I was browsing Etsy the other day and when I find a shop that I like I almost always look to see where it is located. I am always surprised when people use odd locations in their "locations" option. Things like, "where harry potter lives, somewhere over the rainbow, Wrigley field, etc." While it's fun to read these things it does nothing to help you when someone is shopping by location.
The location feature on Etsy allows people to shop local or in certain areas of their choice. But if you put in a cute location, the etsy database is not going to list your shop when your potential customer does a search. I would also recommend not stuffing your location. I use my city and state. It's important to use city, state, country since someone living in Bavaria may not know where Cleveland is. Then there is the confusion of which Cleveland you live in -- Cleveland, Ohio or Cleveland, Tennessee? Or, any of the other locations.
I also like to know where you are so that I have an idea of how long it may take for my purchase to arrive. Plus, I know whether or not the item can be tracked through the postal system. It also helps when I order. If I'm shopping in the late afternoon and find something I want from Germany, then I know the shop keeper probably will not see my order until the next day. Knowing that keeps me from being anxious if I don't hear for the seller for a day.
What is your location?
Posts
AMEN!! I hate when I look to see where a seller is located and it says "by a pretty lake". Might be wonderful, but no help to me, the buyer. This post needs to be shared far and wide...
ReplyDeletePS: I am located in Sparta, TN USA :)
ReplyDeleteHear! Hear! Well said Rose!!! I really dislike those clever cutsey locations too.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you especially for making me take a 2nd look at my own shops - following your guidelines, I'm here:
Brooklin, Maine, USA
Great post... and I agree with everything you say. Of course too, when someone does a search by location, you'll show up higher in the list if you've updated your shop recently. So that is important as well... although sometimes I get slack about it.
ReplyDeleteSigning off from Danbury, NC, USA
Great post, Rose! I'm going with one Seattle..but maybe I'll add, WA, USA! I find it challenging when people leave out their locations altogether. I actually don't look further, often, if they don't post a location.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I especially hate it when the location is left blank. Knowing the seller's location helps to connect in a basic way. Since Etsy is so community-driven, I think this is important.
ReplyDeletexoxo from Louisville, KY, USA! (the cute little Bluegrass State - LOL!)
Location, location, location! Very important, especially if you're in a different time zone than your seller/buyer! By the way, I'm from Massachusetts - halfway between Boston and Cape Cod...
ReplyDeleteI am in the process of setting up my shop and have out in the location, Guildford, Surrey, UK but when I looked for local sellers, I did not show up or appear on the map? Any ideas? what does 'stuffing your location' mean?
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%! great reminder, by the way!
ReplyDeleteIn a place where you have so many countries together it is extremely important to know where the shops are.
I am in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South America!! I know the is a place called Brazil in the U.S.A., so this could confuse the buyer if I don´t specify more in the location.
Congrats on your great work, Rose!
Stephanie, there are some shops that will list every single city surrounding them, and sometimes every country they visit. So it might look something like this: Guilford, Surrey, London, Kent, Oxford, England, UK,
ReplyDeleteI think listing a small city and large city with the state/country is ok. Since not everyone will know where that small city is, but listing the larger city will give them a visual.
Great article Rose!!
ReplyDeleteI used to put a cutesy location when I first got on Etsy, but one of the forums or Storque articles set me straight!
Thanks for the reminder and it's funny because I unconsciously look to see where people are "coming from" and I am always disappointed if they have left it blank and even somewhat annoyed if I have to click on an item to see where it ships from!
:) Kristin
Seattle, WA USA