REALISTIC advice for someone who wants to start an Etsy shop

Here's my honest advice for anyone wanting to start an Etsy shop for their handmade business right now.
It's not all pretty and you might not want to hear some of it, but after selling on the platform for more than 17 years, this would be my advice to you if you're looking to get started on the platform.
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[@mishti06]

Fantastic advice! I've been a handmade seller on etsy for a very long time...but due to the recent bots im finally just thinking of selling directly via social media. One thing that really erks me as a seller is that when you sell on a platform like this, buyers will usually always tell ppl that they 'bought it on etsy' NOT.."I got it from (shop name/artist)". As an artist, I want recognition for my brand. You won't get that on etsy.

[@KimBliss]

Yeah this has always been a challenge on Etsy for sure. 💚

[@saraweberart3914]

I am in the same boat!

[@mrsmay2430]

Thank U for the honest revelation. It hits the bullseye for new entrepreneurs. Keep it up ! ❤

[@ghostteqmb632]

That’s understandable but unfortunately most social media platforms are run by Bots.. Facebook specifically, it is merely Impossible to converse with a Human within their Meta Dome ! Lol

[@SlimyLotusKing]

It seems like a lot of different platforms are like that. They just suck. They promise the moon then when they get you in the door they don't come anywhere close to delivering. It's all on the consumer side to bend over backwards to make the damn thing work like it says on the tin.

[@CreativeStitchingwithAnn]

Best advice I've heard online is, "forget the BS and focus on your goals and what works best for you". Awesome!!

[@ghostteqmb632]

lol, the bs will be everywhere so finding a specific platform that will allow you good exposure for sales will be the challenge.

[@sharonhill349]

I have been on Etsy 4 years doing handmade cards 100% handmade lol I’m not very computer literate, I’m now on 3,200 sales, the average is 5 sales per day at the moment, I’m never going to be a millionaire but love making the cards coming up with new designs, my new baby cards are my niche and even have a couple of bestsellers 😊 it’s very satisfying to hear that ca ching still gives me a buzz 😊 like you say it does take time to build up your shop and find what customers want, build up your ratings so customers can trust you, a it’s hard but rewarding to know someone out there actually likes your work enough to buy it ☺️good video Kim, thank you ❤

[@stevenfoulger6066]

The frustrating thing about trying to drive traffic via social media is that nobody likes or shares anything anymore. I've had people contact me about something I made that they saw on my page, but THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO LIKE THE POST! Incredibly frustrating!

[@evanurulfianty7444]

her eyes really match with her sweater...so gorgous...

[@ptarlow7708]

I so appreciate your honesty. I’ve been on Etsy since 2010. I won’t get rich with my shop but I stick with it because there are times in between the frustration, it can be very rewarding. Yes, change is always happening, so you have to try to keep adapting.

[@KimBliss]

I completely agree. It can be very rewarding, providing you have realistic expectations around what you can expect from the platform. Which is a roller coaster these days eh! 😄

[@reannarudey4]

Hi Kim, I have been working on an Etsy jewelry shop since November of last year. I have made 2 sales but I am still pushing forward with the shop since I love making jewelry. I love watching your videos while I am working on stuff. They are straight forward and I love your honesty.

[@KimBliss]

Thank you so much for watching, it's appreciated. And 2 sales during this time of economic stupidness is a good start! Please don't give up, we need more handmade sellers on the platform who are passionate about what they do. 💚

[@reannarudey4]

@@KimBliss I have been laid off for a few months. I start a new job the end of the month and want to take your KZbin class once I start working again. I think a KZbin channel would help my business if done right.

[@awlthatwoodcrafts8911]

While it is easy to say that Etsy is "saturated", it is not as simple as that. Saturation, I believe, is more niche-centric. I don't believe that my niche (bird feeders) is saturated at all. Yes, there are a lot of feeders out there when you do a search, but I don't think it is a tough nut to crack. Not like if one decided to open a shop selling earrings, for example. If I were to advise someone wanting to sell on Etsy, I would have one word: passion. Whatever it is you're trying to do/make/sell/yada, you better have a passion for it. It's that passion that gets you through those bad days and keeps you going.

