Many home crafters and others that focus on handmade items turn to Etsy as their primary source of distribution and income. What they don’t expect is the entitled attitude of an Etsy customer. Beyond anything you would normally experience on any other platform including your own website. More about that later.

Etsy has put so much power in the hands of the customer that many Etsy sellers simply give up and close their shops. Recently Etsy made it worse with their feedback system to be a “Star Seller” on their platform. If a customer does not leave the seller a 5 star review, the little Star Seller badge will not be displayed on the seller’s store. (Be sure to read: How to be successful on etsy 2021)

That’s right. Even if you have 4 stars, on-time shipping and message response rates, you’re not a Star seller. Below are the parameters. Two you can control. What you can’t is the opinion of an Etsy buyer.

• Message Response Rate (Target 95%)
• 5-Star Rating (Target 95%)
• On-Time Shipping and Tracking (Target 95%)

As a marketer, I have many Etsy sellers as my clients. Believe me when I say that many Etsy customers are entitled, I know first hand. Demanding. Unfair. I’ve read the messages. I’ve read the reviews. 99% of these? Invalid. Yet there is nothing, NOTHING, an Etsy seller can do about it.

In my experience over the past several years, an Etsy seller truly cares about providing the best to their customers. Yet Etsy has taken control away from these sellers time and time again.

The most important thing EVERY Etsy seller should know is that you will never be able to contact the customer or see their email addresses. Etsy has made it so that you are completely reliant on their platform and not able to build the most important resource your business needs to succeed – a customer email list.

What can you do about it? Launch your own ecommerce store. I recommend this immediately to all my Etsy clients and it’s something that should be done sooner rather than later. You want to be able to contact the customers you’ve worked so hard to reach.

My favorite platform is Big Commerce and there is an app that will connect to your Etsy shop. Why is this important? Because your customer information, order shipment, inventory management will all be handled through Big Commerce. HUGE.

From me to you? DO IT NOW. Take back control of your business for your future growth and success. You can get info on Big Commerce here: Big Commerce Platform

The post Why Etsy Customers are the WORST. appeared first on Sanger Marketing.

How do you determine if being self-employed is for you?  Let me ask you one question.  How badly do you want it? You see that one answer will determine if you will be successful not only in owning and operating a business but in everything you set out to do in your life.  This question can be applied to quitting smoking, losing weight, meditating, building relationships, giving back to your community and much more.

If you answer the question I just asked you I am ready to be self-employed BUT, you’re not ready so don’t waste your time.  Anytime you use the word I want to BUT, you are making an excuses.  Excuses will keep you right where you are.

Now if you answered the question I am ready and WILL DO what I need to do, let’s get you started.  First things first if you are currently employed you will need to MAKE the time to get what needs to be done in a day.  Prioritize by the money.  What?  You’re starting a business because you’re passionate about A, B, C?  Guess what?  If you aren’t making money, you may as well close your doors right now.  Bottom line is you have to make money to be successful and STAY in business.  That business will allow you to be passionate about whatever it is you are passionate about. For me, my passions are giving back to my community particularly for kids and animals.

The best tip I can give anyone that wants to be successful is focus on what you KNOW you have to get done that day. If you have to bring on clients to make sure the bills are paid, then that is what you focus on.  Prioritize by what brings in the money to keep the doors open.  Sometimes for even the best of us we have a tough time staying on task. Here  is the tip that I use to this day.  Set a timer for 20 minutes and work on that particular task for 20 minutes – nothing else.  When the timer goes off, get up walk around for 5 or 10 minutes then repeat until the task is complete. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish in 20 minutes.

What are you waiting for? Set your timer and get moving.  You CAN do this!

To your success,

Denise

The post Do You Have What It Takes To Be Successfully Self Employed? appeared first on Sanger Marketing.