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Dear Sellers:
What is great service? Who defines it? How do you know if you are delivering great service to your Etsy customers?
Good service solves a problem, even before a customer knows that they have one. It is delivering what people expect to receive. To achieve great service is to get below the surface of the an issue and deliver solutions that no one expects.
Great service is listening, learning, assessing, and ultimately refining your approach.
We looked to a few companies known for their customer service to see if there are any themes or similarities between them that you can in turn, adopt for your own Etsy business practices. All strive for excellence, with a strong set of core values. Some of those values include:
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Integrity – Providing useful and ethical assistance
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Social Profit – Producing benefits beyond marketing goods and services (benefits to the environment, etc.)
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Joy – Making your surroundings a joyful place for both you and your customers
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Respect – Respect for the customer
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Innovation – Changing what exists into something better
Below are only a few of many great customer service companies that embody many of these cores values.
Zappos.com
This is a recent favorite. It is hard to find someone who isn’t thrilled with Zappos’ service. Zappos.com takes customer service very seriously, and employee interviews and performance reviews are based 50% on core values and culture. Here is a list of Zappos.com’s core values:
- Deliver wow through service
- Embrace and drive change
- Create fun and a little weirdness
- Be adventurous, creative, and open minded
- Pursue growth and learning
- Build open and honest relationships with communication
- Build a creative team and family spirit
- Be passionate and determined
- Be humble
Zappos.com states that it is committed to providing the best service and online shopping experience possible. Fast fulfillment, free shipping both ways, 365-day return policy and fast, friendly and expert customer support are just a few ways Zappos.com strives to live up to this commitment. As Tony Hsieh has stated, “Zappos is a service company that happens to sell shoes, clothing, handbags, eyewear, watches (and eventually a bunch of other stuff).”
Container Store
The Container Store sells storage and organizational products; products that many, many other retailers sell as well. What has made the Container Store one of the most successful retail chains is because it focuses on helping customers solve problems and hires employees who believe in that mission and give them freedom to do so. Stories such as these below are not unusual:
Above and beyond: A woman comes into the store looking for packaging material for her child’s science project that needs to be shipped across the country. Not only does an employee greet her immediately and help her find the material she needs, that employee spends an additional two hours helping the woman pack the project in the store.
Guidance: During a frantic move, a person called the Container Store for help with an item she just purchased. She spent 40 minutes on the phone with a Container Store employee as that employee coached and encouraged her as she put her metro system together. The customer was incredibly grateful.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com’s customer service is known to solve problems, particularly shipping mishaps and lost items. An author earlier this year described his situation with his lost PlayStation 3 he purchased last Christmas in the New York Times.
His neighbor signed for the box, but left it in their lobby. It vanished. After reluctantly calling Amazon, he was pleasantly surprised when Amazon replaced the package, on time, for Christmas. Intrigued, he looked further into what Amazon was doing.
The author noted, “There is simply no question that Mr. Bezos’s obsession with his customers — and the long term — has paid off, even if he had to take some hits to the stock price along the way.”
LimaMike reports she had a terrific experience with one of Amazon.com’s retailers. She purchased a tool for her jewelry class, and when her back was turned, one of her students took one of her week-old wire cutters to cut a stiff, unforgiving wire that the cutters were never meant to cut. Before giving the cutters a decent burial she decided to send the company an email to see if they could refurbish the cutters, expecting to pay for the service.
A few days later the president of the company emailed asking for her address to send her a brand new pair of cutters. He suggested I keep the old ones to show my students what not to do.
LimaMike was so excited she posted in several Yahoo beading groups telling them about the great cutters and the phenomenal customer service. She heard from many that day who bought cutters, who had wanted them previously but hesitated because of the expense. After her story, they felt more comfortable laying out the cash for a great product.
As LimaMike stated, “Word of mouth marketing is one of the best ways to get new customers. People often listen to their friends and colleagues more so than a slick ad in a magazine.”
Great service isn’t easy to achieve. Every customer is different. Every problem is different. No one can anticipate every situation or every personality on the other end of the computer. Ultimately, great service requires sound judgment every day to adapt to the needs of the customer. The process of assessing what good service means — and figuring out how to deliver it — never stops. This is a process Etsy.com is constantly refining as well. We’re learning from these other companies too!
