Yikes! My Etsy Shop is not ready….

Mr Yikes

FACT: There are fewer days to shop for holiday gifts this year.

Wait…fewer days…..How can this be?

 

Well, it turns out that Thanksgiving is extraordinarily late this year (11/28). Typically holiday shopping begins the following day on Black Friday, so there are only 26 days between then and Christmas. This is the shortest number of days between the two holidays since 2002!

 

Many Etsy shops have already considered this and are trying to respond accordingly with their holiday marketing and online presence.  It's going to be a very competitive shopping season, and I’m not ready… So now is the time to prepare for increased site traffic and shipping.

 

Seven steps to help get my Etsy shop on track:

1. Look Back: did you have any top sellers last holiday season or maybe something new that is selling now? Start planning ahead to make/create/prepare these items in particular.



One of my Top Selling items in my Etsy shop.

 

2. Take Inventory: of your stock, supplies, & time. Make lists of what you've got & what you need and go shopping now.

 

3. Clean Sweep: While taking inventory & planning which supplies need to be purchased...clean out your work bench and photo area for better efficiency. Store extra supplies and create a more streamlined creative space.  Cleaning the workbench always gets me inspired to work on new projects.

 

4. Fill Your Shop: Begin increasing your actual inventory now. You’ll have more to sell in the shortened shopping season.

 

5. Save the Date: Consider having an open house to show off (and sell) your designs to friends, family, neighbors, and whoever else shows up!

 

6. Post, Tweet, Pin…: Plan on making at least one social marketing broadcast each day. Get started now: write, revise, post, & get noticed.

 

7. Wrap, Label, and Send: Think now about packaging options for the holidays- in addition to your normal mailers, boxes, ribbon, etc. what do you needed for holiday wrapping?  I always put a pretty Christmas ribbon on my holiday jewelry boxes.

 

I need to get moving on these steps without delay, this is not the time to keep calm.

 The Madagascar movie tune "I like to Move It, Move It" keeps playing in my head.

I like to move it, move it...You got to move it, move it....