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Best Tools for Getting Started on Etsy

Etsy sellers and Admin share 10 of the most helpful onsite tools and resources for market research, shop management, shipping, networking, and more.

Avatar image for Amy Schroeder by Amy Schroeder
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Want to open your own Etsy shop? Create your shop today!

Have you assembled your own virtual toolbox of go-to sources for managing and improving your shop?

After checking in with Etsy Admin and sellers from around the world to ask for their nominations for the most useful on-site resources for making Etsy shops thrive, we compiled the following list of the top 10 tools (in no particular order). Don’t see your favorites? Chime in with a comment or join the discussion in this Etsy Success Team thread.

1. Shop Stats

Do you ever wonder how you’re getting found on Etsy (or why your items aren’t so search-friendly)? Shop Stats allows you to see where your views are coming from, the most-viewed items in your shop, and the keywords shoppers use to find your items in Etsy Search and other search engines. “For example, I found that more people look at the felted animals in my shop than my tea cozies, so I made more of those and am now selling more,” says Holly from TheWanderingEwe, a Maryland-based shop that sells handcrafted wool items.

Lisa from HoneyLemonDesigns says she tries to improve her search rankings by tweaking her item tags. “The insights I get from Shop Stats are helpful, because I can see what’s working and what isn’t,” says the Utah art prints seller.

To view your own statistics, go to Your Shop > Shop Stats.

2. Etsy Mobile App

Are you a busy businessperson with places to be and people to see? If you want to manage your shop on the go, Etsy’s mobile app is the tool for you. Some sellers (like Sol Maldonado of bySol, a South American digital items traveling seller) use the mobile app to answer Convos and edit item photos on an iPhone (read Top Tips for Smartphone Photography for details).

Others merely enjoy the instant gratification of hearing a “bing” sound every time they make a sale. The iPad and iPhone apps are available for download from the Apple App Store. Visit Etsy’s mobile page for more info.

Starting an Etsy shop

3. Shipping Labels

If you’re a US seller, you have access to this onsite postage tool for shipping domestic and international packages. Shipping Labels can be big time-savers that make it easy to organize your shipping records. And, get this: Shipping Labels include tracking numbers, postage is available at discounted rates, and, um, you don’t have to wait in line at the post office.

“Etsy shipping labels makes it so easy when you have those first-sale nerves — especially when shipping international,” says Sarah from Birchmoonrocksfibers. “I had no idea (and still don't) how to do customs forms — I love that Etsy does it for me. I just fill in the blanks.”

Access labels by clicking Print Shipping Label in your Sold Orders. Read more in this comprehensive guide: 4 Steps to Shipping Success.

4. Forums

Want to talk shop with new and experienced Etsy sellers to discuss just about everything from marketing tips to technical troubleshooting advice? Etsy's Forums are a great place to join a conversation with sellers around the world.

Tips for starting an Etsy shop

5. Teams

Vintage Etsy Society, SASsy Critiques, Wired — these are just a few of the thousands of Etsy Teams that connect and network over common interests and selling techniques. “I started selling 16 months ago and joined many teams — 8,147 sales later, I’m grateful that I joined them because that’s where I’ve learned everything,” says itrhymeswithorange from PartyHQ.

Read How to Find Teams to Grow Your Etsy Shop and visit etsy.com/teams to find the best teams for you.

How to start an Etsy shop
Local teams such as the Windy City Kitties and Tampa Bay Etsy Crew meet face-to-face to coordinate workshops and craft fairs.

6. Etsy Success Newsletter and the Seller Handbook

Do you want to stay in the know about the latest Etsy tools and advice for growing your business? Sign up for Etsy Success, the twice-weekly newsletter that highlights the latest seller tips from the Seller Handbook blog. For a deep-dive into the the back catalog, explore the categories on the Seller Handbook.

7. Etsy Search

Etsy’s Search bar not only helps buyers find what they’re looking for, it also helps sellers perform market research. Here’s how: Start typing words to describe what you sell in the Search bar. The words that appear are popular customer search terms. This will give you the exact keywords and phrases shoppers are searching, so be sure to use words that are relevant to your product in your titles, tags, and item descriptions.

Read more search tips in this Seller Handbook post: How to Get Found in Search

8. Listing Variations

If you’re a fan of saving time whenever possible, you’ll love Listing Variations, because they reduce the likelihood of multiple conversations about an item and ensures that you can begin making or shipping an item as soon as an order comes in.

Use Listing Variations to offer a variety of options within the same listing (for example: different sizes and colors of jewelry). If one of your variations affects the price of an item (say, a larger size being more expensive), you can add pricing to your first variation. Add the variation that will affect pricing first if you wish to offer pricing on your variations. Read more about Listing Variations in this FAQ.

9. Coupon Codes

Looking for savvy marketing moves? Coupon Codes are a clever way for Etsy sellers to generate repeat business, and a popular choice among new sellers trying to put their stake in the ground. For tips, read Encourage Repeat Business With Improved Coupon Codes or watch this video: Etsy Success Series: Keep Buyers Coming Back (Coupons).

10. Seller Apps Page

From EtsyOnSale to Virb Websites with Etsy Integration, etsy.com/apps is a hub of third-party apps to help you make the most of your Etsy shop.

Ready to open your Etsy shop? Get started today.

Avatar image for Amy Schroeder Words by Amy Schroeder

Amy Schroeder started her first business, a women’s arts and DIY magazine called Venus Zine, in her dorm room at age 19 and later sold the company. Her goal is to help creative people develop their dream jobs. Follow her on Twitter @amyschroeder and on Instagram at Instagram.com/TheVenusLady.

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