This May Etsy is Hosting Canada's First Free Shipping Event!

Boost your visibility with a free shipping sale

Paper flowers by Etsy seller Golden Age Botanicals

This May 1 to 14 you can take part in Canada’s first ever free shipping sales event and boost your visibility! During the event, Etsy will highlight a selection of products that ship for free to Canadian buyers on the Etsy.com homepage, in curated Editor’s Picks pages, and emails to shoppers. Bonus: Listings with free domestic shipping will also receive a boost in Etsy search, making it even easier for shoppers in Canada to find your items during the event. Head here to learn more about the sale, how to be a part of it, and ask questions to our a panel of seller experts! This is a unique opportunity to help shoppers in Canada discover your items. Create your sale by April 20 and your shop may also be featured on Editor’s Picks pages and in Etsy marketing emails sent to shoppers in Canada.

Schedule your sale

In an August 2017 survey, more than half of Etsy shoppers told us free shipping is a top factor in their decision to make a purchase. Now’s the time to try a free shipping sale to see how it works for you. This promotion is designed to be flexible to suit a wide variety of sellers from all over Canada. Customize your sale with Etsy’s tools: Offer free domestic shipping to build your local fan base—during the sales event we’ll be highlighting items that ship for free to Canadian shoppers. Set an order minimum to encourage shoppers to spend more—for example, free shipping when you buy more than two items. Limit your free shipping sale to specific listings. Try a promotion on lightweight items or a certain product category to bring buyers into your shop.

Learn more on the Canadian Free Shipping Event landing page here, and be sure to join the Free Shipping conversation in English and French on Facebook!

TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 18 Custom Orders

Welcome to our Etsy Newbie Bootcamp! If you want to take part in Bootcamp and get one-on-one mentoring, or answers to any of your questions, please drop us a line at TorontoEtsyST@gmail.com.  

If you want to open an Etsy shop, just follow this link!

We have new sellers joining our Bootcamp all the time, so even though this is Class 18, you can join now or anytime! You can complete the classes at your own pace. The entire series so far: Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 4, Class 5, Class 6, Class 7, Class 8, Class 9, Class 10, Class 11, Class 12, Class 13, Class 14,  Class 15, Class 16 and Class 17.

If you are just starting out, be sure you've checked out our first module of 6 classes, which cover how to open an Etsy Shop, making your shop look its best including: {Branding & Shop Banners, Shop Profiles Bios and Photos, Make Listings Tempting} and providing the information to your customers about who you are and how you run your business: About Pages, and Shop Policies. These introductory classes should get your shop up and running!

HandStampOlogy offers many customizable listings
including these wedding favour labels

Today we're going to cover how to offer and complete Custom Orders for your customers. 

 Custom orders may not be a good fit for all sellers, but since Etsy is about small nimble businesses, it is often something we are able to do much more than bigger businesses. If you can customize your products for buyers it is a good service to offer! You'll find you can attract new buyers and come up with new product ideas based on what people ask from you. Vintage and supply sellers may find buyers want them to set up custom listings from certain bundles of products. Handmade sellers can choose to make different versions or entirely new things on request. Remember: the goal is a mutually beneficial transaction. You want the buyer to get exactly what he or she wants, but you also want to make sure the order works for you - that you are getting a fair price and that if you're making something new, it's something you want to be doing. See Class 10 The Dark Art of Pricing for tips on how to ensure you don't undersell.

Nuts and Bolts: Offering custom items with private listings

SheTheWolf offers custom orders. Check out her
modern friendship bracelets. Maybe you'ld like one made to order!

Anyone with an open Etsy shop can go to Your Shop > Options (under Shop Settings) and save the Request Custom Order setting as Enabled. This shows buyers that you are ready and willing to offer made-to-order items. A "Request Custom Order" button will show up on your listings. By default, the button appears on all listings, but if you wish for some listings to appear without this button, simply edit the listings and and remove the check mark next to Accept custom requests from this item. 

