How to Grow on Etsy in a Saturated Market

I’ve heard it 1,000 times. “Etsy is too saturated” or “I’m just a small fish – I can’t make it on Etsy”. The feeling that there are already too many sellers making the same thing is probably the #1 reason most creatives shy away from selling on Etsy.

So, is Etsy in fact too saturated?

Here is the thing. Yes. It is saturated, but if that freaks you out, you’re kinda missing the point.

Saturation = Demand.

If Etsy is saturated, then how can I grow my shop?

If there are a lot of sellers making what you make, that is great news. Seriously! That means there are a lot of people out there looking for it. That mean there is money to made in your niche! Example: I sell wreaths. There are thousands and thousand of sellers on Etsy and Facebook that make wreaths. But there are also millions and millions of people…with doors…searching every single day to buy a new wreath on Etsy. There’s plenty of room for all of us wreath makers PLUS more.

You want to know a secret? I’m not even one of the best designers out there. Now, don’t get me wrong – my Etsy shop does really well and I know that I have talents. But there are many others that even I look up to. But I don’t have to be the best wreath maker. All I had to do was learn how to effectively use Etsy so that when buyers are searching they find MY listings ahead of others. There’s so much more to success on Etsy than just your products!

I don’t care if there are 100,000 other sellers or 100 – I know what it takes to appear on Page One of search (no matter what category). Competition and saturation on Etsy mean nothing when you know how to optimize and market your shop.

Those who commit to success on Etsy, end up running successful shops

Etsy is to shop owners as Mt. Everest to eager mountain climbers. Yeah weird analogy maybe but stick with me…. Almost everyone can make it to base camp at Mt Everest. That’s where most of the people hang out and prepare for their climb. When they’re ready they must use a guide to carefully ascend the mountain’s steep terrain. It takes a Sherpa, skill, and persistence to get to the top. Not everyone makes it – many turn around. Only a select few make it to the top, far less than those waiting at base camp. This is how I look at Etsy. Yes, Etsy is saturated – but only for those who don’t take the time to learn how it works.

If you want to climb the Etsy mountain, and make it to the top, don’t assume you know how to list your items for maximum exposure. Do the research. Find someone ahead of you who you can learn from. And never stop learning about how to grow your Etsy shop.

Honestly, unless you’re already an expert in online marketing- growing an Etsy shop is not an inherent skill. Learning how to effectively sell online isn’t super challenging – but it is a skill to be learned.

One of the biggest reasons that sellers find Etsy too saturated

Many Etsy shop owners do very little to solidify their brand and make themselves unique in the online space. Sellers should learn to set themselves apart and not just try to follow the trends with every new project. Become known for something. For example, I am known for my beach and baseball wreaths.

 They have been featured all over the internet, in blogs, on huge Facebook pages, etc. My followers have come to expect these types of items and seeing them so often makes them remember my shop when they are ready to purchase. This is the kind of social recognition that pays in the form of cash (orders on your shop).

If you want to learn how to optimize your shop and get to the front page of search then jump on the waitlist for Handmade Sellers 101 coming soon in February 2021! Hundreds of sellers have already taken this course and opened their shop and you could be next! For more info and to get on the waitlist visit https://handmadesellersuniversity.mykajabi.com/joinhandmade101