More about Service Tips for Sellers Series: Running an online business has many perks, like the ability to remain somewhat anonymous behind a computer screen (and maybe even working in your ‘jammies). But that computer screen does not preclude interaction with customers. Good online customer service may be even more important than offline: good service gives buyers the peace of mind that they are buying from a trustworthy and reputable seller. As an online entrepreneur you have the opportunity to provide excellent communication, create a friendly face for your shop, and promote repeat business.
[...]
Dear Sellers,
A few weeks ago, we started the journey of learning how to listen to the stories that numbers tell in our Etsy shop. A ratio is the story that two numbers tell when they are together. We explored a popularity ratio called the heart-to-sale ratio. This week, we will continue the series by looking at a ratio that tells us a story about the inventory in our shop — called the inventory turnover ratio.
Inventory Turnover Ratio:
Inventory is what you currently have for sale in your shop. Turnover is related to how long your products stay in your shop. The inventory turnover ratio tells us a story about the life of our products in our shop.
How to Calculate:
Inventory Turnover Ratio = (Total sales you have made) divided by (The # of products for sale in your shop)
You can find the number of sales you have made by looking on the right sidebar of your shop’s homepage under other items. You can find how many products are for sale in your shop by looking at the "items for sale" number on the right side of your shop’s homepage under other items. Find a calculator, and take the first number and divide by the second. The number you calculated is your inventory turnover ratio.
This number tells you how many times you have sold your inventory. If your number was 13, this means that you have sold every single item in your shop 13 times or gone through 13 cycles of products.
Fill your number into these sentences to get your interpretation:
I have sold all of the products in my shop _____ times.
I have completed _____ cycles of inventory in my shop.
My inventory has sold out _____ times since I have had my shop open.
Taking This Ratio to the Next Level:
There is one more interesting story that this ratio can tell us. It is called the "months to sell it all ratio."
Months to Sell It All Ratio = (# of months your shop has been open) divided by (Inventory Turnover Ratio from above)
This ratio tells you an estimate of about how many months it will take you to sell every piece of your inventory.
Fill this number into the following sentences to get your interpretation:
At my historical pace, I will probably sell every item in my inventory in _____ months.
If I keep selling at the same pace and do not make any new products, I will run out of products to sell in _____ months.
_____ months from now, there is a good chance that I will have sold everything in my shop.
Variables to Consider:
There are quite a few things that could influence the results of your calculations including the following:
* Your shop has a high variability in how many products are for sale (5 one week, 125 the next).
* Your shop has not been in operation a long time
* Your shop offers the same products for sale over and over vs. one of a kind items.
* Other considerations (every shop is different and a number has to be interpreted in light of this—price, market, and external circumstances).
You can get a more accurate result if you use the average number of items for sale in your shop instead of how many items are for sale in your shop right now.
How to Use This Information:
With these numbers in your head, ask yourself the following questions (looking for ways to improve):
1. Is my inventory fast? Does it stay a long time in my shop or does it end up in my customer’s hands quickly?
2. Are there certain products in my shop that sell faster than others? Why or why not?
3. Do the prices of my items influence their speed of sale?
4. Based on these numbers, do I need to make more products for sale, hold back on production, or look for ways to speed up my sales?
Final Thoughts:
Every Etsy shop is unique and that means that your ratio number is unique to your shop. Do not let a number make you depressed or overly happy. Take the story that the ratio gives you and take from it what you can. If it gets you thinking about ways to improve your shop, you have succeeded! Until next time…keep crunching numbers!
For more financial philosophy from JJMFinance, check out his previous articles. For more information on numbers in your shop, check out the Art of Pricing series.
[...]
Ever wish there was a way to browse through all of the Etsy Teams blogs and catch up on all the wonderful, amazing things Teams are up to? Look no further, faithful Etsy Team Blog reader, as we introduce a new Etsy Teams Blog Ring. All Blogs run by Etsy Teams (this Blog Ring is not personal blogs, sorry!) are welcome to join in, and can find instructions on how to do so here.
What is a Blog Ring and why should you check this out? A Blog Ring is links that have been placed in the sidebar of a series of blogs, that enables you to click through and read related blogs. With the Teams Blog Ring, you can now easily flip through to learn what the most active Etsy Teams are up to, find specials, information on events, and learn a lot more about many Etsy Teams. We’re really excited about this tool for catching up with fantastic Teams!
