Scribble & Co Designs

Starting an Etsy shop is exciting—but also kind of overwhelming. When I opened mine, I made a ton of mistakes (and let’s be real, still do sometimes). But that’s how you learn. The good news? You don’t have to repeat them.

Here are some of the most common beginner Etsy mistakes—and what to do instead:

1. Waiting Until Everything Is “Perfect”
Perfection is a trap. I wasted weeks tweaking product images, changing fonts, and second-guessing everything. Just post your first product. You can (and should) improve as you go.

2. Not Using SEO Properly
Your product won’t be found if no one can search for it. Use keywords people are actually typing into Etsy. Tools like InsightFactory or even Etsy’s search bar autocomplete are great places to start.

3. Weak Listing Photos
Your thumbnail is what gets the click. If your mockups don’t clearly show what the product is, people scroll right past. Use clean, bright, scroll-stopping images—Canva can help with this.

4. Underpricing Products
It’s tempting to price low just to get a sale. But digital products take time and skill. Price fairly and focus on delivering value.

5. Making Products You Love… Instead of What People Want
This one hurt. I designed a bunch of printables I liked, but they didn’t sell. Once I started creating products based on actual demand (like planners, kids’ games, and checklists), things shifted.

Bottom line: Don’t let mistakes stop you from starting. They’re part of the process—but if you know what to watch for, you can skip the worst of them.

Want to see a beginner-friendly Etsy shop in action? Check out mine at Scribble & Co Designs. I’m still learning too—but it all started with just one product.