[@falcieridesigns]

I much prefer channels that are honest about the struggle, the good and the bad. Channels that are always telling me how amazing everything is, just make me feel worse about myself. Knowing that the struggles I face are the same as people similar to me, is what keeps me focused and moving forward.

[@belindaroadley]

Gurus have a lot to answer for regarding setting up false expectations. You're a lot kinder to them than I am, 😅 I believe that the vast majority know they're peddling bull💩 hopes and dreams, but they know it gets views. I have an artist friend who wanted to sell their painted artworks as digital downloads on Etsy. They thought, WOOHOO, passive income! Once I explained to them the work involved in gaining traction, they immediately quit. Like... for starters, passive income as a phrase is misleading anyway, coz you're really just doing the work up front for later gains. It's not like you can just fling a turd onto etsy and do nothing and suddenly you're a bazillionaire. Secondly, you have to keep doing the work! Like you rightly said, things change. And even if you're not trend-hopping, you still gotta make things people want to buy right now. Oh dear, I'm wall-of-texting your comment section, I'll shut up now. 😂 Thanks for the video Kim!

[@KimBliss]

Haha! "Wall of texting", love it. 😄

[@XUKMUSIC]

I enjoyed watching your brutally honest take on this subject. Very valuable information. As an ex-pat Brit who lives in the USA I'm exposed to a lot of hype that is rarely leavened with an adequate amount of realism. Someone recently suggested I take one of my ideas to Etsy. I had my doubts that this would be a profitable use of my time and energy and you really helped confirm my opinion. It seems to me that too many people view drop shipping and selling through Etsy through rose-colored glasses. Long ago I used Cafepress and that was peek into the early days of drop-shipping. Your very informative take on the handmade side of things just confirmed my reticence to jump down that rabbit hole! WAAAY too much work for me. The comment that this kind of business is more of a lifestyle than anything is certainly confirmation that this is not for me! So thank you for your brutal honesty. P.S. I noticed you said "zee" instead of ":zed"... what's that about?

[@sueburton6920]

Thanks for the honest advice I'm currently sat on this decision your timing was spot on

[@KimBliss]

You're welcome, Sue. I hope it was helpful. 💚

[@user-qv5ff1lj2c]

I just opened my store that sells mushroom gifts (like those "grow your own" boxes of ready to fruit cultures). Already I'm unimpressed with how ETSY works, I'm considering just having ETSY for market exposure but also build my own site as well as maintaining on other marketplaces.

[@KimBliss]

This sounds like a solid plan. 👍

[@kitnkatshopcanda890]

Thank you. Thank you so much. Even though we have finally made the transition from our direct shop being the main "breadwinner" from Etsy - we STILL have our Etsy shop. I also follow Etsy Seller boards, etc. I get so tired of the posts of folks wondering WHY they aren't making 6 figures selling stickers with "purchased digital art", etc. Or folks trying to tell them they just haven't gotten the most effective SEO (ours stinks, but we still manage to make sales?!?!) or they need to give Etsy even more money for ads when Etsy doesn't have the traffic to support it. I keep thinking of the phrase "a fool and his money are soon parted".

[@KimBliss]

You're welcome and glad you enjoyed the video. There's just so much rubbish out there. Some of it is down right unethical and can lead people to get into debt. It just grinds my gears. 🙁

[@shalu822]

Thanks for the video. I was considering starting a handmade craft item store too. Also as a mostly visual artist I think the gritty realism thing also apploes to visual artists only showing the best of the best work and hiding most of the struggle. I think it does a lot of disservice to new artists among whom it's very common to think they are bad at art because they dont see how much even professionals struggle, now and in the past. A lot of artists includeng me in the past and others just end up thinking rhey are not good because they are not talented enough.

[@annamossity8879]

3 minutes in and my decision is made. It’s a NO from me. I’ve seen enough videos on the issues and I don’t need the headache. I stopped buying from Etsy quite a while ago as it’s a lot of junk to sort through to find actual handmade items. Don’t have the time or patience for that. I had a shop back in the beginning and let it go after several scams. Sad, we need a real handmade sight!

