My Procedure for Listing an Etsy Item
I love to write down a procedure for various things that seem complicated otherwise. Etsy item posts fall into the complicated category for me. Even just the act of writing down a step-by-step description helps me keep focus on my task. I'd like to share this with you. Maybe it will make listing our items a bit more palatable.
First, of course, I make the item. Then.... I admire it! I look at it from all sorts of angles and look for small details that I may have overlooked - you know, like loose threads that I forgot to trim.. that sort of thing.
Next... take photos of the item. (NOT my favorite part at all!) I try to shoot in the correct light, get lots of different angles, figure out what props I need to use. If the item has a coordinating mate, I shoot them together so that I can link them through their descriptions. I've been known to take 125 pictures of just 4 items.
Then.... process and crop the pictures. I use slideshow for all the unprocessed pictures to get an idea of which 5 pictures I plan to use in the store. (I generally pick 6 or 7 so that I have a backup pic "just in case".
When I have my pics selected I create a folder on my desktop (for easy access when actually posting the items) process, crop and then put the chosen pics into that folder. I name the folder whatever the title of the item is. It's one folder for each item.
Now it's time to describe the item. I use notepad for this. I type up the description as though I was describing it to someone over the phone. (Try describing any shade of any color - geeze!) I go to my favorite metric site to include inches and centimeters in the description. This is a quick and easy task if you use this tool:
http://www.manuelsweb.com/in_cm.htm
I type the Item Title using as many google search words as possible without making the title look rediculous. I make the first two lines of my description as google friendly as I can - again avoiding making it rediculous. Then I get to add all the colorful flattering stuff. I save the document using the item title as the document title. This goes into the photo folder.
I've tried to pre determine the tags on a list just after the description but haven't figured out a way to easily put the tags into etsy without flipping back and forth between the document and the listing page. so... I wing it! If I am waaay off then I just edit the tags. THEN I copy the tags from etsy and paste them to my item description for future use.
It's time to post the item! I pull up the picture/description file and when the time comes I just copy and paste the description to the item description page. When it's time for the photos - they are all right there for you... you don't have to sort through allll those pictures!
Then... I file the folder in my Etsy Folder. Since the folder is titled using the item name it's not hard to find the folder if I need it again. I do kind of organize my items into group folders i.e. Knitting Needle Cases, Hats, Mini Clutches, etc.
Lastly I enter the newly posted item onto my Inventory sheet.
Item complete!
Maybe this will help some of you create your own routine for posting your gorgeous work! If you have any suggestions post them in comments - we all love a good way to do our work!
