Why Am I Not Getting Sales on Etsy
Are you dissatisfied with the sales performance of your Etsy shop? Investing time and effort into creating listings, marketing, and product photography can be disheartening only to witness limited or no sales on Etsy. You may start wondering: Is selling on Etsy worth it?
However, there’s no need to fret. We have studied and listed the top 12 reasons why your Etsy makes no or slow sales, along with actionable steps you can take to address them. They are:
- 1. Be an Etsy newcomer
- 2. Struggle with search ranking
- 3. Don’t optimize listing descriptions
- 4. Make unattractive listing photos
- 5. Make unreasonable prices
- 6. Limit payment options
- 7. Don’t have customer reviews
- 8. Don’t have enough listings to reach Etsy shoppers
- 9. Provide too many product varieties
- 10. Sell low-demand products
- 11. Lack of USP products
- 12. Lack of different marketing strategies
Besides, LitCommerce also gives you some tips to get more sales on this top marketplace for selling products. Check it out now!
12 Reasons Why You Have No Sales on Etsy
You keep wondering: Why is my Etsy shop not selling? So, you are in the right place. In this section, we’ll list 12 main reasons for no or slow Etsy sales with actionable solutions for them.
1. Be an Etsy newcomer
If you just start selling on Etsy and experience no sales on Etsy, there is no need to worry. You may ask: Why is my Etsy shop not showing up? This is simply because you are a new seller and your shop has not indexed yet. You need to remember that great things take time to develop. Achieving success often requires patience and hard work.
It is unrealistic to expect your Etsy shop to immediately provide a full-time income. To alleviate pressure, you should diversify your income sources so that you are not solely reliant on the growth of your Etsy business.
How you can fix it:
Never give up on your shop prematurely. You need to take the time to establish your brand and connect with potential customers. If you don’t hire assistance to help you, we advise you to focus on maintaining a single shop to avoid losing track of your progress at the beginning.
As an Etsy seller, you might also want to read:
2. Struggle with search ranking
You search for your products on Etsy and start asking: Why is my Etsy listing not showing up? The reason can lie in the low ranking of your products in Etsy searches. This can be the main cause for no or slow Etsy sales in your Etsy shop. This issue may arise due to inadequate optimization of your listings.
For most Etsy shops, search traffic is the primary visitor source. Therefore, if you have no sales on Etsy, you can start familiarizing yourself with Etsy SEO to enhance your visibility in search results.
How you can fix it:
This issue can be handled by learning Etsy SEO, which you can achieve by checking our guide. With this guide, you will know how to research keywords and use them effectively on your listings.
Furthermore, you should utilize all 13 available listing tags to maximize your chances of appearing in Etsy search results.
3. Don’t optimize listing descriptions
Including too little information about your product might discourage buyers from making purchases, then surely leading to no sales on Etsy. The absence of shop policies, shipping information, and product details can undermine shoppers’ confidence in your shop. That makes it challenging for them to choose you over your competitors. Hence, to help them quickly decide to buy your items, making them feel confident when coming to you is key.
How you can fix it:
Let’s begin where you left off. Now, you can start providing all the necessary information that shoppers require to make a purchase decision. This includes:
- Clear shop policies;
- Accurate shipping information;
- Product details, including materials, size, etc.;
- Size guides or care instructions, if applicable to your products.
Since customers cannot physically see or touch your products, being detailed makes them customers feel secure when getting your goods.
4. Make unattractive listing photos
Etsy operates as a highly visual marketplace where the quality of your product photos can decide your success. So, high-quality photos are a must to convince potential customers that your products are worth buying. Making mistakes such as having poor lighting, distracting backgrounds, or blurry images will result in missed opportunities for clicks and sales, ultimately resulting in Etsy sales down.
Even if you don’t have professional photography skills, don’t worry much. You just need to ensure your photos are of high quality and clearly showcase the products you are selling.
How you can fix it:
If you can only invest in one thing for your business, professional photos or professional photo training are absolutely worth it. Also, you have the option to hire a skilled photographer, or if you are on a limited budget, you can follow some tips to improve the appearance of your photos:
- Set up a designated area in your home.
- Capture your photos in a well-lit space with strong, indirect natural sunlight and utilize a neutral background.
- Photograph your items from different angles to highlight all the important details of your products.
- Learn basic editing skills using software like Lightroom or apps like Canva to further enhance the quality of your photos.
5. Make unreasonable prices
We noticed that many Etsy sellers tend to undervalue their handmade products, although it is possible to overprice them as well. That can properly be a reason for why you have no sales on Etsy.
When you set low prices for your handmade products, you directly compete with resellers and mass-produced items. Unfortunately, competing on price with these sellers is a losing battle because they can always offer lower prices than you can.
