Prefer listening over reading?

This post comes from a podcast episode. Stick the kettle on and listen if that’s more your vibe. No pressure either way.

How the Top 0.1% of Etsy Sellers Actually Got There

(And why you feel like you’re falling behind)

Spill the tea with me for a sec.

Have you ever looked at another Etsy shop and thought

“How are THEY doing that?”

Same niche.

Same platform.

Same handmade chaos.

Yet their shop is flying…

and yours feels like it’s jogging through treacle

in Crocs.

If that hit a nerve, stay with me.

Because this isn’t about luck.

Or talent.

Or the Etsy algorithm having a personal vendetta against you.

It’s habits.

The boring, behind-the-scenes stuff nobody puts in a Reel.

If your Etsy shop feels busy… but not productive

Let me guess.

You’re:

• posting
  
  
• tweaking
  
  
• listing
  
  
• faffing
  
  

And somehow… sales are still flat.

Or random.

Or come in little bursts that vanish just as fast.

That doesn’t mean you’re lazy.

Or behind.

Or bad at business.

It usually means you’re guessing.

And guessing is exhausting.

Quick intro (so you know who’s chatting at you)

I’m Steph.

I’ve run my own handmade business since 2016

and I’ve coached thousands of Etsy sellers since.

I’ve seen:

• shops quietly grow without drama
  
  
• shops stay stuck for years
  
  
• shops burn out panic-pivoting every six months
  
  

Same platform.

Wildly different results.

The biggest difference?

Not confidence.

Not motivation.

Structure. And habits.

The lie of “overnight Etsy success”

Let’s kill this one straight away.

There is no such thing as overnight Etsy success.

What you see:

• one product blowing up
  
  
• loads of reviews
  
  
• steady sales rolling in
  
  

What you don’t see:

• the 12 listings that flopped first
  
  
• the photos reshot three times
  
  
• the descriptions rewritten after the same question kept coming up
  
  

Most struggling sellers are secretly waiting for the post.

You know the one.

The “this will fix everything” post.

Usually filmed at 10:47pm.

Bad lighting.

Blind hope.

Top sellers don’t wait for miracles.

They build boring momentum.

Same as the gym.

One chaotic workout does nothing.

Turning up regularly, even when it’s dull?

That’s where things shift.

Hidden habit #1: Products are never “finished”

Top Etsy sellers don’t list a product and emotionally retire it.

They list it…

then they watch it.

They notice:

• what gets favourited but not bought
  
  
• what converts quickly
  
  
• what gets questions
  
  
• where buyers hesitate
  
  

Then they tweak.

Quietly.

Without drama.

Most sellers do one of three things instead:

• abandon the product
  
  
• decide it’s “not meant to be”
  
  
• add three new products because that feels productive
  
  

Your product range isn’t a museum.

It’s sourdough.

You don’t bake it once and walk away.

You feed it.

And if you’ve ever stared at a listing thinking

“Do I change everything or… nothing??”

that’s exactly why the Product Listing Makeover Kit exists.

Clear checklist.

No midnight rewrites.

No spirals.

Hidden habit #2: They price like adults running a business

This one might sting a bit.

Top sellers don’t price based on:

• guilt
  
  
• vibes
  
  
• “what feels fair”
  
  

They price based on:

• time
  
  
• sustainability
  
  
• perceived value
  
  

Cheap doesn’t automatically mean appealing.

And higher prices don’t scare the right buyers.

They also use:

• bundles
  
  
• variations
  
  
• tiered options
  
  

So buyers choose…

instead of you panicking over one number.

And here’s the bit people miss.

Most “pricing problems” aren’t pricing problems at all.

They’re:

• unclear photos
  
  
• waffly descriptions
  
  
• key info buried at the bottom
  
  

That’s a listing issue.

Not a price tag issue.

Hidden habit #3: They actually listen to customers

Top sellers are nosey.

They read:

• reviews
  
  
• messages
  
  
• FAQs
  
  
• repeat questions
  
  

Because customers are literally saying:

• “this confused me”
  
  
• “I loved this”
  
  
• “do you do this version?”
  
  

Most sellers ignore that and go

“I think people want…”

Top sellers go

“People keep asking this… noted.”

Less guessing.

More listening.

Your customers are doing market research for free.

Let them.

Hidden habit #4: They work in rhythms, not panic

This one changes everything.

Top sellers don’t wake up every day thinking

“What should I be doinggggg?”

They already decided.

They have:

• tiny daily non-negotiables
  
  
• a weekly review
  
  
• a monthly focus
  
  

Without this?

Every dip feels like an emergency.

Sales dip → spiral.

Views drop → chaos.

Instagram quiet → 11pm panic post.

A system removes drama.

Your nervous system will thank you.

This is exactly why Social Media Sidekick exists by the way.

Not to make you post more.

But to stop marketing feeling like another full-time job.

Sam vs Lydia (brace yourself)

Let’s make this painfully real.

Sam:

• lists products once and never revisits them
  
  
• prices emotionally
  
  
• adds new products instead of fixing old ones
  
  
• avoids stats because they feel sick
  
  
• feels permanently behind
  
  

Busy.

Knackered.

Stuck.

Lydia:

• reviews listings regularly
  
  
• tweaks bestsellers instead of reinventing the wheel
  
  
• prices for profit
  
  
• listens to customers
  
  
• treats Etsy like a system
  
  

Same effort.

Very different outcome.

Difference?

Lydia runs a business.

Sam pulls a slot machine and hopes.

Your homework (don’t overthink this)

This week:

• pick one product
  
  
• review the photos
  
  
• reread the description
  
  
• check the price
  
  
• glance at the stats
  
  

Do not:

• add a new product
  
  
• redesign your logo
  
  
• question your entire existence
  
  

Fix what’s already there.

If you want a clear checklist so you’re not just staring at your screen wondering if you’re delusional, the Product Listing Makeover Kit is there to help.

And if marketing is the bit that keeps tipping you into overwhelm, Social Media Sidekick gives you calm structure, done-for-you content, and a plan that actually fits around real life.

No panic.

No pressure.

Just consistency that makes sense.

Be honest…

are you more Sam or Lydia right now?

Love Steph and Team HB xox

👋 Welcome everyone! My name is Steph, I've been running my handmade business full time on Etsy since 2016, and I'm here to help you! 

🧡 I'll help you to start an Etsy shop, Etsy ads, show you how to sell more on Etsy, get to grips with Etsy SEO, Etsy branding, Etsy product ideas, finding your target market, identifying your niche and many many more.

🛍️ If you have an Etsy shop or your own website selling handmade products, or want to start one, this is THE channel you need to be subscribed to!

💰 I help makers start, run and scale their handmade businesses. Turning them from an expensive hobby to profitable businesses making 4 and 5 figure months on Etsy and your own website.

✨ Join the HBSA waitlist

✨ Free resources: Want to make headway in your business but don't want to pay yet? You're in the right place! 

✨ Work with us for deeper transformative results

✨I go live most Mondays on YouTube and in my Facebook group for mini workshops to help you make more money from your handmade business! You can see our upcoming events here

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