Etsy shop challenges.

Okay, so I went over my internet limit today. But there are two exceptions to the rule I didn't mention before: when I'm working on something for my last online class (which won't be an issue for much longer- it ends Tuesday! Yay!) or when I'm working on something related to my Etsy shop.

Technically, a majority of the time I spent online today was Etsy shop-related. I started my shop back in October with grand plans. It turns out that running an Etsy shop takes a fair amount of time, effort, and research. And I've been putting in very little of all of the above over the past several months.

But lately, I've been getting really excited about my shop again. About updating it and making it much better. About creating new items to list. About taking new item photos and writing new descriptions (both of which are not very fun and usually end with me feeling very frustrated).

I came across a fellow Etsy seller's blog today by accident, and soon discovered that it was full of useful tips about improving your shop. So that's why I went over my limit. :)

Here are some things that I want to work on with my shop:
-Filling it! I need to make so many more items. Also, I have between 5 and 10 items made that I've just been too lazy to list.

-Better photos. Mine are dark and shadowy and pretty boring! I want to make them light and pleasant and cohesive. I need to experiment with different setups and props.

-Branding. I want my items, my shop appearance, and my blog to all tie together. Similar colors, headings, etc. Right now, things are sort of all over the place. I just wish I had thought about this branding thing before I ordered new business cards.

-Renewing. My item views go way up when I relist or renew an item. I need to be doing this regularly. Or better yet, be creating new items regularly to list!

I'm not sure why I'm even writing this post...I don't know how many of you are interested in the challenges of being an Etsy shop owner. :) I don't want my blog to become too business-related. It drives me crazy when I go to the blog of a Etsian and all they ever write about is new items they've just listed in their shop. Some people say that you need to keep your business blog and personal blog separate, but I don't go for that {and no way do I want to have to keep up with two blogs!}. I like a nice balance. I started this personal blog long before I had an Etsy shop, and I love writing about books and old movies too much to stop it now. :) But the look of my blog might change a little, just to make it flow and connect with my shop.

I guess I feel like if I write these things out here, I'll be more motivated to follow through with them. And I'd like to document my shop makeover. I'd like you guys to see how things are now, and hopefully see improvements soon! :)

{Current shop header- soon to be changed?}

So, if you don't mind taking a minute, will you check out my shop? Do you guys have any tips for me? Things about my shop that you really like or that you think need to be changed?

P.S. I made the book necklace today! It was super quick and turned out adorable. You can find the tutorial here and make your own.

And I cut corners a little to make it even easier. I didn't make mine into a necklace- it's just a charm to slide onto one of my cheap chains. :) All I did was poke holes in the books and slide them on a head pin (with a little glue in between each), and then trim and curl the top of the pin into a circle. Seriously, it took like 10 minutes, and I love it. And yes, I wanted them a little crooked like that. All of my stacks of books are slightly wobbly. :)

Here it is being modeled on Jane. :)

Until next time,