerce help you to get on to the Etsy platform. Read this post on how to sell on Etsy and achieve success quickly.
How to start Selling on Etsy
Follow the steps in this guide to become a seller on Etsy. Create a Etsy seller account This is how to register on Etsy as a seller: Logon to Etsy.com, click the become a supplier link, and click the "Start Selling" button which open a form in which you furnish your email and mobile to start the process of creating your seller account. Etsy takes the process forward. All you need to furnish is your GSTIN number and current bank account details Etsy will confirm your account on verification of your details after which you can login to your Etsy seller control panel.
Start Listing Your Products on Etsy
The next step in the process of how to sell products on Etsy is to upload your products to your storefront. Login to your supplier panel in the account you have just created on Etsy. Click on Catalogs Upload link and click on add new catalog in bulk Next, enter the product category in the search box and make sure you choose the right one from the drop down list, or create your own category. Click on Download Template link. The template looks like an Excel sheet. Fill in the form with product details, following instructions in the form. Fill in the template. You can input multiple products using this template. Go back to the supplier panel Click Upload the File, select the file you have created. If you wish to upload a single product then click on the Catalogs Upload link Click next on Add Single Catalog link Next, select product category from the list Upload product images from your hard disk and input descriptive title and content. Minor details such as color, can be edited while you copy-paste the same content for the same product but with a different color.
How to Start Getting Orders on Etsy
The next step in how to sell products on Etsy is to start getting orders. Simply uploading catalogs is no guarantee of orders. You have to popularize your link through social media channels, WhatsApp and through Etsy promotions. These are a few steps you can take. Add more catalogs - the more products you have on Etsy, the higher your chances of securing orders. The best practice is to upload over 5 catalogs, each with 3 to 5 products, which will translate to higher visibility. Assure fast delivery - Use Etsy's fast track delivery or its next-day-dispatch service. Better still, include shipping in the final price Keep price competitive and in-line with what other sellers are charging for similar products, or better still, keep the price slightly lower to start with. Join Etsy's ad campaigns - Digicommerce can help you plan and implement sales strategies on Etsy. For example Etsy offers a Rs 1200 plan in which you can run advertisements for your catalog.
Shipping and Order Delivery
One important part of selling on Etsy is to be good at Etsy shipping and delivery to assure customer satisfaction. This is how the Etsy order process works: Etsy sends a notification through mail and to your supplier panel message inbox. Always keep track and check throughout the day for such notifications. Acknowledge and accept the order through the supplier panel. Pack the product, download the label and manifest from the supplier panel, print and affix the label and inform Etsy that the package is ready for shipment Etsy's delivery team will arrange for pickup and onward dispatch.
Payment
The best part of selling on Etsy is that you do not have to worry about payments. Your buyer may choose COD or make advance payment. Etsy will transfer funds directly to your bank account on the 7th day from the date of delivery of the shipped product. You will see notifications of such payments received through your supplier panel.
Top Benefits of Etsy Seller Support
While larger marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart may have complex processes and many rules, Etsy's system is simpler, and, besides, Etsy offers excellent support to sellers. Now that you have progressed past the how to become Etsy seller, it is time to know more about benefits.
Large customer base
Etsy has a customer base of 11 crores buyers spread across India. That number is impressive. If you can sell to even 0.5% of this buyer base, you will see good growth.
Ability to Create a Solid Brand Identity
Etsy's policies are seller-friendly and it helps you to protect your brand as well as promote it through its campaigns. Etsy has high visibility and buyers searching on Etsy will certainly get to know your brand.
Simple Workflow
Etsy does not have a complex web of rules and compliances. You simply register, sell and receive payments.
End-To-End Assistance
Etsy support team is very helpful. Even if you do not know how to register on Etsy or how to sell products on Etsy, you can be sure they will provide guidance at every step of the way, even advise you on packing and shipping as well as pricing.
Secure Payments
Etsy assures direct transfer of payments to your bank account with a 7 days payment cycle, counted from the delivery date.
Smooth Delivery Process
You do not have to worry about finding a courier or courier charges. Etsy has partnered with several couriers to deliver to over 28000 pincodes across India at the lowest rate. All you have to do is to pack and prepare product for shipment; Etsy does the rest. In case of returns, it has a free return shipping policy with zero fees for the first month.
What is the Pricing and Commission on Etsy?
It will come as a pleasant surprise to sellers on Etsy that Etsy does not charge any commission on the sale price of your product, nor does it charge payment transaction fee. You receive the entire value of the order directly in your account.
How to Deliver Your Products on Etsy?
How to sell products on Etsy is quite easy, especially since you do not have to worry about shipping. Etsy has tied up with logistics partners throughout India to deliver to over 28000 pincode locations at the lowest cost. It has a standard shipping plan and a Next Day Dispatch (NDD) Program. You can offer this to attract more buyers and ensure higher visibility in Etsy searches. All you have to do, once you receive an order, is to pack and label the package. Etsy logistic partners will pick up the package for onward transmission to the buyer.
Can You Also Sell Products on Etsy Without GST?
If you have seen the section on how to register on Etsy as a seller, you will observe that the basic requirement is that a seller should have a GSTIN number linked to their bank account. There are exceptions. There is an exemption limit of Rs 40 lakhs in some states and Rs 20 lakhs in some other states (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Telengana, Tripura and Uttarakhand). If your turnover is below these limits then GST registration is not required to become a reseller on Etsy. Still, it is advisable to obtain the GST registration certificate.
Tips to Sell Better on Etsy
At the very least, do this: Create more than 5 catalogs, each with 4-5 products. Give the right descriptive title and detailed content. Include top quality images of the product taken from different angles. Study competitor prices on Etsy and price your product accordingly and, if possible, include next day dispatch. How to sell products on Etsy in large numbers requires you to start promoting your products and your Etsy page. You can conduct offsite campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Whatsapp. You can conduct onsite campaigns on Etsy using Etsy ads for which you pay to promote your catalogs. Digicommerce will handle your Etsy ad campaigns. Once you take part your product moves on top of search results on Etsy. Buyers will prefer to click on the top listed products. Etsy offers Recommended Catalogs program and Auto CPC programs to sell better. You can set budget and duration of Etsy ad campaigns. Maintain contact with customers after a sale and get their positive ratings. Positive ratings help you to get the "M" trusted label and that will help to convince more buyers to buy your products.
