E-commerce, or e-commerce via the internet, is often synonymous with Ebay or other online wholesale stores. Buying items on the internet means, in many cases, saving money by paying less and, above all, avoiding the hassle of going to the store away from home.
Buying online, however, becomes an interesting activity especially when you can find unique objects, which are not found in supermarkets or stalls, inimitable pieces because they are handmade .
Etsy.com is the main E-Commerce shop in the world where anyone can open a window and sell their vintage creations, handicrafts, clothes, shoes and many other things of which, very often, there is a unique, inimitable copy.
In this article we see how to register, search for items and buy online on Etsy .
Etsy is an e-commerce site made up of individual user stores, similar to eBay or Amazon.
However, Etsy hosts a very specific kind of products, i.e. handmade items, vintage clothes and jewelry, housewares, recycled stuff, craft supplies and, basically, Etsy encourages everyone to launch for free and without access and management costs, a small company on the site, completely do it yourself .
Even if you manage an online store on Etsy, the site remains really fun in looking for particular objects and, perhaps, even buying them.
Etsy is also well integrated with social networks and products for sale on Facebook and Pinterest can be commented on Facebook.
1) Navigate, see and search for objects
As you enter the Etsy homepage, you will see some articles listed in a grid with the relative photo.
The site is in English but this should not discourage browsing as it is all visual.
The product categories and some other filters are listed on the side.
On the left side you can click on Europe to see the objects created by European users (so as to minimize the shipping costs of purchases) and you can then also search only for Italian stores (they are many) by refining the search.
On the local search page you can also search by city and you will be amazed by the quantity of objects for sale by users in Rome, Milan, Naples or other Italian cities .
The basic research can be done from the top bar, filtering handmade or vintage objects which are the two main categories.
The search can also be done by color using an interactive tool that extracts figures of objects that can be purchased according to the chosen color.
2) Treasury is a special section of Etsy curated by both users and Etsy itself, where you can search for each parameter.
From the link on the right side you can create your own list.
3) Before starting to browse the site and looking for objects and products, it is better to sign up for Etsy, create a new account or log in via Facebook.
Having an account on Etsy, not only allows you to buy items, but also opens Etsy to search better, select the objects you like and share on Facebook.
4) By clicking on an item, you can see the product data sheet, with name, description, seller and price.
Etsy is a bit like eBay when you buy from individual sellers: on each product page you can enter the shop to see the items from the same seller, his position and, above all, the feedback so you can be sure that the purchase will come. shipped and there will be no scams.
Since each seller is a private citizen, each page can change significantly in the graphics chosen.
5) Each shop has its own page where the owner has the opportunity to list the featured items and the quantities available.
Shop page and seller page are two distinct things.
Each seller can be added to his favorite list or to his own circle, in order to follow every new product or update published.
The page of each shop allows instead to scroll the products by categories and by price.
6) Every Etsy shop owner is a user with a profile page that is created for everyone, including users who don't sell anything.
The profile includes an About section, thumbnails of items in the user's shop, feedback, friends (called "Circles") and an interesting feature called "favorites".
7) Favorites are a way to save on your profile the objects that you like and that you would like to buy or give away.
You can add items, tags, stores, and even entire search lists to favorites.
The favorites page is a reminder for subsequent purchases, a bookmark for the best shops or a source of inspiration for your future projects.
8) Purchase
If you want to buy something, without any fear of scams and with the guarantee of the most famous artisan and do-it-yourself Ecommerce site in the world, you can add one or more products to your cart (Cart).
At the top right you can press on Cart to see the various objects that have been selected with an indication of the price in Dollars and in Euros and the shipping costs for Italy.
If the items come from different stores, they must be purchased separately one by one and, for each, there will be shipping costs and any customs fees.
Paying on Etsy is easy and safe thanks to Paypal .
Refer to the special guide to know everything about Paypal and how to create an online account.
9) Facebook Gifts
If you want to make a surprise gift to a friend using Etsy, you can use the Facebook Gifts function, which is truly innovative.
Based on the profile and likes on Facebook, Etsy lists ideas and recommendations to know what a friend may like most and to be able to purchase the most appropriate gift.
10) Selling on Etsy will be explained in an upcoming guide
