I’m delighted to report that sales are starting to gain momentum from my new Etsy store!
click on the images to enlarge them
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Tips to encourage multiple purchasers
You’ll notice that both buyers purchased more than one print from me and I want to use this post to reveal a couple of techniques that I use to encourage multiple purchases.
The first method is to charge only one shipping fee regardless of the number of prints purchased.
I am selling my Erte prints un-matted so it costs me the same amount to ship a rigid envelope containing one print as it does to ship an envelope containing five.
Etsy provides “Shipping Profiles” which allow you to use the same shipping settings for multiple listings so I simply create a shipping profile that charges “0.00” for additional items
I then simply link all listings for un-matted prints to this shipping profile. Another benefit of using a shipping profile is that updating the profile will update shipping on all of the linked listings so you don’t have to edit each one individually if your shipping rates change.
I make sure that my store visitors are aware of this benefit by referring to it in my store headline and also in all of my listing descriptions.
Another technique that encourages multiple purchases is to create a coupon code that offers a discount like this;
I am offering a 10% discount if my buyer makes a minimum purchase of 35.85 euros (1 euro equals approximately $1.36).
Again, I make sure my store visitors are aware of my multiple purchase discount offers by featuring them prominently in my descriptions.
You can create as many different coupon codes as you like and Etsy will automatically email the coupon code of your choice to your buyers if you tick the appropriate box – I use this feature to offer a 10% discount off future purchases to encourage repeat buyers.
Erte Mini Guide
You’ll also notice that all of these prints are from the same book. This book cost me just $18.55 (including shipping) and contains 48 very attractive, full color plates.
These plates are selling very well at $10 each so yesterday I ordered a second copy of the book!
If you’d like to give this niche a try do click the link to check out my latest Mini Guide entitled;
>“Erte”
Talk soon!
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I’m curious why you are finding Etsy a more enjoyable selling venue than eBay. Anything to do with the type of buyers?
I guess it reminds me of what selling on ebay was like a few years ago. There is certainly more interaction from the buyers than you get on ebay.
I also feel that it is a more level playing field with all sellers getting the same visibility unlike ebay which seems to be dominated by the major retailers and advertisers now.
Hi Stuart.I have a question about A Treasury of American Prints that was asked of me from an Ebay customer of mine.All of the prints say REPRO in the bottom left corner.Can you explain what that means?Regards Don from USA
Thanks for your question, Don!
The prints in this book are reproductions of the original lithographs. My advice is to describe them as “1939 reproduction of the original
lithograph from 1938” (or whatever year)
They aren’t the original lithographs (which would be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars) but they are 75 years old which adds value
and sets them apart from modern copies – so talk this up in your descriptions.
Hi Stuart ,
Thanks for the great tips on encouraging multiple purchases! You have sometimes suggested offering free shipping and I am wondering how you determine whether to charge for shipping or not.
I love the idea of a coupon for multiple purchases! I had not yet discovered this on etsy.
Keep the great info coming! So helpful !
Joyce
Free shipping appears to be one of the factors that ebay’s Cassini search engine favors http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abu/y214/m01/abu0350/s02 so it makes sense to increase your prices to cover the cost of shipping and offer free shipping.
Thanks for sharing. I’m so glad to hear you are having great success selling prints on Etsy. Have you also tried bundling all the text pages and covers of the books after you’ve removed the prints to try and sell those on Etsy? A lot of artists like to look for old paper to use in their projects.
Thanks for your suggestion Serena!
I haven’t tried this yet!
Stuart,
We’ve been using your guides to list on Etsy for the last 6-8 months with great results. Your guides are great. We had a great Christmas season. I’ve gotten some of the Erte’ books but haven’t had time to do listings yet. Hope to get on it this week.
Your guides (I think I have every one) have been a great springboard into finding other illustrators that have worked well for us. We have some Western style “Ranch Life” prints that have sold great.
Thanks for your comment, Jann!
Delighted to hear about your success selling prints on Etsy!
Hi Stuart,
Wow, how do you do it mate. Good for you. Great post and I’ll try and implement what you have done. I’m still going through the last guide I got from you. I think I’ll have to get all the guides etc I have received from you in the past and go through them all again. Thanks for everything….
Regards
Donald
Do you list any of these prints on EBay?
Are they dual listings , on both sites
Why Etsy?
Thanks
Bobby
Thanks for your question, Bobby!
Listing the same items on both platforms is a great idea, particularly if you take advantage of ebay’s free listings offers!
You will get much more exposure than if you only listed on one site. Obviously it is important to delete the listings from the second site when they sell (unless, of course you have multiple copies of the book!)
I’m finding Etsy to be a cheaper and more enjoyable alternative to ebay.
Stuart, Thanks so much for sharing your monthly success with Etsy. I am putting up a store there, and also ebay and owe it all to your “Prints Make Profits” ebook!