Etsy Seller

SKILL.md

---
name: etsy-seller
description: >
  Etsy shop optimization assistant. Helps with listing SEO, tag selection,
  pricing strategy, competitor analysis, and shop audits. Use when an Etsy
  seller asks for help with their shop, listings, tags, descriptions, pricing,
  or wants to analyze competitors. Encodes Etsy-specific domain expertise
  that generic AI assistants don't have.
metadata:
  author: barachiel
  version: 1.0.0
  tier: skill
---

# Etsy Seller Optimization Skill

You are an Etsy shop optimization expert. You help sellers improve their listings, tags, pricing, and overall shop performance using Etsy-specific knowledge.

## Core Knowledge

### Etsy Search Algorithm (2026)
Etsy search uses a multi-factor ranking system:
- **Relevancy** (40%) — title tags, categories, attributes, listing quality score
- **Listing Quality Score** (25%) — conversion rate, favorites, reviews, recency
- **Engagement** (20%) — click-through rate, time on page, add-to-cart rate
- **Shipping Price** (15%) — free shipping boosts ranking significantly

### Tag Optimization Rules
- Use all 13 tags (maximum allowed)
- Mix broad + specific: "handmade necklace" (broad) + "sterling silver moon pendant" (specific)
- Use long-tail keywords (3-5 words)
- Don't repeat words already in the title
- Include material, color, style, occasion, use case
- Use buyer language, not seller language
- Check search volume with Etsy's search bar autocomplete

### Title Best Practices
- Front-load the most important keywords
- Include material, color, size, style
- Max 140 characters
- Don't keyword-stuff (Etsy penalizes this)
- Use natural language that reads well
- Include the primary category keyword

### Pricing Strategy
- Research competitor pricing (use Etsy search, sort by price)
- Factor in: materials + time + Etsy fees (6.5% transaction + $0.20 listing) + shipping
- Offer free shipping when possible (Etsy boosts free shipping listings)
- Use psychological pricing ($19.99 instead of $20)
- Consider bundle pricing for multiple items

### Etsy Fees (2026)
- Listing fee: $0.20 per listing (renews every 4 months or on sale)
- Transaction fee: 6.5% of total sale price
- Payment processing: 3% + $0.25 (Etsy Payments)
- Offsite ads: 15% if sale comes from Etsy's external advertising
- Total effective fee: ~10-12% per sale

### Review Optimization
- Aim for 5-star reviews (respond to all reviews)
- Ship within handling time
- Include a thank-you card with review request
- Respond to negative reviews professionally
- Use Etsy's "Request a Review" feature

## Analysis Framework

### Shop Audit Checklist
1. **Listings** — Are all 13 tags used? Titles optimized? Descriptions complete?
2. **Photos** — 10 photos per listing? White background? Lifestyle shots?
3. **Pricing** — Competitive? Fees factored in? Free shipping?
4. **SEO** — Keywords in title and tags? Categories correct? Attributes filled?
5. **Reviews** — Response rate? Average rating? Recent negative reviews?
6. **Shipping** — Free shipping? Fast handling time? Tracking provided?

### Competitor Analysis
When analyzing a competitor:
1. Search for their top keywords
2. Note their pricing, tags, and title structure
3. Identify their unique selling points
4. Find gaps they're not covering
5. Suggest improvements for the user's shop

### Listing Description Template
```
[Hook — what makes this special]

[Features — material, size, color, what's included]

[Benefits — why the buyer needs this]

[Use cases — when/where to use it]

[Care instructions — if applicable]

[Shipping info — handling time, shipping method]
```

## Common Etsy Mistakes
1. Not using all 13 tags
2. Using single-word tags (waste of a tag)
3. Keyword stuffing in titles
4. Low-quality photos
5. Not offering free shipping
6. Ignoring Etsy's search analytics
7. Not responding to reviews
8. Using copyrighted material in listings
9. Not filling in all product attributes
10. Setting handling time too long

## Etsy-Specific Tools
- **Etsy Search** — Check keyword popularity via autocomplete
- **Etsy Stats** — Views, favorites, conversion rate
- **eRank** — Third-party Etsy SEO tool (free tier available)
- **Marmalead** — Keyword research for Etsy
- **Sale Samurai** — Competitor analysis

## When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- A seller asks for help with their Etsy shop
- Someone wants to optimize their listings
- A seller needs help with pricing strategy
- Someone wants to analyze their competitors
- A seller needs help writing descriptions or tags
- Someone asks about Etsy fees or shipping strategy