Behind the Scenes of a $1,175 day on Etsy
LET’S TAKE A LOOK…
SEE THAT 228? YOU DON’T NEED A MILLION VISITS TO MAKE MONEY!
TRAFFIC
Etsy brought MOST of the traffic and sales.
Having a lot of listings help us show up in search and get found, but most likely, you will have 1-3 listings that sell WAY more, and that’s ok!
OTHER STATS
I worked 0 minutes
I spent $17.05 on Etsy Ads
I received 23 listings favorites
I got two five-star reviews
I only got one Etsy message
MORE NUMBERS!
Etsy brought 57% of visits & I brought 43% of visits (BUT this includes Etsy Ads, which was 41% of this “other” category!)
I paid $17.05 on Etsy Ads, which is the ONLY paid advertising we do.
Most traffic comes from Etsy, which is why SEO is so important.
THAT $1,175 WAS MADE UP OF ONLY 10 ORDERS
👉🏼 2 of those were repeat buyers
👉🏼 3 of those were samples (more below!)
👉🏼 7 of the 10 were for my best-selling listing
a little more about those three sample orders…
HOW SAMPLES HELP YOUR ETSY SHOP
Samples are great for things like color swatches, paper types, fabric options, ribbons, etc. Of course, you can't really do samples for shirts or a one-off custom item, but for things like wedding invitations, home decor, custom gifts...people may be particular about colors! Especially when it's a higher-priced item that might feel like an investment. It makes sense that they want to ensure it's right for them (wouldn't you?)
I sell paper. It's really easy for me to sell ONE before someone orders 150. I find more people love to see a sample first!
Samples might not make sense for you, and that's okay. But here is what I love about offering samples in my business:
Increases number of sales
Gives people confidence in buying
Builds trusts in you + your products
More likely to be satisfied customer
Creates a relationship + communication
Repeat customers spend more money
Increase number of sales
The more sales you have, the more that tells Etsy, “hey, people like buying here,” AND it helps build confidence for buyers. The more sales you have, the fewer hesitations people will have in buying.This is especially helpful for new shops!
Give people confidence in buying & build trust in you + your products
Consider this a trial run. Especially for custom orders, people want to make sure what they want iswhat they’re going to get. When people can see it and feel it in person first, they’ll be happier withthe final product.
More likely to be a satisfied customer
AKA more likely to leave you a five-star review. If they buy a sample and love it, they can leave your TWO five-star reviews. Five stars come from happy customers; happy customers are not surprised by the size, etc. Samples can help with this
Creates a relationship + communication
You can follow up, get feedback, and help them now that they have your product!
Repeat customers spend more money
If you can get people coming back, they will be more likely to KEEP coming back + they will be more likely to share with friends.
Listen to the podcast episode about selling samples on Etsy over on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS (ON ETSY)
Processing fees: $42.03
Listings fees: $3.00
Transaction fees: $79.25
Total Fees: $124.28
I know what you’re thinking, $124+ right off the top!? That’s the cost of doing business, and before you complain and say, “I don’t need Etsy, I can do it for free,” let’s refer to my last fact...almost ALL my traffic came from Etsy.
If I weren’t on Etsy, I would have to be doing a LOT more marketing than I am now, and that shit is not free because even if it’s free, it’s taking TIME away from other things. And time is our most precious currency. I am HAPPY to pay Etsy $124+ right off the top PLUS ads. Take my money, and thanks for doing the heavy lifting!!
p.s. i did that math manually so idk if that $124 is 100% accurate, but it’s close, and you get the idea!
UNDERSTANDING THOSE FEES
Revenue
This is all the money that you’ve made without any expenses. On Etsy specifically, this will be the total in SALES without any fees taken out. This is important to note because there are a lot of fees.
Listing fee
The listing fee is the price to add an item to your shop. Think of this as paying Etsy to stock the shelves with your product.
Listing fee: $0.20 per item. You are charged this when you list an item AND when you renew an item or sell an item. Every time you want Etsy to put your product back in search, it’s $0.20.
Transaction fees
Transaction fees are the cut that Etsy takes. Think of it like a finders fee and system fee. They connect you with a customer on their platform, which makes buying and selling really easy.
Yes, you can avoid this 6.5% fee by not selling on Etsy, but you’re also missing out on Etsy’s built-in 89.9MM active buyers 😮💨
This 6.5% fee is for the total amount and includes shipping $, too.
Processing fees
This is like a credit card fee and occurs with each transaction. For the USA, the fee is 3% + a flat $0.25 fee. Each country is going to have slightly different fees. Make sure you know what your fees are!
Processing fees are in addition to the 6.5% transaction fee.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN YOUR BUSINESS
Where is the money going?
Where is it coming from?
What is actually selling? What’s not?
How much?
What percent is ads and fees?
Are you ACTUALLY making money?
What’s your profit margin?
You know, the business things. If you don’t know these answers right off, it’s time to settle in and get comfy and knowledgeable in your business! YOU have to be the expert in your biz; no one else will be!
ONE FINAL NOTE…
I worked zero minutes yesterday and made $1,175.50. I say this for a reason—we’re programmed to believe that money comes from the work we do. And yes, it does, but in entrepreneurship, we HAVE to break this mold. We do NOT get paid in realtime or hourly like you used to.
I made that money because of the work I have done and the work I will do to fill these orders, but not in the moment. MY POINT: IT’S SAFE TO REST.
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What exactly do I need to show up in Etsy Search?
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Five types of content for your product-based business
BTS of my Etsy Ad Strategy
How Samples Help Grow Your Etsy Shop
