In 2023, creating an online store is not a difficult task. If you’re planning to create one, you must have heard of Etsy. It is one of the largest online marketplaces- where sellers can open a storefront by following a few steps.

Etsy is known for its best handcrafts, vintage, and custom designs. If you think you have an artisan talent and a keen eye for vintage and handcraft items, then you can certainly open an Etsy store to earn significant revenue. If you don’t know how to sell on Etsy, don’t trip. In this article, we have provided a beginner’s guide- from creating and setting up an account to useful tips that can be helpful to kickstart your sales on Etsy.

Start selling on Etsy by following these 9 steps

1- Create an account on Etsy

Before creating a shop, the first thing first is starting with your account creation. By following the link https://www.etsy.com, you will land on the homepage. On the homepage, you can see the sign-in option in the upper right corner.

By clicking on sign-in, you will have the option either to register or sign in with an already existing account.

As for the registration, simply use your email id, first name, and password and then click the register.
Other alternative methods to choose from for registration are Facebook, Google, or Apple account.

After successfully signing in, you will land on the get started page. Click on get started to start creating your seller account.

Then you will get access to your seller account. On the homepage, you can see your account icon, click on it and then choose to sell on Etsy to create your Etsy shop.

You will proceed to the following pages. You can either choose one of the options for better guidance or skip to the next.

Finally, you will proceed to the fun part- which is to start your shop. Click on it to proceed with the shop creation process.

2- Get started by choosing Shop Preference

The next step is choosing the general setting of your shop. The setting includes choosing the language, country, and currency. Choose the suitable options then click save and continue to proceed further.

Remember that you can not change the language once you select it. Moreover, the selected language will be used to describe your product details. But you can add more languages later- to translate your page for your buyers’ convenience.

Additionally, if you don’t find your country on the list of shop countries, then it means Etsy is not available in your region. As for the currency, you can choose the currency of your country. But whatever currency you choose, the buyer will see rates in their local currency. Also, keep in mind, in case of having a different shop and bank currency- a 2.5% of sale amount conversion fee will apply.

3- Choose your Etsy Shop Name

Choose the right name for your shop. No one can deny the importance of having a unique name for the business. As the buyer will remember the name and will use it for the recommendations. So, choose the name that will define your products. Moreover, it should be easy to pronounce and remember. According to Etsy policies, you will have to choose a name between 4-20 characters without spaces, special characters, or accented letters.
If you don’t know what to name your shop, don’t fret. You can use Etsy name suggestions as well. In the image below, you can see how Etsy helps to figure out the name.

Furthermore, you can also use an online name generator for more name suggestions. Or ask your friends or family for suggestions. But remember, it should be unique and defining.
Above all, in the long run, you might prefer to convert your Etsy shop to an e-commerce store. And for this, you will need a domain name. So, put extra effort to name your store that could match your business domain name. Also, to get further reach, you will need to use Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest– the name of these platforms should be the same as that of your store.
Additionally, if your shop is not open you can change the name as many times as you like. But once your shop is open, you can change it up to five times. The name of your shop will integrate into the URL like this
https://www.etsy.com/shop/shopname or shopname.etsy.com
Once finalizing the name click on save and continue, to get going.

4- Stock your shop by creating a product listing

After naming your shop, what comes next is creating a product listing. This is the most crucial step, as it will illustrate your products to the customer. Based on your preference, you can sell both digital and physical products. But, they do not have the same steps to create the listing.
For physical products, you need to follow the following steps to create a listing:

Add photo and video

Photos have primary importance in showcasing products. You can upload multiple photos at once- import files (in jpg, .gif, or .png) from your computer by clicking on add a photo. Also, you can rearrange the order of the photos- simply click and drag an image to the left or right. Etsy allows you to add up to ten photos. Make sure to add at least five photos.

For the best image practices, pay attention to the following details

• Images should have a resolution of 72PPI and a recommended size of 2000px on their shortest side.
• Follow the mentioned orientations for the images.

Moreover, your primary image will be the thumbnail image of your listing. So, choose the best image to grab the buyer’s attention. Because it will showcase in search results, on your shop home, and numerous places. Furthermore, within the same listing, you can showcase different choices (colors and sizes) of the product by using variation photos.
Also, use video to give life to your product. It could help the customer to trust your product. Use the following tips for creating a video:

• Video duration should be 5-10 secs
• Max file size should be 100MB
• The video resolution should be 1080 or higher
• Illustrate the use of the product

Listing details

The purpose of listing details is to give an overview of your product. And it also enhances the reach to the customers by specifying the category of the products. Following are the details that you need to add:

• Title: Describe your product within 140 words. Use the keywords that would best describe your product. Your title must contain the keywords you plan to use in tags.

• About this listing: Choose the best answer possible. If it is not you then mention the manufacturer of the product. What type of product it is?  and when did you make it?

• Category: Use a general keyword that buyers will use to search for the product to buy. You can get category suggestions by searching for two or three-word descriptions of your product.

