I could have PREPARED better! | 8 Things We Wish We Knew Before Starting an Etsy Shop

About this video

In a collaboration with Jenny from Jenny’s Wreath Boutique, Kate Hayes covers the first four of eight things she wishes she had known before starting her Etsy shop in 2015; Jenny covers the other four on her channel. 1) Shipping: her first sale caught her unprepared and she shipped in a recycled box. Plan for item size and whether to use branded boxes (she names uprinting.com and packlane.com) or plain boxes from Amazon, Uline or Papermart. On Etsy shipping uses USPS or FedEx; she uses USPS for smaller packages like jewelry and FedEx for larger items like full-size wreaths. USPS home pickup is free to schedule, FedEx pickup is charged per package or per week — she says they pay $15 a week for daily scheduled pickup — and she recommends a Dymo label printer. 2) Photos: professional-looking photos are possible with just a phone using natural light by a bright window, an ironed background sheet or an inexpensive lightbox, and editing brightness and crop; Etsy allows 10 listing photos, so mix zoomed, staged and lifestyle shots with a cohesive style. 3) Holiday preparation: stop procrastinating and plan a season ahead, starting prep at least two or three months before target holidays. 4) First sales: have a marketing plan, honestly assess whether the product is in demand and whether you can scale it, do SEO research on tags and titles, route even family and friend sales through Etsy to boost listings, and solicit five-star reviews via confirmation emails and packing slips.

Key takeaways

• Source shipping boxes and supplies before your first sale; compare USPS for small and FedEx for large packages
• Use carrier home pickup and a label printer to avoid daily post office trips
• Phone photos work with natural light, a smooth background, and brightness/crop edits; use all 10 photo slots
• Prep holiday products a season ahead, at least two to three months early
• Route all early sales through Etsy and ask for reviews in confirmation emails and packing slips to boost ranking

Episode details: published September 15, 2020 · 11:59 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Kate Hayes’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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