This section focuses on using customer psychology to increase your sales during holiday shopping. Many big retail stores are already using all these tactics to drive sales and increase profit during shopping seasons. It’s time for Etsy sellers to do the same as well.

Fear-Of-Missing-Out (FOMO)

FOMO (fear of missing out) is a powerful feeling that can be used to increase sales. Marketers use it often to create a sense of urgency and scarcity in their customers. FOMO is one of the main reasons why people shop during these times because they want to get their hands on those exclusive deals before it’s too late.

For you as an Etsy seller, you can remind customers that the Black Friday sale is the biggest sale of the year. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Also emphasise on the fact that it’s a limited time offer. And the end date of the sale. For example, include the line “Ends in just 3 days” in your email marketing and social media posts.

This fear can also work for limited stock for a product. So when you release new products, you can emphasise that the stock is limited and it won’t be restocked soon when it’s sold out.

Urgency

Related to FOMO, Urgency is a powerful sales tactic. It is a technique to get customers to take action now instead of later. It is very commonly used when a business runs a sale, and it’s especially useful during BFCM.

This affects the messaging of your marketing materials, including emails and social media posts. When you first start the sale, state the end date of the sale. And remind them again when the sale is ending in 3 days and 24 hours.

Exclusivity

Exclusivity can be used in two main ways. It can be either a exclusive deal, or it can be an exclusive product that’s only available to a certain group of customers.

This customer psychology gives your customer a sense that they are being valued with special treatment.

This works great if you have a decent list of email subscribers. Consider giving your loyal customers a special coupon code that has a bigger discount than everyone else will get. It gives them a powerful feeling of scoring a bargain.

This also works for new product releases, especially for situations where customers can choose their own product or when the stock is limited. I’ll give you an example from one of my shops selling gemstone jewelry. As each gemstone piece is a bit different, customers have the incentive to visit the shop early to choose the piece they love the most. So it works great when I email my loyal customers about a new product release.

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Social Proof

Social proof is the idea that people are more likely to buy a product or service if they know other people have done so. It is an important tool for increasing trust and making more sales.

Other than the reviews on Etsy, there are some extra ways you can leverage social proof to drive more sales during holiday seasons.

One of my favourite ways is to highlight your best customer reviews. Choose the reviews that best align with your selling points and quote them in your emails and social media posts.

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