Embracing Etsy’s New Merchandising Strategies: Treasuries & Etsy Front Page

Contributed by:  Sound Images

We’ve recently received word from Etsy admin that they are fine tuning the treasury guidelines and will be selecting treasuries for the Etsy Front Page with their new  merchandising strategies in mind.

Although the Treasury is not intended as a self-promotion tool, as Etsy sellers and treasury curators we certainly always have the hope that one of our treasuries will make the front page. We would love nothing more than to see our favourite artisans get that wonderful front page exposure. We would also certainly hope that from time to time one of our own listings may spend that shining moment on the front page.

So, are these new treasury guidelines and Etsy’s new merchandising strategies an obstacle, or could this be the “how to” guide we’ve been looking for? How can we take advantage of the expertise of   Louis Sagar, Etsy’s new merchandising consultant and use it to help us improve our treasuries and market our own shops?

After reading several of Etsy’s  recent storque articles outlining their new merchandising strategies, I’ve highlighted a “things to try” list to help us along:

• Watch for recent trends in the Hot List section of the gift guides.  
• Follow updates from  Etsy’s merchandising desk.   
• Tag your listings according to current and upcoming  themes so treasury curators and potential customers can find your items.  
• Time your new listings to coincide with upcoming themes.  Consider upcoming themes and trends when creating your  listing photos.
• Reflect themes that suit your shop in your shop announcements. 
• Highlight appropriate themes & trends in your item titles and descriptions.
• Consider offering sales or promotions in line with merchandising strategies.
• Build treasuries that feature current and upcoming themes.
• Consider contacting Louis Sagar directly with your feedback and ideas  lsagar.etsy.com or leave your comments here.
  

Remember that themes are not rigid. Be creative in figuring out how the items in your shop can be given a fresh twist to fit in with latest trends.

Etsy’s Merchandising Focus for the month of May

Wedding
Graduation
Emeralds
Kentucky Derby
Cinco de Mayo
Glass
Taurus
Gemini
Housewares
Books and Zines
Paper Goods
Father’s Day
Papa Bear

Here’s an example of how I could use this information to update my own shop. I have a listing for a custom birth announcement that could easily be a wedding or graduation announcement. With the focus of “Paper Goods, Weddings, & Graduations” for the month of May I may consider giving this listing a new title, tags and description so that anyone searching for items within these themes might find my listing. If I wanted to take it one step further I would alter one of the images in the listing to reflect the new theme.


Certainly we don’t all have time to reinvent the items already in our shop, but moving forward with new creations and new listings we can certainly keep Etsy’s merchandising strategies in mind.

Good luck, and keep the creativity flowing!

About the author:  Jill is a music therapist with a love for photography, music & design. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and daughter where life is busy but certainly full of creativity.  Jill is currently enjoying building up her Etsy shop www.soundimages.etsy.com where she sells original stationary designs and original music from her Celtic duo Anam Cara www.anamcara.ca.

ETTEAM Featured Etsy Seller - Santiam Designs

Contributed by: NiftyKnits.

Today I'm interviewing Debbie of SantiamDesigns .

Cats or dogs?

Dogs, and lots of 'em. I have three of my own Kira, my German Shepherd, Winston, my AmStaff, and Dice, a border collie} and a foster pit bull pup, Penelope Pit Stop. Currently planning for GSD pup 'Mikey', who hasn't been conceived yet. I'm still shopping breeders, though I've narrowed it down to three. One in PA, one in CA, and one in WA.

Star Wars or Star Trek?

EWWWW. Neither. Unless it's the Star Trek Trouble with Tribbles episode! My first two husbands were huge sci fi fans, I corrected that mistake with #3.

You're forgiven - my very favourite episode is "trials and tribble-ations", a DS9 tribute to the original series tribbles. I love the bit when someone asks Worf why the Klingons don't look "right" and he says "We don't discuss it".

Fruit or chocolate? 

I love chocolate, but I eat a lot more fruit. Fruit.

Favourite colour? 

Green



Favourite meal?

Anything prepared by Gustav's in Clackamas, Oregon.

City break or weekend in the country?

Life in the country, with occasional breaks in Philly and Manhattan with my daughter and her partner. I LOVE NYC!

Soaps or documentaries?

Documentaries, always.

Bath or shower?

Shower. I want everything icky off of me and down the drain!

Usually I say "Now we’ve got you warmed up…" but I don't think there was any question of that!

What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop. Do you sell anywhere else?

I belong to jewelry and beading lists on yahoo, so that's where I first heard about Etsy. Before my Dr. 'disabled' me, I was working in a medical lab, and had 1 hour for lunch. There was a lovely bead store nearby that I couldn't seem to stay out of. I made things for friends, co-workers, clients, and strangers. {Compliment me on something I'm wearing, and I'm liable to give it to you!} Once I was retired, I had amassed a huge amount of beads, and lost an income. I did the math, and Santiam Designs was born. I also have a SD presence at Artfire, where nothing has sold. Yet!