• Renewal options: Listings on Etsy expires after four months. After that, you have the option either to renew or delete it. For the renewal options, either choose automatic– if you want the listings to be automatically renewed, or choose manual– if you’d prefer to manually renew expired listings or delete them.
• Types: Choose the type of product you want to sell- either a physical product (bags, jewelry, shirts, etc) or a digital product (stickers, wallpapers, printable planners, etc).
• Descriptions: Write a detailed overview of your product. Remember, the buyer will only see your first two lines of the description. So, make it a clickable one.

• Tags: Use all 13 of the tags that are available for each item. Your tags should contain the terms that customers type into the search bar to find your product. This is your shot to win customers.

Inventory and pricing

Under this section, add your prices per item (keeping in mind the prices for local and global customers, and your profit margin), the number of available items, and the SKU (only if you use it). Moreover, you can also add product variations available in different colors and sizes.

Shipping details

Add the following shipping details of the product:

• Shipping price (let Etsy calculate it for you)
• Origin of shipping and processing time
• Item’s weight and size
• Shipping service

Save as a draft or Publish

After successfully adding all the necessary details, choose either to save as a draft or publish. If you intend to make changes in the listing, then Save it as a draft and make as many changes as many you want. Listing in the drafts doesn’t have any expiry limit.
If you think you’re ready to sell your product, then Publish it.

5- Identify the type of Seller to get paid

The next important step is to identify the type of seller you will be on Etsy- either as an individual or a business entity.

If you’re planning to start your shop as a sole owner, then choose an individual and provide the following information mentioned in the image below, then click save and continue to proceed further.

Moreover, as an eligible seller, you will get paid by Etsy payments. It is a primary way to get your deposit directly into your bank account. It provides several options for the buyer to make their purchase. Some of them are the following:

• Credit cards
• Debit/bank cards
• Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
• PayPal
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay, etc

None of these services require an account for sellers using Etsy payments to receive money from the buyer. So, you will receive funds in your bank account on your deposit schedule (weekly, every Monday). For daily deposits, some countries have a minimum balance requirement. As a result, you won’t receive a deposit on that day if your amount available for deposit is below the minimum for the currency of your bank account.

As for your eligibility to enroll in Etsy Payments, you must be located in the eligible countries list and must have a residential address, valid bank account, credit card, debit card, or reloadable prepaid card.

6- Add credit card details for Etsy Billing

Although creating an account on Etsy costs you nothing. But you will have to pay the following fees to provide your services on the platform:

1. Listing fees
2. Transaction fees
3. Payment processing fees

For this purpose, you must add your Credit Card details to pay your fees. If you’re a US resident, then you can avail of the option of auto-billing for your tranquility. If not, then you can clear your dues by the fifteenth of the month.

You must need a credit card on file as well- in case you fail to clear your remaining fees. If you have an Etsy store in a country where Etsy Payments is not available, then you will have to pay the bills manually. You can learn more about how your payment account works and how to pay your due payments, click here.

7- Secure your Shop

For your shop security, Etsy recommends you employ the following approach:

• Set up a two-factor authentication code
• Use an authenticator app
• Download backup codes for login in other devices than the phone
• Choose your option to get started

8- Shop Customization

The final step of creating your Etsy storefront is your shop customization. In this step, with appealing and strong visuals, you can pique the customer’s interest in your products. It is more like adding color, style, and breath-taking photography of your products. For shop customization, click on the shop manager.

Scroll down a bit and go to the settings and then click on Info & appearance to customize your Etsy store.

Your banner, which extends over the top of your webpage, is the first image that customers see when they visit your store. Make it visually appealing that present the essence of your services. Make sure the dimensions of the banner should be correct. For big banners, the recommended dimension is 3360 x 840 pixels. Use the featured area to showcase the customers of your best listings.

About section

In your About section,

• Tell the story of your brand
• Your inspiration
• How the products are made
• The reason for starting this small venture
• What you most love about your work

You can give a detailed overview of these bullet points in 5,000 characters. By addressing these points in your words, your customer will be able to know the story of the creator of the store. It will create a sense of connectivity between the seller and buyer. Unquestionably, a well-crafted about section will let the customer see who you’re.
To gain customers’ trust, you can add a video that provides a close-up look at the goods in your store and the manufacturing process.

Add the shop owner’s photo to let the customers feel the credibility of the business. Therefore, pick a candid photo that shows your finest side. Upload a photo of 400 x 400 pixels.

Moreover, you can also add the details about manufacturers. Through this, you can tell your customers to whom you outsource your products. You can enlist them and mention the services they provide to come up with the final product. In the member section, you can add a link to your Etsy profile. Any additional collaborators with whom you are working can also have their Etsy profile links added.

Shop policies- Set up

Setting up the policies might sound boring to you, but you will still have to do this. In this section, you will address the anticipated customer’s queries. The necessary elements of setting up shop policies are the following:

• Shipping information (processing time and tax information)
• Available payment options
• Return and exchange policy

9- Select Etsy Subscription Plan

This step is optional. It depends on you whether you would like to access Etsy Plus features or prefer to continue with Etsy Standard features.

