Etsy’s new feature, the “Made For You” page, is the marketplace’s latest attempt to make shopping on Etsy easier for buyers and sellers. This personalized shopping hub offers a simplified browsing experience and opens new avenues for sellers to showcase their products. Here’s an in-depth look at what this page entails and how Etsy sellers can leverage it to maximize their sales potential.
Etsy Feature Updates
Etsy continually strives to enhance its platform by introducing innovative features to enrich the shopping experience. While some features catch on, like Etsy’s Star Seller badge—others fall flat, like Etsy Explore, which encourages sellers to engage with potential buyers through short-form videos.
Another creative addition that’s much less talked about is Etsy’s “Guided Search” feature. This feature reimagines the search bar into an interactive, ChatGPT-like interface, providing a novel way for users to navigate the site. But in reality, it’s just an AI wrapper for search.
With Etsy’s recent feature additions in mind, they often supplement conventional search functionalities that remain a staple for user engagement. These efforts reflect Etsy’s broader strategy to integrate new technology and user-friendly tools to keep sellers and buyers engaged and competitive in a dynamic market.
Etsy’s newest feature, “Made For You,” aims to tailor the shopping experience more closely to individual user needs and preferences.
What is Etsy’s “Made For You” Page?
The “Made For You” page is a marketing tool on Etsy designed to enhance the shopping experience by presenting buyers with personalized product suggestions, deals, and features.
Some of the features included on the “Made For You” page include:
- Gift Mode: for finding the perfect present.
- Deals Tabs: to navigate the best savings.
- Etsy’s Picks: which highlights quality listings.
It serves as a one-stop-shop to funnel shoppers into using specific features that help them find products based on past behaviors and interactions.
6 Reasons Why Etsy Created “Made For You”
Etsy’s decision to make the shopping experience more personal with the “Made For You” page can be seen as a strategic move to address several challenges inherent in the platform’s marketplace model.
Ultimately, Etsy’s “Made For You” page appears to be a marketing tool that helps weed out underperforming shops and listings while showcasing the very best that Etsy has to offer—all the while, introducing products that are more likely to appeal based on a shopper’s past browsing and purchase history.
Here’s a deeper look into the reasons behind “Made For You” and the broader implications of such features:
#1. Etsy’s Inventory is Vast
Etsy’s marketplace is renowned for its extensive supply of unique, handmade, and vintage items. However, the sheer volume of listings—millions of products across thousands of categories—can overwhelm shoppers.
Personalized pages like “Made For You” help streamline the shopping experience by filtering out the noise and directing shoppers to items that align with their interests and past behaviors.
#2. Search Relevance Challenges
While Etsy’s search algorithm aligns user queries with relevant products, the nuances of handmade and unique items can complicate this process.
Etsy’s “XWalk” algorithm attempts to show relevant products to shoppers regardless of the search terms used. While this can be great for keeping shoppers engaged on the platform, it can also lead to frustration. Especially if shoppers encounter the same listings regardless of their search terms.
A personalized page like “Made For You” helps funnel shoppers into one location where they’re free to “explore” rather than “search.” This works by leveraging the same data analytics in XWalk, to refine product results based on a deeper understanding of user preferences.
#3. Quality Control
With an open marketplace, the quality of products can vary significantly. Some listings might be lower in quality or not as accurately described. This can upset customers and erode trust in the platform.
While Etsy is taking strides against this with the Purchase Protection Program, “Made For You” takes this a step further.
By promoting top-performing shops and their products, Etsy can ensure a higher quality standard in featured listings. This can ultimately enhance the overall user experience.
#4. Competition in eCommerce
The eCommerce landscape is crowded, with platforms like Amazon and eBay offering vast selections of goods and features.
Etsy’s focus on personalization makes it stand out by creating a more curated and engaging shopping experience. This does its part to attract new users looking for a more tailored shopping journey and enhances loyalty among existing customers.
#5. Increased Conversion Rates
Personalized recommendations are a powerful marketing tool. By showing shoppers products that they are more likely to purchase based on their browsing and buying history, Etsy can increase conversion rates and average order values.
This targeted approach is often more efficient than large-scale advertising campaigns and promotions, making marketing spending more effective.
#6. Motivation for Sellers
By highlighting top-performing shops and products, Etsy assures buyers receive quality products and motivates sellers to improve their offerings and customer service.
This competitive environment fosters a higher-quality marketplace overall as sellers strive to meet the metrics that would place them among the featured or top-rated.
How Etsy’s “Made For You” Page Benefits Shoppers
Having a personalized page updated through browsing and shopping habits offers several benefits for Etsy buyers.
Here are some ways shoppers benefit from the “Made For You” page:
Enhanced Personalization
The tools featured on the “Made For You” page adapt to each shopper’s preferences and behaviors. Using features like “Gift Mode” and personalized “Deals Tabs,” users can quickly locate products that match their interests, streamlining the shopping process and improving efficiency.
Streamlined Shopping Experience
The page simplifies navigation across various sales, negotiations, and curated selections by centralizing features such as the “Deals Tab,” “Make an Offer,” and “Etsy’s Picks.”
By wrangling these tools all in one place, buyers can make the most of shopping on Etsy by getting the best deals or the most relevant products.
