Upcycle Vintage for the Best Gifts

Upcycled Folding Rule Photo Holder offered by birdie1

Upcycling is a great way to bring Vintage into the lives of those who only want New. Think of those people on your Holiday list that think the Mall is the only place to buy. They would turn their nose up at a Vintage item from the flea market, but put that same item in Pottery Barn with some polka dots on it and they have to have it. 


I think we all should include upcycled gifts into our Holiday plans this year. How else is the upcycled movement going to continue to grow? It's green, it's the best for the planet, it's creative, it's one of a kind, it supports artists & it's just plain cool. You'll look like a genius. You'll be labeled as an imaginative gift giver who gives the BEST presents. 


Here's a few fantastic items I found being offered by members of the Etsy Vintage Team:

Vinyl Record Bookends offered by nerdnest

Upcycled Pitcher Wind Chimes offered by transienttreasures

Vintage Button Brooch offered by calloohcallay

Upcycled Jewelry Stand offered by MellowMermaid

Upcycled Potting Shed Bookcase offered by judygovintage

Tips That Work

How do you reach out to your potential customers? Or do you reach at all? Do you wait, hoping you'll wake up to a slew of sales the next morning? 

Arabia Finland Coffee Mug offered by VioletQVintage

We all wait, hoping. But there is a lot more we can do to ensure sales. With the economy going up and down faster than a roller coaster, it's vital we find creative ways to market our shops and items. Here I'll provide a few ideas that I've seen work well. 

Mod 1970s Throw Pillow offered by Kultur

Network!! Join local email groups: Yahoo freecycle, Mothers/Parents clubs, Civic groups and more. I'm very active in my local groups. I post things on Freecycle and I also get things off Freecycle. When I pick up or give away the items this allows for face to face interaction. This always results in a friendly conversation that inevitably leads to what I do for a living. My two BIGGEST clients came from a word of mouth referral from Freecycle. 

Upcycled Carved Coral Jewelry Rack offered by MellowMermaid

Talk!! Tell every person you meet what you do. Tell the checker at the Super Market. Find a way to incorporate it into everyday conversation. Promote yourself. Yes, it'll feel awkward at first, but you'll soon find you can just seamlessly integrate into the flow of talk. And people will want to hear about it. Why? Because what we do is FASCINATING. People love to hear about it. And in addition to that, everyone will want to know you at some point because when estates come up, you'll be the one who can help. 

Vintage See No Evil Bar Set offered by EmeliasCupboard

Advertise!! There are so many ways to reach the public. Don't just discount advertising as too expensive. I just placed an ad with the company that does those advertising placemats in restaurants. I've already received 6 calls, one of which is an Estate of the head lawyer to Disney & Bob Hope in the 1950's & 60's. The ad didn't cost much and the company distributes 22,000 placements a month. A good value for my money-it pays to think outside the box. 

Enamel Flower Brooch offered by reconstitutions

Expand!! While I'm all for selling on Etsy, there may be times when it pays to expand out into other venues. I know many of us are selling on eBay as well. But what about Craigslist? How about taking your listing and putting it on Craigslist when you list it on Etsy or eBay? I know an antique store in my town that lists every single item on Craigslist when it comes in the door. She's now getting 45% of her sales from online. 

Mid Century Enamel Box offered by mascarajones

It's not good enough for us to depend on Etsy to help us. We need to think out of the box and figure out how to drive traffic to our items and shops. At the end of the day, only we are responsible for our success. Let's make sure we are!! 

Choose Your Words Carefully

Wyandotte Pressed Steel Toy Truck offered by queenofsienna

One of the oft overlooked and unsexy parts of selling vintage on Etsy is keywords. Almost everyone lets out a inward grown when it comes time to fill them in. What to choose? What will draw eyeballs? What is the magic formula? 

Vintage Red Hat with Fruit offered by alexsandras

The trick is crawling into that searchers head. Once you've figured out what the item is and who made it, you can start to put together a tag. A McCoy bowl from the 1930s would have tags such as: McCoy, bowl, mixing, kitchen, baking, etc. Now if the bowl is blue, don't use blue as a tag. It's far too general and clogs up the search. Instead put blue in the title where it will also be picked up. Using blue bowl in the tag would be a good compromise. 

