Visiting Other Etsy Shops

One reason I feature other Etsy shops in my blog, now and then, is because I love getting ideas from these shops myself, and I like sharing with you so maybe you can get some ideas, too.

This doesn't mean that I "copy" something from another shop. There are many ways of getting and using ideas gained this way.

I often notice that some photos grab my attention more than others. I hopped to the Etsy Forums to confirm what I suspected. I found several topics stating that "close-ups" made better featured photos than a photo of the entire project. Photos showing the entire project are easily still shown as one of the other four that we can place with each listing.

I also noticed that some shops have the same types of items that I have, but they have different categories. If I like the way the categories are set up, that is another thing that I can change in my own shop. Some shops call special orders exactly that: special orders. I do that, too. Yet, I noticed that one shop I just visited today labels those items as "custom orders." I think that has a better sound for our type of shop. It's also a phrase frequently used on Etsy, so it is familiar to their shoppers. I just didn't really give it a thought until today.

I often do a search for items similar to the ones I make and feature. Then I look at their tags. This is very important. I have noticed that many who feature fingerless gloves use "arthritis" as a tag. I found that last Fall, and added it to my projects. It made sense. They are great for keeping aching wrists and hands warm and a bit more comfy.

Comparison shopping is always good for any business, and your Etsy shop is a business. It might be small at this stage, but with time and effort, it can and will grow. I love comparison shopping - I often find that one of my projects is priced way too high, or way too low, or there is just too much competition, much of it better than my projects (in which case, I remove mine).

As I notice other things, I'll pass them on to you. But you really should browse the other shops, too.