Running an Etsy shop in 2025 can feel like trying to hit a moving target. The platform evolves every year, and customer preferences change just as quickly. And it’s easy to feel overwhelmed running an Etsy shop.
At the start of the year, it’s a good time to do a little reset and regroup.
In this article, let’s go through 5 things I recommend all Etsy sellers to do first in 2025 that can help you reach your goals faster. These steps are based on my experience working with Etsy sellers in GYC Etsy Academy 2.0.
Let’s get started.
Rounding up the reviews, questions and messages you collected in 2024 is a good starting point for the new year, and it’s something that most Etsy sellers don’t do enough of.
This approach is more ‘solid’ and helps you make decisions that are based on real customer and shopper interactions, instead of guessing what your target customers actually want. Gather their reviews, messages, and any notes you made about each sale or interaction. Look for patterns like common question about product features, requests for custom variations, etc.
Pay special attention to customer questions and enquiries. If shoppers keep asking for something you don’t offer, this gives you indication of what new products you can create for the new year, or what refinement you can make to existing designs. Make sure to highlight those specific aspect in your listing photos and description.
You can also use the customer feedback to improve your Etsy listings and marketing messages. If customers consistently mentioned certain product features or benefits, even if they are already mentioned in your listing description, consider highlighting them even more in the listing photos or description. Using the same language from your actual customers can also help resonate with future customers better.
A lot of YouTube videos and online courses promise “gold mine niches" that will solve all your problems.
You know those videos - they always feature ‘easy-to-make’ products that are making over $10k a month (white promoting Etsy research tools that they are affiliated with).
In reality, these niches are never as easy to tap into as the YouTubers claim them to be. The main problem is that they are usually ultra-competitive to be able to create bestselling listings that generate that amount of revenue consistently, and for new Etsy sellers, aiming to enter the same niche to compete with those already-successful bestsellers is just not practical.
From chatting with Etsy sellers, those who attempt doing that just ended up feeling burned out. You end up trying to replicate the bestselling listings instead of carving out your own path (because that’s what they are taught to do). This usually lead to competing directly with the listings that already have thousands of reviews, and understandably, customers tend to choose the established listings and Etsy shops.
Instead of doing that, put your effort into making your products stand out on their own, which brings us naturally to the next step: discovering what makes you stand out.
When customers know why your product is different, it’s easier to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Perhaps your work has a unique design, use an ethically sourced material, or has a personal backstory that’s unique to you. Whatever your unique selling point is (I call it a unique handmade offer), it’s important to understand, enhance and emphasise on it.
One good way to discover your uniqueness is by analysing your competition carefully. Look at the main competitors in your niche and identify gaps they haven’t filled or angles they haven’t explored. Check their reviews and pay attention to the 2-4 star reviews that include constructive criticism. Then, consider using them to improve on your product.
Or another way is to look inwards and reflect on your journey. What inspired you to start your shop? What personal touch do you add that others don’t? It could be your unique culture, background, etc. that is hard for your competitors to replicate.
Your uniqueness should shine through every aspect of your shop, especially in the your product listings. Highlight your unique handmade offer in your photos, description, and also use it in other areas like the About section and marketing materials.
Optimising your listings can be one of the biggest level you can pull for your Etsy growth. Instead of just finding some relevant keywords or take better photos, listing optimisation is a process that includes a number of smaller tasks, all of which have the aim of leading shoppers on a journey to convince them to buy.
One of the areas with the biggest impact is improving your product photos. Make sure your images are well-lit, in focus, show different angles and has a background that is not distracting. For most sellers, I’d recommend using diffused natural sunlight for product photos (think the softer light that’s ‘diffused’ through a mesh curtain).
Also, learn photo editing, it can make a world of difference. One area that I see Etsy sellers struggle with is white balance. Incorrect white balance can lead to images that are too ‘yellow’ or ‘blue’. That unnatural look can really turn off shoppers as it makes it hard to tell the real colour of your product.
Other than product photography and editing, other areas of optimising your Etsy listings include Etsy SEO (search engine optimisation, writing product description and more. To help you get started, here are a bunch of articles I’ve written to help you get up to speed:
Many sellers stay on Etsy because it’s easy to set up a shop. But after some time, you may find yourself on edge with every new Etsy algorithm change (I know I do!).
That’s why planning to sell on your own website or other channels can be a smart move. You gain more control over your brand and how you engage with customers without having to rush to change your shop every few months to satisfy Etsy’s algorithm change.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Platforms like Shopify or Squarespace offer user-friendly ways to set up a personal online store (I have included more Etsy alternatives in this article). In the beginning, don’t worry about not making your new standalone shop perfect; Think of it as a place where you can test out new ideas and learn new skills in building your online shop. On your new online shop, you can have features that Etsy doesn’t provide, including email listing signup and loyalty program.
That being said, I think Etsy is still a great place to discover new customers, especially for newer shops. So definitely keep it as part of your overall strategy. But by branching out, you start building your own place where it’s truely yours, and in the long run, it helps you diversify and not rely on a single platform’s algorithm.
