We last chatted about why Etsy offering free shipping is a good thing. Now let's discuss two reasons why you don't have to worry about the Free Shipping Guarantee ruining your Etsy sales.
1. You don't have to turn in on. How is this a good thing? If you look over your pricing and decide it's not going to be feasible, no problem! Etsy hasn't made it mandatory. You're not going to be penalized for not turning it on. (Before you say anything about the search rankings, wait for #2.) Free shipping is a good offer as a rule, but there are always exceptions- if you've got larger items or heavy items, or items that have to be packed and shipped with extra care, free shipping might just not be possible. That's fine too! Because...
2. A higher place in Etsy's search rankings does not necessarily guarantee one shop will make sales over another. If someone lands on Etsy looking for something handmade, they are not going to arbitrarily buy the first thing on the search page.
They'll be searching using the same method anyone uses anywhere else- search, narrow their search to something more specific, narrow their search again, then look for a brand and shop they feel fits, then choose a specific item. This is a pattern most people follow when they're shopping, even if they think they're just browsing.
It's true, as I type this Etsy is causing another frenzy with the news that you might not be on the first page at all if you don't offer free shipping, and "oh-btw-83%-buy-from-page-1". Please don't panic! Most of the people who find you will find you because of your overall marketing strategy, not through Etsy search alone.
While it would be nice to be the first thing they see on a search page, there are a lot of factors at work in getting your products noticed.
Here's one: People will see your photography before they really notice where your item sits in the search rankings. Do you have a good grasp of who your target market is? Are your photos designed to catch the eye of your target market? (I'm guilty of boring, unbranded, untargeted, photos. Working on it!)
Here's another: Have you worked on refining your SEO or are you still using random tags for your items? That has an effect on where your items fall in the search results.
And one I mentioned already, are you marketing your products well on the platforms your target market is on and keeping in contact with your email list, or are you sticking only to the platforms you feel comfortable with and neglecting the people who want you to keep in touch with them? (I'll admit, I'm sooooo guilty here too. *hides face*)
In conclusion... the good news: While being higher in the search rankings is a nice bonus, it shouldn't be what any seller pins their hopes on to get sales. Whether you decide to use Etsy's Free Shipping Guarantee or not, working on your target market, clear branding, and marketing, will put you ahead of many of the sellers on Etsy. (For example, when someone finds me, it's usually through Instagram or Pinterest, not the Etsy search. My "people" are also on YouTube, which for most Etsy sellers is a completely untapped resource!)
Next time, we'll chat about things to consider whether or not you decide to use the Free Shipping Guarantee.
In the meantime, let me know what aspect of your marketing strategy you're trying to improve on...
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