Selling on Etsy ✽ Things to Think of When Writing Your Descriptions

Your shop is set up properly, someone has searched for one of your keywords, and your picture attracts them. They click on it, and what do they see? Hopefully, first off is your three lines of keyword filled description ;). But besides wanting keywords in our listing, what else should we think of while filling this box?

One of the things that you want to do is ask a question to get the shopper thinking. How will they use this product? Why would they get it? How would it help them? If you can include a question within those first few lines of keyword packed text, you have a much greater chance of drawing them into the nitty-gritty details about your product! Help remind them of why they are looking at the product, and why this is the one they might want to choose!

The rest of the description needs to do two things: it needs to give EVERY detail about the item being sold, and then it needs to be created to keep shoppers in your shop for a while! The thumbnail Etsy shows them is comparable to window shopping; them clicking on it is as if they stepped through the door to check out the item that caught their attention through the window. The pictures have to take the place of being able to pick up and handle the item; and the description has to answer all of the questions them might ask an employee or look for on the packaging, while also making clear any questions they might have because of how the pictures are taken (does it come as a set, or do I buy all three individually?). And then you want to put a little incentive to them to go check out the rest of your shop. This would be like having a table with complimenting product, instead of a table with ten of the same thing on it :).

Try your hardest to let your pictures tell every single fact about your item. Some people don't read text no matter how well you've written it, and you want to avoid customers being uphappy with what they receive. But don't just make your pictures as clear as possible and assume they know everything that they could need. Go ahead and include every detail anyway, so that they don't leave because the one thing they aren't sure of isn't worth messaging you!

Some things to think about when getting your description ready:
-What is it? Yes, this specific ;).
-Where and for what would it be used?
-Who would it be for?
-What size is it?
-What color is it?
-What comes in their order? (All three soap cakes, or just one?)
-Will they need something else to complete the purchase? (Hanging hardware, the stand seen in your picture, etc)
-What is it made with, and how is it made?
-What are it's unique features that make your item stand out? (Is your framed quote done in freehand rather than being a print?)
-How long will it take you to mail it to them? (Let them know both when it should ship by, and when they should get it after you do, if you have one set shipping method)
-How do they care for it? (Should it never be gotten wet, be washed only on cold, be used by a certain time?)
-Can it be customized? (Let them know how, and if it charges more, and also how to go about asking for that.)
-How do they place their order? (For my custom quote canvases, I have to ask that they include the quote to be used in the note to seller box.)
-Is there anything else they should know? (You offer free shipping on orders of multiple items, you offer gift wrapping, you don't ship internationally, you also sell at a craft booth locally, etc.)
-Especially if your product is something to wear or eat, you also need to be very careful to list ingredients and possible allergy warnings. Nuts, polyester cloth, being made in a house with cats; these can all be things that those with sever allergies would either not be able to use when it got to them, or would actually find dangerous if they forgot to read the labels!
-If you get a question from someone, go ahead and add the answer to your description (after answering the person who contacted you, of course!), in case it is a common question that nobody else wants to take the time to ask you about. You never know what little details may be hurting your results!

Lastly in wrapping up your description, try to keep them in your shop for a few minutes longer. The more they look around, feel like they get to know you, and find themselves staying in your shop rather than going back out to "check the other shops on the block", the more likely they are to feel comfortable making the choice to buy from you! Do you have a product that could go with this item, or one that is similar that they might like better? Let them know so, and give them the link! Do you think they would like the other items in that section of your shop, even if they don't go together? Let them see you have more! You can suggest that they check out your shop page to get an idea of what all you could make for them. And offer to answer any remaining questions they may have!

What is something you are careful to include in your descriptions? Have you ever decided not to buy something just because another product had more information on it?