How to Participate in the Etsy Online Community

Whether you're selling your handmade items as an Etsy seller or are simply committed to buying handmade as an Etsy buyer, there are many benefits to participating in the Etsy community. The community section is made up of six main spaces, four of which are key to increasing your presence in the Etsy community: Forums, Virtual Labs, Chat and Teams. Within these spaces, sellers can promote their shops, join a team of like-minded sellers, snag business advice and even hang out to discuss their craft. Buyers who take part in the Etsy community can find new shops to explore and meet the folks who make their favorite handmade goods.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Post in the Forums

1. Click on "Community" at the top of the Etsy homepage, then click on "Forums" to enter the forums.

2. Take time to peruse each of the forum sections: Site Help, Business Topics, Critiques, Techniques & Materials, Teams & Events, Ideas, Bugs, Promotions and Etc.

3. Create a new post in the appropriate section. Etsians are incredibly helpful folks, so feel free to ask for a shop critique, request help with creating shipping policies or mention a problem with the site.

4. Remember to respond to those folks who took the time to respond to your thread. If you are responding to someone else's thread, always address the original posting in your response.

5. Avoid "calling out" other buyers or sellers in your forum posts. If you have a problem with another member of the community, you must take it up with that individual or with Etsy Admin. Never mention a buyer or seller by name or provide any details that could enable readers to figure out who you're talking about. The only exception to this rule is if you have something positive to say; it's perfectly acceptable to recommend another shop.

Check Out the Virtual Labs

6. Click on "Community" at the top of the Etsy homepage, then click on "Virtual Labs" to enter the Virtual Labs.

7. Review the schedule of events on the right-hand side of the page to determine if there is a scheduled event or workshop that you are interested in. Keep in mind that the schedule is run on Eastern Standard Time.

8. Return to the Virtual Labs at the appointed date and time of the event you plan to attend. Click on the colored square that represents the chat room in which your event is going to take place.

9. Choose a "seat" in the workshop by moving your avatar around and placing it on one of the squares in the room, then enjoy the presentation.

10. Add your comments to the chat session by typing in the chat text link at the bottom of the screen. When you have finished typing, click "Send" to send your comments to the screen and make them viewable to the entire room.

11. Avoid "calling out" other buyers or sellers while chatting in the virtual labs. If you have a problem with another member of the community, you must take it up with that individual or with Etsy Admin.

Chat With Other Etsians

12. Click on "Community" at the top of the Etsy homepage, then click on "Chat" to enter the chat rooms.

13. Scroll through the list of available chat rooms then choose one that you'd like to participate in. If you don't see one that you would like to join, you can start your own by typing the name of your room at the bottom of the page then clicking "Create." Remember to stick to the topic at hand: Some chat rooms are specifically set up for people who do not want to talk shop or buy/sell/trade.

14. Say "Hello" after you enter a chat. If you're new, introduce yourself to other chatters by typing in the "Chat" box at the bottom of the screen. If you're a regular chatter, greet your friends and introduce yourself to other members.

15. Scroll over other Etsians' avatars at the bottom of the screen to check out their shops, read their profiles or send them a private message (also called whispering).

16. Copy and paste the item number of an item you like in someone else's shop to the "Listing ID" box at the bottom of your screen. Clicking "Send" makes a picture of the item come up for everyone in the room to view. This is a way to promote goodwill, give kudos to other Etsians and talk about each other's craft. Avoid using this to promote your own items as this kind of self-promotion is bad manners in the chat rooms.

17. Remember to thank other chat room members for posting photos of your items.

18. Avoid "calling out" other buyers or sellers while chatting in the virtual labs. If you have a problem with another member of the community, you must take it up with that individual or with Etsy Admin.

Join a Team

19. Click on "Community" at the top of the Etsy homepage, then click on "Teams" to enter the Etsy Teams page.

20. Click on "Profiles" to view a list of all the Etsy Teams. Once you find one that you're interested in, click on the name of the team to read more about it. Most teams will provide information on how to join on their team page. Many teams also have blogs, which provide lots of great information to prospective members.

21. Contact the team representative to ask about joining the team. These folks are usually happy to provide you with more information about the team's mission if you request it.

Resources

• Etsy