Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade crafts and craft supplies. There is a listing fee of $0.20 and fees from PayPal. It currently has 8 million members and over 800,000 shops. Categories for listing and buying are handmade, vintage, and supplies.
Setting up an Etsy shop is basically as important to selling as the items are. First off you need a good name-something that is not confusing. Next, remember that good photography is key. A bright, exuberant photo is much more appealing than a blurry, dark p.o.s. photo. Lastly, keep your items classy. don't sell your fancy art on the same account that you sell rocks on. Have two shops set up, one for good items, and one for less-than-good items.
Handmade items are divided into many sub-categories, jewelery, art, and accessories being the top listed items. These categories have many items in them, making it hard to stand out, but they are also the most browsed. On the other hand, music, furniture, and candles are the lowest listed items. These of course having few items in them, making it easy to stand out, but they are the least browsed items on Etsy. Any handmade items are difficult to acquire, yet they tend to sell for decent prices rather quickly, depending on quality. There is of course the option for people with lower morals. You can buy items in bulk cheaply, and then pass them off as "handmade", while of course they are not.
Vintage items are items that are twenty years or older. These items are the hardest to attain, but they usually sell for the highest prices on etsy. There are very few items in the vintage category, so any sub-category is basically the same as any other.
Supplies are the easiest to get, list, and ship. They are highly browsed and sell for low prices, but they also have low shipping costs.
