Living in an economically unstable era, to survive, one must have multiple sources of income. Having more than one stream of income gives you the ability to weather any financial storms that may come your way. The internet provides a plethora of opportunities for those who are looking for ways to make some extra money.
Bill Schantz believes that Etsy is one of those platforms. It’s an online marketplace where people can sell homemade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies. Starting a small business on Etsy is a great way to supplement your income or even replace your primary source of income. But before you start selling on Etsy, there are a few things you need to do first.
Creating A Business on Etsy – Explained By Bill Schantz
1) Set up an account
Setting up an Etsy account is free and easy. Just go to www.etsy.com and click “register” in the top right-hand corner. You’ll need to provide your email address, create a password, and choose your username. Your username will be visible to the public, so choose something that represents your shop well.
2) Choose your shop name
Once you’ve registered for an Etsy account, you can start creating your shop. You’ll be asked to choose a name for your shop. This is different from your Etsy username and can be changed later if you want. Again, choose something that represents your shop well.
3) Set up payment methods
Before you can start selling on Etsy, you need to set up at least one payment method. Etsy accepts payments through PayPal and direct checkout (credit or debit card). If you use PayPal, you’ll need to provide your PayPal email address. If you use direct checkout, you’ll need to enter your credit or debit card information.
4) Choose your shop currency
Etsy allows you to choose which currency you want to use for your listings. You can choose from US dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling, Australian dollars, and more.
5) Set up billing
After you’ve chosen your payment method(s), you’ll need to set up billing in order to start selling on Etsy. To do this, click on the “Your Account” link at the top of the page and then click “Billing.” Here, you’ll be able to enter your billing information and choose whether you want to be billed monthly or annually.
6) Choose your shop language
Etsy supports a variety of languages, so you can choose which language you want your shop to be in. This will be the language that buyers see when they visit your shop.
7) Select additional features
Etsy offers a number of additional features that you can add to your shops, such as Google Analytics and listing enhancements. You don’t have to select any of these features, but they can be helpful if you want to get more involved in marketing your shop.
8) Set up shipping
Shipping is how you’ll send your items to buyers after they’ve purchased them from your shop. To set up shipping, click on the “Your Account” link at the top of the page and then click “Shipping.” Here, you’ll be able to enter your shipping information and create shipping profiles. Shipping profiles let you offer different shipping options to buyers (for example, you could offer free shipping for orders over $100).
9) Choose a shop announcement
Your shop announcement is a way to communicate with buyers about your shop policies, processing times, etc. You can change your shop announcement at any time, so don’t worry if you’re not sure what to say right away. Just choose something that will be helpful for buyers to know.
10) Add listings
Now it’s time to start selling! To add a listing, click on the “Your Account” link at the top of the page and then click “Listings.” Here, you’ll be able to enter information about the item you’re selling, such as the price, quantity, shipping details, etc. You can also add photos and select a category for your listing.
Bottom Line
Bill Schantz believes that by following the steps above, you can successfully set up your own Etsy shop. Although underrated, Etsy can be a great platform to sell your products and reach new customers. Be sure to promote your shop through various channels in order to get the most exposure possible. With a little effort, you can start generating sales and making a profit in no time