Yes, I am closing my Etsy store!
If there are any items you’ve been putting off buying, it is time to order them on ETSY or email me to reserve them for you. I am signed up for 4 holiday bazaars or craft shows the next couple of months and will not be replacing the inventory in the ETSY shop. Here is some of what I am taking to the Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show at the Bonney Lake Justice Hall …
Query: How do you make money on ETSY?
Answer: Damned if I know.
Apparently some people do. I know that because I see them in the “Quit your Day Job” blog. Most of them also admit they work at least 14 hours a day.
Then again, a lot of Etsy successes are resellers. What? There aren’t supposed to be resellers in a 100% handmade market place! True Dat, but there are. See some of these examples on Regretsy.
So I’ve done what everyone else does, learn product photography techniques, make treasuries, promote my link, upload new products to my FB page, collect “likes” from other sellers and “like” their stuff in return, and blog, blog, blog. With all that in mind, I have to admit it costs me more to have an Etsy shop than my shop makes for me. I never intended for this to be a vanity hobby, I intended it to at least support itself, if not me!
Some ETSY pros and cons:
Pro: If stuff sells, I make money, I don’t need to maintain a storefront, drive to craft shows, or unpack and then pack again. Etsy is linked to Paypal so purchases are handled smoothly and deposited in my bank quickly. 🙂
Con: I do have to maintain inventory, I do have to ship, I still have to do all my own promotion, and Etsy ads have had a low ROI for me. I have also discovered that I hate product photography and shipping. People buy jewelry and accessories when they hold them and try them on, not so much from pictures. The biggest “con” though is that I miss seeing my customers wearing my stuff! 😦
Here is an article that discusses the allure and reality of Etsy, Etsy.com Peddles a False Feminist Fantasy
What does this mean for you? It means you can find me at craft shows. The first one is this weekend 10/13/2012 at The Justice Hall: 9002 Main Street East, Bonney Lake WA. I’ll be there from 9-2. Come by and see me… and buy stuff 🙂
Here is the Bonney Lake Link
Inga Duncan Thornell 
This post rings so true to me. The path to profitability on Etsy is still largely an enigma, and I do think they’ve done a very good job selling it as the answer to a dream. I’m very grateful that it’s been an opportunity, but like you, selling in fairs and storefronts provides better ROI for me. And I spend significantly less time photo editing! Word.
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