Wood Fruit Crate offered by CheekyChicVintage

Study your own behavior: how do you try to find items? When you're making treasuries, how do you search for specifics? For example, when I need to find items for a farm based treasury, I often search under: country, farm, farmhouse, kitchen, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, baking, etc. 

Vintage Toy Telephone offered by ArtfulVintage

Be thorough in your titles & keywords. Be sure to include information in both, to increase your odds in the Relevancy search. For example, if I'm selling a 1940s Dennison Halloween decoration, I'll be sure to put Dennison, Halloween, 1940's, pumpkin, etc in both places. Then in the tags I'd continue on furthur including: vintage, holiday, denison (spelled the wrong way to grab those searchers!), etc. 

1970s GlasSnap Tumblers offered byVioletQVintage

Don't forget the Materials tags. Is your item made of pottery? Then in the Materials tag put in: pottery, clay, ceramic, etc. Try to include different names for those basic materials. Brass=metal, Book=paper, cardboard, cloth, Silk=fabric, etc. etc. 

Angel Christmas Tree Decoration offered by EmeliasCupboard

Try and see if your item is a cross collectible. For example, if your book is a ratty falling apart copy of Alice in Wonderland consider marketing it as a book, prints, baby nursery decoration, etc. That would produce a very different set of tags than just a book would. 

Wood Buddha Statue offered by kricketts17

Capturing the eyes of the searching public is no small task. We want our items to be found via Google, Etsy, and any other search they might be using. By narrowing down your search to the essentials, you'll be found by the right audience who is looking just for what you have. 

Set Your Shop Above The Rest

As the Holiday buying season approaches, we need to be sure we're doing all we can to reassure our potential customers. Today we're inundated with stories of fraud, poor packaging that led to broken items, sellers that refuse to offer refunds for wrong items, and more. We can combat this and set our stores apart with a few basic words & practices. Some sellers hide behind their descriptions, leaving out information so the item will sell faster. You are building long term customer relationships-treat your clients as you wish to be treated. 

Vintage Ceramic Rooster offered by VintageInBloom

First of all, congrats! Being a member of the Etsy Vintage Team is a great seal of approval to have. The high standards set by this team mean that buyers can relax, knowing that they're dealing with a reputable seller. 

Antique Treenware Kitchen Set offered by birdie1

But it's going to take more than just a badge to get an insecure buyer to click the Add to Cart button. The first impression of your shop is vital, just as it is with people. Is it well laid out? Are colors & textures balanced-not too much of one color on a side, silver items spread evenly throughout the page, clothing balanced out with jewelry? If you're unsure, try this: back away from your computer screen a little ways and squint your eyes. You'll quickly assess what needs to go where.

Vintage Tole Metal Tray offered by tparty

Are your descriptions thorough? Be sure you're eliminating all guesswork for the potential buyer. Provide what the item is made of, what its measurements are and all elements of condition. Avoid the dreaded: "in good condition for its age"-it's far too subjective. Be specific: There is a 1/4 inch long crack along the side, the binding is tight & the pages all present, the leather is supple, there is consistent crazing, etc. 

Silver Kangaroo Ring offered by evalena

Are you providing extra information that other sellers neglect to provide? One such example is black light testing. It brings out the hidden flaws and repairs your naked eye may have missed, thus providing another level of security for your customer. Do you mention if the item smells fresh and is free from smoke? I consider this a vital piece of information when I'm buying, since I'm seriously allergic to tobacco smoke. 

1970s Maxi Dress offered by JojosRetroandVintage

Being willing to offer fast exact shipping is good idea for last minute shoppers. Providing tracking numbers and insurance is another way to give reassurance to a wary buyer. As I've mentioned before, it's always better to provide a variety of shipping rates so your buyer feels confident. 

Antique Lusterware Open Salts offered by vintageatchirp

Layaway is a popular option now; just 2 or 3 payments can make a world of difference. I've had 3 sales for over $400 lately done this way and they've all paid on time. If you do offer it, advertise it. 

Modernist Sterling Brooch Offered by darlingblu

In these uncertain times this extra level of service reassures the buyer and shows them you're sensitive to their needs. Since most of our shops are going to do the bulk of their business during the holidays, now is the time to be sure we're providing a top level of customer service. 

The Biggest Distinction Between Shops

Fabulous photography: lighting & cropping are excellent. By tippleandsnack

There is nothing more important regarding your shop than photography. Forget worrying about the economy: If your photos are good, they will be featured endlessly in treasuries, showcased in blogs, your shop will be favorited often, you'll be added to circles daily and best yet, your items will sell. 

