| August 6, 2009 |
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| I was very fortunate early on in my shop's existence to have people trust me and purchase items from my little shop, despite my newbie status. Because of this, I try to buy from newly opened shops or shops with few or no sales. My experience with newer or less experienced sellers has taught me a few valuable lessons about my own shop and how I handle customer service and my shop's appearance. |
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 1. No shop banner or even worse no avatar!
Would you walk into a store that didn't have a sign out front? Unless you are going for the super exclusive VIP look, get on it! If you have trouble making one, Etsy provides free avatar templates and does the banner work for you with the Bannerator. (Or check out the graphic artists on Etsy who sell avatars and banners here.)
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 2. Stay up to date.
Ever read a listing describing how an item would make a great Valentine's Day gift in the middle of July? Maybe you've come across a seller who was supposed to return from vacation a couple weeks ago. Make sure your announcements and listings are up to date and relevant. Need help with creative copy? Check out this article on Writing for an Online Audience.
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|  3. Fill in the blanks.
Nothing says "I'm not paying attention" more than a missing item from the featured items row. If a featured item is purchased, make sure to replace it as soon as possible. Leaving these spots empty makes your shop look somewhat deserted. If you tend to be forgetful, mark a number of featured items and when one sells, you'll have a backup to fill the empty position. Learn more about featured shop items here.
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| |  4. Message in a bottle.
At checkout, customers can leave a message for you that you'll find at the bottom of your transaction page. Don't forget to look out for it! If someone goes to the trouble to write a message to seller, it is usually important. Want more tips straight from the buyer's mouth? Check out this article, Service Tips for Sellers: The Buyers' Perspective.
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|  5. Sell local.
People want to know specifically where an item will ship from, especially last minute shoppers who are looking for short shipping times. If you are concerned about your privacy, you don't need to get specific with your city, but be sure to list the state, region or provence where you are from. Buying local is hot right now, so take advantage of it! Learn how to set your location in this helpful blog post, How-To: Sell Local.
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|  6. Send a confirmation.
There isn't an online retailer out there that doesn't send a conformation email within minutes of making a purchase; shoppers expect it. Of course, not everyone can return an email within minutes, but try to do it as soon as possible. Thank them and include an estimated shipping lead time. Want more information on what happens after you sell an item? Check out this FAQ for answers to help you through your first sale.
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| I hope these little tips help and feel free to contact me if you want to gather around the water cooler and talk shop or gossip about the hot delivery driver! Now go out and rock the party that rocks the party! Super great! Allison Cecil aka MonkeysAlwaysLook P.S. Know a new seller that could benefit from these tips? Forward this email along! |
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Handmade Moment Video Contest
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 Hit the streets with your video camera and get some footage for the Handmade Moment Video contest! There are over 80 submissions already, so don't get left in the dust. Get your entry in soon, soon, soon.
We announced a few of our Handmade Moment judges (they rock) who will participate in selecting a winner this October. Oh, and the prize? A total of $10,000 will be given to top runners. Cha-ching! |
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