Brief Content
The first 100 sales on Etsy are usually the hardest because a new shop doesn’t yet have trust, reviews, or confirmed demand. At the start, success depends not only on SEO or advertising but primarily on product quality, shop appearance, initial reviews, activity, and service.
The essence of this article: to quickly reach the first 100 sales, you first need to overcome the trust barrier, gather initial positive reviews, demonstrate shop activity, and showcase a product that has a clear advantage over competitors.
The essence in one block
Main idea: the path to the first 100 sales on Etsy speeds up when a seller does not “wait for a miracle” but systematically builds trust, works on reviews, maintains shop activity, and sells a product with real value.
Who this article is for
- for beginners who want to understand how to get the first sales on Etsy;
- for sellers whose shop is already open but lacks a stable start;
- for those who want to go the way to the first 10 and the first 100 sales faster;
- for sellers who need a practical focus on trust, reviews, packaging, and product strength.
Two development paths on Etsy
Once, Etsy was like a huge heavy stone for me that I had to somehow move from its place. It cost me a lot of time and effort due to lack of experience, absence of information, and an unthought-out strategy. I often did things just blindly.
This is one of the two possible development paths on Etsy, where you move very slowly through trial and error. If I were opening a shop today, everything could be much faster and follow a completely different scenario.
This is exactly the second possible way — to start quickly on Etsy. When you thoroughly prepare at the beginning, conduct a detailed market analysis, analyze your niche and competition to identify a product that is guaranteed to have good demand and will start selling immediately.
Our company Western Bid provides services for auditing Etsy shops, selecting promising niches and products to niche with better entry prospects. In the face of constantly growing competition, this will give you a competitive advantage at the start, helping you make your first 100 sales faster than I did.
What Really Helps Reach the First 100 Sales on Etsy
| Stage | What Matters | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| 0 → 10 sales | Store setup, trust, initial reviews | Buyer doesn’t want to be the first customer in a “empty” store |
| After the first sales | Positive reviews | Reviews create social proof and reduce mistrust |
| After receiving an order | Quality service and packaging | This increases the chances of a good review and customer loyalty |
| 10 → 100 sales | Regular addition of products | An active store appears more reliable and is better perceived by customers |
| At all stages | Strong product with unique value | The product itself must give a reason to choose the new store instead of a large competitor |
My hundredth sale
It turned out to be quite symbolic for me – my hundredth sale was on December 31, 2020. I clearly remember that they were wall shelves, two pieces. I also remember that we spent a week coordinating the sizes with this client, and I thought he wouldn’t buy after all because I created a custom listing for him, and he waited three more days to make the purchase. And finally, he did it on December 31.
The first 10 sales are the foundation of trust
Before reaching 100 sales, you first need to make the initial 10 sales. I want to focus specifically on these first 10 because they are very different from the next 90.
When I put myself in the buyer’s shoes, I see a store with zero sales and no reviews. Zero trust. It’s a completely different impression when you see a store with at least 10-15 sales. The main reason for this is that no one wants to be the first customer. People look for someone with experience and an existing reputation, especially when the seller is from another country.
Building trust
An important initial step is to build trust with your store visitors. The first thing is the appearance of your store and directly the information about the product in the listings.
Add a logo, banner, and set your own photo as the avatar so potential buyers know they can contact the store owner, see what they look like, and that this is a real person.
Fill out all the sections of the store, especially the store policy and About us sections. Here we have the opportunity to add photos, videos, and tell the story of your brand. People really love to look into this section and show interest in such content about the seller and their team. This is a very important factor in building trust, even when you have zero sales yet.
Be sure to set up return and exchange policies. This can actually be a decisive factor in a customer’s decision to place an order with you. It serves as a kind of guarantee for them and will also help foster trust.
First reviews
Many of us started with fake sales made by our friends and acquaintances to get the first review. It still works today. Especially since many of our acquaintances have moved abroad. You can ask them about this.
However, when I launched our second shop on Etsy, I no longer had that need because we were launching a revolutionary product that I knew for sure was in demand and would sell. The first sale came literally on the third day after opening the shop. At that point, I needed to wait for a real review from a customer. I was very worried that everything would be to their liking, the product, and that there would be no problems with delivery. Because if a bad review appeared, it would be very difficult to boost the rating afterward.