There are probably some of you scratching your heads and thinking, "But I thought there was already a Teams blog ring?" And you’re right, there was. The previous Teams Blog Ring had some technical issues, so this Teams Blog Ring is the real deal from here on out!
Team Tips are a weekly series of tips and ideas from the Etsy Teams. You can find more Resources at team.etsy.com. Etsy Teams are growing really quickly, and we love that so many sellers want to join in to promote their shops, Teams and Etsy. For more information on Etsy Teams, check out the Teams pages and this page of Frequently Asked Questions. Don’t forget to read our interview with this week’s Featured Etsy Team. Keep up the great work, Etsy [...]
Craft Zine and Michael Miller Fabrics recently sponsored CRAFT’s Michael Miller Baby Bootie Contest, with the many entries posted in a Flickr group. We were so charmed by these Firefly LED baby booties that we asked the creators to give us a how-to for the project.
Special thanks go out to Craft‘s Natalie Zee Drieu who coordinated this post. She is expecting a baby girl and has shared her favorites in the related items below!
But first, a safety disclaimer:
Babies should wear LED booties with adult supervision only, as small electronic components can be a choking hazard if removed from the booties. You can also glue the LEDs to the fabric for extra hold or use surface mount LED beads and sandwich them between the surface and liner fabrics.
Materials:
denim
yellow cotton
felt
cotton thread
conductive thread
elastic
yellow ribbon
2 yellow LEDs
2 CR2016 (or CR2032) batteries
scissors
needles
paper
pen
contact glue
Pattern:
Click here to download the PDF Pattern for the LED Booties.
How-To:
1. Download the bootie pattern. Measure the baby’s foot size and reduce or enlarge pattern to fit accordingly. By sewing the two paper pattern pieces together you’ll get a more or less fair view of the booties final dimension. This can take a few attempts, but it is actually a crucial step, so take your time with measurements.
2. Cut the denim pieces after tracing the pattern into the denim’s wrong side. You can leave a mark that will help you distinguish the left from the right bootie once the pieces are all cut. Then, cover the entire outside edges with blanket stitches to prevent the denim from fraying.
3. Sew the two pieces of each bootie together with the wrong side of the denim. You can mark an even margin with a pen to help guide you.
4. Cut a small strip of yellow cotton and tack it to the bootie’s denim edges. Cut it on diagonal direction, as the fabric will stretch in the bias direction.
5. Sew the yellow edge to the denim (try to make the stitches as invisible as possible) and then remove the temporary stitches. Fold the rest of the cotton in. You can also sew it to the denim from inside to make sure it will stay in place.
6. Cut a little piece of elastic and sew it very well to the inner part of the booty. The denim is great for this because the inner stitches won’t be visible from the outside.
7. The firefly wings are basically a double bow (without the loose ends) made with ribbon. Just sew it together with a few stitches and it is now ready to be sewed to the bootie.
8. After sewing the wings to the bootie (on the right side of the bootie), use the same thread to make the embroidery. It’s really simple, so you probably don’t need to trace a drawing first. Just try to make them more or less symmetrical in the two booties.
9. Cut a large stripe of yellow cotton, enough to cover the inner side of the bootie. After tacking it to the denim, sew it with some invisible stitches leaving the front part still to be sewed.
10. The LED (short for light emitting diode) is a semiconductor that emits light when a current flows through. The plus of the battery must be connected to the anode (usually the long leg) and the minus to the cathode (usually the short leg). This makes it clear which way to wire the LED.
LEDs also have what is called a maximum voltage, and you should not apply more voltage to the LED than this value. We’ve used a 3V battery (CR2016 1,6 mm thick), and since most yellow LEDs have a forward voltage around 1.2V to 2.2V, we needed some resistance to reduce it, so we’ve used conductive thread.
11. Put the LED in place and stick the pins inside.
12. From the inner side of the bootie, curve the LED’s edges with a pair of pliers.
13. Now sew the curved edges to the denim with the conductive thread. Make sure you use a different thread for each of the edges and that they don’t touch each other (this would short-circuit the battery). One foot (20 cm) of conductive thread sewed along the base of the bootie is enough. You can pass them through the bootie’s sides.
