Create and Market Seasonal Items

It seems silly and overly obvious, but if you're trying to sell items on Etsy, eBay, or anywhere else, pay attention to the seasons and holidays. I don't think anyone is going to forget about Halloween of Christmas, but pay attention to the 'smaller' holidays, too.

I have knot work items for sale at The Silver Puffin in Charleston, SC and on Etsy. Last night, the store owner shot me an email to let me know several of my items had sold and wanted to know if I had white coasters I could package with the blue and red varieties for the Fourth of July. I could have kicked myself! I didn't even think about putting special "patriotic"items on Etsy, and now it's getting too late to list anything for the holiday online because of shipping times. Luckily, I still have time to bring a few things down to the Puffin.

If you want to sell more items, make sure to have some seasonal offerings. Unless it's a really big commercial holiday, like Christmas, you might want to consider somewhat 'reusable' seasonal items. For example, red, white, and blue markets well for Memorial Day, the 4th, and even holidays like Labor Day and Veterans' Day. Fall items with leaves and pumpkins can be made to sell well all season long, not just for Halloween and Thanksgiving. If you sell your items online, make sure to list the items with sufficient time for customers to feel certain their merchandise will arrive on time. I know I hesitate to purchase anything online starting at a week, or even a week and a half, out because I don't trust the postal service. Don't go crazy and list your things two months early, but two or three weeks early is a good idea.