How to Sell on Etsy from Nigeria

Making money online is one of the goals of every creative business owner or entrepreneur. Selling on Etsy in Nigeria is one of the ways to achieve this.

This article will thoroughly educate you on whether you can sell on Etsy from Nigeria and how to set up your Etsy shop.

Understanding Etsy: What it is and How it Works

Etsy is one of the largest online marketplaces in the world where you can sell your vintage, handcrafted, or custom-made products to people looking to buy them. You can sell across various categories, such as jewelry, bags, clothing, home decor and furniture, toys, art, craft supplies, and tools.

Founded in 2005 in Brooklyn, New York, Etsy has scaled rapidly throughout the US and Europe because it originally started as a craft-selling marketplace. These are unique items compared to those sold on platforms like Amazon and eBay.

With over 96.2m users in 2023, you can set up your shop on Etsy and successfully learn how to make money from selling your unique products on the ecommerce platform.

Legal Considerations: Rules and Regulations for Selling on Etsy from Nigeria

To successfully make money on Etsy from Nigeria, you must be aware of the rules and regulations to avoid legal consequences. The following are the major legal policies to consider before you launch your Etsy store:

Etsy’s Terms of Use

This policy is known as The Terms and it became effective from July 24, 2023. The Terms are legally binding contracts between you and Etsy that spell out your rights and responsibilities when you use Etsy Services. 

Etsy states that you must agree with their Terms to use their Services which includes Etsy.com, Pattern by Etsy, their mobile apps, and the other services they provide.

Etsy’s Seller Policy

As a seller on Etsy, this policy applies to you and is a part of their Terms of Use. It includes Etsy’s Advertising & Marketing Policy, Etsy Payments Policy, Prohibited Items Policy, and Purchase Protection Program for Sellers and many more.

Get acquainted with this all-inclusive policy to protect yourself against future legal issues if you want to sell on Etsy.

Creating Your Etsy Shop: Setting Up Your Account and Profile

Setting up your account is the first step to creating your Etsy shop. To set up your account and profile, follow these steps:

Go to Etsy.com/sell and click on the Get Started button. 

Then enter your email address to register. After this, you’ll be required to create your account by entering your first name and password. 

The next step is to select your shop language, country, and currency. You need to choose a shop name at this point. Take your time here, especially if you’re a beginner, because you can only change your name once after launch but can do so as many times as you want before launch.

Look through successful sellers in your category to get inspiration. You can also use your name.

Adding Your Products: Tips for Creating Effective Listings on Etsy

After successfully creating your profile, it’s time to list items on your Etsy store. Follow these tips to list items on Etsy effectively:

• Give detailed descriptions: Your product descriptions must be detailed enough to impress and convince buyers that your products are precisely what they need.

• Add high-quality images: You can add up to 10 photos for each item. You can also upload a 5-15-second video, but ensure all images are high-quality. 

Also, ensure your prices are accurate. Specify your inventory and pricing here to avoid confusing the buyer.

Managing Your Shop: Fulfilling Orders, Handling Customer Service, and More

Fulfilling customer orders and handling customer service is a critical stage in your journey as an Etsy seller.

You can choose to outsource your Etsy fulfillment or do it yourself.

How does Etsy Fulfillment Work

While Etsy doesn’t provide in-house fulfillment services such as order picking, packing, inventory storage, or shipping, it offers valuable services in its shipping policy to help you manage order fulfillment independently.

These services include:

• Using Etsy shipping and return postage labels from USPS, FedEx, Canada Post, Royal Mail, and Australia Post.
• Delivery insurance that depends on your location and shipping carrier.
• Setting shipping profiles for similar product listings.
• Using the intelligent pricing tool.

As an Etsy seller, you can create shipping profiles to streamline adding shipping details to items in your shop. You can also easily set up delivery policies and rules of return for your products.

In addition to that, you enjoy shipping discounts when you buy shipping labels and can request refunds on unused labels.

However, Etsy has limited customer service in place for selling and order fulfillment. Therefore, as an Etsy seller, you will need to have your customer service solution in place and be ready to manage it yourself.

How to Stand Out on Etsy with Excellent Customer Service

After sorting out order fulfillment, handling customer service is next. Etsy expects sellers to offer excellent customer service to buyers.

This can help you gain positive reviews, repeat sales, and loyal buyers on the ecommerce platform.

