Setting Up an Etsy Shop for Your Laser Engraving Business

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Etsy is a great tool for all kinds of creators. From mugs to custom clothing, creators can sell almost anything on Etsy. If you are like many business owners using a laser to customize products, you may find that it’s difficult to sell them on your own. That’s where Etsy comes in. Read on to learn how to set up a shop, hear some success stories and consider why Etsy should be on your radar.

Figure 1: Setting up an online shop doesn’t have to be frustrating. Etsy is an easy solution for business owners who want to enter the world of online commerce.

Setting Up an Etsy Shop

Creating a shop is simple. Etsy walks you through the process, making it easy to follow along. The steps are as follows:

1) Set shop preferences

These are the basics of your shop. Here you will choose the language, specify your country and select the currency you will be using.

2) Choose a shop name

Choosing a name is one of the hardest parts of setting up a shop. You want to choose a name that is catchy, simple and sums up your shop in just a few words. Etsy has a few parameters a shop name needs to meet; for instance, a name must be between four and 20 characters, with no special characters or trademarked words. The easiest way to create a shop name is to think about what is most important to your shop. For example, if you are selling custom-engraved wedding gifts, the shop name should reflect that. Keep the shop name short and simple.

3) Stock your shop

Each of your product entries should include at least four photos of the product in order to show it at all angles. Customers should be able to understand everything there is to know about a product from a look at the photos. Make sure to include a scale reference photo so customers can see product size. Product descriptions also should be very through and include anything that can’t be seen in the photos. Don’t be afraid to be wordy. Your customers shouldn’t be surprised by anything when they receive a product from your shop!

4) Choose payment options

The primary method of payment is Etsy Payments, a service that gives buyers a range of different options. It collects payment in a buyer’s local currency and deposits it in your bank account, based on your preferred schedule. Presuming you live in one of the countries eligible to accept Etsy Payments (including the United States, Canada and many countries in Europe), you’ll be required to offer the service in your shop. You can, however, elect to include a link to a separate PayPal account, and to accept other types of payments such as checks and money orders.

5) Set up billing

You may be required to use a credit card to open your shop and to keep it on file with Etsy for identity purposes. You’ll also want to take note of Etsy’s selling fees; fees are charged both when your items are listed and when they are sold. There are also cost-per-click options if you want to advertise on Etsy.

6) Fill out shop info sections

Here you get to fill out anything and everything you want people to know about your shop. In this step, you choose a photo and fill out a shop bio. You’ll want the bio to be short and sweet; sum up your shop and your products in a few words. The shop photo could be anything from photos of your products in use to a photo of you.

You will also add an “About” section. This is like your bio, but longer. In the About section, you can go into greater detail about your shop, answering questions like: Why are you creating these products? What inspired you to start a shop? What do you use to create your products? Feel free to go wild in the About section; people love learning your backstory!

Figure 2: This is one of the laser-cut signs for sale at Lindsay Funk’s Etsy shop. Source: The Confetti HomeFinally, set up your shipping profiles and policies on returns and exchanges. You can also add sections to your shop; if you make a wide array of laser-engraved products, for instance, you’ll probably want to break them down into sections.

Success Stories

There are plenty of laser-based shops on Etsy. We talked to Lindsay Funk, owner and creator of The Confetti Home, a Pennsylvania-based Etsy shop. Funk creates celebration signs for all occasions, from holidays to weddings. A mother of three children, started her shop in memory of a daughter who was stillborn. “Life and life’s occasions are meant to be celebrated,” she said, “especially in the wake of such a tragic time in our lives.”

What began as a paper party-supply business offering cake toppers, confetti and banners turned into a laser-based business within a year of opening. “We purchased an Epilog laser and switched to selling laser-cut wooden and acrylic home and celebratory décor,” Funk explained.

Using Etsy allows Funk to connect with her customers, who often share photos of her signs in use. “Interacting with customers, hearing their stories and reasons for celebrating is the best part,” she said. “It’s always enjoyable to receive photos from customers using your product.”

Asked for advice to give new business owners just starting their Etsy shops, Funk stressed the value of excellent customer service and quality products as keys to running a successful Etsy business. “Don’t be afraid to try new things,” she added.

Another successful Etsy shop incorporating laser cutting is Colorado-based Brad Goodell Weddings & Gifts, which offers products such as engraved wine and champagne glasses, beer steins, cake server sets and more. In the About section of the shop, Goodell notes that he transferred his skills to glass engraving after 20 years working as a commercial artist and illustrator. He sketches a design on paper and recreates it with a computer, then uses a vinyl cutter or laser to cut a resist. Fine-aggregate sandblasting is used to engrave the final design.

Great Tool for Business Owners

Etsy is a highly accessible tool; you might even say it’s just sitting there, waiting to be used. Whether you are just starting out as a small business owner or already have an established business, it’s worthy of your consideration. It is a simple way to set up a shop, cutting out many of the challenges of entering the world of online commerce. So what are you waiting for? Get on Etsy and open up shop!