7-minute read

6 Ways Etsy is Helping Sellers Outside the US Grow This Christmas Season

See what we’re doing to help you reach more shoppers and keep them coming back during the most festive time of year.

Avatar image for Etsy Staff by Etsy Staff
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This year, we’re celebrating all the ways you go above and beyond for your customers – not just during the gift-giving season, but every day of the year. We want everyone to know just how special it is to buy something directly from the person who made it. That’s why we’re increasing our investment in marketing in Etsy’s core markets around the world so that more shoppers in those countries know Etsy is the place to find something they’ll love.

Our marketing outside the United States is already leading to more sales for sellers like you. In the second quarter of 2019 (April through June), international GMS, or transactions where either the buyer or seller is outside the US, increased 37%, adjusted for changes in exchange rates. And we’re doing more than ever for Etsy shop owners outside the US.

Increased investment in bringing shoppers to Etsy

In the United Kingdom, we’ve been running YouTube ads that highlight all the amazing products available on Etsy, encouraging shoppers in the UK to visit our site. We’re also excited to debut new national television ads in the UK during the Christmas shopping season. Big moments like this with a wide audience help bring new customers to the site – a benefit of being part of a marketplace like Etsy.

Our public relations teams in each of our core markets work with local reporters to showcase all the amazing Christmas products and gifts available on Etsy. Building these close relationships with local journalists and editors means we can get more press mentions for Etsy shop owners like you – and get the word out about Etsy to more shoppers.

In all of our core markets, which include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, and Germany, we’re investing more in digital marketing to highlight the products available on our site so shoppers think of Etsy when they’re doing their Christmas shopping. The goal of this increased marketing is to bring more shoppers in those countries to Etsy.

Your Christmas tool kit

Have you started preparing your shop for this festive time of year? Now’s the time. As an Etsy seller, you know that the Christmas season on Etsy starts long before the tree is trimmed. To help you get ready, we’re introducing a few tools designed for sellers outside the United States. We know you face unique challenges as business owners, so we created them just for you. Throughout the season, we’ll also be sharing tips and advice you can use to reach new shoppers and keep them coming back.

1. Create country-specific sales

Want to do more to appeal to local shoppers? You’ve told us you want more control over where you run promotions, so in late August we’re updating the sales tool so you can offer discounts to shoppers in specific countries. You can also use this tool to participate in Etsy’s sales events and promotions such as our annual Cyber sales event or to offer discounts during seasonal shopping occasions like Boxing Day in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada or Labour Day in Canada and the US. Nearly 25% of listings that sell each day on Etsy are on sale – and that number can increase dramatically during major shopping occasions. In fact, 47% of listings purchased during Cyber Week in 2018 were on sale.

Run a Labour Day sale from 30th August to 2nd September and take advantage of this busy shopping time by discounting your items. Schedule your Labour Day sale.

2. Get priority search placement in the United States

If many of your customers are based in the US, consider setting up a US free delivery guarantee this Christmas season. The top spots in US search results are reserved for items that are delivered for free and shops that offer a US free delivery guarantee. Set up a US free delivery guarantee by offering free delivery to shoppers who spend $35 or more in your shop.

Adjusting your item prices is one way you can recover postage costs when you offer free shipping. You can use our new international smart pricing tool to edit the prices on multiple listings priced over $35 USD at once.

Set up a US free delivery guarantee and inspire shoppers to add a few more stocking stuffers to their carts to qualify for free delivery. Set up your guarantee.

3. Deliver a great experience for your customers

If you have a strong domestic customer base, consider offering free domestic delivery. You can use a free delivery profile to offer free delivery to customers in your country. Create a free delivery profile.

While you’re at it, add your frequently used mail carriers to your delivery profiles. We’ll combine that with your processing times to show shoppers an estimate of when their order will arrive – info that’s especially important to shoppers who are planning for a big celebration or who want to ensure their gifts arrive on time. FYI: This feature isn’t available for sellers in Canada just yet. Update your delivery profiles.

4. Etsy Ads: The new way to maximise your advertising

Soon we’ll be launching Etsy Ads, a new advertising platform designed for business owners like you who want to grow without all the guesswork. With Etsy Ads, one campaign makes it easy for shoppers to discover your products on both Etsy and Google and make a purchase from your shop. Just set your daily budget, choose which listings to promote, and we’ll use Etsy’s data insights and expertise to identify the right places and times to show your ads. By optimising your campaign we get you the best results for your budget. Etsy Ads will be available soon. Keep an eye on your Shop Manager for more information.

5. Make quick connections on Etsy

It’s the personal connections and amazing products that keep Etsy shoppers coming back. We recently introduced a new chat-like experience for shoppers so they can send you a message without leaving the page – plus, they’ll see your reply right away.

We know you might not always be able to respond immediately, so we show shoppers your average response time in order to let them know when to expect your reply. We also give you the option to set an away message. Set up your own away message.

Get shoppers the information they need and get back to your to-do list by saving the messages you regularly send to customers. By creating your own library of saved snippets, you can save time while still providing great customer service. We’re making some improvements to saved snippets and will share more details soon.

6. Watch your shop grow with updated Stats

We know you’re busy during the Christmas season. That’s why we’re making a few updates to Stats to make it easier to understand how your business is doing, helping you spend less time digging into data, and more time doing what you love. But, don’t worry, while we are giving Stats a refresh, we’re also making sure that all of the information you rely on to make decisions about your business will still be available. We’ll share more details soon.

There’s so much more good stuff in your Christmas tool kit. Check your inbox and your Shop Manager over the next few months for even more tips and new tools you can use this season.

Avatar image for Etsy Staff Words by Etsy Staff

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