[@esserean]

I have been thinking about opening a store for years... handmade also. I'm glad for your advice. Don't think I'm ready X_X

[@Kuhreenuh13]

Love the transparency and authenticity! I just opened my Etsy shop over a week ago and I mostly did it to accomplish the goal of, just start. I definitely know I won’t become a millionaire or get 100s of sales in a day. Super unrealistic. My goal was to start my own businesses and get myself out there. I thought I would only do online, but my hairstylist invited me to be apart of her first market she hosted and it went way better than I expected for myself! And made me realize, I have different avenues I can take with this. Mostly though, I’m just proud of myself for starting and pursuing this creative dream I’ve always had. This alone, is successful for me❤

[@KimBliss]

That sounds like the best metric of success if you ask me. And congrats on starting your business and putting yourself out there! 💚

[@gillianmcmurray]

Thanks Kim. The ability to adapt and change - the best advice ever for selling on Etsy 😁

[@KimBliss]

I just wish we didn't have to adapt and change *quite* so much! 🤪

[@GiveMeMinis]

Thank you for posting this. So many creators make videos that feel far too good to be true, or suggest how to take the "easiest" way to sell something and it usually makes me feel uneasy.

[@KimBliss]

You're very welcome. I wish it was as easy as some folks like to suggest it is. It would make my life a lot easier as a handmade seller! 😄

[@ghostteqmb632]

Honesty is key, you can find hundreds of people selling you something, showing you how to’s but there will always be those that Won’t give you the full script because they’re threatened by competition so you have to find out through trial & error on your own . This… I learned the hard way ! Lol

[@AmanahLyfeGifts]

I love listening you your videos while I clean my house. Just opened my Etsy shop and my own shopify store. As I get orders on Etsy, I make content with it and send traffic to my shop through Pinterest and IG. That’s my strategy. I’m definitely not relying on Etsy and hope to leave it soon. Hoping to start a KZbin channel too and make content and community that I can send to my website.

[@KimBliss]

Hey nice one! You won't regret the community building. Finding people that just get it and enjoy your work will really help carry you through on the toughest days. 😁👍

[@MelonBreadVR]

Spot on with etsy bots and being banned for no reason. I had my shop flagged as unsafe messaging after I reported a phishing scam message on their platform trying to help them... it took me over mooooonths to get it fixed. It takes an absolute age to reach a human at their customer support, and once you do its a roll of the dice if they actually read your ticket before pressing their auto responses.

[@KimBliss]

Urgh this sounds like such a nightmare, and sadly not at all surprising to hear. Sorry it happened to you, but we'll done for persevering.

[@lisamarieroserobin]

Drop shipping shouldn't be allowed on handmade platforms.

[@suzannestrutt7827]

So adorable. Thank you for your very apt and concise insight, it's really helpful ❤

[@kiaracooper6687]

This was so helpful! Thank you! I am thinking of starting to sell my crochet bags on etsy.

[@KimBliss]

I'm glad you enjoyed it and good luck with the bags! 💚

[@grandmasterplank]

Great advice. Thanks for taking the time to pass this on.

[@Creatives_Spaces]

Fantastic advise. I have been within the handmade industry for some years, however have only been on Etsy since January and really giving it my attention. I have had 25 sales so far. I have been contacted by 'the bots' but never shut down! .... I enjoy what I do and feel it's right. I guess I just get frustrated that sales 'trickle' in.

[@KirkBallinger]

I liked your video to help you because you’re real and not full of bullshit like most others I’ve watched. Thank you and I hope the like helps your views

[@KimBliss]

Well thank you. I appreciate it. 😊

[@janneoksanen4162]

Great video again! My Etsy store got suspended last week, over something I have little clue about but I have a hunch it was because I logged into my account from different computer in different town, just to switch my store's Vacation mode off. I submitted an appeal, but got a more or less automated denial rather quickly. Still not explaining WHY my store got suspended. This is the kind of wanton gangsterism Etsy does, not to mention their technical support is downright hostile. I was quite bummed by this for the first couple of days, but now it's starting to feel oddly liberated. Mostly thanks to your videos, I had already started preparing for things to go awry with Etsy, and building a website/Online store of my own (as it was already built-in to my web hosting service). I was hoping the two to co-exist for a while, but now I'm not missing the pressure from Etsy anymore, and I can focus on actual products and more exclusive, but more committed customer base.

