How to Sell on Etsy and Make Money in Canada
If you are an artisan and want to make money, you should learn how to sell on Etsy Canada. Etsy is an e-commerce site that allows artisans to sell their handmade products in the Canadian market.
Setting up an Etsy shop is free and straightforward. However, sellers pay a small fee to list the items, and there is also a shipping fee. The good news is that once you implement all the selling tips like advertising and good customer service, you will make more profits slowly but surely.
If you are looking for a market for your artsy products, Etsy is the best place to start. Do not worry about being a beginner because this write-up will guide you. We will tell you everything about Etsy and answer the question: how do you sell on Etsy Canada?
Without further ado, let’s get started.
What Is Etsy?
Etsy is an online market for artists and crafters. You can get handmade goods like toys, art, and vintage furniture, and the shop also sells jewelry and handmade clothes, among other crafts.
Although Etsy is an e-commerce shop, it is different from Amazon and Walmart because it is the artist who makes, collects, and sells their products. The platform gives independence to business owners because they deal with their customers directly.
How It Works
Etsy is an easy-to-use site for customers and sellers. It sorts the items into different categories to help you get what you want faster and easier. As a buyer, you can search for items using your browsing history or search bar by typing in a keyword.
Anyone can purchase on Etsy, whether you do or don’t have an account. If you are in the United States, you can also get items through the platform. However, your prices could vary according to the current dollar value.
Most Etsy sellers set their prices in US Dollars to make currency conversion easier. If you are from a foreign country, the amount you pay depends on your country’s inflation rate. Furthermore, items on this platform are affordable, and they can ship to various countries.
Etsy Canada: How to Sell?
You might be wondering, “how do I sell on Etsy Canada? To sell on Etsy, start by creating an Etsy account, which is easy and free to set up. Besides, the site guides beginners on how to sell their items. However, if you want to sell your Vintage pieces, you must first confirm that they are over 20 years old.
Although opening an Etsy account is free, you will pay some money for the listing, sales made, and shipping of your products. The platform charges $0.2 for listing and a 5 percent shipping transaction fee. Sellers also pay a 5 percent fee for all the items they sell and tax.
When opening an account, you will give details about;
- Your location
- The shop name
- The method of payment you want buyers to use
- Bank information for paying Etsy fees
Each listed item lasts for four months. If it does not sell within that period, the item is deleted from the site, but you can repost again to sell. Also, if you want to promote your items through Etsy’s homepage, you will pay a fee for that.
Tips to Making Sales
So, once you have listed your items, how do I you on Etsy Canada? Every business has its challenges and requires hard work from the seller. These tips will help you to be a successful seller on Etsy.
-
Make Your Platform Unique
Every seller on Etsy uses the same platform to sell, but you can make yours unique. For example, make your listings more appealing and attractive. Some of the ways of attracting customers to your platform are by;
The best tip for a great listing is excellent photography. Use a good camera to take photographs and ensure you get the pictures from various angles. It helps bring out all the details of your product because no one wants to buy an item they are unsure about.
-
A Thorough Description of the Item
Once you get the best shots, describe the item using simple words. Include as many tags as possible to help customers find your product. For example, instead of saying a black bag, you can say a black leather bag.
Pricing can be challenging for business owners. However, always make your prices reasonable while ensuring you make profits. Do not overprice your items because the buyers will opt for a more affordable seller.
Your customers are significant to the business, and one way of maintaining them is keeping them happy. If they are satisfied with your products, they leave good reviews, which will get you more customers. Some of the tips around keeping your customers closer are.’
To satisfy your customers, always ensure they get what they order. The products on your site should resemble what you deliver, or else you will deal with many returns and lose customers.
As the seller, always ensure you are friendly to the customers. You should also reply to their messages timely. To ensure you don’t miss any notifications, use the Etsy app on your mobile phone.
People like to feel appreciated, so ensure you throw a thank you note in the items during deliveries. A personalized note is more appealing to read and will have your customers leave a positive review on your site.
Getting the best photos for your items and showing customer appreciation is not the only way to grow your business. Marketing the products makes it easier for customers to find you. Some of the platforms to market the products are;
Many people have social media accounts, so you will attract many customers. Some of the platforms to use are Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. These platforms are easy and free to use. You can also pay social media influencers to advertise your items.
You can also use the Etsy platform for advertising your products. The two common ways to promote on Etsy are using Etsy Ads and Offsite Ads, and your choice depends on how wide you want your product to reach.
It is also important to note that Etsy Ads and Offsite Ads charge an advertising fee. If you make more than $10,000 in annual sales, you can get discounts on the Offsite Ads platform.
The Etsy internal ads are optional. It advertises your items on the Etsy platform only by showing them in the customer’s search results. However, you have to search for the best keywords to beat the competition.
If you want to grow your e-commerce business, offer free shipping and deliveries. This attracts customers who will stick with you if you have good customer service. You can include the shipping fee in the product’s price.
Also, researching the most affordable and best shipping companies helps reduce your shipping cost. You will retain your profit margin even without charging the customer a shipping fee.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to sell on Etsy Canada is straightforward, but it requires hard work, just like any other business. Growing slowly but consistently strengthens your brand, compared to growing rapidly and burning out. Always learn what works for you and get rid of the practices that do not help your business grow.