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?


My Sterling and Crazy Lace Agate Choker (above) I want to keep it. 

:-)

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt (about Etsy) so far?

Hmmm. Don't sweat what admin is doing, or not doing. I see so much anger and frustration in the fora regarding admin and to me, it's wasted energy and not good for one's health. Or, maybe I'm just too old and settled to keep up! I cruise the forums for useful tips, opportunities to help a new shop, and general amusement. I frequently sit on my hands, though. ;-)

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?

Yes, Santiam Designs would be Santiam *something else*. I was in a hurry to get started before we drowned in jewelry, so I didn't spend much longer than a nano second on the name. Silly, really.


How do you see your store developing?

I sew, have a full stained glass shop stored away, I do needlepoint, cross stitch, embroidery, have a full grow operation for producing african violets for show, a full Siamese Fighting Fish breeding set up, and love making crazy quilts with lots of embroidery and embellishments so maybe I'll dig this stuff out and open another store one day, when I can't ride my horses up the mountain anymore. While I might add an eclectic item to SD on occasion, it'll pretty much stay the same, just with new items. I want to get into metalsmithing, and DH has offered up his large shop. I just need to make time for classes. I make what I love, and want to wear, in hopes that someone else will covet the items. I don't do trendy, my brain just can't cope with keeping up with anyone else but me!

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?

Not a darn thing. Sitting here, sipping my lovely cup of Senseo and swallowing my twice daily handful of medications. Six more pills to go! And apparently the dogs would like to eat something, they're all lined up sitting, staring at me, licking their lips. I do love them so!


What’s your top marketing tip for today?

Um, you're talkin' to someone that hasn't even installed google analytics. I don't advertise, though I do donate items for auctions and raffles, mostly at dog events. I try to list something new daily. I occasionally renew, and try to make an appearance in the fora a couple of times a day.  I'm so totally laid back these days that hustling just isn't part of my repertoire. I'd rather play with my horses and dogs!

Oh you sound so sorted! Thanks for this, the best piece of advice I'm going to try to take from your interview is "Don't sweat what admin is doing, or not doing."

SantiamDesigns
debskibblesnbits.blogspot.com

About the author: Heather Leavers has a lovely Etsy shop Nifty Knits, where she sells the most charming hand knitted "critters", beautiful flowers and fabulous knitwear!

Unraveling Etsy Treasuries

Contributed by: GloriousHats

What’s the deal with Etsy treasuries? They can certainly be puzzling, especially to shoppers and sellers that are new to Etsy.

Here is an example of the Page 1 hot list in Etsy's Main Treasury:


A treasury collection may be viewed as a mini-multi-artist art show. Lots of shows in a huge gallery. See a title or curator name you like, click the title and go on into the show. Like the looks? stay and view, click on an item to open a new window/tab to examine it in detail. If you are intrigued and wish to learn more about the curator or a featured artist, they can read that person's profile. Often the gallery seen on the Etsy Home page is one of the member curated treasuries brought up to the Front Page.

This is a Treasury that made it to the Etsy Front Page -from flickr Etsy Front Pagers Group


Anyone registered on Etsy can curate a treasury. Admins, buyers and sellers. While it is an open playing field, gaming skills are helpful. It does take time and energy to capture a treasury. Some enjoy the challenge and get a little buzz when snagging one. Some enjoy putting together collections - by theme, color, or for commentary - any of the reasons one might like to curate an art show.

Selecting items for a treasury collection is a neat way to become familiar with team members work and styles. This treasury is my latest curation. It has work from members of the two teams I'm on - ETTeam and TeamMN.

It is really fun to take a theme or idea and put together a reflection upon that concept and create a vision or statement using items ranging from fine art to fiber.
A lovely way to let one's creative muse play.

Do visit the Etsy Treasury sites and see what you think; maybe even give curating a Treasury a try!

About the author:  Jane Carlstrom loves to restore and make hats that she sells in her Etsy Shop, Glorious Hats.

Some fabulous ETTEAM members giveaways!

Several Etsy Treasury Team members are doing some wonderful giveaways on their individual blogs.  If you like giveaways (and who doesn't), click on over to their blogs to enter each of the giveaways.

Ok, here are the giveaways:

Nora Karen - is giving away one of her fabulous Peacock totes. 

 

DKJewels - is giving away some of her gorgeous jewelry.

NiftyKnits - is giving away one of her adorable knitted Meerkats.

AdornMeJewelry - is giving away one of her lovely rings. 

GocksFrocks - is giving away some beautiful fat quarters and some coordinating trims.

Remember to click on each of the links above to go to the individual giveaways.  

Good luck!!