Etsy provides you the opportunity to select either of its subscription plan- Etsy standard or Etsy plus. The following detail can help you to decide which plan you should opt for.

Etsy Subscription Plan 

• Etsy Standard
• Etsy Plus

Pricing

• Etsy Standard- Free
• Etsy Plus- USD $10/month

 Features

Etsy Standard

• Basic tools available
• Have access to paid services including Etsy Ads, Pattern, and Etsy Shipping Labels

Etsy Plus

• 15 listing credits, USD$5 Etsy Ads credit
• Buyers can receive restock request
• Get access to the custom web domain for better reach
• Add multiple banners and get a new layout option for listings
• Get a discount on custom boxes to build your brand
• Get a 30% discount on Moo– a printable and design company

Depending on your convenience, you can easily upgrade or downgrade your subscription. Remember, a paid subscription will not affect your listings. Etsy only shows what the buyers intend to search.

Helpful Tips- Successfully sell on Etsy

• Create social media presence for your store. This is how you will get a greater reach to customers. You can use Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, and Twitter.
• Employ SEO techniques, so that your store could be featured in Etsy search results. It will also help you to get featured in Google Search results as well. So, you have the opportunity to be featured and demonstrate your products to potential customers.
• Take professional photos of your products. As your customer cannot walk into your store and feel the texture and hold the product. As a result, the only thing that can persuade them to show the worth of the products is the photos. If you don’t know how to take professional photos, learn from YouTube tutorials.
• Ask the customers to share their reviews by capturing photos. You can engage with them through your social media handles.
• Promote your new listings on social media accounts.
• Take your time to think of writing a peculiar and standout description of yourself. Inspire people through your words. And let them feel a connection that it should be their go-to online store.
• Look into Etsy’s Marketplace insight. Learn about the trends. Through the insight, figure out what the buyer would prefer to shop. You will get ideas for new products, content ideas for social media promotion, and ideas for choosing which listing should be promoted through Etsy ads.
• Use Etsy Ads to promote your products. And you can also use Etsy Offsite Ads as well. To learn more about Etsy Offsite Ads, click here.
• Stay focused and never compromise on the quality of your service.
• When a listing’s title and tag words match the buyer’s search words or phrases, the search algorithm deems it more relevant. So, craft a title with your intended tags to get featured in the search results.

Frequently Asked Questions

1- Why should I consider Etsy for opening an online store?

Well, Etsy is best known for providing handmade, vintage, and craft supplies. You can count on the credibility of this platform because in category ranking (e-commerce & shopping) it ranks 4th, and in global ranking- ranks 53. Moreover, based on the site traffic, it has 566.4M total visits which provides the opportunity to get your products noticed.

Also, Etsy gets Direct traffic- which accounts for 50.05% of all visits, showing that you don’t need to put more effort into marketing on other platforms. Simply put, to be displayed in search results, you must create a visually appealing and comprehensive product listing with targeting keywords.
What’s more, Etsy has increased its total number of buyers by 80% from 47.1 million to 89.1 million. An average of five purchases were made on Etsy by 44 million recurring customers in the previous 12 months.
These stat shares, undoubtedly, are a sufficient incentive to consider this platform for your online store.

2- What is the upfront cost of opening your Etsy Store?

There is no upfront cost for opening the store. Although, there are some operating fees that you will have to pay to work smoothly on the platform. Given below are the main operating fees:

• Listing fees

To sell your products on Etsy, you have to create a listing. And when you publish it to sell products, you’re charged flat $0.20 USD per listing. It means you are charged for selling your product. You have to pay this fee, no matter if the product advertised sells or not. When you publish an item, the fee is automatically deposited to your Etsy payment account.

• Transaction fees

Unlike listing fees, only listings that sell are subject to transaction fees. According to your selected listing currency, Etsy charges 6.5% of the total order value. The transaction fee is automatically transferred to your Etsy Payment account.

• Payment processing fees

Etsy Sellers who use Etsy Payments are charged payment processing fees on every transaction. This is a fee that is levied on top of the transaction fee (6.5%) that applies to an order’s cost. The payment processing fees vary on basis of your bank account location. For the United States resident, the payment processing fee is 3% + 0.25 USD. To learn more about the payment processing fee of your country, click here.

3- What are the best SEO practices for your store?

• Integrate your shopper’s search intent into your services. When determining relevancy, search engines consider the content and links on your pages and how closely they connect to the user’s search.
• Optimize your listing by adding the tags or keywords in the first 50 to 60 characters. Because only the first 50 to 60 characters will be displayed on the Google search results page.
• For SEO, pictures and videos are crucial. Your listing pages might also appear in the Google Images and Google Video tabs in addition to providing context for Google to comprehend the page. For this purpose, use alt text to let your page appear in Google search images. Similarly, video boosts your search-result presence on Google.