Clear lighting, lots of detail & clear white space cropping by beppiebags

I know, because my old photos weren't great. Things sold when I began my shop last year, but slowly. I adjusted my prices, made treasuries, joined teams, offered killer items, and still just did okay. Then I ran across tippleandsnacks shop and was blown away. I saw her items featured on the home page often. I saw her items selling. I adored her shop because of the clean contemporary appearance-it felt like a Pottery Barn catalog. 

Flawless photo: balanced cropping, strong light & visual interest. By birdie1

It took me a while to get off my tail. But I finally ordered Ott lights, set up a photography space and began rephotographing my items. Keep in mind, my photos weren't terrible on their own. But when they were paired next to bitofbutter or mascarajones items it was really noticeable. To be honest, I didn't really realize how poor my photos were until I saw them in treasuries. 

It's an ongoing process and I'm still not done. Every time an item expires I rephotograph it. All new items are of course photographed with the new system. 

Let's look at the difference between the two photos above. The first photo shows detail, has a white surround and is clear. But the lighting is off. I see lighting as the problem in many listings on Etsy. While buyers can still view the item, it won't sell them on it like clear spectrum lighting would. (Tip: Buy Ott lights today) The first photo certainly doesn't say: Magazine photo shoot! 

Great cropping, clear lighting, detailed shot by TPBVintage

The other thing that's vital is cropping. My photos were all big on detail-I was so close you couldn't help but see it!! Most of the shops in the vintage categories really suffer from too closeitis. Crop your photo for the thumbnail and leave whitespace around it. The thumbnail is critical because it the #1 view most buyers see. Much of the time I can't even tell what the item is without reading the title-which is NOT good. Customers should never have to work to see your item. If they can't see what the item is in a glance, you risk losing them. 

Well cropped, ready for it's thumbnail closeup

Poorly cropped, too close. Horrid thumbnail

That first photo is your biggest pull. If it's a good photo buyers may click through to view it. If it's not, many will pass it up. That photo should provide all the necessary info: true color and what it is. 

Look at the photos that get featured on the front page-for the most part they have white space around them. If you're not sure how big they'll be, switch your shop from gallery view to list view. This is how many people see your shop-especially if they're viewing it on a phone. 

Well cropped, natural lighting, great photo by thecreekhouse

Cropping & lighting are the single two biggest factors that influence the success of your shop. These factors are even more important that what you sell. I have seen the most average everyday run of the mill items sell fast when photographed well, and likewise have watched under priced gorgeous items languish for months due to poor photography. Don't put it off. You'll be so glad you did after you have a booming holiday season. 

New Excuses or New Solutions?

Many of us sellers have been discussing the lack of sales recently. We can blame it on the economic ups and downs, the time of year and the website we choose to sell through. I've used this excuse frequently throughout the years. "It's June, everyone is at weddings & graduations..." 

Rhinestone Hair Comb offered by OhFaro

But that's not solid reasoning. There are millions upon millions of web users in the world, all unique individuals. Some shop while at work, at home, in the library after class, during class, while waiting for flights, to alleviate boredom & to distract from life. Hundreds if not thousands of reasons to buy exist for all these individuals. 

Nippon Handpainted Dish offered by jenscloset

Yes, the economy is bumpy. In my state of California, unemployment hovers around 12% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's bad news. But let's look at this a new way. If you were told you had a life threatening disease, how would you feel if the doctor looked you in the eye and said you only had 88% chance of survival? I'd be over the moon with joy! 

John Deere Territories Map offered by 10karri

I am an optimist. I find that helps me get through times such as this and enables me to see through the mental clutter that fills the airwaves. 88% of the California population is employed! Those are all potential customers. Rather than bemoan lack of sales, let's figure out how to reach them. As many have mentioned, people are buying on eBay. If that's true, then we know people are buying-just not where we want them to. The question is, how can we get them to Etsy? 

