Etsy Makes Starting A Business Easy

This year you’ve decided to create that first business or sell a handmade product. But it may be a second business and you don’t have the budget yet for a website of your own. There is good news for startups and new business owners who have decided to take the entrepreneurial jump, and that is a growing marketplace called, Etsy.
Etsy has been very popular for craftspeople, as it has the potential to create an online presence quickly as users share their links to social networking sites like Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus. While e-commerce and dedicated websites are preferable, this can be a good first step toward your long term goals as your budget increases.
While Etsy made it’s entrance into the online world with a focus on crafts, they have broadened their offerings that include unusual books, so authors – it may be something that would work for you.

How to sell on Etsy

The time it takes to get started is fairly simple, but will require daily attention and social sharing on your part. Here is how you can get started on Etsy:
1. After you register for a new account you are ready to set up your store. Registration is found at the top of Etsy’s website and can be done through Facebook or email.
2. Next, click Sell on the top of Etsy’s website:

You are given sever options for selling:

3. Choose your language and currency preference. Keep in mind that while your currency can be changed your language settings are permanent.

4. After launching your shop, Etsy makes it simple to customize, starting with your shop name:

5. Listing your items is simple, and your shop can be customized with a banner. Take a look at this shop as an example:

6. Set up your payment methods with Etsy’s Direct Checkout. For the available options you can visit their website here.
Because Etsy has such a high volume of visitors this is a great way to start your branding journey and establish your new venture. The Pinterest-style board is attractive to visitors, and encourages sales and engagement as well.
As a seller you will want to keep in mind what your competitors are offering and at what prices, which is very similar to sites like Amazon or Ebay. The way to stand out is to be unique, creative, and in the range of what your products are selling for. Stay active on social media as well, and use these additional outlets to promote your Etsy shop.
There are fees to keep in mind when selling on Etsy as well. Currently shop owners need to pay 20 cents per item, and then 3.5 percent of the sales goes to Etsy. This is a bargain, however; when considering the cost to set up a website and hosting.
Tell me below if you have used Etsy and how it has worked for your business!
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