Etsy is a treasure trove of unique little goodies from makers all over the world. A mini-succulent-filled oasis of sorts. But with about 45 million products for sale, it’s also a beast to navigate. Here are six ways to make your shopping experience a touch easier and—if you’re lucky—more affordable.
6 Etsy Shopping Secrets That Will Save You Time and Money
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Published May 8, 2017
Twenty20
Know How to Search for the Best Prices
If you have a specific item in mind, add the word “sale” before your search term. This will pull up relevant results that have “sale” in their titles, making it easier for you to see marked-down versions of what you want.
Check for Promo Codes
This isn’t always the case, but sometimes Etsy shops will have a promo code at the top of their homepage. If you can, use it.
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Buy in Bulk
Let’s say you’re scrolling through Etsy to find wedding favors (mini personalized candles will do the trick). Some sellers will give you a discount for purchasing multiples—all you have to do is ask.
Let Someone Else Do the Bargain Hunting
Etsy on Sale is a third-party site that combs through Etsy’s millions of products to find the ones that are on sale. (As of this writing there are 754,577 discounted items.) That site is just as searchable as Etsy’s, so it helps (read: makes your experience less stressful) if you go in with a good idea of what you want.
Twenty20
Shop Etsy IRL
Etsy Local uses your location to give you a list of events in your area featuring Etsy sellers. At these events, you can meet shop owners and see and buy their products in person. Buying IRL also saves money on shipping and avoids that annoying thing where you were expecting a cute hat only to realize upon arrival that it’s made for a literal Barbie doll.
Talk Directly with the Seller
Etsy makes it incredibly easy to communicate with the people selling (and oftentimes making) the products. This is helpful for a number of reasons, whether you’re interested in slightly altering one of their goods or if you’re bold enough to try bargaining on the price. In our experience, sellers are usually kind, accessible and flexible.
