Shopping on Etsy the short and sweet “How To”.

More and more people are discovering how fun it can be to shop on Etsy. You can find just what you are looking for without leaving the comforts of home. Etsy offers such a vast variety of products, you’ll be amazed. If you’ve never bought from Etsy, here’s a quick run down of what you’ll need to do to get started.

Register

Before you can start shopping or make a purchase, you will need to register for an account on Etsy. This is so Etsy can identify you and communicate with you as needed. It’s very simple and fairly quick. Go to Etsy, click register in the grey banner across the top of the page and fill in the form. It’s basically your name, your e-mail address and a password. Then you’ll need to check your e-mail and verify your account. Now you’re ready to shop.

Search for a store

If you are looking for a specific store that maybe you have heard of or one that is owned by someone you know or have seen at a craft show, you can search within Etsy for that store. In the top banner you will see first, a drop down menu that usually defaults to “handmade”. Click on the drop down and then choose either “people” or “shops”. Then in the search box type in the info you have; like the person’s name or their shop name. You may need to check first in one category (people) and then in the other (shops) to find the person/store you want. You will be given a list of options found based on the info you have typed into the search box. Click on the link to go to the store.


Search for an item

If you are not looking for a specific store but want to shop for a particular item, then Etsy will find those things for you from all stores listing that product. Use the drop down menu to pick “handmade”, “vintage” or “supplies” depending on what you are seeking. Then type in the search box the product name or key words. Etsy will show you all products that it can find. Click on the images that interest you. You can also use the list of categories on the left of the home page to narrow your search or to give you some ideas of what might be available.


Contact seller

If you have any questions about the item you see, the store owner will be happy to answer them for you. In some listings you might even read as part of the description for you to “covo” the seller. This just means to e-mail them in a “conversation”. Once you have clicked on the item, there will be a blue button on the side that says “contact” Click there and it will give you a space to write a note to the seller and it will automatically include the item name/listing that you are interested in purchasing. The seller will get an e-mail from Etsy with your note and you will get a reply the same way.

Add to cart

If you want to purchase the item then click on the green button that reads “add to cart” Now, you’re almost done. You can continue to check out or shop some more.

Note to seller

The note to seller section is used if your item requires that you give a detail such as color or size before purchase. You can also use this section if you need to have your item shipped to a different address as a gift.

Make payment

Some shops will accept payment directly from the buyer using a credit card. Most buyers and sellers are more comfortable using Pay-Pal. Click on the button to “check out with Pay-pal” and you will be re-directed to sign into your PayPal account.

Paypal

If you have never used PayPal it is the easiest and safest way to purchase items or exchange money on-line. You will need to set up a separate account with PayPal. They will need your e-mail address, shipping address and a credit card as well as bank info. PayPal acts as the middle-man to make the exchange of funds. Once PayPal has all your data then you can make on-line purchases safely anywhere on the internet. PayPal sends the money to whomever you have bought from and charges your credit card. This way you are not repeatedly giving your credit card to several stores. Your information is in just one place and safe.

Shipping

Double check your shipping address as you are checking out. When you purchase your item, most sellers will list in their policies how long it takes to ship an item out. If not, you should get a notice from Etsy that the seller has marked your item as “shipped”.


FAQs

If you are still unclear as to how to shop from Etsy see their frequently asked questions page.

While you are shopping Etsy be sure to stop by my store and say “Hi”.

Happy Shopping