How you can fix it:
It is important to recognize that handmade products should be priced higher compared to factory-made alternatives. When setting prices for your items, don’t forget to check how much does it cost to start an Etsy shop guide to ensure you factor in all the Etsy seller fees.
So, if you can offer unique “handmade quality” products, state it out and highlight what is better than other sellers. There are several ways to justify the higher price:
- Showcase your technique and skills through high-quality listing photos.
- Provide insights into your design inspirations, creative process, and high-quality material you use.
- Incorporate elements of your culture and personal history into your products
6. Limit payment options
Your store will experience slow Etsy sales if you just offer a few payment options. That can cause you to miss out on potential sales. Let’s imagine you are selling home decor items targeted at young homeowners. Many of these people may not possess credit cards, and if your shop only offers that payment option, you cannot convert them into customers.
How you can fix it:
It is worth noticing that Etsy allows various payment options. So, taking advantage of this feature can greatly benefit your business. Here are some options you can set up for your customers:
1. Credit card
2. Debit/bank card
3. Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
4. Apple Pay
5. Google Pay
6. PayPal
7. Klarna Financing (United States)
8. Klarna installment payments (Australia, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, United States)
9. Klarna Pay in 30 days (Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, and Norway)
10. iDEAL (the Netherlands)
11. Sofort (Austria and Germany)
Offering various payment options attracts customers with different preferences and eliminates any barriers preventing them from completing their purchases. This inclusivity can significantly enhance your store’s conversion rates and overall sales performance.
7. Don’t have customer reviews
Do you know that approximately 93% of customers actively read other customers’ feedback before purchasing? That indicates that shops lacking reviews may struggle to convince browsers, risking no sales on Etsy.
People often seek similar experiences to validate choices. A store providing no social proof will encounter sales difficulties. Reviews, if positive, could significantly aid your business, however.
How you can fix it:
The only thing you can do now to stop getting no sales on Etsy is actively gathering more reviews to encourage new customers to make purchases. You can ask your previous customers to leave a review by adding freebies, vouchers, and thank you letters that mildly remind them to review your products.
Additionally, you should respond to positive reviews to increase customer engagement. In case you get negative feedback, there’s no need to panic. Negative reviews can happen, and it’s important to handle them appropriately. In this situation, you should politely respond to the customer who left the negative review and try to find ways to resolve any issues. This demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and can help mitigate the impact of the negative feedback.
8. Don’t have enough listings to reach Etsy shoppers
Each product listing presents an opportunity to target specific long-tail keywords that can help you reach new potential customers. Having a limited number of product listings reduces your chances of appearing in search results when customers use keywords to find products. We recommend starting your Etsy shop with a minimum of 20 listings.
Having a minimum of 20 items in your shop can create a sense of fullness while still allowing you to focus on marketing efforts. Fewer than 20 items may give the impression that your shop is neglected and less trustworthy, consequently, leading to no Etsy sales.
Plus, customers following a shop always hope to see continual novel offerings. That’s why you should regularly add new products to your shop to engage your followers and customers. If you neglect shop updates, it may risk promotion opportunities to existing customers. Plus, Etsy favors dynamic and active sellers. So, don’t let your shop be for too long.
How you can fix it:
If you come up with no idea which products to update next, you can try to diversify your goods with variations such as different colors, materials, or finishes. Creating product bundles by combining relevant items is another effective strategy. If feasible, offering custom or personalized options can also attract customers.
9. Provide too many product varieties
If you are in a rush to update your products, don’t try listing other product types that are not related to your first niche. Selling a wide variety of products can create a sense of disorganization and lack of coherence in your shop. It can be confusing for visitors who are trying to understand what your shop specializes in.
Moreover, the inconsistency in your product offerings can give the impression that you lack expertise in any particular area. This can make it challenging to gain trust from shoppers and ultimately slow sales on Etsy.
How you can fix it:
Now, your job is to show buyers you are an expert in your chosen niche. Once you have identified your niche, you ought to focus strongly on the specific range of products you offer. For instance, if you specialize in selling handmade crochet bags, avoid branching out into unrelated items like candles or paintings within the same shop.
Developing a strong brand image can also contribute to a more cohesive shop appearance. One effective method is to use consistent colors and employ a similar style of product photography across your listings. This consistency in visual elements helps to reinforce your brand identity and create a unified shopping experience for customers.
10. Sell low-demand products
You think Etsy not working but the reason can be you are selling low-demand products. Regardless of your promotional efforts, if there is minimal demand for your product, you will end up with no sales on Etsy.
How you can fix it:
This is a common mistake that can be seen in many Etsy so the initial solution may come to mind is discontinuing offering these products. However, you should not give up too soon. You can start again by conducting thorough market research to validate your product idea and find best selling items on Etsy.