Feedback is more important than sales in the beginning
When your store starts gaining momentum and you begin making your first sales to strangers, the next step is to get feedback. Ideally, it should be positive.
Feedback is more important than sales at the beginning. People want to see that someone has already purchased and was satisfied. But it is known that our buyers are not very willing to leave feedback. Most likely, they might leave a negative review if they didn’t like something, rather than spend time writing a good review when everything is fine.
You need to encourage customers to leave feedback after their order. But the main thing is not to go overboard, so that the customer does not suddenly complain about you for spam.
I did this: when I saw that the customer had already received their order, I would send them a message saying that I see they have received the package, is everything alright with the product, are they satisfied with what they received from me. And I would immediately add in a non-intrusive way that I would be very grateful if they shared their experience working with me in a review. This worked very well. In this way, I was able to get my first real reviews, and they were positive.
Packaging matters
Try to pleasantly surprise the customer during packaging. The first real acquaintance with the product happens when a person takes into their hands an unboxed item they previously saw only virtually. It is a great opportunity to win the customer’s loyalty at the packaging stage, exceeding their initial expectations.
Beautiful packaging, pleasant materials, perhaps a small handwritten note you wrote personally – all of these matter. It shows that you are a genuine person who cares. All of this is one of the components of high-level customer service, which customers love to mention in their reviews.
One of the global trends is mindful consumption and ecological friendliness. I try to apply these principles in packaging my products as well. For example, I use recycled paper and cardboard, courier bags also made from recycled plastic. This does not go unnoticed by my customers, who mention eco-friendly packaging in their reviews.
From 10 to 100 sales
Once you receive your first 10 sales, it’s time to move on to the next 90.
The first important point: your store should look active. People become cautious if they see that the store is dead. If it looks abandoned, a customer might think: what if I order, and nothing is sent? As you grow, you will start receiving both steady sales and reviews. This will be proof that your store is active. But for now, you’re still at the start and need to look active.
You need to regularly add new products. Many ask why there are no sales when there is only one or two listings in the store. You don’t need to have hundreds of products right away, but a good start is about 10 products, and adding the next ones more or less regularly – this is definitely necessary.
The main thing is your product
Everything else will not matter if the product is weak. If your product is capable of creating added value for the customer and has a unique selling proposition, sales will happen immediately. The product should have some kind of highlight that will distinguish it from competitors’ products. If the product is not interesting to potential buyers, no matter what you do, it will be very difficult to boost sales, let alone do it quickly.
Imagine: a customer is looking for a candle. They see your candle next to competitors’ products. You have 20 sales and 5 reviews. The competitor has 1000 sales and 200 reviews. Why should the customer choose you? Only if your product is the best – then it is possible. Maybe you have a unique scent, maybe the jar is more beautiful. Or maybe the best price or free delivery. But there must be some reason that overcomes the distrust of a new store.
What Most Often Delays First Sales on Etsy
- The store looks empty or neglected;
- The store has only 1–2 listings without regular updates;
- There are no reviews or signals of trust;
- The seller does not ask for reviews carefully and timely;
- The packaging and service do not give the customer a reason to leave a strong positive review;
- The product does not have a unique advantage against stronger competitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to have many products to get your first sales?
Do you need to have many products to get your first sales?
It’s not necessary to have hundreds of listings right away, but a store with 1–2 products usually looks weak. The best start is a basic selection of a few strong listings and regular addition of new items.
What is more important at the start: advertising or trust?
What is more important at the start: advertising or trust?
At the very beginning, trust is often more important. If the store looks empty, without reviews and clear policies, additional traffic does not guarantee sales. The person must first believe that ordering from you is safe.
Can packaging really influence sales?
Can packaging really influence sales?
Yes, through reviews and repeat orders. The packaging itself doesn’t always bring the first click, but it greatly influences the post-purchase experience and what the customer will write in the review.
What to do if there are views but no sales?
What to do if there are views but no sales?
It’s necessary to check not only the SEO, but also the strength of the product itself: whether it has a clear advantage, whether it inspires trust, whether the price is reasonable, whether the photos are sufficiently strong, and whether the store does not look too new and “empty”.
Expert Opinion
The first 100 sales on Etsy are often delayed not because the “algorithm doesn’t like newbies,” but because the seller starts without sufficient preparation, without a trust plan, and without a product that genuinely outperforms competitors.