14. With one of the conductive threads, sew a few stitches (cross stitches, for example) on the back part of the bootie sole. This will work as a "pad."
15. Cut a little square of yellow cotton to prepare a little pocket for the battery. To make sure the battery stays in place, make the pocket as small as possible. Sew all of the edges to the denim, leaving a small entry for the battery, like a buttonhole. Make another "pad" with the other conductive thread on top of the pocket.
The battery should be placed between the "pad" on the battery pocket and the other "pad" on the base of the bootie, in order to make good contact. Just be careful and make sure both wires only meet at the LED when the battery is in place. If you mixed up the polarities, there’s no harm to the LED; just flip the battery over and it should light up.
16. Cut an insole from the felt using a pattern like the one used to cut the denim, but a bit smaller. Then cover it with the yellow cotton and sew it together. This insole will cover the battery pocket. Glue the half front part of the insole to the bootie. You will need to leave the back half part unglued so you can easily remove or replace the battery.
17. The final result! These aren’t everyday booties, of course, so you might save them to be used on a special occasion. With the battery on, the LED will be lit for around two hours. You can even replace the LED with a small bead.
About the creators: Ana Pires and João Silva were born in the seventies in Oporto, Portugal and they’re currently living in The Hague, The Netherlands. They’re very keen on arts and crafts, though professionally they’ve chosen other areas. Ana is an accountant and she enjoys painting, knitting, embroidering and sewing. João is an engineer and his hobbies include building computers and robots, gardening and biking to work every day.
The items below are curated by Craft‘s Natalie Zee Drieu who is expecting a baby girl!
Handmade Kids Series | Special Kids Showcase | Baby Gift Guide | Children Gift Guide [...]
Dear Sellers,
I love the small MOO minicards, and they certainly have their place, but there are some times when only a standard-sized business card will do. That is why I am so pleased to say that our pals at MOO have now added this option for you.
In case you didn’t know, MOO is a printing company. They print beautiful products using images you upload directly to their site, and, thanks to an ingenious combination of magic and science, Etsy sellers can have minicards, stickers, postcards, and now full-sized business cards printed DIRECTLY from the product images in their shops.
Here’s how it works:
1. Go to http://moo.com/etsy
2. Select the MOO product you would like to make with your Etsy images (in the following example, we’ll select MOO minicards).
2. You will be prompted to log into your Etsy account.
3. Once logged in, drag the images you wish to make into cards from the scrollable picture bar into the large white box underneath. You have the option to add all photos, add 10 random photos, or clear all of the photos from the screen by clicking the blue text above the white box. You can drag images to the left sidebar if you wish to remove them from being designed (we all make mistakes).
4. The next screen allows you to control the part of the image displayed on the card. You can crop, zoom, change positions, preview, reset, and even remove a photo if you don’t like the way it looks. When you have the desired look for your images, click next step.
5. The next screen allows you to design the back of your Moo cards. You can leave them blank, add a logo, or write up to 6 lines of text with the option to bold or color. For creative ways to use text on your cards, check out the article we wrote specifically for uses of MOO products!
6. The next screen adds your designed product to your cart and allows you to make more products if you like.
7. Click “go to payment,” review the items in your cart, edit them if you like, and check out with either Paypal or your credit card!
Click here to get started making fresh products for your Etsy shop now!
Remember, it’s not the size of your MOO cards, it’s how you use them.
Check out the Labs’ how-to with a plethora of ideas for using MOO products for your Etsy shop. [...]
Hello crafty friends, our inbox is overflowing with contests, challenges, calls for submission and opportunities to show off your skills. Some are for sweet prizes, some are for pure glory, all are for fun! Time’s a tickin’…
- The Tote-ally Crafty Bag Challenge — Deadline July 31
Whether you knit, crochet, recycle, embellish or do them all… CraftStylish invites you to show us your stuff, your crafty stuff — tote bag style. The challenge will be open for entries until 11:59pm ET on July 31st. Open to legal residents of the U. S. and Canada (except Quebec). Get the details.
Tote bag photo by Zach Desert and Burcu Avsar.
