🎧 Listen to this blog post as a Podcast instead 'The BIG Update - Ecommerce world update - Etsy, Shopify, Instagram, and more.

🚀 Are you struggling to keep a track of ecommerce updates that impact your business?

💙 We've done all the research, so you don't need to!!

😀 We delve into important updates across popular platforms like Etsy, Shopify, and Instagram.

⚡️ Learn about Etsy's new listing form, enhancements in trust and safety, changes in selling policies, and trends for spring and summer 2024. Discover Shopify's new checkout features and shipping options, as well as Instagram's latest story stickers and updates to improve user experience and safety.

👋 Welcome to the BIG update blog with a big round up of all the updates on Etsy, Shopify and Instagram… all the spaces that matter if you are running your handmade business online.

It seems like everyday we are being bombarded with different changes and nine times out of ten they’re not relevant or just not BIG updates. So, we’ve done all the leg work for you, syphoned through the noise to bring you all the info you need.

I’ll be creating these blogs on a regular basis so, if there is a specific platform you’d like me to cover then drop me a DM on Instagram Click here

Etsy updates

Etsy’s new listing form

Etsy has introduced a new listing form that will go live from 25th June 2024 … RIP to the old listing form.

I loved the old form and I’ve only recently started using the new version. It isn’t too bad because you don’t have to scroll anymore, you can quickly switch between tabs but, I feel like the order of the old listing form was much better.  Now there’s a lot of switching and back and forth. But that might just be my reaction to change and I just need a little time to get used to it. I mean I have been using the old Etsy listing form for yearssssss.

There is also more access to performance once your Etsy listing has gone live. You can look at the data and reviews for your Etsy listing all in one place. 

There’s a nice footer which is always on screen which shows you if you’ve published it, or if it’s a copy… I don’t know how many times I’ve been updating a listing and went to click away. Thanks to Google Chrome’s pop up asking if I wanted to save my work I didn’t lose everything. Argh, nightmare !!

It’s got a really good preview feature on there too and Etsy are really trying to make things easier for people to list their items.

Etsy’s 2023 Trust & Safety highlights and their plans for 2024

A little heavier but, some really positive updates here. So, Etsy has confirmed they’ve made improvements to both their human and automated detection systems…basically helping to identify items that don’t belong on Etsy so they can remove them quicker. 

In 2024, they’re focused on ‘elevating the best of Etsy’... including their mission to ‘Keep Commerce Human’. A big part of this is to suppress and remove listings that violate Etsy policies so Etsy can go back to its roots of being the place to go for unique handmade items, vintage items and supplies.

Below is a list of Etsy’s key focus areas for 2024.

• Protecting sellers from spam and scams: If they think it’s a spam message they will hold it and notify you, there’s a separate place for spam messages too. They’ve also committed to providing more education and resources to help businesses protect their shops on and off Etsy.
• Enhancing verification for businesses to sell on Etsy: There’s the introduction of the shop onboarding fee that’s currently $15 but I think it’ll increase. There are more enhanced identity checks too! They’re really cracking down on what people are selling and making sure they’re REAL businesses. It’ll help stop all these dropshipping accounts opening up and selling non handmade goods.
• Etsy marketplace policies: They’re going to rework some of their policies to help make it clearer to sellers what you can and cannot sell on Etsy. They also plan to review and update their marketplace policies in adult content, hate, violence and off-platform transactions.
• Gifting updates: They’re really going all in with this. They now have gift teasers and they’re actually really cool. As soon as someone orders a gift from your handmade business the recipient is emailed a notification telling them someone has bought a gift for them with a little teaser and a digital preview. So, make sure you are using gifting keywords and SEO in your listings such as ‘moving house gift, going away gift’.

Etsy’s Spring and Summer Trends for 2024

Gifting milestones

People are buying gifts for new milestones such as pet got ya days, divorce gifts and BFF anniversaries. Which really helps us handmade sellers appeal to more of our target market.

Think about what other reasons people can use and buy your products to reach more of your ideal customer. 

Etsy has seen a 30% increase YOY in people searching for friendship gifts, a 175% increase in Etsy searches for personalised gifts, 32% increase for pet gifts, 34% increase for self gifts, which is really interesting !! The biggest jump was a 266% YOY in searches for divorce gifts.

