NEVER DO THIS 1 THING ON ETSY! | #1 Mistake to Avoid When Selling on Etsy

About this video

Jahraus argues that copycats never win on Etsy. She defines copying as taking another top seller’s titles, tags, descriptions or photos, notes her own shop has experienced copy-and-paste copying, and says it is against Etsy policy and a reported listing can be removed. She says she tracks shops that copy hers and, by her account, they never become successful — contrasting, as she states it, about 28 sales a day for her shop with one for a copycat — because copycats are always ten steps behind and have no original ideas. Copying also forces price competition: if the copied shop is more established in orders and reviews, the copycat can only compete by charging a dollar less, which caps success. She argues Etsy customers, unlike price-first shoppers, want the real, original item and value design, workmanship and customer experience, using Lululemon leggings versus a cheap lookalike as an example. To succeed, a shop must think ten steps ahead, be proactive rather than reactive, foresee trends and anticipate customer needs — noting that by the time a trend is visibly working for another shop, a follower may be two to four months behind — and build a brand customers want to buy from. Finally, she says copying is unsustainable: it is unfulfilling and the price game continually squeezes margins. Looking for inspiration is acceptable, but sellers should develop their own ideas and identity.

Key takeaways

• Copying titles, tags, descriptions or photos is against Etsy policy and risks listing removal if the original shop reports it
• Copycat shops stay behind the originator and, in Jahraus’s tracked example, get far fewer daily sales
• Copying the same product as a more established shop forces competition only on price, which caps growth and compresses margins
• Etsy customers are described as valuing originality, design, workmanship and customer experience over being cheapest, like buyers who want the real brand over a knockoff
• Build success proactively by foreseeing trends, anticipating customer needs and creating a distinct brand, using other shops for inspiration rather than imitation

Episode details: published July 27, 2022 · 5:49 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dylan Jahraus’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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