Blog

Here is a beginners guide for shopping on Etsy with tips for improving your experience.

As an Etsy seller, I often forget that not everyone is used to using Etsy. I tell people it’s like eBay for handmade and vintage sellers, but without the bidding. But really when I say that, it doesn’t do the site justice. Etsy is a wonderful platform that helps crafters and artisans connect with each other as well as give them the ability to sell to anyone in the world. You can find some of the nose amazing items with higher quality and care that you will ever find in a store.

Tip 1: Register for an account. Choose a username and password and get shopping. You will need an account to make a purchase, so might as well make one. Also with an account, you can add favorite items, shops, and “follow” other users to see what their picks are (kind of like Pinterest).

Tip 2: Use the search bar and be specific. If you are looking for a nice pair of handmade gray gloves to go with your new coat, don’t just search “gloves”. You will have to go through so many listings. Etsy has a smart search engine so be specific like “women’s gray gloves” and then toggle the filters in your search results.

Tip 3: Read the item description. Make sure you read what the seller is saying. This is where they will list what the item is, how big it is, what its made out of, etc. Say you are still searching for those gray gloves. Make sure it’s not a pattern to make Knit Gloves that happens to use a pair of gray gloves as a picture.

Tip 4: If it’s a made to order or custom item, make sure to communicate what you want. Also be sure if it’s a made to order item, you can see the approximate turn around time. This is also where the seller might display multiple colors of gloves with a note “choose color in note to seller” meaning you would write “gray gloves”

Tip 5: Check out the entire shop. The banner at the top of the shop page has announcements. Sometimes sellers will have a coupon code, or important shipping information.

Tip 6: Read the shop policies. This link can be found on the left hand side of the shop screen. This is where a seller will list their payment policies, shipping, return policy, and any other important information. These are things you will want to know to be an informed buyer. As an added bonus, read the About Page and Reviews. You can really get a better feel of the shop as well as see what past customers have said.

Tip 7: Contact the seller. These shops are all ran by real people. If you want to know more information about the shop or item, just ask! Sellers are usually very friendly and informative.

Tip 8: Use Etsy’s gift guides. Etsy curates collections of unique gift ideas based on price and recipient. I have found some great ideas this way. It helps give you some inspiration or a starting point for your search.

Tip 9: Shop early for the holidays. Etsy sellers usually have earlier cut off deadlines for holiday orders. Be sure you can see their holiday deadlines to give yourself plenty of time to order.

Tip 10: Contact etsy. If you feel uncomfortable or see anything suspicious, don’t be afraid to reach out to Etsy Support. If the seller won’t respond to you ever and you have a big concern, let Etsy know.

So there you have it! I hope these tips have made your Etsy holiday shopping easier!

all images are screenshots from http://www.etsy.com