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All out after party

They are specifically talking about weddings here. Rather than having wedding receptions finishing at 11pm (like mine, when no one was ready for the party to finish) couples are having their wedding reception and then moving to somewhere else for an after party to go on until the early hours.

There has been some huge increase in Etsy searches for wedding sunglasses, wedding party decor, disco balls, acrylic signs. They’re really looking at how we can make a wedding reception more fun.

Chefs kiss

With the rise in programmes like Bake Off Etsy are looking at food more. We are going to see food engrossed in more places…we are already seeing food themed items in jewellery, fashion and home decor. In particular bright coloured food themed items.

There’s been a 465% increase in Etsy searches for host or hostess gifts. There’s been a 1054% YOY increase in Etsy searches for espresso martini candles, 34% increase in pasta prints and a 981% increase in searches for martini jumpers!!

Things that traditionally we’d go out to do, with family and friends, are being brought back into our homes. And all this feeds into the chef's kiss. 

Western

It’s one of the trends we knew about at the end of 2023 and it is on the edge of boho with influences from leather, suede, tassels and animals.

We are seeing a 124% YOY increase in Etsy searches for cowboy or cowgirl boots and hats and a  428% increase in searches for horse shoe charms which is really interesting for all you jewellery makers out there.

Sports core

It really follows on from the 90s trend from last year. We are seeing a resurgence of Ellesse, Adidas, tracksuits and shell suits !! 700% YOY increase in searches for hooded dresses, 35% increase in Etsy searches for customer baseball hats and a 2159% increase for outdoor games (probably more to do with the summer for the last Etsy search).

Garden Girl

Very much my vibe, so I’m very excited and it’s looking at how we can bring the outside in. This is things like clothing, botanical gifts, home decor, and very ultra feminine floral patterns. 231% YOY increase in Etsy searches for garden blankets, an increase in garden art, garden accessories, ruffle bedding and everything floral, garden core and cottage core.

Shopify updates

Shopify and Evri pick up points

People in the UK and Spain are now able to ship to Ervi pick up points. This is a big win as it really leans into convenience, if you know you’re not going to be home and worried about missing your delivery you can now have your item delivered to an Evri pick up point or shop. There are over 7000 Evri pick up points!! 

New Shopify checkout and accounts editor for merchants on basic and advanced Shopify plans

It makes it easier for you to see the Shopify checkout. I’ve always thought this was something Shopify was lacking, it didn’t have a nice easy preview. You can brand it now and save things as drafts too ! 

Shopify cookie banner

The Shopify cookie banner is now shown in your customers native language and they’re doing this across 32 different languages.

With Shopify I’m finding their updates are little daily updates and changes so, I would recommend keeping up to date with their change log to keep up to date with everything. 

Instagram updates

In early May Instagram introduced four more story stickers.

1. Add music - helps you jump on music trends and have them in your stories too.
2. Frames - this is a nice thing to have, you can frame an existing image in a story. You can caption it, date it, throw back and befores and after. It’s a nice addition to have.
3. Reveal sticker - I really like this. It hides a story and the only way for your follower to see it is to send you a DM. I’d recommend this for anyone who sells online, not just handmade sellers. You can immediately see who is interested in what you’re sharing and it really opens up the conversation. This is the way social media marketing is really going. It will help you build hype if you are having a product launch. You can also use automations like manychat to have auto replies to people. 
4. Cut outs - this is cool. You can delete the background and add it to a new image. It’s a bit janky at the minute but it'll be great when you’re out and about and want to post images of your handmade products in different places and surroundings.    

Instagram tools to protect against sextortion and intimate image abuse

They are really working to protect young people and make the Instagram platform safer. There are things such as warnings and pop ups if you are sending photos that may contain nudity and more prompts to keep you safe. A lot of it is aimed at keeping people under the age of 18 protected and safe.

My Instagram observations

The vast majority of people watch reels and stories without the sound on, so if you are posting a reel or a story with you talking and you don’t have the captions turned on you’re missing a trick and people will not watch it. 

Adding captions at all times will be my Instagram rule going forward.

Shorter reels and content perform much better than long content. When was the last time you sat and watched a full 90 second reel from start to finish? I’m now testing reels that are 30 seconds or less with captions on. My full length 90 second reels don’t perform as well as my shorter content. Take the time to test this for yourself.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this BIG update in the Ecommerce world update for Etsy, Shopify and Instagram.

Love Steph xox

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