1. Log in to (or set up) your user account
Creating an Etsy account is the first step toward launching your storefront. To open a shop online, you must first be a registered site user. Once you have an Etsy account, you can open a shop.
Etsy starts everyone out as a buyer, so you will need to click on the "Sell" tab at the top of the screen to switch to a seller account. This is also where you’ll set up your store name, which we’ll talk more about below.
2. Choose your store name
Next, you need to choose a name for your Etsy store. Etsy requires each shop owner to use a unique name. It’s common for sellers to find that their first choice is unavailable, but you can often add a word like “store” or “boutique” to the end of your preferred shop name to get around this naming issue.
The goal is to choose a business name that’s interesting, memorable to buyers, and represents the style of goods you’re selling. Try to match the name you choose to your social media handles and business website so customers can easily find you on other platforms.
3. Curate your product offering
When learning how to sell on Etsy, it’s best to start by focusing on a few complementary products so customers understand what your shop is all about. For example, if you're setting up a shop to sell homemade bath products, you might offer a dozen soaps, bath fizzes, and lotions—but don't list your crocheted blankets and handmade jewelry there, too, so you don't confuse customers. Find your niche and run with it.
Once you’ve built up your customer base, you can expand your product offerings.
4. Complete the guided setup
When opening an Etsy shop, the site will direct you through the process of creating your online storefront.
Part of the process includes choosing your language and currency preferences. Etsy features buyers and sellers from all over the world. Specifying your language and location increases the chance of your listings reaching potential customers in your target market.
5. Establish your pricing
A common question for first-time sellers is how to price items on Etsy. Pricing your products well ensures that you get the best return on investment (ROI), but it takes some time and analysis to do.
There are two ways to go about pricing items in your Etsy shop:
- Internal pricing: Set prices based on your time and material costs.
- External pricing: Set prices based on how much your competition sells similar products for.
A combination of the two pricing methods tends to generate the most profit. Use these methods to price your products strategically—considering your time investment, business costs, and your competitors' prices—so you can sell each one at its true value.
As you think about setting your prices, you also want to consider Etsy’s seller fees. Etsy takes listing, transaction, and payment processing fees, among others, which we cover in more detail below. It’s important to know just how much Etsy takes from the sale of your goods.