By Angie Sandy

Artisans young and old, regardless of their craft will find an audience and customers online at Etsy. What is Etsy, you ask? Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade - think Amazon for handmade products.

Etsy has been online since June, 2005 and now helps more than 100,000 sellers from around the world sell their handmade goods. If you sell handmade goods from candles to jewelry, pet products to food and even digital products then Etsy is a great way to expand your audience and boost profits.

Benefits of Selling On Etsy

·Your own URL. Etsy provides sellers with a customizable online shop which includes a URL based on your username, access to marketing tools and resources and the ability to participate in an online community of Etsy sellers who network and support each other.

·Easy to use. You don't need to know HTML to set up shop on Etsy. Additionally, the majority of the transactions made through Etsy are conducted through PayPal making the payment and shipping process straightforward for both you and your customers.

·It's free to get started selling on Etsy.

Getting Started

To begin selling on Etsy your first step is to register for an account. Getting registered requires adding credit card information to your account, which they will then verify. This card will be used to pay your listing and transaction fees.

Much like eBay, Etsy charges listing fees and a small transaction fee per sale. Listing fees are .20 cents to list an item for four months and .20 cents for each additional item. When your item sells, you'll pay a 3.5% transaction fee.

Optimizing your Etsy Online Store

Because there are so many sellers on Etsy, it's important to make a name for yourself and stand out from the crowd.

·Choose your username wisely. Your username is what will become your store URL.

·Make a positive impression. Like eBay, sellers can build credibility through positive feedback ratings from customers.

·Research your competition. It's also critical to spend some time checking out the Etsy website, your competition, and other artisans. This will help you set prices, create your online store, and position your products competitively.

·Take good pictures. Because handmade items are unique items, it's important for your audience to be able to see your wares. This means taking great pictures. You're allowed five pictures per item - use the space and show off your handmade goods for all their worth.

·Write detailed product descriptions. It's also important to provide accurate and detailed, though not long winded, descriptions of your products. If your product has an interesting story behind it, share. Tell prospects what your products are made out of, their size and shipping options.

·Take advantage of tagging features and categories. Your customers and prospects search Etsy based on tags and keywords. As a seller, you're able to use 14 keywords/tags per listing.

·Cross promote. If you have a business website, direct traffic to your Etsy website and vice versa. On your business website, collect visitor information and establish regular communication with prospects and customers to encourage repeat sales and generate interest.

Etsy has become the premiere website for buying and selling all things homemade. It's growing rapidly and doesn't show signs of stopping. If you sell homemade goods, or are considering selling homemade goods, take advantage of Etsy to reach a large and targeted audience and grow your business.

Set yourself apart from other sellers with your own Etsy logo design Angie Sandy is the lead designer and owner of Auction Add Ons, your source for making the most of your online selling.