[@barbra429]

Thanks for your honesty.

[@renecasteel]

Finally, an honest video. Thank you.

[@TiffanyM3]

Perfect timing, Kim! I have a dormant Etsy shop, but have been planning to open a 2nd shop since last year. I held off to see where Etsy was going with all its "growing pains," and finally decided to open my new shop a few days ago... until Etsy hit me with a $29!! setup fee (I'm in the US). I'm currently deciding if it's worth the cost or if I want to simply rebrand my current shop.

[@KimBliss]

Yes I saw this! I thought Etsy was charging £15 (or dollars, I forget which) to open a new store. Then I helped a friend open one over the weekend and she was charged £22! I don't remember seeing a notification about that fee increase. Very sneaky on Etsy's part.

[@KimBliss]

This was feom Etsy when we created the store: "*$28 USD (excluding tax), converted to your local currency."

[@TiffanyM3]

​@lindaelliott3550 No, it's actually $29 USD...I can confirm as I live in the US. That's what we're chatting about... Etsy have upped the set up fee, but haven't yet advertised this. 🫤

[@TiffanyM3]

​@@KimBliss Yep, I was shocked! Especially since I had just made peace with having to pay the $15 fee lol. I find this price increase and the justification behind it (My setup page says: "This fee helps us invest in support for new sellers and enhanced security checks to protect our trusted marketplace") a bit laughable, considering the lack of actual seller support & customer service! We'll see if it improves with this fee increase, but somehow, I doubt it will.

[@molamolalaaa2968]

I was charged US $15. This setup fee thing may be random.

[@HeleneBlonsky]

Been thinking about this for a while….. and this, I believe, is the deciding factor -> if I have to drive my own traffic so much I may as well open up my own web shop.

[@HeleneBlonsky]

I must add that your videos are so refreshingly real and I love your sense of humour 😊

[@KimBliss]

Agreed. If you have the budget for your own website, then I 100% recommend it. 👍

[@quartierkrambylorana]

Lovely Video. I'm on etsy since 2020 and by no mean I get a lot from it :) It's a hobby and I love to make videos about how I create my products (also really solid handmade products... if you know you know.). Do I dream to earn more money with it? Yes. Is it possible? Hmm maybe with a good marketing strategy, but then the aspects of a hobby gets lost. So yeah, I think I stick with my 2 orders per week and just be happy about it.

[@alexisedwards1111]

Thank you for the honest advice- it was extremely helpful

[@mestayno]

some real talk never hurts

[@livingisawesome1403]

Again, regardless of handmade or not, there may be a gap in the market but no market in the gap. Hand made sellers still need to do product research and see if their product is in demand. Then they can supply. Etsy will not leave money on the table, if your item is in demand / fills a need, Etsy will push it.

[@KimBliss]

The same can be said for all those sellers that jump on trends and bestsellers until supply outstrips supply. This is what a lot of people who focus on product research often tend to forget.

[@livingisawesome1403]

@@KimBliss A shop that focuses on trends won't survive... given that trends change. A good range of in-demand products, brand, social proof wins in the long run.

[@KimBliss]

True. No one is suggesting that a shop only focuses on trends though?

[@livingisawesome1403]

I would like a video on how you do your market research.

[@barrybark3995]

been selling on Etsy 4 yrs and not had any problems . Sure its competetive but that makes me try harder. From what ive learned/read in the past it was an easier ride.

[@KimBliss]

No it most definitely wasn't easier. Different for sure, but there have always been challenges. Stick around for another 4 years. You'll see. 😊

[@kcrun]

POD is a different but IMO ETSY seems to be robbery. 4 items sold $200. With taxes, processing fees of 3% and transaction fees not including posting fees. profit of $30 if that. Waste of time.

