I've been on Etsy now since 2009 and not just selling, I started as a consumer and things have changed a lot since then, really in just the last year. On Etsy everything is either handmade or vintage and you'll find everything from food and books, to pottery and makeup, and even a vintage kitchen sink! So I'm just going to dive right in here, every shop on Etsy is unique, yet uniquely similar in that each shop has an announcement section (just under the banner at the top) on the front page. In this announcement section you'll find notes from the seller, shipping deadlines, and any information they think is important for you to know, like discount codes or a map of where to find them! Honestly I'm shocked at how many people don't look around shops before purchasing, and I say this from experience (I've offered many a sale and customers have purchased, but not entered my clearly displayed discount codes)! Where has the sense of adventure gone, the thrill of the hunt, are we really all that pressed for time!?! I mean, you're on the internet, possibly on your lunch break, or you can't sleep, maybe you're just bored and passing time, or you're shopping for a purpose. I don't know about you, but I like to keep as much of my hard earned dollars in my own wallet as possible, so I'm ALWAYS looking for a discount and most sellers make it super easy and the deals are right there for the taking!!! Especially now during the holiday season when each day it would seem is a reason for a different sale (black Friday, small business Saturday, cyber Monday) so sellers put discount codes in their announcements so they don't have to edit each and every listing for each new sale they offer! It really only takes a minute or two to look around and explore the different areas of the shops. Visit the seller's profile page to learn more about them and their process or how they came to do what it is that they do. Visit their policies page to see their stand on returns and shipping. And there's a mix of course, some sellers haven't taken the time to create their "sections" but the serious artisans most certainly have! You can even SHOP LOCAL on the site! At the bottom left-hand side of the main Etsy page is a clickable link that takes you to a screen on which you can enter your zip code to discover shops in your own back yard! One more thing, ASK, click the contact button to "convo" the shop owner. Most artisans are more than happy to accommodate special requests anything from faster shipping to smaller or larger sizes, simply ask, most of us truly enjoy interacting with our customers! And I can't say this about every website, but this is true for most Etsians anyway, we're not trolls hiding inside your computer trying to get you to buy our product, we're real people, masters of our craft offering our art and soul for your enjoyment! So what do you think, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to navigating Etsy, but I think I've armed you with enough of the details to give you a boost. Now go get those holiday deals ; )
