"Reflection"

December 4th marked my third month selling my work on Etsy and it made me stop to think about what I’ve learned over that time.

My decision to start a shop on Etsy was actually made quite spontaneously. While on vacation from my day job, dreading the idea of the week ending and having to go back to the daily grind, I decided to take a leap and make a go of  selling my photography online. After fifteen years in the corporate world, I needed to do something that allowed me the possibility of one day being  my own boss but also doing something I love and I was so happy that a venue like Etsy existed to allow me to do that with low startup costs. Understanding that, while the decision was spontaneous, my online success wouldn’t necessarily be, I sat down and mapped out a game plan; a game plan which, admittedly, is now on its umpteenth revision.

It’s been a long three months with lots of late nights and weekends glued to my computer, and, admittedly, frustration, but it’s been three of the best, most revitalizing three months I’ve had in a long time; it’s also been a tremendous learning experience. As of today, I am on my sixty-fifth sale, have buyer feedback that makes me quite proud and  I’m happy to report, have already had my first return buyer. I don’t claim to be a guru on selling, I still have plenty to learn, but the list of what I’ve already learned is a mile long. In the interest of keeping it simple, I wanted to share just a handful of those tips and reminders that I think can help anyone, regardless of what type of shop you have or how long you’ve been doing it.
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