- Craft Corps book project – Deadline August 15
Author and knit vixen extraordinaire, Vickie Howell wants you: Calling all crafters! I’m gearing up to write my next book, Craft Corps which will focus on the community perpetuated by craft and the designers & hobbyists who feed it. As part of the content, I’m hoping to include 50-60 short profiles of crafters of all types. If you knit, crochet, embroider, decoupage, paint, sew, bead, tat, work with ceramics, collage, etc. I want to hear from you!
Stop by Vickie’s blog for details. And for a bit of spoofy fun, check out her tongue-in-cheek good knitter, gone bad video.
- Creativity 350 Craft & T-Shirt Contest – Deadline August 15
It’s time to enter your 350 project submissions. What are you waiting for? Go! And don’t forget — just by entering the contest, you’re helping spread the word about a very important cause and about the amazing climate change awareness organizatin350.org. Open to crafters worldwide! Get all the details here.
- Honda Pilot YouTube Do It Yourself Video Contest -- Deadline August 22
Youtube and the new Pilot from Honda is calling for some do-it-yourself videos, from home improvement to electronics to odds & ends and more. So do-it-yourselfers (DIYers), rev up your how-to engines and submit. Aspiring DIYers, watch and learn. DIYing and watching is just half the fun. Check out the prizes. Hard handiwork shouldn’t go unrewarded.
Grand Prize: $15,000 big ones. Cash.
Top 10: $100 gift cards to Home Depot.
Open to U. S. Residents. Learn how to enter here.
- Good Mail Day book project – Deadline September 15
Quarry Books is looking for submissions to their upcoming project, Good Mail Day, a soon-to-be published book authored by Pod Post — two ladies who share a deep love for all things mail art and postal related. The authors are seeking submissions of mail art and correspondence in all of its myriad forms, for possible
publication, and invite all interested mail artists/networkers to submit work. All entries should arrive by September 15, 2008 but the authors will begin the selection process on July 31, 2008 so don’t delay!
Entry details here.
Of course, if that’s not enough, there’s also Etsy’s Handmade Kids Challenge & Sweepstakes and the Handmade Kids International Gift Guide call for entries.
Forward this post to your friends and family if you see a good fit for any of these opportunities. Good luck! [...]
What’s flagging? It’s how Etsians can report items to Etsy admin. People flag for many reasons. Copyright infringement is just one example, and SarahSays will be discussing this below.
Another example: if concerned members of the community spot someone selling a mass-produced item on Etsy, they can notify the Etsy admin (without the suspected seller knowing who the reporter is) by clicking the link to "Report this item to Etsy." Then the matter is up to the Etsy admin to investigate in a way that doesn’t involve calling sellers out in public.
However, concerned Etsians may not understand what qualifies as copyright infrigement and Etsy’s role in the process, and as a result flag too much. In this article, SarahSays will explain copyright infringement and the role of the copyright holder.
Concerned members of our community often flag items due to the appearance of infringement. For example, a member may flag a handmade t-shirt with a silk screened image of an iconic cartoon character. Later, the member may become frustrated, disappointed or confused when the item remains on Etsy.
Intellectual property rights are very important to Etsy. When Etsy receives a complaint from a copyright owner, Etsy, as a venue, attempts to remedy the situation. Etsy treats all complaints seriously, whether the complaint is from a well known company, an individual, or from an Etsy member.
However, under United States copyright law, only the legal or beneficial owner of an exclusive right under a copyright is entitled to take action. In other words, copyright owners are responsible for policing their own rights and bear the cost of policing.
In the case of the silk screened t-shirt, the owner of the copyright of the cartoon character has the right to decide how to proceed. If copyright owner believes that the use is infringing, the owner might ask a seller to stop selling the items. Alternatively, the owner might ask the seller to enter into a licensing agreement. The copyright owner could like the t-shirts and the publicity; the owner might choose to allow the use. It is not up to Etsy or a community member to decide what use of a character should and should not be allowed.
Also, an Etsy seller may have permission to use a copyrighted image in their handmade items. Some Etsy sellers have licenses with companies to use certain intellectual property. In fact, certain Etsy sellers have entered into agreements with other Etsy sellers for the benefit of both parties.
Let me know what you think about this topic!