With Custom Orders enabled, a buyer simply pushed the "Request Custom Order" button to produce a text window where they are prompted to describe what they are seeking, and if applicable, enter a date by which they would need it on a calendar. When the "Send Custom Request" you receive their form in your Etsy mailbox, like any other Convo, but it will be in the Custom Requests folder. You and your buyer can communicate back and forth until you establish whether you can help them and wish to offer them a custom order. You'll want to establish a clear description of what they want, when you can provide it, when they want it, and how much it will cost. If you're both happy, you can proceed to set up a private custom order that only they can see. See Class 7 for tips on effective communication with your customers.

Route401 offers custom name sign posters like these

Convos in your Custom Requests folder come with a time line to lead you through the process. When you have settled on a plan with your customer you can create a custom, private listing directly from the original thread. Simple enter a title, description and a shipping rate (either from a shipping profile or set a different specific rate - see Class 8 Shipping & Packaging). You'll need to add one photo. If you don't have the custom item to photograph, you can add a sketch, an image of a similar item or even the words "Custom Order" saved as a jpeg. As soon as you press publish, a private listing will be available for your customer only. It will not appear in your public shop or in searches, so it cannot be purchased by the wrong person. Your customer will automatically receive an email from Etsy to let them know their listing is ready. You can view the listing by navigating to Your Shop > Currently for Sale where it will appear, and be labelled Private. You aren't charged for this listing unless you customer purchases it, which is rather nice, because sometimes, even if a person gets offered pricisely what they wished for they opt not to purchase it. When your customer does purchase the listing, you are charged the same as a regular listing, and the listing will appear in your Sold Items page.

If your buyer sends you a regular convo without clicking "Request Custom Order" you can nonetheless make a private listing by clicking Make this a custom order and proceeding as above.

You can read more on the Custom Order FAQ.

If your customer contacts you in some other way, for instance in person or by email, you can either ask them to send you a Convo or you can set up a regular listing and write RESERVED in the title. Be aware that it is possible that some other person is so tempted that they ignore the word RESERVED and they purchase the listing for themself. Though, if you are willing and able to make more than one, this might not be a bad thing!


How to make sure your Custom Order is a great experience for both of you

Class 7 we covered some tips for successful communication with customers, and that's really key here. Remember, while we always want to treat customers with friendliness, curtesy and respect, occasionally the customer isn't right. If they are asking the impossible, it's okay to politely decline. So, you want to make sure you really understand what the customer wants, why and when.

BeaconsfieldCards offers Custom Wine Labels Table Numbers

Now that you know how the procedure works, there are some things you'll want to consider to make sure you both get what you want and the transaction is a great success. 

Ask questions to make sure you understand their vision:

• What does the customer want? Is it a simple variation on what you already offer or something altogether new?
• When do they expect this item, and is that something you can acheive? Sometimes, the date is not important, sometimes the item is a birhday present and required at a specific time.
• What dimensions will the item be?
• What colour? Pattern? Or any other variable.
• Does the buyer have a specific vision, or do they like your style and want you to make decisions for them? If a customer doesn't volunteer any suggestions when asked, try making your own suggestions and see if they like your ideas. Occasionally, customers want something unique but they do not have a lot of preconceived ideas or confidence that they can imagine what would work and they would rather trust you - the expert.
• What inspired the request? This might include things like which of your other products they most admire, or something about the recipient or intended purpose. Sometimes you can learn something which can allow you to add that extra special detail which will keep your customers coming back. You may also learn that you can make a more suitable suggestion and guide the customer to get something which will be a better fit than their initial idea.

Make sure you communicate what you can and will do. Ask yourself some questions:

• Is the item described something I know I can produce?
• Do I have the time to do so?
• How long will it take?
• Is it something I want to do? 
• Does it fit with my shop and my brand?
• Do I have any concerns? These can include anything from whether you've understood to practical or ethical concerns. I'm allergic to feathers, so I am not going to agree to make something feathered. Maybe you wish to avoid animal products or working with anything which could be harmful to your health or the environment. If a buyer asks you to make a knock-off or infrige on someone's copyright, a polite explanation and declining the job might be your best bet - but you can always try suggesting an alternative.
• Do I have the materials I need?

