How To Start An Etsy Shop In 2022: A Beginner’s Guide
Etsy is an ideal online marketplace for selling handmade items, craft supplies, or vintage goods. There are 89 million active buyers on Etsy, making it one of the largest online marketplaces.
With sellers and buyers from across the globe, Etsy is a great eCommerce platform for selling your unique and creative goods.
Moreover, starting an Etsy shop is a simple process and is free of cost. However, if you are new to the platform, it may seem a bit overwhelming.
If you are one of those who wants to start an Etsy shop but aren’t sure where to start then you are at the right place. We’ve written this article to walk you through the process of setting up your Etsy shop, adding your first listings, and selling products. So, let’s get started.
Why choose Etsy for selling?
Etsy generates billions in revenue and has a unique user base looking to buy rare and unique goods. Some other key reasons why one should choose Etsy include –
- Etsy offers a niche market. Large general stores and eCommerce juggernauts like Amazon don’t always cater to small special interests because there’s not enough demand for those products to make up the cost. Etsy, on the other hand, is the best for niche products like homemade goods, handmade jewelry, crafts, etc. Etsy, therefore, is a mainstream platform for non-mainstream products.
- The seller community on Etsy is much more united and helpful as compared to other eCommerce platforms. There’s also a forum called ‘Etsy Community’ where sellers can ask and answer questions or share advice with other sellers. This friendly community makes Etsy a great platform to sell products on.
- Etsy is designed in a way that anyone can use it. While some eCommerce platforms require coding skills and a huge amount of time, Etsy lets you set up a shop in just a matter of minutes. Many Etsy sellers praise the ease with which they can set up new shops or create new product listings. All in all, Etsy is quite a user-friendly platform.
- While the eCommerce industry mostly attracts mainstream vendors, Etsy offers a great place for artisans. Etsy sellers are often more passionate about their craft than selling. It’s selling that’s a hobby for them unlike a lot of vendors on other marketplaces whose main goal is to make money.
- It’s an uphill battle for any new online store to get noticed and build a customer base. Getting the first few customers is often the hardest part. Etsy does a great job of accomodating new sellers. It makes it easier for new sellers to break in and also allows leveraging a built-in customer base which would otherwise take years to accomplish.
Start an Etsy shop in 6 simple steps
Follow the below six steps to open your Etsy shop in a few minutes –
1. Create an Etsy account
The first step is to visit the Etsy homepage and scroll to the bottom of the page. There you’ll find the option Sell on Etsy. Clicking on it will open a new landing page where you can select the option Get started.
A pop-up will appear asking you for your email address and other details. After entering the email address, you’ll have to enter your first name and set up a password. Click Register after it.
You can sign up using your Google, Facebook, or Apple account also.
You will then be taken to another Etsy landing page where you’ll click Open your Etsy shop. Once there, go to the Shop Manager option.
2. Set up shop preferences
Inside the Shop Manager section in your Etsy account, you need to set up your Shop preferences. Here, enter your preferred language, country, and currency. Then choose what kind of seeling you’ll be doing on Etsy – either part-time or full-time. Then click on Save and continue.
3. Enter a unique name for your Etsy shop
On the next screen, you’ll need to enter a unique name for your Etsy shop. Then click on Check availability. The limit would be 20 characters without spaces, numbers, or accented letters. If the name you’ve entered is already taken, you’d be shown a number of variations to choose from. You can also try a new name altogether. Once you find a name, click Save and continue at the bottom of the page.
4. Add items
Once you name your store, the next step is to add items. It is recommended to begin with at least 10 items. Click on Add a listing and you’ll be taken to a new page. Here, choose your photos and enter relevant product details including title, item category, description, available quantity, and shipping cost, etc. Then finally click on Preview to see your listing. Click on Save and continue to move to the next step.
5. Choose payment preferences
The next step is to set up a payment method by either choosing a savings account or a checking account. Then enter your bank account information. When finished, click on Save and continue at the bottom of the screen.
6. Set up billing
At this point, your Etsy shop is almost ready. As a final step, you need to set up billing in order to pay for any charges that might be accrued through Etsy. This might include charges like paying for advertising or shipping.
And with that, you’ve opened your first shop on Etsy. Congratulations!
In time, you can choose to customize it even further, add a profile photo or bio, set your policies, or add an about section.
Conclusion
The steps we shared here are quite easy to follow. You can start your own shop within minutes. It doesn’t need to be perfect from the start. Over time, you can customize your store and make it better.
But right now, it is the easiest way to get started and begin selling.
If you need help with product images for your newly set up Etsy shop, make sure to check out DoMyShoot. This user-friendly product photography app is specially designed for online sellers to help them get high-quality product photos.
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