Vintage Parking Meter offered by YesterdaysSilhouette

Facebook. I know it's a bad word for some folks, but try to remain open minded. Because if you're willing to sell on eBay and pay between 10-15%, you should consider Facebook. I pay for an ad on there. I have it capped at $3 a day. I pay for each click to my Nachokitty Facebook page-around .30 a customer. That's a lot cheaper and it provides me with a captive audience to advertise to that loves vintage. (You do need to update your page often, and not just with sales pitches) 

Students Reference Books 1911 offered by treasurehuntvintage

Expand your Audience. Are you selling Internationally? Is EACH of your ads explicit by outlining shipping to individual countries? Imagine a buyer sitting in Ireland browsing Etsy. She finds a mid century piece she adores and looks at the shipping to see this: 

Shipping info found on every Etsy sellers page

It's intimidating. It doesn't say Ireland. What does Everywhere Else really mean? She doesn't want to be stuck buying the item and then dealing with getting the money back if the seller won't ship to her. She decides to surf to the next shop. I am shipping over 1/2 of my items out of the country: China, Japan, Luxembourg, Austria, South Korea, Australia, Russia etc. I've never had a problem, but caution should be exercised. Common sense is always a good idea. 

Vintage Dutch Carvings offered by thecreekhouse

Use other websites to your advanage. I just recently set up a new shop on eBay. On my ME page, I link directly to my Etsy profile page. I put a few very desirable high end items on the site and waited. Within 12 hours two people had come over to my Etsy shop and purchased things. For the 10 days those items were listed I received 49 visits from my ME page and 12 sales. One for over $1800. (Which is significant when you consider what it would have cost to sell that on eBay vs Etsy) Yes, a few things sold on eBay too, but the big winner was the Etsy shop. 


I've been told there may be issues with this on eBay. I'm not linking directly to my shop, so I feel fine with it. Use your own judgement.

Pharmacy Mortar & Pestle offered by jenzee09

Are you blogging? Promote it. Reach out to other blogs. Yes, it takes time, but it's free. Find a voice for your blog and  start being consistent. Then promote it on your Facebook page. Take your camera with you everywhere. Give your opinions about items you find or see. Be an active blogger and you will get found. It takes a little time, but when combined with your Facebook page it'll be quicker than you expect. 

Irish Round Tablecloth offered by HouseofLinens

Customers are out there. Millions of them. We just need to think outside the box and find new ways to reach them. Look at your shop objectively. Make it user friendly, promote it, promote your brand, promote your items and stay involved. I always thought June was a terrible month. This year it was busy for me. Go figure! 

Shop Window Basics

Arranging store windows is a critical marketing effort retail stores undertake. That blank space offers a fantastic opportunity to shape customer opinion, convey a message about the store image & convince the customer they need to come in. Print media also depends on their arrangements to lure customers. Similarly, our Etsy store fronts provide us a valuable marketing opportunity. 

Colors are balanced and lighting is strong by mascarajones

We've all seen them. You enter an Etsy store and feel affronted. The colors are askew, lighting is inconsistent & the page lacks a sense of balance. While you might take a cursory glance, stores that look this way appear jumbled & disorganized to our minds and we generally leave quickly. 

 A poorly designed shop. Colors are clustered together, there is no unification. 

Having an organized and visually balanced shop is critical for one major reason. Our customers are looking at a computer screen. The glare, lighting, tiny fonts & eye strain all make for a shopping challenge. If we counter that by providing a calm, balanced and well lit space, their eyes will relax and enjoy wandering throughout our shops. 

The same shop, redone. Colors & materials are balanced out. 

Our shops should be staged every day. Like putting a front page worthy treasury together, your shop should look fresh, coordinated and well thought out. If you have a bunch of similarly colored items, spread them out to help the eye balance. Perhaps you have several tiny or large items. Treat them the same as colored items and balance the shop out. 

Excellent use of color & lighting. I want to look more! By marybethhale

Keep in mind what your shop looks like above the fold. Meaning, what does your shop look like on a standard laptop screen? Good web designers think about this when building new websites. What that section of your shop looks like is very critical-it is the only impression many potential customers will get. Many will not scroll down if they're not tempted by those top lines. 

Great use of color, balance & subject matter by goodlookin

I don't rearrange my whole shop every day-that would be a time waster. But if we're listing, I do make sure items are balanced in order to compliment each other. One thing I do do daily is change my featured items. Even just moving the same items around freshens the shop and can give a totally different look. 

A balanced, relaxed and fascinating shop by hurstdesigns

By treating our shops as retail space, we'll bring a more professional feel to them. That's critical in building trust and reliability, two qualities we all need to convey this holiday season.