It is up to you to decide. You can always politely decline if the request is unreasonable, unfeasible for you at the time or straight up impossible.

Be sure to make a reasonable quote! And by reasonable, I do not mean cheap! I mean fair. Pay yourself for your time, energy, materials and all the extra energy, creativity, and effort which goes into a custom order. See Class 10 The Dark Art of Pricing and if anything, quote a little higher than you think you should. Sometimes you'll encounter some unforeseen cost with a new product.

Make sure you and your buyer are agreed to the plan. Volunteer information on:

• When you expect to complete the item
• How it will be shipped
• When payment is required. Hint: Require payment upfront, unless you would be willing, able, and happy to sell the item to someone else, should your buyer back out. You can also do things in stages, or request a deposit. Sometimes it might be appropriate to sell your buyer a prototype, proof or a sample of materials before launching into a large transaction agreement. 
• If you will allow your buyer to make revisions, how, when and how many?
• Your shop policies about exchanges and returns

Make sure you keep your buyer in the loop. Let them know how the project is advancing, when it is completed and when it is shipped. Let them know if there is anything unforseen.

Make something which says "you", your shop and brand as well as matching your customer's request. There's a reason they wanted you to make it.

How Custom Orders can help your shop

You can get custom portraits in a comics or anime style from SweetIngenuity

Not only is a Custom Order another sale, it provides you insight into the market. What do people want? How does the set of things people want intersect with the set of things you can make and would like to offer? Is this a new product which you should offer to all buyers? Do you, for instance make screenprinted tees and get repeated requests for screenprinted baby onesies? Do you get repeated requests to add monograms to your handbound journals? Are you an artist and find customers want you to make their portraits?

Making a Custom Order can be a way to prototype a new product - and get paid to do it! Once you've made an item, you know precisely what it cost you to produce and ship it.

You might also learn that it would be useful to simply add variations to an existing listing.

You may also want to add a regular listing to let shopper know that you do make custom listings, say like custom portraits, or design-your-own toy (out of standard elements) or select-your-materials for jewelry or [fill-in-the-blank with what you make] products.

Making just the thing for a customer, and collaborating with them on ideas can be a really rewarding - an interesting challenge and a way to connect with a new fan.

You can find more tips on managing Custom Orders and customizable listings in articles on the Etsy blog.

The Toronto Etsy Street Team loves Newbie shops! You can find some of our favorite listings from talented Newbie sellers, including those featured in this class in our new TEST ♥ Newbies section. Be sure to stop by often to see what's new in this evolving, curated treasury of amazing Newbie finds!

TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 17 Keeping Up With Etsy

Welcome to our Etsy Newbie Bootcamp! If you want to take part in Bootcamp and get one-on-one mentoring, or answers to any of your questions, please drop us a line at TorontoEtsyST@gmail.com.  

 
If you want to open an Etsy shop, just follow this link!

We have new sellers joining our Bootcamp all the time, so never fear if you're just starting and we've reached Class 16. You can complete the classes at your own pace. The entire series so far: Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 4, Class 5, Class 6, Class 7, Class 8, Class 9, Class 10, Class 11, Class 12, Class 13, Class 14,  Class 15  and Class 16.

If you are just starting out, be sure you've checked out our first module of 6 classes, which cover how to open an Etsy Shop, making your shop look its best including: {Branding & Shop Banners, Shop Profiles Bios and Photos, Make Listings Tempting} and providing the information to your customers about who you are and how you run your business: About Pages, and Shop Policies. These introductory classes should get your shop up and running!