This information is for educational and informational purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice. The author and Etsy, Inc. disclaim all responsibility for any and all losses, damages, or causes of action that may arise or be connected with the use of these materials. Please consult a licensed attorney in your area with specific legal questions or concerns.
NOTE: This was originally published on October 30, 2007. We changed the timestamp to bring it up to the top for a refresher!
[...]
Next up in the Etsy Cooperative Advertising Program: Bust Magazine!
In case you’re not familiar with this program, here are the important details:
- Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, cover half of the cost, and design the ads.
- Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
- You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
- The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.
This ad will be in the October/November issue of Bust.
- 30 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $90 each.
- Spots will go on sale on Monday, July 28, 2008 at 1:00pm (Eastern Time).
- Spots are purchased in the same manner as a Showcase.
- If you successfully buy a cooperative ad spot through Showcase, your item photo and information must be sent to adam@etsy.com no later than 7:00pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, July 31, 2008.
About Bust
- Total Circulation is 93,500.
- Bust is published 6 times annually.
- The August/September issue hits newsstands on September 23, 2008.
BUST is a groundbreaking women’s lifestyle magazine that is unique in its ability to connect with bright, cutting-edge young women. With an attitude that is fierce, funny, and proud to be female, BUST‘s revolutionary editorial mix addresses a refreshing variety of women’s interests, including pop culture, music, crafting, fashion, sex, news, and celebrity interviews. Hip, humorous, and honest, BUST is a cheeky celebration of all things female and a trusted authority on up-and-coming trends among young women.
- 98% of the readers are women.
- Average income is $69,000.
- Median age is 27.
- 80% of readers refer to BUST for fashion.
- 91% say BUST is their favorite magazine.
- 68% purchased from BUST advertisers last year.
FAQ
1. What is the Cooperative Advertising Program?
- By purchasing a spot in a Cooperative Advertising Program, Etsy sellers can show off their items in an Etsy-branded magazine advertisement, reach new buyers, and help boost their sales and shop awareness. Print ads in popular magazines are often priced out of reach of small entrepreneurs. Etsy is able to purchase larger ads for more impact, and let sellers buy into the ads.
2. How does it work?
- Etsy reduces costs to sellers by subsidizing the ads. We pay half of the cost. The cost to you is the remaining amount, divided by the number of spots for sale.
- Sellers get to display one image of an item from their shop, its price, its main category and their shop name. The appearance of the ad is similar to our homepage. See the original article for an example.
3. How do I purchase a spot?
- 1: Go to the Showcase Gateway.
- 2: Choose "Cooperative Ads – BUST Showcase." There will only be one date to choose from.
- 3: Hit the "Purchase" button. The fee will be added to your normal Etsy bill.
*Note: The items that appear in the Showcase section of "Your Etsy" will not affect this purchase. The item photo that you send in via email to adam@etsy.com will be what appears in the ad. There is not an online Showcase associated with this purchase!
4. What do I do next?
You’ll receive a conversation from Adam with details, and we will need the following from you:
- Your shop name.
- The price of the item.
- The main category that the item is listed under.
- A high-resolution photograph of your item (300 dpi).
- If you need help with photo issues, please ask, and Adam will send you detailed instructions. If you already have a photo that you like, great! If not, check out some of our photography tips.
- We will need your image by 7:00pm (Eastern Time) on Thursday, July 31, 2008 to give us time to lay out the ad and meet our deadline with Bust.
5. How many spots can I reserve?
- You can purchase one spot per advertisement.
6. Can I cancel a spot after I’ve made a reservation? Is the fee refunded?
- We will only cancel and refund spots under very special circumstances. Deciding you are no longer interested in your spot does not count. If you feel like you really have a valid case please email adam@etsy.com.
7. How do I know if the current Cooperative Ad is right for me?
- Do some research! We’ll provide helpful info for each ad as it becomes available (see above). And, it may be helpful to visit your local bookstore or newsstand to see if they carry the magazine. Remember, there will be more of these Cooperative Advertising opportunities available in the future, including Craft, Venus, and Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion. If you don’t feel like Bust is perfect for you, there will be other opportunities…
[...]
