Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Packaging On Etsy

This week I'm going to do several posts about selling on Etsy. I've learned quite a bit in the last few years and I want to be able to share it with you guys!
When you sell on etsy you need to go above and beyond when you ship. The customer just spent their hard-earned money on your handmade item, an item that you probably spent hours or even days designing, creating and photographing.

DON'T throw it in a bag and slap the address on it. THIS IS NOT EBAY!
I expect my purchase, when I buy from Etsy, to be at the very least lovingly wrapped. I mean, someone just spent the last several hours hand-making it! When I spend my money on Etsy I feel like I am purchasing someone's treasure. I cannot stress it more that you should play into that idea as much as possible. Think about the things you yourself have bought from Etsy. Don't you love the cute gift wrap? Doesn't it make you feel special?
If you don't show any value towards packaging your item, the buyer, in return, won't feel that they have an item of value. So treat your items  the way they deserve to be treated (as priceless treasures!) and your customer will honor their purchase even more.

That brings me to my second point. Always, and I mean Always, include a free gift. This is another way to make your customer feel special and appreciated, and is also a very nice way to thank them for shopping with you.
I just include one or two of my handmade postcards, depending on the price of the purchase.

Many people forgot how important packaging is. They spend so much time making and photographing their item, only to throw it carelessly into a brown box. Think before you ship, and go the extra mile to make your customer feel special. That, after all, was probably why they purchased from you in the first place.
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Check out my other Etsy Guides:
The Three Most Common Etsy Mistakes
Photography on Etsy: Inanimate objects

3 comments:

Paul S.V.II said...

Well said. :)

Stephanie said...

<3 this! More please :)

jandi said...

A few years too late, lol but here it goes.
It is so true, although I sell on eBay, I have always added extra flair to my packing, used to stamp up my envelopes, and now I recently make my own paper and envelopes, which I've gotten request to make some to sell. So in a way nice wrapping and packing makes a big difference. good way to built loyal clientele.