How to Market on Etsy UK: A Comprehensive Guide for Novices
Perhaps you’re a customer trying to find a distinctive present for a friend—one that doesn’t come from a department store. Perhaps you’re an artist trying to sell your works online for a living.
In any case, Etsy UK is most likely one of your preferred online stores.
Etsy UK is an online marketplace where creatives such as crafters, entrepreneurs, and company owners can post and sell their products. Like any other online marketplace, it is competitive, though, and as such, there are particular guidelines and best practices that apply.
We’ll go into great detail in this post about how UK sellers may use Etsy UK, including how to open a shop, draw in UK customers, and make a name for yourself on the online marketplace.
On Etsy, what can I sell?
Etsy is a platform for the sale of handmade, creative, vintage, and/or artistic goods. Among the most well-liked product categories are:
- Accessory and jewellery
- resources for crafts
- Clothes
- Interior Design
- Collectibles
- Toys
You can review Etsy’s policies here for more detailed information on the kinds of things that are accepted.
Although practically anything can be sold on Etsy, the following products are prohibited by the platform:
- Items with medical claims, alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and medical medications and devices
- Products derived from animals
- Items or materials that pose a risk
- Recalled goods
- Weaponry
- hateful things
- Things that are prohibited or that encourage illicit activities
- Items with strict regulations
- Items subject to international regulation
- Mature material and nudity
- Things that praise, encourage, or support violence
You can view their policy here for more details on categories of products that are prohibited.
Four Steps to Opening an Etsy Store for UK Sellers
You might not have sold anything on Etsy before, even if you have a business established in the UK. If that’s the case, you must first set up a shop on the platform.
To assist you in starting your Etsy shop, here are 4 steps.
1. Opening a UK account as an Etsy seller
You must either register for an Etsy account or login in if you already have one.
After that, navigate to Etsy.com/uk/sell and select the “Get started” option.
After that, a series of questions regarding your company experience, previous residences, and desire to get more selling materials will be asked of you.
Choose your shop’s location (the nation from which you are conducting business), your shop’s language, and the currency you wish to sell in after responding to these questions. Select “save and proceed.”
Lastly, you need to choose a shop name (as long as it follows Etsy’s guidelines for names). Click “save and continue” once again when you’ve finished typing.
Note: Although Etsy does not mandate business licenses for its sellers, you still need to abide by UK regulations that are relevant to small businesses operating online marketplaces.
2. Configuring your Etsy UK payment choices
Although your store is operational, customers cannot make purchases until you have arranged for payment processing.
Using Etsy Payments is the easiest way to receive payment on Etsy. In order to pay Etsy commission and fees, you must link your bank account to your Etsy shop and add a debit or credit card.
Go to your account’s “How you’ll get paid” page and enter your banking and credit/debit card details to set this up. In the inquiry “Where is your bank located?” enter “UK” if your bank is situated in the United Kingdom. It will be necessary for you to confirm your bank information, so allow enough time to finish this step.
You must also choose the policies that will apply to your shop. Establish your policies on payment methods, shipping, refunds, exchanges, and any other special
3. Making your initial listings
It’s now time to add your products after setting up your billing.
The newest, most efficient way to list something on Etsy is to go to “Shop Manager,” choose “Listings,” and then click “Add a listing.” Next, you have to provide the details for your product, which include:
- Title Images or recordings
- digital records
- Description: Customisation possibilities
- Price Variations by Quantity and SKU
- Information like the category, tags, materials, and attribution
- When you’re finished, select “Save as Draft” to store the listing without making it live in your store, or select “Publish” to make it live.
Additionally, you can handle orders, Etsy listings, and real-time buyer responses with the Etsy Seller app.
4. Personalise your shop
You can alter how customers will see your store’s page under the “Shop manager” section. One may:
Include the store owner’s photo, shop icons, and a variety of banners (such as order receipt and shop banners).
Compose and distribute a greeting and a “About” page for your shop.
Please introduce yourself and any other team members.
Discuss the shop’s shipping, return, and payment policies, among other things.
Rearrange merchandise to draw in clients and promote perusing.
Click “open your shop” to make your store live for customers once you’re satisfied with how it appears.
Getting your Etsy store ready for UK customers
Although Etsy is a worldwide marketplace, there are a few tactics you can use to ensure that your target market can quickly locate and buy your products if you’re selling to buyers in the UK.
Here are a few strategies UK vendors can use to tailor their stores to the needs of the local UK market.
UK buyers’ expectations and preferences
Customers in the UK have different tastes and requirements when it comes to product availability, costs, and delivery choices. Keep abreast of consumer trends to better match client demand and establish a connection with your target audience.
Localising your ads and store
Customers care about the little things, thus it’s critical to maximise UK buyers’ user experiences anywhere possible. Make your shopfront messaging more comprehensible for UK customers by using British English in all of the headings and descriptions. You might also consider setting prices in GBP or Euros instead of USD.
Making use of SEO best practices and Etsy’s search algorithm
When it comes to items, your target customer groups have very certain preferences. You need to focus on search engine optimisation (SEO) for Etsy and Google if you want to make sure that your shop appears prominently in search results for relevant UK-based enquiries. Using the correct items and keywords together will increase sales to customers in the United Kingdom.