Dear Sellers:
As an online business owner, you may occasionally have a non-responding customer. They may have made a purchase from you and not specified the custom requirements in order for you to complete the transaction. They may have placed an order and not sent an immediate payment, with no explanation. They may not have left you any feedback for the transaction. There might have been other confusion, like a language barrier. All of these situations have the potential to be sticky, and in order to help we have gathered some tips and advice to handle the situation gracefully and professionally. We’ve talked with sellers, buyers and our customer support team to summarize the following responses that you can adopt and customize to your business needs.
Customer that is not responding to your emails: Keep in mind that not all internet shoppers check their email regularly and there might be an unforeseen circumstance keeping them from responding in a timely manner. It’s always best practice to take a deep breath and remind yourself that no response does not mean they are uninterested.
- Try communicating with your customer via both conversations and the email address the customer provided to you on the receipt page. Sometimes, emails from unknown addresses can get caught by the customer’s spam filter and never read. Additionally, be sure to add their email address to your own email address book to be sure the spam filters aren’t blocking their attempts to communicate with you.
- Allow up to 2-3 business days to hear back from your customer. This may seem like a long time, but realistically your customer might be working a long shift, may not be near the computer, or may even be away for the weekend. If you do not hear back within that time frame, it is safe to send another message.
- Provide as much information as you can in your message to your customer. If you do not hear back within your time frame, send another polite message with the same information and make sure to let them know in a friendly way you are waiting for their reply. Your third message is a good opportunity to give your customer a timeline of when you expect to hear back from them and alert them that you may cancel your sale and relist your item if no contact is made. If there is still no word, it is a safe time to cut your losses, given you tried your best.
Customer that ordered a custom item without giving you any of the specifications you require: There are a host of reasons a customer might have forgotten to contact you with the information you asked regarding the order. It is important to keep your cool, remain friendly, helpful, and professional when contacting your customer to ask for additional information.
- Try sending your customer a friendly email thanking them for their order and asking for the specifics at the same time; this way you can kill two birds with one stone. It may sounds something like "Hello xxxx, Thank you for your order and for helping to support (yourshopnamehere). I am excited to start work on your custom order and will need the following information from you before I can get started: (list of information goes here). Please contact me with any questions and I look forward to working with you."
- If you do not hear back from your customer within 2-3 days, follow the same steps for contacting your customer as laid out above.
Customer that has made an order, but has not sent an immediate payment: It’s important to keep the mindset that a customer who has not yet paid is not out to get you. They are most likely a brand new customer, maybe a little confused, or possibly misunderstood that immediate payment was required.
- "Hello xxxx, I have your recent order of xx item (link to transaction receipt goes here) packaged up and ready to ship out as soon as I receive your payment via Paypal. Please let me know if you need any additional help during the payment process or if you would like me to send you an invoice directly to your email address from which you can pay with your credit card. Thanks again and I hope you love your new xxx item. Keep in touch, (your name)"
- RightAsRainCreations uses this tactic: "Thank you for your Etsy purchase from Right As Rain Creations! My PayPal shows that you have not completed the payment. There is a payment link on your Etsy transaction page. [Insert link to transaction here.] Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or if you’d like to use another payment method, I am happy to help!"
- earlybirdcreations advises: Regarding payment reminders, I also send a short friendly email or convo (depending on whether they are new to Etsy and therefore might not be aware of the Etsy conversations) thanking them for their order. I always use their name in the email. I also say that I will post the item as soon as payment has been received. This approach has had a 100% success rate with people making payment within the next 24 hours. Communication is the key I think!
- MabelMcBee uses something similar: "Thank you for purchasing ‘item name.’ In preparing your order for shipment, I realized that payment had not yet gone through to my Paypal account. You may complete the payment step by clicking the ‘Pay through Paypal’ link here: (and I give the link to the invoice). If you are having difficulty with your Paypal account, please let me know how I can help you."
- heartworksbylori: "Thanks so much for your order! I’d love to get your jewelry order out to you asap, so as soon as the payment process is complete, I can do that. Here’s the link to your invoice (provide link) Feel free to ask me any questions if you need help and I’d be happy to accommodate! I look forward to serving you. ~Lori"
Feedback reminders or inquiries: It’s important to remember that leaving feedback on Etsy is optional, so keep an inquiry to one convo and refrain from asking again if you do not receive a response. A buyer may find the tactic a little too aggressive.
