Publication date: October 17, 2023
Reading time: 5 minutes
Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping events of the year, and as an Etsy seller, you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to boost your sales during this festive season. To make the most of Black Friday, here’s a handy holiday prep list to help you get ready.
Evaluate Your Inventory
Take a look at your current inventory and identify which products are best suited for the holiday season. Consider what items were popular last year and which ones align with the upcoming trends. Update your listings with fresh descriptions to make them more appealing to holiday shoppers. eRank’s Trend Buzz and Monthly Trend reports (both found under the Trends menu) can help with identifying trends, while the Listing Helper (found under the Listings menu) can help you with descriptions, if you get stuck.
Plan Your Sales and Discounts
Decide on the promotions and discounts you want to offer during Black Friday. Consider running sales, offering free shipping, or creating special Black Friday Only items to entice customers. Make sure your pricing strategy aligns with your profit goals while still offering attractive savings to buyers. If you need help in evaluating your prices, check out eRank’s Profit Calculator (found under the Tools menu).
Prepare Your Shipping
Ensure you have an ample supply of packaging materials, shipping labels, and any additional resources you need to fulfill orders efficiently during the holiday rush. Stock up on supplies in advance to prevent any delays in processing and shipping orders.
Clearly communicate shipping deadlines with shoppers for guaranteed delivery before the holidays. Keep in mind the potential delays in shipping during the holiday season and provide customers with realistic expectations.
Use eRank’s Delivery Status tool (found under the Shop menu) to see up-to-date statuses on all your Etsy orders in one location. This is helpful to identify any potential delays or late deliveries and notify your customers quickly.
Optimize Your Shop’s SEO
Use relevant holiday-related keywords and phrases in your shop titles, listings, and tags to improve your shop’s search visibility during the holiday season. Make sure your shop is optimized to attract shoppers looking for Black Friday deals. eRank’s Keyword Tool (under the Tools menu) is the best option for researching keyword search trends.
Create Eye-Catching Product Images
Invest time in creating high-quality product images that showcase your items in the best light. Add festive touches to your product photos to evoke the holiday spirit and capture the attention of potential buyers.
And while you’re at it, give your Etsy shop a holiday makeover by updating your banner and profile picture with a festive theme. This creates a welcoming and seasonally appropriate first impression for shoppers.
Start Early
Encourage early holiday shopping by offering exclusive discounts or perks to customers who make purchases before Black Friday. This can help spread out your sales and alleviate the pressure on the actual day.
Start promoting your Black Friday deals and discounts on social media well in advance. Use eye-catching graphics and engaging content to build excitement and anticipation among your followers. Don’t forget to notify your email list as well!
Prepare for Customer Inquiries
Anticipate an increase in customer inquiries during the holiday season. Respond promptly to messages and provide excellent customer service to create a positive shopping experience. Create a quick-access swipe file for answers to common questions to speed up the process. Also, add common questions and answers to your Etsy shop’s FAQ section for those customers that search for answers before messaging.
By following this holiday prep list, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle Black Friday and the holiday shopping season on Etsy. With attractive promotions, optimized listings, and a well-stocked shop, you can make this Black Friday a successful and memorable one for your Etsy business.
As an extra convenience, we’ve created a downloadable Black Friday Prep List for you to download and print to have by your side as you prepare for the big shopping day. eRank is committed to providing you with as much help as we can to help everyone enjoy a successful holiday season!
Download your Black Friday Prep List HERE.