To successfully handle your customer service and stand out to buyers on Etsy, follow these tips:

• Create a seamless shopping experience for buyers: This is the first interaction a customer will have with your shop. Make it seamless for them by clearly indicating your product specifications, shipping timelines, and return or exchange policy.

• Communicate with buyers: Shoppers may want to ask you some questions before they order or after they order a product. They may also have concerns after they receive their order. Be there for them during these phases and politely answer any questions.

• Resolve customer complaints gracefully: Customers may not always be satisfied with a product and when an order goes wrong, be graceful in your approach by working with the customer to quickly solve their complaints.

• Maintain a cordial relationship with buyers: Gain customer loyalty and a stable relationship with your customers by keeping in touch with loyal buyers to inform them about special offers, new products, or shop announcements.

Last but not least, use Etsy’s customer service tools to help you facilitate customer service

Marketing Your Etsy Shop: Strategies for Driving Traffic and Sales

You are on Etsy to sell so you must craft a marketing strategy to make sales and drive traffic to your shop. 

Below are some killer marketing strategies that are easy to implement, so follow along.

Use Pinterest

Pinterest is one of the best places to visually promote your Etsy products. You can easily connect your Pinterest account to your Etsy shop. Etsy offers a Pin It button, allowing you to pin straight from your shop. 

Shoppers on Etsy are looking for unique products to buy, and people who visit Pinterest want to find inspiration or discover unique product ideas, looks, and decor trends. This means Etsy and Pinterest work perfectly together. Consistently pin and directly link all your pins to your Etsy shop to attract more customers.

Create a Broader Social Media Marketing Plan

You can’t ignore other social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, to make sales on Etsy. TikTok is another excellent place to attract customers. You can use Instagram to showcase your product’s visual appeal and Facebook to reach and connect with your audience.

Follow these tips in developing your plan:

• Create a business page on Facebook and link it to your Etsy store. This page will be used to showcase your brand.

• Develop a posting schedule and stick to it to appear trustworthy to your customers.

• Create short video content for social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. Use these videos to unveil your products, show them in use, and demonstrate how they can help customers.

You can also join Facebook groups related to your niche and use these groups to connect with potential customers.

Create helpful content to attract new customers

Investing in content marketing can boost sales on your Etsy store. Create insightful and informational content that offers value to your potential customers. This content should attract customers and inspire them to shop for your products.

Publish helpful blog posts that can benefit your customers. In-depth guides on how to use your products and the value your products offer will inspire customers to shop. Remember to always link back to your Etsy shop in all your posts.

Etsy Payment and Shipping: Understanding Fees, Payment Processing, and Shipping Options

Etsy has a fees and payments policy for sellers. In this policy, Etsy charges its sellers various fees and they include listing fees, transaction fees, and advertising and Promotional fees.

Below, we will review each one in detail.

Listing Fees

Etsy charges a listing fee of $0.20 for each item you list for sale on Etsy.com or Etsy’s mobile apps. The ecommerce platform only demands a listing fee when you create or renew a listing on Etsy.

Etsy.com listings expire after four months. Listing fees are reflected in your payment account and deducted when the listing is published or renewed.

Also, the platform charges you a transaction fee of 6.5% of the price you display for each listing plus the amount you charge for shipping and gift wrapping when you make a sale through their website.

Advertising and Promotional fees

Etsy ads and offsite ads are among the services Etsy offers sellers to advertise their shops, and you can opt for either of them.

When you opt for Etsy ads through the Advertising Dashboard in Shop Manager, you can set a budget to limit the amount you’re willing to pay for Etsy Ads to promote your listings or shops on Etsy. 

Payments Processing fees

Payment processing fees are charged for each transaction made through Etsy Payments. Payment processing fees vary based on the location of your bank account.

Etsy estimates the fees in question based on the total amount of the sale, including tax and shipping. 

Shipping fees and options

The platform offers sellers in specific locations the ability to purchase shipping labels to fulfill their orders. The cost of the shipping label will depend on the shipping carrier and the package’s origin, destination, weight, and dimensions.

If you add signature confirmation or insurance, those fees will be added to the total cost of the label at the point of purchase. Sellers who purchase shipping labels may also purchase parcel insurance through licensed insurance carriers.

You must accept Etsy Payments or PayPal as payment methods to purchase shipping labels through Etsy. Shipping fees and adjustments are reflected in your payment account and deducted from your current balance.

