Summertime and the Living is ETSY

Hi Anne-Marie from byAMOR here, offering a little inspiration to fellow team members for the remainder of the summer. This is a two-part, Trade Secret Thursday feature. The second part will be posted next week.

July and August can potentially be slower for on-line sellers. We hear that good weather, summer vacations and outdoor activities draw people away from internet shopping. Don’t be discouraged. While it’s not always a walk on the beach, (beautifully captured by Felix McGinley) summer can still be a productive time for you.

If you find summer is quieter for your shop, you now have time to step back and use the breathing space. Last summer I gave my Etsy shop a massive makeover. I took advantage of the longer days to re-do all my photos and had a banner, cards and labels designed for me by USA Etsy seller, Promopixie. Come the Christmas rush, I was so glad I’d done it on time.

How about writing an article for the Crafty Ireland Team blog? You may find it raises your shop profile. I've had a couple of new customers who happened across my post, Growing up with Handmade. As they say, people buy from people. If you've never written for a blog before, Tea and a Chat may be a good place to introduce yourself.

Though in the warm weather you might not feel like it, the main thing is to keep crafting and enjoy it. If you can take it outside in the sunshine, well why not?

Brigitte of Purls of Colour gets inspiration kipping ...oops, I mean knitting in the garden. Jokes aside, she is a busy bee, crafting all summer. After all, Etsy is international. There are always people logged on somewhere in the world. Moreover, it is winter on the other side of the planet, so knitters, keep those needles clacking and fill up your shop with those gorgeous warm woollies. Listing a few smaller, lighter items can help increase your appeal across the Globe.

And don't you just love this view of the Globe by designbirdie?

Ok, so your quality and design are world class, but how can you show that your product is worth a longer wait and that little bit more for postage? Summer is a great time to revisit your descriptions. What makes your creations special? One example is to put an Irish spin on a few listings and some team shops have it down to a fine art. Emphasising any local materials, traditional crafts, Celtic designs or influences can give you an extra edge.

Caroline of Irish Woolen reports an increase in sales to Australia, where her customers say they are having a cold winter. Her quality, Irish products are keeping them cosy.

I get a surprising number of convos (Etsy messages) from recent visitors to Ireland. It's a joy to send out that special piece to remind them of their holiday here.

If Irishness does not apply or appeal to you, examine what important aspect of your work or your story you could highlight instead. Summer really is one of the best times to revamp your descriptions before the busy Christmas season is upon us.

Speaking of which, the annual CHRISTMAS IN JULY sale starts on Etsy now, July 15^th! It’s not too late if you wish to participate in some way. After a few haphazard approaches to sale times last year, my biggest learning was to keep it simple. I suggest offering either free shipping, or the one ‘x’ amount discount off everything. However, a sale section is good if you only want to clear a small number of items. Make sure to have ample packaging materials ready to go.

If anyone would like to share a tip for running a summer sale, please do comment below.

When it comes to trends, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for the remainder of July and for August from Etsy’s Merchandising Desk.

July's birthstone is Ruby. Though you don’t have to be a July baby to covet these earrings by Made for an angel. Ruby is one of the four principal gems known as ‘precious’ stones, the others being emerald, sapphire and diamond. It is the stone for love, said to open the heart to new possibilities. I'm just in love with its stunning red colour.

Jack of Jackdolanwoodcraft will always be flavour of the month with his beautifully hand-carved zodiac wall signs.

Now it's high time I thought about giving my own shop another makeover. I’ll be back soon with the second instalment focusing on August and the coming season.