Are you a fabric enthusiast looking for a way to make some extra cash? Or maybe you’re a sewing novice curious about how to get started selling your creations online? Either way, opening an Etsy shop dedicated to fabric is a great way to reach out to like-minded crafters and earn extra income.
To sell fabric on Etsy, you need to create an account, set up your shop, list your fabric, price it, and promote it. You also need to manage your orders and shipment and evaluate and improve your shop to reach your goals.
In this blog post, I will show you how to start selling Etsy fabric and give tips on succeeding.
How to Sell Fabric on Etsy
Here is a detailed discussion of the main steps in selling Etsy fabric.
Create an Account
Your first step is to create an account with Etsy. You will be asked to provide personal details and set up your shop by choosing a name, description, and payment method. Follow these steps when creating an account:
- Go to Etsy in your web browser.
- Click the “Sign In” button in the top right corner.
- Click the “Register” button.
- Fill in your first name, last name, email address, and password.
- Click the “Register” button.
- Check your email for a confirmation message from Etsy and click the “Confirm Your Email Address” button.
- Fill in your address information and select your country.
- Click the “Save and Continue” button.
- Review and accept the Etsy policy and guidelines.
- Click the “Open Your Shop” button to start selling on Etsy, or click the “Skip for now” button to purchase items as a buyer.
- If you choose to open a shop, fill in your shop information, including shop name, language, and currency.
- Choose your billing method, either direct checkout or PayPal.
- Click the “Save and Continue” button to finish setting up your Etsy account.
Get 40 free listings when you sign up for Etsy here.
Set Up Your Shop
Setting up includes selecting a name, writing a description, and setting up payment options. Your Etsy shop name should be unique and easy to remember. Consider using one or two words related to fabric or sewing. For example, “Fabric Finds” or “Sewn with Love.”
Your shop description is an important part of your shop because it lets buyers know what they can expect to find in your store. When writing your description, be sure to include information about the types of fabrics you sell, as well as any other products related to fabric and sewing that you may also be selling.
If you make or print the fabric yourself it is a great idea to add some photos or videos of you at work. Buyers love to see how things are made. Also, include a description of the process of design to manufacturing.
Finding What To Sell
If you are struggling to find what to sell check out Everbee. Everbee is a Chrome extension that shows you how well products are selling on Etsy. It can be a great help in deciding what products to sell.
List Your Fabric
Start by taking some quality photos of the fabric you want to sell. They should be clear and well-lit and give buyers an idea of what the fabric looks like in real life. Your photos are the first thing people will see when scrolling through the listings on Etsy. They are probably the most important aspect of the listing so take your time to get it right.
Photos of your fabric in situations can be very good to give the customer ideas of where they could go or what they could be used for. Checking other sellers on Etsy can be a great place to get some inspiration
Next, write a detailed description for each fabric listing. Be sure to mention any unique features, such as colors or patterns, and the type of fabric. Etsy now uses your product description for SEO on Google so take advantage of this by using keywords that customers may type in to find what you are selling. This may put you ahead if someone has looked at other sellers’ listings and this area has only had 20 words in it. Try to write a good 100-200 words about your product.
Next comes the price. When pricing your fabrics, consider the cost of the materials and the time it took to source the fabric. If you are selling vintage or hard-to-find fabrics, you can charge a bit more for these items. If you are a new shop with no reviews a lower price can help achieve more sales as people are more likely to try you out. As your shop grows and you receive reviews you can bring your prices up.
Once you’ve written your descriptions and added photos, you can list your fabrics on Etsy. Click the “List an Item” button and follow the prompts to add your fabric listings to your shop.
Promote Your Shop
There are a few different ways to promote your shop. You can share your listings on fabric-related forums and groups. These forums can be a great source of free traffic if used correctly. Don’t just go around all the forums posting links to your products. Instead, write on them with helpful answers to problems to gain readers’ trust over a few months, and then you can add your links so people can see what you sell.
Social media is a very good free way of promoting your Etsy shop. Pinterest in particular is great for craft-type shops like fabric sellers. On Pinterest, millions of people every day are looking for interior design or craft project ideas. Your fabric could be just what they are looking for and could use a link you have on your ‘pin’ to go straight to your Etsy shop to purchase.
Another great thing about Pinterest is the pictures you put on there can achieve views for months or years after you put them up. With Facebook and Instagram, you tend to get tension in the first day or so and then it dwindles away until you add your next post.
Pinterest is more like a search engine like Google where people go to look for ideas. They type in, for example, dog pattern fabric and if yours is on there it has the possibility to show up even if you put it on months ago.
You can also participate in blog hops and link parties such as Modafabrics. These are online events that feature crafts and fabrics, so it’s a great way to get your shop noticed.
Finally, don’t forget Etsy’s promoted listings feature. This paid advertising option allows you to promote specific items in your shop. It can be an effective way to reach new customers and generate more sales. Sometimes you can get clicks to your listings for just a few cents. It can be a good way of driving some views on your products if you are struggling to get started. Be aware though that you pay a fee every time you get a click on your item, not when they buy something so you may end up losing money
Manage Your Orders and Shipment
When you start getting orders, it’s important to manage them properly. Respond to each order promptly and let the buyer know when their fabric has been shipped. You can also add a personal touch by including a handwritten thank-you note with each package.
Sending your orders at the time you stated is very important. Being late will affect your Etsy score and also frustrates customers. One of the main reasons people leave negative feedback is because they have had to wait longer than expected to receive their purchase.
When shipping your fabrics, make sure that they are packaged securely and safely. Include an invoice with each package, and if possible, provide tracking information for all orders. Customers love a tracking number so they have something to check until their package arrives. It does generally cost a little bit more for tracking when sending your items but it is a good investment as not only do the customers know where their item is, so do you.
Finally, always remember to keep your customers informed of the status of their orders. This will help build trust and loyalty and ensure you get positive buyer feedback. This is easily done on Etsy as you can mark the item dispatched through Shop Manager. There will also be a place to put the tracking number when you mark the item dispatched and state the courier used.
Evaluate and Improve
As you begin selling your fabrics on Etsy, keep track of how things are going. Regularly evaluate your shop’s performance and look for areas where you can improve. Look at the analytics in your Etsy account to see what’s working and what isn’t. Make changes if necessary, and always strive to provide the best possible service to your customers.
Over time customers will give you ideas on what to sell next. You will get asked for items that are similar to what you sell but different in some way. This may be the design or size or fabric type.
This can be a great way to get more products to sell as if someone has taken the time to ask you for it you can be sure that there are other buyers who thought it but didn’t ask.
Tips to Sell Fabrics on Etsy
These tips will help you get started selling fabrics on Etsy:
- Take high-quality photos of the fabric you’re selling
- Ensure your shop is organized and easy to navigate
- Write detailed descriptions for each fabric listing
- Participate in blog hops and link parties
- Respond promptly to orders
- Provide tracking information for all packages
- Keep customers informed of their order status
- Evaluate your shop’s performance regularly
Final Thoughts
Selling fabric on Etsy can be a great way to make extra money and share your love of fabric with the world. With some hard work and dedication, you can build a successful shop that brings in consistent sales. Use these tips to get started building an awesome fabric business on Etsy. I hope this article has helped you understand the basics and motivated you to start.