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Post by stardiamond on May 29, 2024 13:58:53 GMT -5
I just completed my fifth year on Etsy. I decided to have a customer appreciation sale for previous customers. Broadcast a message to previous customers about the sale. It is difficult/impossible to contact Etsy. I posted on the Etsy community forum and found out that I can't do it and in fact it is against rules to offer a discount outside a short post sale window. I set up a code for a week but how will anyone know about it? I am not active on social media.
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realrockhound
Cave Dweller
Chucking leaverite at tweekers
Member since June 2020
Posts: 4,159
Member is Online
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Post by realrockhound on May 29, 2024 16:27:05 GMT -5
If you were able to set something up on a mailing list, you could get emails and do it that way.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on May 29, 2024 16:33:48 GMT -5
The people who have any of your items sitting in their cart should see a notice (if they happen to go looking in their cart) that you currently have a sale going. Also, if they happen to be looking at your items, they should see the same notice. You could temporarily change your home page store message to mention your anniversary and sale. If you list some cab’s, people who follow you will get a notification of new items in your shop and if they go in they will see your sale. Not a huge help, this doesn’t contact all of your customers at once but it will reach some people and maybe the most important ones, the ones currently shopping and also the ones who’ve saved you as a favorite.
I’m also not quite comprehending this: “it is against rules to offer a discount outside a short post sale window.”
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on May 29, 2024 16:47:44 GMT -5
Hmm. Ok, so I went to your shop and looked. I can see free shipping on all cabs. I cannot see any type of discount on the listings. I put one in my cart to see if Etsy would tell me it has a sale and so far I’m not seeing anything. There is a place where I can manually type a code. In the past in other shops I’ve had it prompt me that there was a discount and do I want to add the discount to my cart. I think it is automatically sent when I “liked” an item. That might be something to look into in your settings, how to send your discount to all likers. And also how to show that your entire shop is on sale. Is it possible that the free shipping notice is sort of taking the place of any other sale offering as far as discounts are shown, like you can’t have both? I’m not a seller but just wanted to let you know what I can see as a potential shopper. If you make any changes I can check it again for you.
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Post by stardiamond on May 29, 2024 18:14:19 GMT -5
When you make a sale you can create and send a code. I just added an announcement of the sale to my about page. When I look at Etsy to buy, I don't look at the about page. I don't know how many other buyers do. I could add the sale information to each item description(450) and then remove them all in a week. I could put all items on sale for a week one at a time and then remove them all.
I could individually send a message from messages for specific buyers that I target, but that is not allowed. When I've bought on Etsy I've received a discount code email from the seller to use on future purchases. This option is only available for a limited time after purchase.
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Post by pebblesky on May 29, 2024 18:53:20 GMT -5
Maybe you can add an announcement section to your home page (on your web browser: Settings->Info & Appearance -> Shop Announcement). I don't go to the About tab but I do check seller's annoucements from time to time when I shop there.
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Post by pebblesky on May 29, 2024 18:56:58 GMT -5
Another crazy idea is to update your items' cover photos to add the discount code as a line of text. Then I realized you have 400+ listings...but I think the idea should work fine for a shop with a handful of items.
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khara
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since September 2022
Posts: 1,979
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Post by khara on May 29, 2024 18:57:59 GMT -5
I found a shop example in my favorites whose home page above where the listings start says in green “25% off all items in this shop!” Then when you open an item it shows the discounted price with the original price crossed out. Is there a way to put your entire shop on sale at once and then in a week take it back off, not having to do individually? This particular shop also still shows free shipping. I see your about page change. I agree, I think most people probably don’t look there. I have gotten used to looking there, if I remember, because some sellers do list coupon codes that change seasonally in there. But, I often forget to look and then am annoyed I missed the coupon. Another option is to temporarily add a banner at the top of your home page showing the anniversary sale coupon code so people see it when they come to your shop. They then have to remember to type it in. And then you have to remove the banner in a week. Seems the green all items on sale thing would be best for you. Unfortunately it is just luck whether or not customers come looking this week since you don’t have a contact method. Etsy said messaging them through Etsy wasn’t allowed but do they have restrictions against you emailing them on your own if you were to start an email sign up list (for future)?
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Post by pebblesky on May 29, 2024 18:58:21 GMT -5
Also you can change your shop banner (I noticed you don't have one, so just create a plain placeholder) to add a line of text there.
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Post by stardiamond on May 29, 2024 19:02:23 GMT -5
Thank you. I copied the information to the announcement. It is more visible.
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iamchris
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2023
Posts: 722
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Post by iamchris on May 31, 2024 11:54:39 GMT -5
Forgive me for going against you here, but for one am glad that all the people I've bought from have no reason to send me more emails than I already get. It would be a spam platform if that was the case.
A business card with an email address or QR code on it where one could request to be added to a mailing list for future sales would be the way to go.
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Post by stardiamond on May 31, 2024 12:23:44 GMT -5
I only sell on Etsy and from what I understand, mailing lists are a no no. The allowed feature is contact right after a sale. A thank you message and a discount code. I tried using the announcement page and there has been no increase in shop visits. I don't care and sell enough to support the hobby. Etsy does what I wanted to do; broadcast a sale with a shop wide discount code. A promotion isn't a promotion when no one knows about it.
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iamchris
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2023
Posts: 722
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Post by iamchris on May 31, 2024 13:44:15 GMT -5
I only sell on Etsy and from what I understand, mailing lists are a no no. The allowed feature is contact right after a sale. A thank you message and a discount code. I tried using the announcement page and there has been no increase in shop visits. I don't care and sell enough to support the hobby. Etsy does what I wanted to do; broadcast a sale with a shop wide discount code. A promotion isn't a promotion when no one knows about it. Right, but you mail them a cab, right? You could have a business card with a QR code that says thanks for buying, send me an e-mail here if you want to be notified of future sales/discounts. Etsy's seller policy states: I'm no lawyer but I would think the buyer willingly sending you an e-mail to opt in to your mailing list would count as consent. I know, a lot to do just to support the hobby, but it's an idea if you feel strongly about the need to contact your previous customers.
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Post by stardiamond on Jun 7, 2024 12:57:31 GMT -5
My sale is over and my announcement produced zero responses and zero sales.
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Post by pebblesky on Jun 8, 2024 12:45:21 GMT -5
If you are still interested in offering discounts, maybe you can try in the "Sales and discounts" to "Automatically send offers to interested shoppers":
"Invite up to N recent customers back with a thank you offer Send a thank you offer to recent and future customers to show your appreciation and encourage them to shop again."
I assume that email will be sent by etsy on behalf of your shop so it should abide by their policies. One problem is some of your new customers might also get this coupon code. If you are only targeting your return customers, it might not be what you want.
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Post by stardiamond on Jun 8, 2024 14:09:42 GMT -5
That is the only option available and is geared towards getting repeat customers by offering a coupon directly after a sale is made. It doesn't create new customers. My sale was open to everyone and 25% off is a significant discount. I get a lot of repeat business because customers are pleased with their first purchase. Occasionally, Etsy will offer site wide coupons. I've used them to buy and very little sales off of them.
The offer I wanted to do would have generated significant sales. I was hoping that Etsy had a feature to generate a message list off of people who bought before. They don't and it is costing them revenue.
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