Selling Vintage on Etsy

I have always been the creative type. During the 80s, my friends and I frequented the many craft stores in our area and spent many afternoons making wreaths or other crafts.

The 80s are gone and with them, many craft stores. Remember the Rag Shoppe? Now craft supplies are harder to find unless you shop the Internet. For myself, I am learning from other Etsy artists who repurpose findings and create their own works of art.

As I experiment with new ideas (new to me, that is) I am furiously working on my sequin and beaded Christmas ornaments. This is a craft that I learned from my grandmother when I was a kid. Grandma has been gone a long time but what she taught me lives on.

These beautiful ornaments reflect the light from your tree and are so pretty that they can be displayed year-round if you like. I make these while my soap opera plays in the background or while I chill with my husband. He usually is watching some awful movie and not being the type to do one thing at a time, I can easily do an ornament in an evening or a few hours in the afternoon.

The key to making and selling on Etsy is to not spend a lot of money of your supplies. I had a good surplus of materials and since I have done several kinds of craft projects, I save scraps and use them in other projects. Once you get into the creative "flow" you can find uses for that piece of ribbon or in my case, a vintage piece of jewelry that is broken.

Whatever your artistic passion is, do it and then sell it on Etsy.

Milk glass, brilliant cut glass, hand-blown Christmas ornaments, National Geographic magazines from the 1920's and many other treasures are what you can find on my Etsy store.

I love discovering treasures and I cannot possibly fill my home with all these items so I sell them on Etsy.

I have a huge collection of Barbie dolls and accessories and every once in a while, something Barbie will show up in my store.

Victorian bone china with hand-painted roses are a weakness as is mostly anything Victorian.

That really isn't the truth. Take me into an attic and let me explore long-forgotten boxes and I can get lost for hours! Flea markets are always fun also.

I am fortunate to have family nearby with an attic and a basement that has many more treasures left to find!

This beautiful milk glass two-tiered platter has a silver handle and is over 50 years old!

There is lots to do and organization is important when you are going to open a shop on Etsy. One of the many reasons that I love Etsy is because unlike eBay, beginners can open their own shop and showcase their items for sale. Everyone is an equal on Etsy; you start your shop and depending on how much work you put into it, your success is up to you!

First things first: Know what you have to sell.
List the items in a notebook and write the condition of the item next any other details. (markings, dates,etc.)
Next step (before you even sign up) is to see what similar items are being listed for. Take notes on the tags people use to describe the item and also what category the item is listed in. This will help you once you list your own items.

Now that you have an idea of what your item is worth - don't allow your sentimental feelings over an item push you to list it for more than someone will pay for it. You are selling on Etsy to SELL your items. If you really cannot part with something then do not waste your time listing it for sale.

The next consideration is how you will ship the items you sell. I use the USPS only because for the amount of items I sell it is easy. If you are going to be selling many items (it depends on how much stuff you have, how often you list new items,etc) you may want to look into other carriers such as FedEx or UPS. Shipping tip: You may want to limit yourself to selling to U.S. only. International shipping can be complicated and if you have never done it, it may turn you off from selling online.

So how do you get started selling on Etsy?

First you'll need to register for an Etsy account. Be careful when choosing your username, as it will also be your shop name. Your shop will be located at a unique web address based on your username, in these formats: http://username.etsy.com and http://www.etsy.com/shop/username.

Once you've registered for an account, you'll need to upgrade your account to seller status. To do this, click the Sell link in gray site header and follow the on-screen directions. You will need a valid credit card (or a debit card with a credit card logo) to become a seller on Etsy.

Please be sure to read the Terms of Use and review Etsy's policies about Membership and Shops and listings in the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy before you register to become a seller on Etsy.

To be considered "Vintage", an item must be at least 20 years old. Items that have been upcycled should be listed in the Handmade category.

For more about what is and isn't allowed on Etsy, read their DOs and DON"Ts. Everything is very clear and easy to understand. They have a forum where you can connect with other sellers and receive valuable tips.

Setting up your shop is easy with step by step simple instructions. Ebay has gotten to be very complicated with too many options for selling. Etsy keeps it simple and user-friendly.

Choose your shop name carefully because it cannot be changed. That is the most important tip that I have. Your name should reflect your shop (what kind of items you sell) and your shop's personality.

Don't get me wrong- I love selling on eBay but Etsy allows me to specialize in selling Vintage. I was able to begin selling on Etsy with my own shop from day one. You cannot do this on eBay.

On eBay you have to earn a shop and it can take time. The other thing about eBay is that although you have the option of listing an item as a "buy it now" or "best offer" as well as auction-style, on Etsy you set your price and that's it. You can offer coupons to your buyers which is fun.

I also feel that Etsy has an audience for Vintage items that rivals eBay. Yes you can find it on eBay but often eBay buyers want it for less money than you can sell it for on Etsy.

Fees are also a reason why I prefer Etsy. Compare the fees (listing fees alone are far cheaper on Etsy and you get much more for your money!) This is a business after all and you are in it to make money.