Let Etsy bring the news directly to you like the Tiger with Balloons
birthday or congratulations card from SkippingFox

Since we all lead busy lives, today we're covering strategies for keeping up with Etsy. The marketplace on Etsy is constantly evolving and growing. Even in the time since we've begun the TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp, we've had to update some material. We made a small update to our Class 11 Shop Stats. You may recall in November, we announced an opportunity for Canadian Etsy sellers: a new Prototype Team which would allow participants to print their own Canada Post Shipping Labels. Well, since then, Etsy has announced that all Canadian sellers can print their own Canada Post Shipping Labels direct from their shops! Did you see the news? If you are a Canadian seller, have you tried it? Is this news to you? Etsy engineers are continuously updating services. Occasionally Etsy updates their policies. Often they post information and tutorials to help you run a more successful shop. So, how do you keep up with all this information?

Mr T pities the fool who doesn't
sign up for the team email digest! Get your nostalgia
fix with vintage wares from TheArtofDemolition

1. Join a team. Sure, we may be biased, but we know that finding a community within Etsy is a great way to keep up with everything new. If you live in Toronto and have yet to do so, apply to join the Toronto Etsy Street Team.
2. Subscribe to the team email digest. Etsy will send you a summary of daily discussion in the team forum. Is there a special event being hosted by your team? A craft show deadline? A sale on your favorite supplies? Never miss out with this dead simple method. It's easy to quickly scan digest emails for things which interest you! Simply go to your team’s profile page (for instance TEST members go here: Toronto Etsy Street Team), click the “Subscribe to email digest” link  on the left sidebar. You can even watch an instructional video here.
3. Read the Etsy blogs. You may know the main Etsy blog, home of profiles of Featured Shops, which is one place where you can see how some of the most successful Etsy businesses operate. It also includes lovely posts from the editors and guest curators, which are a useful source for merchandizing ideas and gleaning trendy subjects. I like to check in once a day and just have a look, even to the other language editions; it's always a great source of visual stimulation too. But, as a seller, you'll want to pay attention to the Seller Handbook and Etsy News sections. The Seller Handbook is full of advice and tutorials on how to grow your Etsy business. Etsy News is where they make announcements about the site and the company itself. You can find an RSS feed to follow the blogs in your favorite RSS reader. 



Take note of these minimalist, urban, chic
pencil crayon and silver earrings from IvanneBinetruy

4. Etsy newsletters. Like the team digests, Etsy bundles the information it puts out into handy emails sent directly to your inbox. On the sidebar of the Etsy blog, you can see a link: See our other newsletters. You'll be prompted to login or re-confirm your password before having access to your account settings. You'll then have access to General Notifications and Subscriptions.
   
   Under General Notifications you can opt in to receive an email notice when:
   
   • You send a convo
   • You receive a convo
   • Someone follows you
   • Your listings are about to expire
   • Your seller activity.
   • What's new at Etsy
   • Recommended features
   • Tips for improving your shop
   • Opportunities to provide feedback to Etsy
   • Coupons, promotions and recommendations (more useful for buyers than sellers)
   • Etsy wholesale
   It's advisable to sign up to receive notification if you get a convo. You wouldn't want to leave a potential customer's question unanswered! We contact a lot of newbie shops to run this Bootcamp, and sometimes our queries go unanswered; this is not a good business practise. Be sure to always answer questions. You can find more communication tips in Class 7. You'll want to stay abreast of your listings and shop activity and you may choose to do that by email. By opting in to emails about what's new at Etsy and recommended features, you'll receive regular email notification of new articles in Etsy News and the Seller Handbook. This is a great way to make sure you are up-to-date when they add new tools!
   
   

   

   Enjoy your subscriptions while sitting at your gorgeous, handcrafted walnut condo coffee table by CanadianWoodcrafters

   
   Under Subscriptions you have the opportunity to opt in to email about
   
   • Assorted buying guides: Etsy Finds, Etsy Gifts, Etsy Fashion, Etsy Weddings and Etsy Dudes
   • Etsy Success: Tips from Etsy and top sellers on how to help your shop bloom.
   • Etsy Labs: DIY events, creative inspiration, and craft supplies
   • Seller Seminars: Focused courses (like Holiday Boot Camp) to help get your shop in shape
   • International newsletters for: Germany, France, UK, Holland, Australia & New Zealand, and Canada, as well as Success tips newsletters for German, French and British sellers. Edit: Note that as of April 18, 2014 Etsy will fold the Canadian Newsletter into Etsy Finds.
   