- "Hello xxxx, I hope you received you recent order of xx item (link to transaction goes here) safe and sound and are happy with it. If all went well, I appreciate and enjoy getting customer feedback in my shop, if you feel comfortable doing so for xx item you purchased. You can leave me feedback on Etsy by logging into your account and selecting the feedback option in Your Etsy. If there were any problems with your order, please let me know before leaving feedback so we can work out a solution to make you happy. Keep in touch, (your name)"
- Artbynaomi suggests: "I prefer not to make it sound like it’s expected of them. I try not to sound too demanding or forceful, but just convey thanks for their support and mention that leaving feedback is appreciated and helps me in providing quality product and service. I then mention how the buyer can leave feedback through the Etsy system."
- bddesigns says: "I also wanted to ask you to take a moment, after receiving your package, to leave some honest feedback about your transaction — that lets me know that you received your package and I did my job well! I will also leave feedback for you so that other Etsy sellers know that you are a great buyer to do business with!"
Customers with language barriers: Keep your sentences simple and avoid using any words that are slang or could be easily misunderstood.
- "Hello xxxx, I realize English is not your primary language and want to make sure we both understand the order/your question/your concern. (Repeat to the best of your ability what you think their question/concern/order is). Is this correct? Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you, (your name)"
- bamabelle suggests: "Hi! I’m having a little trouble understanding , let’s double-check our communication by using Babelfish.com. Thanks!"
Do you have a no fail reliable response that you use when faced with these types of potentially sticky situations? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section of this article below.
More about Service Tips for Sellers Series: Running an online business has many perks, like the ability to remain somewhat anonymous behind a computer screen (and maybe even working in your ‘jammies). But that computer screen does not preclude interaction with customers. Good online customer service may be even more important than offline: good service gives buyers the peace of mind that they are buying from a trustworthy and reputable seller. As an online entrepreneur you have the opportunity to provide excellent communication, create a friendly face for your shop, and promote repeat business.
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At the stroke of one minute past midnight, in conjunction with the Handmade Kids series, Etsy launches two contests: The Handmade Kids Challenge & Sweepstakes. Both makers and shoppers can take part and enter to win prizes. Above all else, these activities are a celebration of our little muses — the kids — and the darling things they wear, cuddle, sit their cute butts on, or otherwise cover with drool!
Starting just past midnight tonight (12:01 am EDT July 16), crafters, artists, and makers who specialize in items for babies, kids, maternity wear or accessories for parents can enter their products into the running. We have a variety of categories so we can spread the love to many types of items: Art, Accessories, Clothing, Childrens Furniture, Eco-friendly, Home decor, and Toys. If you’re just getting started making things, not to worry: you have until August 16th to enter. After the 16th, our panel of experts will whittle down the entries to 280 finalists.
On August 25, our taste-makers aka "members with fantastic taste" can also get involved. Once we have all the entries in, we’ll be counting on you for the popular vote. For the Handmade Kids Sweepstakes, 14 of these luckey voters will each win a $350 Etsy shopping spree.
In addition to the Sweepstakes, we have the Handmade Kids Challenge. These are the awards given to the best in the categories. We have the popular vote determining who gets the Members’ Choice winners and Expert Panel Awards of Excellence — with a group of great judges — who will pick winners for each category.
Click through for more information on the Handmade Kids Challenge & Sweepstakes. There’s also a helpful FAQ on that page. See complete Challenge rules here; Sweepstakes rules here.
Thank you in advance for your awesome entries!
ps
We sincerely apologize to our international members. In order to comply with stupid laws we hate, we can only open this contest to US entrants.
Addendum: Dear international Etsians, we hear your concerns! The goal of the Handmade Kids project is to promote Etsy as a shopping destination for all the great items available for kids and families— and we know those beautiful items come from all over the world. Through Storque articles, media outreach, outside advertising and more, we will be highlighting all the international and US sellers that make things for kids and families.
The Handmade Kids Challenge is one part of this project. We hear your concerns about wanting to be included in this promotion. At this time, Etsy is not able to run contests in multiples countries, because we’re not set up to fully comply with each country’s specific regulations and legal requirements for running contests. However, we are working on a way to feature international sellers in this category with their own exclusive promotion. We will be posting an article shortly with more details. Please stay tuned and thank you for your patience as we work it out together!
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