Etsy Update – Back in Business!

Well, I have to admit it – I didn’t do a single thing with my Wilderness Crafter Etsy shop during the month of February. Nothing. Well, I looked at it a few times but I didn’t add a single item until the 28th and that doesn’t really count for February, as it was merely a jump-start on March.

I also didn’t make a single sale in February. Hmm. Think there’s a connection? If so, you’re right. I decided to post one item daily during March and was rewarded with my first sale today! For three items! Apparently you get more business when you actually show up for work! So lesson learned – if I want to have any success with Etsy, I need to maintain my shop.

Another interesting Etsy happening this week was a question I got from a customer in Australia. She wanted to verify the shipping amount on a book, as it seemed high to her. I use the USPS for all my shipping and have everything but Canada set to International flat rate priority which is over $13 for a 9”x12” envelope. Well, I discovered that the book in question wouldn’t quite fit into that envelope, as it is 2” thick.

Not to be deterred, I began researching other options. The silly book weighs over 3 pounds and the cheapest I can send it USPS to Australia is over $25! So I checked UPS figuring I could go to the extra trouble of shipping through an alternate carrier if it would make the item affordable for her. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? UPS was over $100! Needless to say, she’s no longer interested in the book.

Bottom line is that shipping out of the US is expensive when things get over a pound or so. Patterns can be sent first class pretty reasonably. But once you get into global priority, watch out! Makes me really thankful for media mail beings a lot of the stuff in my shop at present is craft books.

So that’s the Etsy update. I’m still hoping to destash all my stuff and make money at home in the process. Now that I’m “back to work” it looks like I may meet my goal yet!