   The Etsy Success newsletter is a great source of tips and tricks for optimizing your shop. It includes notices of articles in the Seller Handbook. We highly recommend it! The Seller Seminars like Holiday Boot Camp can keep you focused and on-track for meeting specific goals along with other sellers. Buying guides aren't just for buyers. Why not sign up for any guide pertinent to your shop? You can see what is trending and carefully curated collections of great looking listings, which can inspire your own merchandizing. We also recommend international sellers sign up for any their nation's newsletters. Note: newsletters are posted at different frequencies, from daily to once a quarter or less.
   
   
5. Etsy Social Media. You can also follow Etsy on your favorite social media platforms, where they also post all of the above: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, podcasts on iTunes, Pinterest, Flickr, and Tumblr. They have other media for specific departments and nations, like the Etsy Canada Facebook page, Etsy Canada twitter feed and the Etsy Support twitter feed.

If you register for the TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp, we will send you an email whenever we post a new class, and will respond to any questions. Just drop us a line at TorontoEtsyST@gmail.com. Beyond Bootcamp, you can stay abreast of this entire  blog by receiving email notices whenever we post. Just sign up on the sidebar. This blog will not only let you stay on top of TEST news, Toronto area vendor calls, and Etsy news we share, we also post other tutorials which Newbie sellers might enjoy, like our recent post on Pinterest tips for Etsy sellers.


Remember: If you already have a shop, or you open one today, please let us know how to find it! We will be featuring some of our favorite newbie items right here. 

 The Toronto Etsy Street Team loves Newbie shops! You can find some of our favorite listings from talented Newbie sellers, including those featured in this class in our new TEST ♥ Newbies section. Be sure to stop by often to see what's new in this evolving, curated treasury of amazing Newbie finds!

TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 16 Planning and Goals for the Year

Welcome to our Etsy Newbie Bootcamp! If you want to take part in Bootcamp and get one-on-one mentoring, or answers to any of your questions, please drop us a line at TorontoEtsyST@gmail.com.  
 
If you want to open an Etsy shop, just follow this link!

We have new sellers joining our Bootcamp all the time, so never fear if you're just starting and we've reached Class 16. You can complete the classes at your own pace. The entire series so far: Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 4, Class 5, Class 6, Class 7, Class 8, Class 9, Class 10, Class 11, Class 12, Class 13, Class 14, and Class 15.

In today's class we'll cover the typical pattern for sellers in a given calendar year and strategies for being prepared and meeting your goals. So this class is suitable for all new sellers, and is hopefully a useful review for more experienced sellers. You will want to have the first steps down. So, please be sure you've at least followed the first few classes, especially opening your shop, listing items and writing policies:

TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 1 How to Open an Etsy Shop
TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 2 Branding & Shop Banners
TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 3 Shop Profiles Bios and Photos
TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 4 Make Listings Tempting
TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 5 About Pages
TEST Etsy Newbie Bootcamp: Class 6 Shop Policies

Have a cuppa, and re-group with Tea Time screenprint by Riempie

Once you've been selling on Etsy a few years, you find that there is a pattern to each calendar year. January can be moderately busy, what with the Boxing Day (or Month!) sales and a sort of hang-over from Christmas. February is traditionally a bit slow. Sales tend to pick-up in the spring and continue to be moderate until the fall when the rise to a crescendo of buying for the holidays, peaking in December! There are variations, of course; maybe you sell something which is closely tied to summer months, or say, Hallowe'en, or maybe you live in the southern hemisphere and have reverse seasons. On average, however, you are very likely to find that patterns in terms of views, favorites and sales, are very similar, year to year... though with any luck - and effort! - you'll see that a consistent rise each year. So, since February tends to be a bit slow, now is the time to re-group and set some goals.

