Consumers shopping for everything from cookies to handmade tables have been turning to Etsy, an online marketplace with 1.4 million active shops listing 29 million items from nearly every country.
But its girth may also be its downfall — especially for those new to the site, who can be overwhelmed by the number of options.
Start by browsing and adding items to your favorite list, said Hannah Album, Etsy spokeswoman.
“The more you ‘favorite,’ the more new items and great gift ideas you’ll discover in your activity feed that becomes personalized to your taste,” she said.
And while each shop has its own return policies, Etsy may issue returns on the seller’s behalf.
A few of Etsy’s top-selling storekeepers helped clue us in to Etsy’s secrets.
Zen Threads
Sells: Ecofriendly hand-printed graphic tees and home goods.
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Most popular item: Anything with a wildlife or sea life theme, such as the octopus, owl, otter, sloth and manatee prints.
Selling secret: “I try to create images that appeal to me and to use high-quality images of our garments to best display the screen-printed art,” said Brandy Smith, owner of Sacramento-based Zen Threads.
Advice for Etsy shoppers: Use Etsy’s browsing suggestions and be sure to look at featured sellers, Smith said. To see what’s trending and to look at Etsy’s top sellers, you can check out Craftcount.com, Smith suggested.
TaylorCrafts
Sells: Personalized and engraved cutting boards.
Most popular item: White oak stamp monogram cutting board.
Selling secret: “We work hard to promote our products with bloggers, to promote through social media, and we advertise on Google,” said Tony Taylor, co-owner of the Utah-based store.
Advice for Etsy shoppers: You can tell by the photographs and reviews if the company truly cares about delivering a quality result, Belinda Crafts said.
Zoey’s Attic
Sells: Sibling T-shirts, family T-shirts and personalized gifts.
Most popular item: Pregnancy announcement items and gifts.
Selling secret: “Social media helps, and having a good quality product gets repeat customers,” said Tim Delanty, the St. Louis-based co-owner of Zoey’s Attic. “We also have very good customer service. If there’s ever an issue, we get back to them very quickly.”
Advice for Etsy shoppers: Delanty suggested checking out the seller’s reviews and the length of time that they’ve been on Etsy. Also look at the shop’s turnaround times, because occasionally the times can be longer than four weeks.
Frosted Willow
Sells: Handmade bangle bracelets.
Most popular item: The customized bangles such as the initial bangle and name bangle. The new baby and bridal sets are also very popular. The olive branch bangle and the owl bangle always sell well.
Selling secret: “I try to add several new designs a month to stay current and to give my customers new options to add to their collection,” said Katrin Lerman, owner, designer and maker of Frosted Willow, based in Boca Raton, Fla. “I also keep everything cohesive and photograph it the same way so my brand is easily recognized by the pictures and style.”
Advice for Etsy shoppers: Once you decide on a purchase, make sure to read the full descriptions and the details as well as the shop policies and feedback to see if you agree before checking out, Lerman said.