Anyone here use Etsy.com?

[Pete Schupska]

So I've found my self with an abundance of shop time over the last few months, and I'm on the verge of having created more things than I have places or uses for. This is probably a common problem.

First step was giving Christmas presents this year, but I've been thinking about starting to sell a few things. Craft and art shows here are few and far between, and I often find out about them too late.

I'm wondering if anyone here has used Etsy.com with any success. I'm not planning, for now, to sell anything big. Mostly just the small skill building projects I do during the week.

Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.

[Paul Incognito]

Pete,
We have an etsy shop. We've had a few things on it for a while and haven't sold anything. I think we're out of the price range that most folks shop etsy for, if that makes sense.
It seems like if you have something clever or unique that you can sell for 20-30$, you may end up with a gold mine. There's a guy who nails CNC scraps together, calls it sculpture and lists it for around 10$, I forget if they sell.
It's free to be a member and a listing is only around 20 cents, so if you try it and don't have any luck, you haven't lost much.
Good luck,
PI

[John Buzzurro]

I've sold maybe a couple dozen items on Etsy over the last 18 months. Not as much as I'd like, but then I haven't had to put a lot of effort into it. I've even gotten a lead from it to sell on consignment for a museum's gift shop.

As Paul said, it's only 20 cents to list something, so you don't really have much to lose by trying. Hardest part is getting good photos of your items, so if you're not accustomed to photographing your work, you may want to practice up on that.

Good luck.

John

[Ted Calver]

Pete,
My wife has two stores selling chrocheted and knitted items. She did well for the holiday gift giving season but sales have fallen way off. Problem is that there are sooooo many people trying to sell handcrafted items that it's tough to stand out in the crowd. Try and create something unique or unusual or superior quality and you might do ok. A lot of people browse the recently listed items page so when you are putting items in your store don't put them all on in one day--space them out over a number of days so you always have something in the recently listed page. Make sure you have excellent light tent quality photographs of your work. As Paul said, the cost is minimal so what have you got to lose? Give it a shot.

[Zach England]

Someone here posts bandsaw boxes that look exactly like some I have seen on etsy.

[Gerald Senburn]

My daughter tried etsy for some small woodworking items. Didn't sell hardly anything at all. I think the problem is trying to stand out, perhaps if you sell something that's not run-of-the-mill you'd do better.