What are your dreams for your shop?
Love Wish Dream card by StacyCraftStyle

One of the nice things about Etsy  is that you can define success for yourself. Is your small business a fun hobby, or a part-time job, or your dream second career, or your retirement plan? It's up to you. Be honest with yourself about what you want to acheive and take this time to set some goals for the next year.


Here's a sketch of the sorts of things you can do with your Etsy shop this year to help grow your business. If these plans resonate with you, write them down and add your own. Plan to do a few manageable tasks each month. At the end of each month, check off those tasks you've acheived. If you need to, revise your list for the following month to include tasks you have not yet completed.

FEBRUARY

Gold Bar Earrings by ShawnPattDesigns

• Valentine's Day can drive sales. Do you have any products which tie-in? Both Valentines and anti-Valentines sell and get featured on blogs and other media. Be sure to feature these items and tag them 'Valentines'.  See Class 4 for instructions on tagging listings. You might also want to shoot new Valentines Day listing photos or use a seasonal shop banner. See Class 2 for how to make or update your shop banner. Find some of our Newbies' Valentine's items featured here.
• This year, the Winter Olympics will also be dominating news this month.
• This is a great time to review your pricing. Are you charging enough? You'll want to be reviewing your prices on a regular basis.  Note that Canada Post and the USPS both put their rates up. Update your shipping rates using Shipping Profiles. See Class 8 for details on Shipping Profiles and Class 10 on pricing.
•  Does your shop lend itself to springtime items, themes or trendy animals? Start thinking about products you'll feature in uncoming months.
• Take this slow month to work on your social media strategy, and schedule future posts. See Class 9 for tips.

MARCH

•  The most well-known holiday in March is St. Patrick's Day, so expect, and make green treasuries.
• March sees the beginning of spring (in the northern hemisphere, where Etsy buyers are concentrated). So themes to feature include spring clothing, spring break, daffodils, blossoms, or baby animals.
• Time for spring cleaning! Freshen up your shop and listings' appearance. See Class 2  and Class 4 for tips.

APRIL

White Fluffy Cat print by IllustratedByAnya

•  April starts with April Fools Day, includes Passover and Easter, as well as Earth Day, Buddha's birthday and ANZAC day. There are a number of holidays you might want use as a theme, depending on your location, background and products. Treasuries with eggs, bunnies and Easter colours are a likely bet.
• Spring is in full force here, so continue with spring themes. 
• It's tax season. US sellers can find tax tips here. All sellers will need to make sure their bookkeeping is in order. You can read more on the Etsy blog.

MAY

•  May starts with Mayday, which is Labour Day in many European countries, treasuries. The Mexican Cinco de Mayo is growing in popularity beyond Mexico. Here in Canada, we look forward to Victoria Day (May 2-4!). The holiday likely to drive sales is Mother's Day (in North America).
• Spring continues in the north, but it's time to prepare for Summer! Get all your fun fashion, summer colours, vacation, outdoors and ocean themed items prepared and featured.
• This is when the spring craft show season gets really active. Make sure you have a calendar of events and vendor calls which interest you and get all your applications in on time. Take advantage of Etsy Local - see Class 15.
• Since the year is well underway, why not take the time to make sure you have mastered all the metrics and read up on Shop Stats. See Class 11.

JUNE

Vintage 50s Organza Wedding Dress from DistinctivelyElegant

•  June is full on summer in this part of the world. June 20th is the Summer Solstice (or Winter, south of the equator). It will be Father's Day in many countries, like Canada. June 20 to 29 is WorldPride in Toronto, and June is LGBT Pride Month in the US. In Quebec, the 24th is Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day.
• June is a big month for weddings!
• Remember that magazines and even some blogs are working months in advance, so it's not too soon to list fall or even winter holiday items.
• This is a good time to think about how to get your items in front of more eyeballs. Brush up on how to get your shop some press. See Class 13.