11. Lack of USP products
Are Etsy sales down your recent worry? So, in this case, you should check your products and your competitors’ ones to figure out the reason. In the best-selling platform such as Etsy, you can be left behind if you don’t offer something distinct that sets you apart from your competitors. Without a unique selling point (USP), shoppers will have little motivation to choose their items over others.
How you can fix it:
Now, you need to carefully think of your product’s USP. This can involve various factors such as a unique design, utilizing a specialized skill in producing the product or offering additional customization options.
Again, conducting market research is highly recommended. By examining the reviews of your competitors that fall within the 2-4 star range, you can identify areas where they may be lacking. This allows you to address those gaps and stand out within your niche.
12. Lack of different marketing strategies
Another reason for no sales on Etsy may be that you are not promoting your shop on other channels. If you limit your focus to Etsy search alone and don’t explore other traffic sources, you could be missing out on potential sales.
Do not assume that simply creating listings on Etsy will automatically generate visibility and interest. Instead, you better actively lead potential customers to your Etsy shop by promoting your products on various channels.
How you can fix it:
There are several effective ways to attract additional traffic and increase sales. The first and the most effective way is running Etsy ads, along with offering promotions.
Besides, we encourage you to experiment with different marketing strategies like social media marketing, email marketing, or collaborating with influencers. These practices can help you direct potential shoppers to your Etsy shop and generate more sales.
Extra Tips for Sellers with Slow Sales on Etsy
If you suddenly experience slow Etsy sales, you can refer to the following eCommerce strategies best practices for Etsy sellers to get more orders. For more effective strategies to get more sale, you can read our article about how to get more sales on Etsy.
1. Include a small gift or coupon to impress customers
Customers are more likely to make repeat purchases when they receive a thoughtful gesture like a small gift. And that is true when it comes to handmade items. Hence, one effective method to impress customers and leave a lasting impression is by offering them a small gift, like a sample of another popular product from your shop. That also allows customers to test out a different item and return to purchase that product.
2. Add a thank you card to every package
Including a small “thank you” card in your packaging can be a chance to promote your brand. Research indicates that 81% of customers are influenced to make a purchase when they are impressed by the packaging. Therefore, you should not overlook the importance of attaching a “thank you” card and ensuring your packages are neatly and impressively packed.
3. Offer free shipping
Etsy modified its algorithm in 2019, prioritizing product listings that provide free shipping for orders totaling $35 or more. So, if you offer free shipping on Etsy, you can enhance your search ranking and potentially escape from the situation of no sales on Etsy.
4. Have a blog site
If you already have an online website, we highly recommend building a robust blog site to promote and educate your audience about your offerings. From a content perspective, a blog is an ideal place to showcase the unique features of your products. You can also offer valuable information like tips for usage to make customers feel more interested in your items. In terms of technical aspects, a blog is a good way to support search engine optimization when potential customers search for relevant keywords.
No Etsy Sales – FAQs
- Why am I not getting sales on Etsy?
If you see no sales on Etsy, it could be because you are:
- Being a new seller on Etsy
- Struggling with search rankings
- Failing to optimize listing descriptions
- Using unappealing listing photos
- Setting unreasonable prices
- Limiting payment options
- Having customer reviews
- Lacking listings to attract Etsy shoppers
- Offering an excessive variety of products
- Selling low-demand products
- Lacking unique selling proposition (USP) products
- Not using diverse marketing strategies
For more details and solutions for each concern, check the previous part.
- Why am I getting views on Etsy but no sales?
If you get lots of Etsy views but no sales, it could be:
- You use ads targeting the wrong customers
- The price you offer is unreasonable
- There are limited payment options that hinder customers from completing transactions.
So, how can you deal with these issues to stop having no sales on Etsy? You can start with Etsy SEO to reduce the cost for ads first then learn how to target the right customers without advertising on Etsy guide. To solve the pricing issue, you can check similar listings to find the best price range to set the right price for your products. Last but not least, don’t forget to offer as many payment methods as possible to ease your shoppers’ payments.
- Why did my Etsy sales suddenly stop?
If you notice that your Etsy sales are down, several possible causes exist.
- Platform changes algorithm;
- You got too many bad reviews;
- You lack visibility in search result pages
- Trends are changing
- More competitors join in Etsy
To address these problems, you need to:
- Keep updated with this marketplace;
- Regularly check your product rankings;
- Research top sellers sell the same niche as you do;
- Last but not least, improve your product’s quality and customer service.
Conclusion
Etsy is a top marketplace offering various opportunities for proactive individuals willing to invest time and effort into their business. So, if you’re a seller witnessing no sales on Etsy, you better take action now. There are many ways you can employ to raise your Etsy sales, but you can start with the Etsy tips we suggest.
Plus, if you want to access more articles like this one, visit our blog. We also have a Facebook community updating frequently about eCommerce trends and news. Join it today now.
For further support and assistance from LitCommerce, contact us anytime.
