Yet Another Blog Post About How To Sell On Etsy ...

I opened my Etsy shop in January of 2008, and managed to get 20 something sales until I closed it in May. I had basically run out of the time I felt it took to successfully run the shop, so I pulled my inventory, but I continued to remain active on the site as a buyer. During that time I was able to observe with a new set of eyes and I feel like I learned some invaluable lessons about how things appear to our customers. In my opinion the single most important aspect of customer service is the good ol' cliched golden rule. If you paid for something and it never arrived, how would you expect the merchant to respond? Many of these situations can be diffused by taking a step back and putting yourself in the other person's shoes. No matter how angry you are, don't air your private transactions in public. Buyers DO read the forums, and blogs, Twitter, etc. If you are treating that buyer in such a fashion, how do I know you wouldn't do the same to me as a buyer? The bottom line is, it makes you look petty and unprofessional. I don't subscribe to the theory that the customer is always right, but I do believe that they all deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect. If things start to get hostile, sometimes it is better to cut your losses and issue a refund, and cancel the sale. Something I see over and over is shop owners who claim to be professional business people, but take everything personally. Don't ask for a critique unless you really want to hear what is wrong and what you can improve. Be open minded enough to realize that there is always room for improvement and that your personal taste isn't the same as everyone else. I believe that what you put out there comes back to you. and that honesty is the best policy. I am shocked at the number of people who not only knowingly break site policies - and sometimes even laws - but publicly admit to it, and even brag about it. Not only does this look unprofessional, it leads me to believe that you could potentially be dishonest with me as a buyer. Putting your business online subjects you to FTC regulations. If you don't like them, perhaps this isn't the proper venue for you. One last observation - be nice. I cannot get out of shops fast enough when I see bickering, name calling, and general nastiness on the Etsy forum, Twitter, etc. I am not one of those people who won't buy from someone because of the political opinion, religion, etc. but I will blacklist people who are jerks. Take two seconds to send a quick convo letting your customer know when you are shipping and thanking them for their order. Not only does this make a good impression, you'll make some great Etsy friends along the way. In closing, these are just my opinions, and you know what they say about those! Take it or leave it, but now you have one buyer's perspective.