JULY

•  The month starts with Canada Day on July the 1st, followed by Independance Day, July 4th in the US.
• Those of us in Toronto will be trying to get away to cottage country - lakes, summer camp, woodland creature themes abound. 
• People are busy trying to get some vacation time. You might consider a Christmas in July sale! Check out Class 14.

AUGUST

Heart pocket watch necklace by EarthlyBijoux

• Summer holidays wrap up and thoughts turn to fall and Back to School. Feature things for kids, learning, books, school, kits and back to school fashion.
• Have you skipped one of our classes? Now is the time to catch up. Complete outstanding tasks.
  

SEPTEMBER

•  Autumn is here and the kids are back in school, right after the Labour Day weekend! Fall colours, leaves, and fall fashion is front and centre. We start thinking about the harvest, and planning for Oktoberfest and Hallowe'en.
• Buyers do not want to be hearing about Christmas this early, but sellers need to be prepared. If you want to catch some press you already have your items listed. Make sure your shipping policies and strategies are in order. See Class 8 and Class 6.

OCTOBER

•  Canadian Thanksgiving is October 14 and then we focus on Hallowe'en! Hallowe'en can also drive sales. If you stock anything which might be part of a costume or decor put it front and centre.
• This is the calm before the storm. Make sure you are streamlined and efficient! Check out our guide to holiday prep, shipping, and communication.
  

NOVEMBER

Knit Headband by Waysofwoodfolk

• The Hallowe'en vibe can continue through Día de los Muertos and Guy Fawkes Night (in the UK and some Commonwealth countries). Skeletons and bonfires. November 11 is Remembrance Day (or Vetran's Day the US). South of the border they celebrate Thanksgiving, which leads to the major sales events of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Be prepared and consider hosting your own sale. See Class 14.

DECEMBER

•  Sales crescendo in December, driven by Christmas! There are many other holidays being celebrated as well, including Boxing Day and  New Year's Eve. This month is a good time to hunker down and just focus on shipping your items and customer service. It will be busy. In Canada, Boxing Day is a big deal.
  

JANUARY

•  Some people celebrate Christmas in January and Boxing Day can often stretch into Boxing Month! Time for sales and winter items for the northern hemisphere. 
• Think about New Year's resolutions and what it might lead buyers to seek.
• Look back and see how far your shop has come. Did you meet your goals? What goals do you want to set next?  See Class 11 for shop stats tips.

Remember: If you already have a shop, or you open one today, please let us know how to find it! We will be featuring some of our favorite newbie items right here. 

 The Toronto Etsy Street Team loves Newbie shops! You can find some of our favorite listings from talented Newbie sellers, including those featured in this class in our new TEST ♥ Newbies section. Be sure to stop by often to see what's new in this evolving, curated treasury of amazing Newbie finds!

Looking Forward to Boxing Day!

What with the dramatic ice storm in this part of the world, we here at TEST are hoping you are all safe and warm and not making emergency back-up plans to barbecue your Christmas turkey in case you still don't have power! Stay safe everyone!

If the storm has interferred with your last-minute Christmas shopping plans, we've got you covered. You can now purchase Etsy gift cards in Canada so your loved one can get exactly what he or she wants. You can email the gift cards directly or print them at home, so there's no delay.

We also have some good news - something to look forward to, if winter so far has been tough...

This year marks Etsy’s first-ever Boxing Dale sale in Canada! 


From December 26th to 29th, nearly 500 participating sellers across the country will offer a 20% discount on their entire shop.  Avoid the lineups and shop TEST and Etsy’s curated collections from the coziness of your couch, featuring hand-made products and fabulous finds. 

We're offering you a sneak peek of participating Toronto Etsy Street Team shops! Check out our curated collection, featured on the TEST Etsy Page, shown below. Be sure to keep checking back as we will continue to add items to our curated Boxing Day Sale collection.

A full list of all participating shops across Canada will be available at: www.etsy.com/pages/etsy-canada as of midnight on December 26th.

Boxing Day Sale 2013!
curated by Toronto Etsy Street Team on Etsy