July 2017 Admin Update for Sellers

On July 20 an update was held for a few Etsy sellers in positions of team leadership. Admin answered some questions. This is a condensed version.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Etsy remains committed to Etsy teams. More team captains and leaders will be invited to join the Fellowship program [which is located on Facebook] this year.

Q. What effect do hearting games have on Etsy's search algorithms?
A. (The information provided by admin duplicates what was said during the public Q&A post on Etsy.) If a buyer clicks, favorites, or purchases an item found in search results, that has a positive effect on that items search ranking.

• If a product is clicked on or favorited outside of search results (for example, from social media), that has no impact on search ranking - neither a negative or positive effect.
• If an item receives a favorite, regardless of there it came from, that product will show up in the Recommended Items area on the front page - so there is a benefit there. But no benefit on the search algorithm.
• Better tags and titles can improve search ranking.
• Driving traffic to your shop via social media is still the best way to get exposure.

Q. Do conversion rates affect search ranking?

Lower conversion rates are better

A. Yes, conversion rates do affect search ranking.

Q. Is a fee increase in the works for sellers?
A. No.

Q. Regarding the 10 photos per listing, if not all 10 photos are used, will this reduce search ranking?
A. No. The number of photos used has no impact on search placement.

Q. Why have sales have plummeted for sellers this year?
A. Etsy admin understand that fluctuations in sales are scary. Unfortunately, there are many causes. There is no general trend; it is SHOP specific.

Concerned shops that have decreasing sales may contact Etsy. A team of Etsy admin can do a 15 minute shop critique to increase sales. The link is in the Help pages. Shop owners should click on the contact button in that Help section to request a critique.

Q: (Re-questioned): you are saying that there is no Etsy trend that is affecting sales… It goes back to the individual shops? That the experimenting that seems to be affecting sales, is not having an effect on sales?
A: As part of the recent realignment, Etsy now has a dedicated group of admin (called Voice of the Consumer) who are listening to all channels to hear from sellers…

Q: Some feel that morale among sellers on Etsy is at an all-time low. Shop owners could use more timely information from Etsy.

A: We are currently working on better communication plans. We will communicate better with our sellers. This week there are lots of meetings going on at Etsy about being more transparent to sellers. We are working to be better at letting sellers know testing and experiments, ones that are working and not working.

😎 Thanks to long-time Etsy vintage sellers Gail and JD for the above information!

Five more photos - Etsy vintage shops score big

On July 11, Etsy made a major announcement: sellers have five additional photo slots in their listings! This is very exciting for vintage sellers, who have been hoping for this feature for a long time. 

Etsy stated, "90% of shoppers said the quality of the photos was “extremely important” or “very important” to a purchase decision."

That fact tells us that photo quality is crucial for Etsy sellers... Buyers often will not click through on items they see because the photos are not top-notch. Photo quality will be the subject of a future blog.

Fill the slots

Is it necessary to use every one of the spots for photos? Etsy admin says "no."  But think of the possibilities!

Of course, there is the obvious choice of extra photos of the items for sale. Etsy tells us to have a photo that has something with the item to show its scale.

Show more angles. What angles, you say? When I sell rings, I try to display it on the finger from many directions. 

Photograph your item on a mirror. Try taking pictures in different location with different light.

Especially important is the case of flaws and irregularities. Vintage sellers need to bring them to the attention of any potential buyer. Extra photos are necessary for that.

Primitive farmhouse style

Lifestyle photos can sell items

What if your listings do not require ten photos? 

Try some "lifestyle" photos. 

These are photos of your item in use, or with similar items. Such photos make your item way more valuable. They help our potential buyers "see" an item as their own and BUY.

Is this tropical setting too bright?

Who is your target audience? How will your items fit in with their lifestyle?

Having trouble figuring out what types of pictures to take? Make some test searches of similar items on Etsy. Note the photos that you like. Why do they work? Then try to come up with something even better. Showcase your creativity.

Pay attention to styles. Add props that complement your item, not compete with it.

Use care, though. Props can be overdone. Choose props(s) that allow your great item to shine.

Highlight your great item in use

Display your item in a seasonal way (summer, fall, winter) and rotate out the first picture depending on the time of the year.

Still have photo slots available?

Display your brand in a unique way

There are still all sorts of possibilities. Be creative.

Showcase your coupon code

These slots could become sort of like a shop update. (Need some ideas for those?)

Make some "stock" graphics or take photos that illustrate:

• how you package or gift wrap
• a collage or collection of similar items
• a great photo once used as a shop update
• a coupon code
• sizing chart (for clothing)
• your words of wisdom
• your standalone shop and/or blog address
• your shop logo

My shop logo

How will you use those five new photo slots?

Do item descriptions matter?

I recently had a huge multiple sale. The buyer first asked me some detailed questions about bottle sizes. Bottles are not the most expensive items I carry. However, I treated the inquiry with respect.

The result? One of my largest sales to date.

Her comment to me was: "I loved reading your descriptions; you made several items very tempting."

Did my item descriptions matter?

The need to write compelling copy

After your titles, tags and fabulous photos have drawn in a shopper, your job selling is not over. You must convince visitors to your items to buy what you are selling.

First, your item description must contain some basic information:

• Size
• Identification marks
• Color, pattern
• Special attributes
• Flaws

Compose copy that is search engine friendly

Etsy does not care a whit about item descriptions (right now at least), but search engines do. Here are some tips for optimizing your listings to be found by search engines (called SEO):

• Write naturally.
• Prioritize your information. Put the most important details first.
• Make each item description unique (search engines prefer this).
• Use good grammar and spelling. Write well.
• Sprinkle keywords naturally through your title and text. (Avoid keyword stuffing.)
• Provide at least one working link back to your shop section or a shop search for similar items.

Any boilerplate in your descriptions is a turn-off to search engines. Try to put shipping information under that tab or in your policies.

Being search-engine friendly is the "science" of writing effective item descriptions.

How can you be persuasive?

There is some "art" to this skill. You need to engage the reader.

First, find a writing style that represents you and your shop. Are you and your stuff folksy? Mod? Beachy? French?

• Sell things you love.
• Be positive.
• Make the item relevant to each shopper.
• Tell buyers why they NEED the item for sale.

Try sharing some interesting historical tidbits or a compelling back story. Keep it short, though. Long descriptions can be a turn-off.

Your goal is to help the shopper fall in love with your item. You must make your item into a treasure that the shopper cannot live without. It goes back to selling things you truly love, and communicating that in your descriptions.

May your item descriptions speak to shoppers and motivate them to buy!

If you prefer that your description not be covered by your reviews, here is a quick trick. 

Here is more general information on the subject from Etsy.