Thoughts About Etsy.com

Posted by Jenn Greenleaf Apr 5, 2008

About three or four years ago, I opened an etsy.com shop with a wide variety of products:

• Mixed media paintings
• Handmade books
• ACEOs
• Altered objects
• Altered books (themed)
• Handmade greeting cards

In the first, I don’t know, two years or so I didn’t see any sales at all. I took the products off and managed to sell the majority of them on personal websites and blogs. I tried again in 2006 and had one big sale (i.e. one person bought several items). I haven’t updated my shop since then.

I feel like I’ve invested more time than it was worth. My work was praised in the other areas I’ve sold it, but there wasn’t much going on with etsy.com. I didn’t do anything different with advertising, promoting, or word of mouth spreading for the websites and blogs in comparison to the etsy.com shop. In fact, I did less.

What is your experience with etsy.com? Are you a regular buyer on etsy.com? Have you had success with selling on etsy.com? Do you think I gave up too quickly?