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The other day, something possessed me to do a simple search of the word “jewelry” on Etsy. Curiosity got the best of me, I suppose. I was rather surprised when my little search turned up precisely 1,355,210 items called “jewelry”. Holy crap, that’s a lot. Now we all know how Etsy’s search is not exactly the most accurate, which is due in part to how Sellers tag (or mistag) their items. For instance ~ Something like a leather cord can turn up under jewelry, since it is a jewelry making component, however it should not fall under “handmade”, but we all know how that goes . . . I narrowed down my search by using the word “necklace”. That word turned up 548,489 results. Wowzers! Jewelry has always been an oversaturated category on the site, but I had no idea just how full it really is. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, it just explains why my views seem to be at an all time low. It really gives a perspective on how much the site has grown since I joined in 2007. A constant complaint by sellers is how a recently listed item gets buried instantly. With that many items on the site, I can see why this happens. Etsy offers some tips for Sellers on how to promote their shops in other ways, such as Flickr, Facebook, Twitter. Most of these, I have done. Some have been worthwhile, but others . . . not so much. Don’t get me wrong ~ I love this venue, but to say I am frustrated is putting it lightly. Although I haven’t tracked it, I would say that I have spent nearly as much time promoting my little shop as I have creating things to go in it. I’ve been tenacious and unrelenting about doing so, hoping I would see dramatic results. At this point, I can say I am officially beat. I feel like I’ve promoted my little heart out, only to find out that I am just another fish in a very big sea. It’s disheartening.
What do I do now? I love making jewelry; goodness knows I can’t keep all of it :) I love Etsy, too. If you’re a seller, how do you promote your shop? What works, and what doesn’t? How do you stay motivated when things are slow? Surely I am preaching to the choir here, but I would really love some advice, some tips . . . heck, I’ll even welcome criticism. I’ll take anything you got. Anyone?