[@Erdnussbuttertoast]

something that i've noticed, usually from crochet artists, is that the way they scale their business is by moving to digital with patterns and that that is the natural progression of every crochet artist. In reality, handmade businesses are hardly scalable when you're staying ACTUALLY handmade, and with their chosen niche (usually plushies), there isn't much in way of improving/ displaying your skill enough to justify a higher price.

[@KimBliss]

Agreed. This is why I recommend diversifying products within the scope a niche. But then this is true in any business, not just handmade.

[@kimmiekimkimmie]

So if I have to drive my own traffic I may as well use other platforms.

[@JayJayKingman]

This was so helpful! Thank yoy

[@Cuterate]

You are so true ! thank you for sharing for newbies ❤

[@livingwellwithmandy]

Recently had my shop closed for no reason! Impossible to get ahold of anyone. It’s terrible

[@KimBliss]

I do wish they would be clearer with people about the exact reason for closing a shop. I suspect they don't want to incase it opens them up to legal challenges though. Which speaks volumes.

[@ameliajones4216]

I loved this. Thank you!

[@patrickhall3373]

I wish I could get past setting up an Etsy account. I'm stuck on the shipping part. I have three shipping profiles-can't delete any of them, can't get human help and can't move forward from the shipping errors. I was hoping your video might help. I'm ready to give up and just go door to door to sell my walnut castle leg end table with zebra wood inlay. Maybe Ebay would be a bit more user-friendly than spending this last week spinning my wheels? Please let me know what you think?

[@abbycat000]

Product demand has a lot to do with it. Don’t hate the platform or your situation because your niche may be oversaturated or because perhaps your product isn’t wanted. I make handmade products and do well. You gotta find what’s on demand and you have to obviously like what your do.

[@angieleonz]

Thank you for this video!

[@KimBliss]

You are very welcome. Thanks for giving it a watch! 😁

[@slimplynth]

I had £327 revenue from Etsy in 2023.. £250 profit... I wasn't really doing it properly til October I'd say.. which is when sales really started to be regular... I'm currently at £255 for the year so 🤞 I'll beat 2023 😁 I know I could make more by doing overtime but it's not the point.. if I was doing it for money I would definitely have given up by now.. at the weekend I designed/modeled 2 more pieces of Victorian dolls house furniture 😂 I do really feel relaxed and enjoy the designing.. it's the listings, photos and customer interactions I find stressful

[@KimBliss]

Omg yes. Taking photos and creating listings can actually stop me from adding new things. I hate it so much too. 😄

[@slimplynth]

@@KimBliss if I'm honest I'm only designing the dolls house furniture to justify buying another 3D printer 😁 was always going to buy a resin printer but at least this way it will also force me into selling items into the USA.. I know that may sound crazy but it's something else avoided.. international sales.. for no good reason 🤞

[@emiliaholmberg3320]

With all the issues Etsy seems to face, I think that some other plattform is gonna take it's place in the near future as no1. Since genuine craftsmen are litterally pushed away from the plattform by dropshippers.

[@KimBliss]

I wish they would hurry up, I miss having a platform that genuinely celebrates handmade!

[@taniayager3361]

Great honest advice about getting your own traffic! However, I'm not going to go on Etsy! I will just use a combination of my own website and social media platform to drive the sales! There is so much advice on what people should do that it has become overwhelming and confusing for many. Most want handholding through the process; sadly much of that is unobtainable. So people jump from one person to the next gathering snippets here and there trying their best to put it all together in a coherent way! It seems we are all going about it the wrong way. We should address what it is that we want from our business instead of constantly comparing competitors' work with ours! We don't derive a great deal of satisfaction from doing this and it can be depressing!

[@KimBliss]

Yeah I totally agree and it's why I say "take what serves you and leave the rest" because there's no one size fits all in building a business. I agree too that a lot of people want hand holding which worries me a little. We're in danger of not taking any action ourselves for fear of making mistakes and that's the best way to learn!

