Etsy 101

Dear You + Me*,

You guys find such great stuff on Etsy!  I love the idea of supporting small artists and want to shop using Etsy, but it's so overwhelming. Do you have any tips for an Etsy newbie like myself?
Thanks!

J.

Dear J.,

No, thank you!  We try to find things that you'll enjoy, and we're glad you like what we come up with!  We have to agree that Etsy is overwhelming; it's like shopping at the world's largest flea market.  There are tons of amazing things to find, but you also have to know where to look so you're not sorting through piles of one-eyed dolls and clothespins with little bonnets on them. Here are a few tips for making your trip through Etsy enjoyable and rewarding.

If you know what you're looking for...

1. Search, search, search.    

You can use the search bar at the top to search for "clipboard" or "statement jewelry" or "letterpress."  Using the drop down menu on the left, you can search "Handmade," "Vintage," "Supplies," "All Items," or "Sellers."  

2. Use the Categories.  You can use "Categories" to find what you are looking for because after you choose the category that you want, you can narrow it down, and then search within that.  For example, say I am looking for some striped burp cloths for a pregnant friend who loves stripes. I can chose "Children" then "Baby" then "Burp Cloth", and finally I can search within "Burp Cloth" to narrow it down to stripes.

Once I do, look what's the second item that comes up: 

Lines Organic Cotton Burp Cloth (set of 2) from Organic Quilt Company

Ta-Da!  Five minutes and maybe 5 clicks later, I have just what I am looking for--cute striped burp cloths that are organic to boot!  

If you are just browsing...

3. Use the Treasury, Editor's Picks, and Featured Sellers features.  Some folks are so intimidated by Etsy that they never scroll down.  Etsy has so many ways to find what you're looking for that to just browse by category is akin to buying an iPhone and only using it to make phone calls.  If you scroll down a bit on the home page, on the left, there is a navigation box that has a bunch of ways to sort through everything that's on Etsy.  I love to use the Treasury, Editors' Picks, and Featured Sellers to see what other folks are digging on.  

4. See who hearts your favorite shop.  Etsy has a feature where you can see who likes the items in a shop. For example, I have Dutch Door's CA and NY birds and blooms prints, and they make me happy Every. Single. Time. that I pass by them. Here is the CA one:

California from Dutch Door Press

Maybe I would like to buy something from a seller who also loves Dutch Door's aesthetic.  

By thumbing through the sellers who like Dutch Door, I found this ring:

Silver Constellation Ring from Tider Design

Pretty, right?  And maybe not something that I would have found otherwise.

We hope these 4 tips help and will make Etsy seem less intimidating.  Thanks for writing in, and happy shopping!

xo,

ME*

Comments

[sm]

Great ideas! I also love to subscribe to their Etsy Finds newsletter. Every day a different themed email arrives with the best of the best! I love to favorite the things that stand out to me and get back to them eventually.

[ME*]

I love Etsy Finds! I can't believe I forgot to include that. There is rarely an item in those emails that I don't love and covet.