Sold! Now What? - A Quick Walkthrough of an Etsy Sale

Your first sale on Etsy can be downright thrilling! It can also be bewildering...... Now that you have made your very first sale. What next?

Hopefully you have purchased on Etsy before. Knowing the process can be extremely useful to you as a seller so if you haven't yet, get going!

This is just a little post with very basic step by step guidelines on the selling process and is by no means definitive. Every seller has their own unique style when working with customers, shipping items etc. This article will hopefully give you a very basic place to start. Seasoned sellers- I hope you will chime in on your process too!

• How do I know I even made a sale? 

Oddly enough, there is no "you made a sale!" announcement when you are signed into Etsy. (You will notice, however, when you log in after you made a sale, you will be asked for feedback.) The main indicator that you have made a sale will be an email from Etsy and an email from Paypal. Etsy tells you that you have an order and paypal notifies you of your payment from that order.

After you do your happy dance:

• Contact Your Buyer

To me, this is the most important step of the process. Many sellers do not, but I think is a great thing to do and it only takes a moment! First, you are letting the buyer know that you have received their order. Second, by addressing them personally, you are showing them that their support of your shop (and of handmade) is appreciated!

When signed into Etsy,  head to "Your Etsy" and scroll down to "Sold(Orders)" on the left. Find the purchase and click on "View Receipt". Bask in your glory for the moment, then click on the buyer's profile and click contact if you would like to convo them on Etsy. Keep it brief. Thank them for their purchase and let them know when/how it will ship. If you want to email them directly, you can get that info from your Etsy receipt in your email inbox.

•  Print a receipt

Next, go to the printer friendly version of the receipt and print one to include when you ship the item. You may also print a receipt through paypal as well. (If you wish to print a receipt through paypal, you will need to sign into your paypal account first and click details there.)

• Ship it!

Pack your item carefully for shipping, double check the shipping address to see if paypal and Etsy match, and get yourself to the P.O.! (If the shipping addresses don't match, it is always a good idea to contact the buyer for clarification).

• Feedback

Immediately after your sale you can leave feedback for the buyer. Some sellers leave feedback right away with a thank you etc.. Others will wait until they are assured the customer receives the item and is satisfied. It is entirely up to you when you leave feedback.

So that's it in a tiny nutshell! Happy sales!!