[@runaroundsueaccessibletrav6357]

yep. I had to work away for a week at my other job so had to put the shop on vacation mode.. I knew the algorithm was going to hate me for it so I launched a 25% off sale for the 4 days before I could post out in the desperate hope that ETSY would love a good sale and this would reawaken the shop... well this little experiment failed.... miserably. Yes I made one sale but only because I directed the purchaser to etsy so she could take advantage of the Sale. Which she did... This didn't work I had 2 view yesterday. 2, before I closed the shop it was about 30..... while away I continued marketing and pushing people to the shop so that wasn't the problem. So I made a sale gave away 25% of my income from the item and my shop is dead in the water...... yes folks are telling me to hang on in there it will pick back up but its been 5 days since I reopened and I was only shut for 6 days..... I am in this for the long haul but it is so grrrrrrrrr.

[@KimBliss]

Oh wow, I'm so sorry to hear that. And just for being away for a week?? Ridiculous.

[@mrssmith1845]

That's happened to me before, it did pick back up eventually, now Idint put it in vacation mode, I just change my posting times to cover my holiday. Good luck 🤞

[@runaroundsueaccessibletrav6357]

@@mrssmith1845 this Mrs Smith, thanks you Mrs Smith. I think next time I am going to list my greetings cards, print them all off do the same with the top selling windspinners and put the stock levels of everything else to zero and then leave my friends inncharge of posting for me while Im in America, that way theres nothing needing to be made when the order comes in which is how I normally work. I am glad yours picked back up.

[@bridgetjones8339]

Scared! lol but thinking of trying

[@vivianphillips768]

I’m gonna start a business in a couple of weeks selling EARRING designs on Etsy that I 3D modeled, assembled, 3D sculpted, and hand painted, then coated with resin! NO svgs, NO ai, all original designs….. but oy vey…. They’re still earrings at the end of the day and that alone makes me nervous. Thanks for the reality check. I’ll check back in a few months to let yall know if I’ve had any sales. Any advice for me is more than welcome!

[@KimBliss]

Good luck! Advice would be to drive your own traffic yourself to get those first few sales. Social media, short form videos, Pinterest etc etc. Share you shop with family and friends who epuld be a good fit and wants to help support you to get those first few sales and reviews. Looking forward to hearing how you get on! 💚👍

[@hopkins247]

Your gremlin description… Hit a little too close to home😂

[@KimBliss]

It's the business admin aesthetic. 💅

[@Theia_Rocks]

Can I ask - has your shop been shut down by Etsy and you had to get it back opened - if so can you do a you tube about it?

[@KimBliss]

No I've never had my shop shut down by Etsy.

[@skyrocketenglishclass]

Your video, Kim, just got interrupted by an Etsy ad, so you're making money from it somehow 😂

[@KimBliss]

That's actually hilarious. 😆

[@LMPeas]

How did we get through a video like this without the "P" word 😂 x

[@KimBliss]

I traumatised myself with it and can no longer say the word without crying. 😄

[@LMPeas]

@@KimBliss 😆

[@alanthiercelin5218]

I just have subscribed to etsy ads for1 month 1$ a day. I will let you know if it worth it or not.

[@sleichel]

Any feedback so far?

[@alanthiercelin5218]

@@sleichel it gives more visibility. it looks like people clic on an item with etsy ads and buy another items without etsy ads.you can also turn etsy ads off anytime to save money.

[@alanthiercelin5218]

A lot of people favorit my shop. A lot of people put my items in their carts (sometimes 3 people). But nobody buys . I just shipped 1 item from canada to UK. They charged taxes on it. What do you think they are going to do with those taxes ?

[@KimBliss]

By law they have to collect those taxes and then remit them to the UK Government. It's one of the joys of living in the UK. That and our glorious weather. 😁🌧☔️

[@karenl8837]

If someone ships something to Canada over a certain value, you will pay taxes too, there’s nothing nefarious about it. Some countries ( eg, UK, EU, Canada) have quite low tax/duty thresholds.

[@Sophiatrenzas673]

Hola guapa que cambiarias en la vida

[@MothershipCrystals]

I'm sorry but this is not a help to me. So glad you're doing great!

[@the_night_sky777]

Might as well go with a stand alone shop and not stay on that platform

[@KimBliss]

Or use both?

[@JohnLee-mk1tj]

💯👏😁