Improved Gift Shopping
The page offers robust gifting options, including creating gift registries and finding last-minute presents through “Gift Mode.” The “Gift Teaser” feature introduces an element of anticipation and personalization to gift-giving, positioning Etsy as a preferred platform for unique and thoughtful gifts.
Informed Purchasing Decisions
Featured tools like “Etsy’s Picks” and “Shop the Look” provide curated insights and styling recommendations, aiding shoppers in making well-informed purchasing choices.
These features ensure product quality and reliability, helping minimize the likelihood of decision fatigue and buyer’s remorse.
Savings and Financial Benefits
Functionalities like the “Deals Tab” and “Discount Reminders” help shoppers save money by highlighting available promotions and discounts. The “Make an Offer” feature also allows for price negotiations, presenting opportunities for further financial savings.
How Etsy’s “Made For You” Page Benefits Sellers
For sellers, although the “Made For You” page may seem like another useless feature, it does offer an opportunity for increased visibility and engagement directly from your target audience.
Here are some ways this is possible:
Increased Exposure
Tools like “Etsy’s Picks” and “Shop the Look” highlight selected sellers and products, giving them more exposure to a broader audience. Being featured on these curated lists can significantly boost a seller’s visibility and attract more traffic to their shop.
Enhanced Sales Opportunities
“Gift Mode” and the “Deals Tab” can directly drive sales by making it easier for buyers to find and purchase products.
For instance, “Gift Mode” simplifies finding the perfect gift, likely leading to increased purchases during gift-giving seasons. The “Deals Tab” promotes seller discounts and deals, encouraging more frequent purchases and larger order volumes.
Building Trust and Credibility
Featured listings on the “Made For You” page typically reassure buyers about the reliability of their purchases, which indirectly benefits sellers by enhancing the platform’s overall trustworthiness.
Buyers are more likely to purchase from sellers when they feel confident that their transactions are protected.
Targeted Marketing
Since the tools featured on the page adapt to individual buyer preferences, sellers may benefit from Etsy’s algorithm—which matches their products with their target audience.
This targeted exposure is more likely to lead to higher conversion rates because the products are shown to buyers who have demonstrated interest in similar items.
How to Optimize Etsy Listings for “Made For You”
To take full advantage of this new feature, sellers should consider several strategies to optimize their Etsy listings for search:
By tailoring your shop and listing practices around these strategies, Etsy sellers can increase their visibility across the “Made for You” page’s various features, ultimately driving more traffic and sales to your Etsy shop.
Gift Mode Optimization
- Target Gift Searches: Use keywords that potential buyers might use when searching for gifts, such as “gifts for [occasion/person]” (e.g., “gifts for Mother’s Day,” “gifts for bird watchers”).
- Detailed Descriptions: In your product descriptions, include details about the item’s suitability as a gift. Highlight aspects like packaging, customization options, and why the item makes a perfect gift.
- Seasonality: Update your listings to reflect upcoming holidays or gift-giving occasions. Regular updates signal to Etsy’s algorithm that your listings are active and relevant, increasing their likelihood of being featured.
Deals Tab Inclusion
- Run Promotions: Regularly offer discounts or participate in Etsy sales events. Etsy is more likely to feature listings with active promotions in the “Deals Tab.”
Etsy’s Picks
- High-Quality Photos: Ensure your listing photos are high-resolution and professionally styled. Visual appeal is crucial for being featured in curated sections like “Etsy’s Picks.”
- Exceptional Customer Service: Maintain high shop standards, including excellent customer service, fast response times, and positive reviews, which are likely criteria for selection.
- Unique and Trending Items: Regularly update your inventory with unique items or those trending in your market niche, as Etsy tends to feature distinctive products or those that catch the current market trends.
Local Shop Visibility
- Location Tags: Make sure your shop’s location is updated and accurate. Use local tags and keywords if appropriate.
- Participate in Local Events: Engage with local Etsy markets or events and mention this involvement in your shop updates or announcements.
Sustainability Filters
- Highlight Sustainable Practices: If applicable, clearly state the sustainable materials and processes used in your products. Use keywords related to sustainability in your tags and titles.
- Eco-friendly Packaging: Offer and promote eco-friendly packaging options, which could further appeal to environmentally conscious shoppers.
Shop the Look and Spotlighting the Best
- Styling and Cross-Promotion: Style your products to complement other items in your shop. This creates an appealing “look” that buyers can use to shop for similar products.
- Regular Updates: Keep your shop and listings fresh with regular updates and new items to maintain interest and relevancy, which Etsy’s algorithm favors.
Make an Offer
- Price Flexibility: If you opt-in to the “Make an Offer” tool, be prepared with a pricing strategy that allows flexibility and protects your profit margins. This feature can increase engagement with potential buyers who are price-sensitive.
Over to You
The “Made For You” page is a new marketing tool that reflects Etsy’s commitment to creating a more personalized and engaging shopping experience. Understanding and adapting to features displayed on this page can help enhance sellers’ visibility and sales potential.
As Etsy continues to evolve and introduce features like the “Made For You” page, sellers must stay proactive in leveraging these tools for success. By optimizing listings and aligning with Etsy’s strategic direction, sellers can continue to thrive on this dynamic marketplace.
As always, happy selling!