Best Practices for Selling on Etsy from Nigeria: Tips and Tricks for Success

Succeeding on Etsy while selling from Nigeria is possible if you follow some important steps.

Check them below:

• Create a powerful brand: To stand out in a crowded marketplace like Etsy, you need powerful visuals to inspire shoppers to buy your products. You will also easily stand out in Etsy search results and leave a lasting impression on shoppers.

• Optimize your shop: You’ll need to use relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions for Etsy to be able to understand your products and show them in the search results. This will help you rank higher when customers search for your kind of products and boost your success on the platform.

• Use social media influencers: Collaborate with social media influencers in your niche to create more product visibility and help you succeed on the platform. You can reach out to them via email or direct messages on Instagram.

• Price your products competitively: While you’re out to make a profit, researching your competitors’ pricing strategy can help you set a fair price for your products.

• Request reviews and feedback: Politely requesting customer reviews and feedback can help distinguish your listings. Reviews offer social proof and extra keywords, and you also gain the trust of first-time shoppers who want to buy your products.

To make it easy for your customers, request a review via email after a successful order, and you can also encourage them by offering a discount code for their next purchase.

Dealing with International Customers: Managing Orders and Shipping Across Borders

To make money on Etsy, you should not limit yourself to your local audience. However, you’ll need to be careful while dealing with international customers because you must maintain timely and intact delivery to receive positive reviews.

There are currently three means of shipping internationally on Etsy: FedEx, UPS, and Canada Post, to get discounted rates along with USPS.

Here are some tips for managing international orders and shipping across borders:

• Be clear about extra shipping costs: Your international customer needs to know about paying the VAT that the government imposes in their country. Be clear to them beforehand about the unique customs and taxes they must pay according to the product being shipped, especially if they reside in a European country.

• Share the complete product information: Share all the product measurement information with your buyer, including size and weight, because these measurements directly influence the shipping cost. Doing this will increase your buyer’s trust and facilitate the transaction.

Also, remember that constantly communicating with your international buyer is in your best interest to clear doubts. Confirm their address and any other unique policies in their country of residence. It’s better to ask than assume.

Scaling Your Etsy Business: Growing Your Sales and Expanding Your Product Line

You should aim for scaling your Etsy business as you continue to make sales. Expansion is part of the business as time goes on.

Consider these tips for scaling and expanding your Etsy store:

• Add or remove products based on demand: While you are free to sell anything you want to on Etsy, it’s more profitable to sell based on market demand. Consider the items that existing buyers are actively seeking and purchasing.

• Beat the competition: Always aim for offering better than your competition on Etsy. While your products are uniquely awesome, consider your competition and their offers.

• Run it like a real business: To scale your Etsy store, you need to invest in it like you would a real bricks-and-mortar business and stop running it like a side hustle or hobby.

• Market your business heavily: Go beyond Etsy ads and social media to market your Etsy store.

• Email marketing: You can use email marketing to grow your sales. Start by building a mailing list and then informing subscribers about new products, promotions, discounts or seasonal sales. Personalized email campaigns can often lead to repeat purchases.

• Giveaways: Conducting occasional giveaways on Instagram and Facebook can help to boost your store’s visibility and attract new customers.

• Local craft fairs or pop-up shops: Participating in offline local events or craft fairs help to build a relationship with potential customers. They get to experience your products firsthand and relate better with you which can later boost your online sales.

Last but not least, optimize for mobile shoppers. Many Etsy users shop via their phones or tablets. Your shop and listings must be perfect on their mobile devices.

Common Challenges: Overcoming Hurdles and Avoiding Pitfalls When Selling on Etsy from Nigeria

Like every other venture, selling on Etsy from Nigeria comes with hurdles and pitfalls that you must avoid to succeed.

Here are three significant challenges almost every Nigerian faces while trying to sell on Etsy:

• Pricing your products: Not knowing how to price your products can negatively affect your profits. To overcome this challenge, don’t only factor in the direct costs of producing your items when setting up your prices. You should also include indirect costs that can undermine your profit margins.

• Dispatching your products: Dispatching your products can be a challenge. You’ll experience high courier fees, customs duties, and taxes that can make it harder for you to offer cheaper shipping rates to attract buyers.

Also, pay attention to professional product photography. Shoppers will form an impression of your products through your photos, so this can be a challenge if you are not improving your photography. Use natural light and cohesive backgrounds to overcome this hurdle when photographing. This will boost their visual appeal.