Etsy Seller Tips – Creating an Attractive Listing Description

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This installment of my Etsy Seller Tips is part of a series. You can find the other segments here.

You have an item to sell. You’ve opened up your shop. You’ve taken beautiful photographs and branded your store. You are now ready to create a listing. You want to make sure that once someone has actually seen your listing (we’ll discuss this in a later article) they will be convinced to purchase it. The listing description is your tool for doing this. It is where you pull out all your salesmanship skills.

Etsy Seller Tips – Talk to a Human

Imagine that you are standing face to face with an actual person, trying to sell your item. Play the conversation in your head. Think of questions they might ask, and answer it. I used to work in sales in various stores. Whenever I sold something, there was always a back and forth. I’ll play out a sample experience. We are starting from the stage where a customer has already looked at a particular item and is considering buying it.The item has a clear price tag. 

Me: This piece is very special. I made it by hand using high quality, carefully selected supplies. It is one of a kind, a truly unique work of art

Customer: How did you make it?

Me: It is wire wrapped by hand with utmost care and attention to detail.

Customer: What materials is it made up of? 

Me: I used freshwater pearls in a variety of colors. The metals are sterling silver and those crystals there are made by Swarovski. 

Customer: (thinks for a moment. This is the opportunity to throw in a selling point, one that the customer can associate with and will make the customer feel special)

Me: This piece is one of a kind. (You can repeat yourself, as long as you’ve stated a few other facts in between.) That means that you will be the only one with this piece. I cannot make another, due to the unique method of wire wrapping that I use.

The above conversation is a sample. Each piece has different issues relevant. You will just be answering potential questions. According to the above discussion, my listing should read something like this:

This piece is very special. I made it by hand using high quality, carefully selected supplies. It is one of a kind, a truly unique work of art

I made it using freshwater pearls in a variety of colors. The metals are sterling silver and those crystals there are made by Swarovski.  It is wire wrapped by hand with utmost care and attention to detail.

This piece is one of a kind. That means that you will be the only one with this piece. I cannot make another, due to the unique method of wire wrapping that I use.

Etsy Seller Tips – Add in details

There are certain things a person can see when purchasing an item in a store that is not necessarily as clear when purchasing online. Some examples include size, quantity, and what exactly is included in the purchase, as well as other item-specific features. Color is great to include as well. You will also want to reference the nature of the piece. At the same time, you will want to consolidate your words to make for easier reading. Consider incorporating a few bullets for a quick scan. I will now modify my above listing to accommodate these factors:

This special bracelet was made using high quality materials and is truly a work of art.

I made it using freshwater pearls in beautiful shades of pinks and purples. Swarovski crystals in similar shades add a sparkle.  It is wire wrapped by hand, using sterling silver wire, with utmost care and attention to detail. It has been finished off using an adjustable clasp, and twisted jumprings.

This piece is one of a kind. That means that you will be the only one with this piece. I cannot make another, due to the unique method of wire wrapping that I use.

*Length: 18 inches -20 inches (adjustable)

*Color: pinks, purples, and whites

*Materials: Freshwater pearl, swarovski crystal and sterling silver.

*Please note: listing is for necklace only. Pictured earrings are for decorative purposes only. They are available separately for purchase in my shop. [Link]

Of course, this is only an example. Different pieces will have different relevant information. For example, f it is a piece of clothing, you will want to add care instructions.

Etsy Seller Tips – Make it Personal

This is unique to the fact that it is handmade. The nature of handmade is that it is personal. You want to constantly keep with the personal feel, so that your customers are feeling you as they go along.

First of all using the word “you” is a great marketing trick. The customer will then feel an association. You will also want to include the story behind the piece. For example, for my wedding earrings – I included the fact that made these the night before my wedding in honor of that occasion. You can also suggest possible uses that the buyer can associate with.

Etsy Seller Tips – Sell it to Yourself

My final piece of advice for you today is to put yourself in the customer’s shoes – in all aspects of your listing. Thinking of yourself as the customer will help you provide a listing description that is attractive enough to SELL!

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