Etsy Buying Habits

1. Communicate Delays

83.8% of surveyed buyers said that it was particularly important to notify them of a shipping delay. Clear communication with your buyers can help ease the pain when packages get delayed.

2. Photos Matter

81.9% of the people surveyed said that photos were very important to the buying experience. Additionally 68% said quality photos that accurately represent the item would increase their trust in a shop. Having high-quality photos that clearly represent your product is a sure way to convert more buyers.

3. Descriptions Are Important

81.4% said that product descriptions were an important part of their purchasing experience. Focus on writing each description so that they are easy to read and provide clear product details.

4. Build Buyer Trust

81% said that good reviews help them trust a shop. Just having  reviews on your shop isn’t enough to create buyers. 69% said that a shop’s star rating was very important when deciding to buy from a shop. Provide your customers with an experience that makes them happy to leave a 5-star rating.

5. Don’t Overlook Birthdays

Overall, 90.6% of buyers said Etsy is a great place to buy gifts. 52.8% of people said that they buy birthday gifts on Etsy. Leverage this evergreen occasion by working birthdays into your keyword, product, and marketing plans.

6. Etsy Buyers Are High Earners

Over 41.4% reported income over the US median household income.* Consider offering a mix of product price points that target multiple income levels.

*According to www.census.gov, the 2021 Median household income in the US was $70,784.

Product Quality

66.7% of buyers indicated that product quality was an important part of deciding to buy from a shop again. Make sure you are providing your customers with the highest-quality product possible.

Free Shipping

People seek out free shipping thanks to platforms like Amazon. In our survey, 44.5% of participants said free shipping would influence their decision to buy from a shop again. Where practical, consider providing free shipping.

Fast Shipping

Buyers are willing to wait for handmade and personalized products from Etsy. However, don’t be too slow. 30.4% of those interviewed indicated that fast shipping would influence their decision to purchase from a shop again.

Seller Responsiveness

Communicating with your buyer is important. Keeping them in the loop helps build confidence in their decision to buy from you. 21.2% of the participants said that good communication would be part of their decision to buy from a seller again.

Coupon Code

Offering coupon codes with a purchase can provide incentive for a customer to buy from a shop again. 13.4% of the participants said a coupon would entice them to buy from a shop a second time.

Honorable Mentions

There are a few other things you can do to help people buy from your shop again. Nice packaging for your orders, free items with orders, and personalized notes from the seller will help earn repeat buyers.

Photography

Invest in photography for your Etsy business. Research ways to take excellent product photos or get some training to improve your photography skills. Based on our findings, any investment in photography has a high likelihood of increasing your sales.

Descriptions

Revisit all your product descriptions and make sure they are providing value to your potential customers. Use easy-to-read language, written to help describe your product to your customers. Also, optimize your descriptions to include relevant keywords and phrases.

Communication

Communication is important to buyers. Be sure to promptly notify customers of any delays in shipment.

Free Shipping

Free shipping is important to buyers. Offer it wherever possible and build the average cost of shipping into your product’s price.

Reviews

Reviews are important to buyers. Providing buyers with a great experience will increase the number of positive reviews you get.