Tips From a Buyer to Sellers

Posted by Handmade Spark on 3/18/10   |   Categorized as Etsy Tips,For Sellers

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Yellow Round Up Sterling Silver Earrings

Yellow Round Up Sterling Silver Earrings

Post by : jeridiehard

I have been looking for some gifts for a few friends, one a bride, one a mother to be and one is having a birthday. From a buyers perspective I have some tips for sellers
1~ Tell me the size of the item, no matter what it is…a quilt, a bib, earrings, clothes, and give me exact measurements, don’t lay it beside a quarter or a dime. Tell me!!

2~ Give me you location~~ don’t make me have to see that it ships from the USA…where in the USA or it ships from Canada~~ where in Canada. That makes alot of difference if I order from someone who lives in North Carolina verses California. I want to know how long I should expect to wait on the item!!

3~ Check you spelling and grammar (me included). If you don’t spell correctly, do you do your craft the same?? Do you care??

4~ Don’t give me a sob story about your health, your job, your finances, or any situation. It tends to drive me away. I am here to shop, not to rescue the sick, poor or save the world. This is a real turn off to me and I am sure it is to others (my SIL and MIL agrees).

5~ Give me a detailed description of the item, color, shape, style, anything you can think of. Describe it to me as though there are no photos and you are trying to tell me over the internet what it looks like. Don’t just cay cute sweater or nice burp cloths.

6~ Price your shipping at a reasonable rate. I don’t want to pay $5 to mail a 1 ounce package unless it is priority or very, VERY fragile.

7~ Tell me a little about yourself, your craft, and let me get to know you a little. Don’t just say SAHM who loves to crochet/sew/or whatever.

8~ Have your policies specific down to what you expect from me as a buyer and what I should expect from you. If I don’t like it can I return it and if so before how long? What methods of payment do you take, how long do you wait before the sale is canceled if no payment is made, what type of guarantee do you offer on your handiwork? If any?? Do you have cats, dogs, goats, sheep, in your craft room/studio. Do you mail your packages out once a week, or once a month…LET me KNOW!!

9~ Keep your shop announcement short and sweet. I am here to shop, if I want more info, I will look in your profile and policies. When I open your shop, I want to see what you have to offer, not two paragraphs about you and your treasuries!! I want to see!

10~ If I order from you and my item is not ready to ship, let me know!! Don’t leave me wondering when it will ship or if it will ship. Just a short note saying your item will ship on XXOO. Thanks!!

  • http://dspdavey.etsy.com Deb D

    Wonderfully comprehensive write up and so helpful. Thanks!

  • http://pepenewton.etsy.com Pepe Newton

    I have to say I agree with all of these points. As a seller you sometimes have to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and look at your shop as though you were buying from it. Something we forget to do.

    Must say I particularly agree with point 9 – I really don’t want to read a whole bunch of words – I need to SEE what you have for sale.

    thanks for the tips!

  • http://www.etsy.com/shop/emilyorpin Emily Orpin

    Fabulous, no-nonsense advice! And so spot on – thank you!

  • http://www.orangecatart.com Jill Davis

    Thank you! Wonderful suggestions that I hope will raise the quality & professionalism of online art & craft vendors!

    Thanks for mentioning that you do, in fact, read the profile and policies sections for more information. :)

  • http://www.jeridiehard.etsy.com Jeri Jones

    Thanks so much for approving of my comments. I received alot of negativity in the forums for these comments and I think they are just what buyers want and need!!

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  • http://eightymillion.etsy.com Jennifer Schulting

    Good article.

  • http://www.tools4etsy.com Tools4Etsy

    Well Written Jeri :)

  • http://theartinquirer.blogspot.com José

    Hi,

    So, are you going to buy something from us, or what ? :-)

    Have a nice time,

    José

  • http://samsstuff-samsstuff.blogspot.com samsstuff

    Excellent advice! It’s easy to forget some of these things, whether you are a new seller or not. Thanks for posting.

  • http://Beadlady5.etsy.com Beadlady5

    A great article–like the idea of hearing what a buyer expects from you as a seller. Makes you rethink how you will describe a item and how you present yourself to the buyers out there.
    And we all know that presenting your item in a “buyer friendly” way should be our first priority.
    Thanks for this useful info.
    ttyl, margo

  • http://www.helenesmith.etsy.com Helene Smith

    Wow, these were really great tips! Some I hadn’t heard before. Thank you!;)

  • B

    “7~ Tell me a little about yourself, your craft, and let me get to know you a little”

    But if that information is a bit sad, about bad health or finances, you don’t want to know about it? *eyeroll*

  • http://jonbonjovious.blogspot.com Julee

    I think this is a very great outline not just for buying and selling but life. I love the opportunity to know the person behind whatever it is I am interested in…there are sometimes som very wonderful stories to be shared!

    Jeri–your shop is amazing and I know you treat your customers as you want to be treated! Well done!

  • http://dragnrags.blogspot.com Jen M.

    @B- It’s a fine line. It takes some creativity to write a bio that indicates you are a real person while at the same time not sharing all of your personal tragedies (general “you.”) Goodness knows, I have had PLENTY of awfulness in my life, but of course I don’t want to turn people off. At the same time, I want to come across as human.

    @Jeri-This is excellent advice. As a seller, it can sometimes be very hard to know how your shop is appearing to buyers, since online buying and browsing in particular is so anonymous, for the most part.

    I DO look over my bio, policies, etc from time to time and make adjustments.

    This is all great stuff to keep in mind!

    Jen Moore
    JenniferLynn Productions, LLC

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