Let It Shine

Happy Thursday! So, I have been pretty busy lately trying to make my Etsy shop better. I'm still really new to this, and there's so much to learn! Shipping, shop policies, banners, branding, taxes, pricing, and on! Don't get me wrong, I'm having a ton of fun and the Etsy community is so friendly and helpful but to be honest I didn't realize how much "work" was involved before I started.  I realized a week ago that I was doing a terrible job. So, I did what I always do when I want to know something - I buy a book (well I checked the library first, no books on Etsy!). I bought two actually; Etsy-preneurship by Jason Malinak, and Starting an Etsy Business for Dummies by Allison Strine and Kate Shoup, and I am so glad I did!  Obviously I could have found out just as much information online for free, but I wouldn't even have known what to look for. Between these two books, I am being bombarded with information! All of it is so useful, helpful and de...

I am very new to selling on Etsy, but it seems to me that most sellers stick to one thing that they sell whether that's vintage items or portrait drawings. I've rarely come across someone who sells say, photography and hand-made pillows. So would it be so wrong if I wanted to branch out from just selling vintage items? I've always considered myself a creative person in a way. I love drawing, painting, sewing and photography as well as vintage shopping. Do you think it would be wrong to start selling photographs, portraits and hand-made home decor items? I want my Etsy shop, Little Shop of Treasures, to be about making your home beautiful and comfortable, so pictures and hand-made items should fit that perfectly, right? Well, good or bad, Little Shop of Treasures will be branching out!  Better stay tuned, exciting things to be posted soon! Thanks,  COLE

I've made the decision to purchase a shipping scale for my Etsy shop. As of right now I don't have any shipping costs listed and this worries me. I'm scared that it will scare potential customers away because they don't know how much shipping will cost them. I'm scared that if I do post the shipping cost I will either charge too much, or too little and neither is good.  A shipping scale will benefit me because it will save me time and money. I won't have to wait in line at Canada Post just to find out how much shipping will cost, and I won't have to guestimate how much it will cost with the (great) possibility of being wrong.  I've actually just ordered a shipping scale off of ebay for $15 that can weigh items up to 75 pounds. You can get scales from 3 pounds, to 400 pounds. Even a simple kitchen scale could work for selling small items like jewelry. Since I'm dealing with a lot of housewares and home decor my items will have a range of dif...