We’ve all heard the success stories of average people who launched Etsy shops and were able to turn them into a full-time living. Some of the stories are so inspiring that you’ve dreamed of quitting your day job and making a go of it on Etsy yourself. After all, you’re just as talented as any of those other people.

But after recently launching your Etsy shop, perhaps you just aren’t getting the sales volume that you had hoped. How was it so easy for those other people?

The truth is that it probably wasn’t.

Don’t be discouraged if things haven’t taken off as you had hoped. Here, we’ll take a look at what you need to know as a new seller on Etsy.

The Forums Normally Aren’t a Lot of Help

Generally speaking, it’s best to steer clear of the Etsy forums. Although the intent of them is to help sellers collaborate on ideas and strategies, unfortunately they’re mostly filled with inexperienced sellers that exude a lot of negativity.

The last thing you need as a new Etsy seller is to get bogged down by other sellers that would rather spend time complaining about what doesn’t work than ideas that do.

The reality is that the most successful Etsy sellers don’t spend much, or any, time in the forums. They’re too busy creating innovation and fulfilling orders.

If you’re really looking for help, reach out to specific coaches or groups that want to help you succeed. You can also reach out directly to Etsy professionals.

There Will Be Changes. And They Are Designed to Help Sellers – Even Ones Who Are New to Etsy

As in any other business, change is an inevitable force. In the case of Etsy, the changes they implement are designed to benefit their sellers. After all, if you’re not selling product, they’re not making money.

Etsy’s main goal is to help make the buying and selling experience as seamless as possible for consumers and creators. Doing this requires that they make certain changes that may inconvenience you temporarily while you learn each new process.

Just remember that they are on the same team as you. It’s best to adjust to the changes they make rather than complain about them.

There Will Be a Lot of Ups and Downs

Certain days will be better sales days than others. That’s just the nature of the beast. There could be times starting out where you don’t make a single sale for a week or two. Then you’ll get an unexpected influx of sales within a day or two.

The key is to not stress yourself out in the short-term if sales aren’t coming in. Keep doing your social media and dialing in your keywords. It may feel like it’s taking longer than you expected but as long as you’re doing the right things, the sales will come.

Stay positive. Don’t let the downhill moments get you discouraged. Remind yourself of the ups and take time to intentionally focus on them. Use them to build positivity through the tougher times.

Be Realistic About Conversion Rates

Not everyone who visits your shop is going to make a purchase. In fact, the standard conversion rate in e-commerce is about 2%. That means that for every 100 users that visit your Etsy shop, you should expect to make about two sales.

As a new Etsy seller, your initial conversion rates could be even lower. It’s not uncommon for new sellers to average only one sale per 100 visits. Don’t let it get you down. Keep doing what you’re doing and better days will come.

You Will Continually Improve

Focus the vast majority of your time on things that bring value to your Etsy shop. You’ll only get better as a seller by getting your hands dirty. Talking about problems or frustrations on social media isn’t going to bring you more sales.

When you make mistakes, learn from them and adjust. When you find a strategy that works for you, stick with the positive momentum for as long as it keeps working. Any successful Etsy seller will tell you that this is how they built their shop.

Selling on Etsy Can Be Very Lucrative

Even if you haven’t found a lot of success on Etsy yet, don’t throw in the towel. Treat your shop like a business and don’t expect instant riches. So what’s the best way to get started?

Marmalead offers a free on-demand webinar that covers the fundamentals of making sure your listings get found by the tens of millions of Etsy shoppers. If you have questions, use that same link to sign up for one of our weekly Q&As – or hit us up directly at success@marmalead.com. We’re honored to have worked with tens of thousands of Etsy shops to help them find success. We’d love to help you find yours as well!