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Story by
saralouhicks,
TechUpdates
Published on November 2, 2009 in Etsy News |
Photo by |
Hi friends,
Welcome to the latest installment of Talking Product. For those of you who are unfamiliar with these posts, they are part of a regular series from my colleagues and me. Our CEO, Maria, started this series last year with her Talking Shop posts. In 2009, we’ve offered more posts by disciplines: Talking Product, Talking Marketing and Talking Tech. In June, all of us got together for a talkfest that we offered up as an audio podcast to more personally communicate with all of you about what’s happening at Etsy.
I am excited to offer you this latest update that covers the last few months. It also presents an overview of our priorities for the remainder of this year and into early next year, as well as a few general Product Team updates.
As a reminder from my previous updates, our first and foremost priority in recent months has been improving the shopping experience. We believe that among the most valuable things Etsy can do for sellers is attract buyers to the site, get them shopping and keep them coming back. While there is much work ahead and this will be a constant focus for us, we’re excited about some of the changes we’ve made so far and about the upcoming features we have in the queue.
So, what we have been up to lately?
Search
As I’ve indicated in past updates, improving the search and discovery experience on Etsy has been our top priority. We’ve made important strides in our efforts to improve Etsy's searching and shopping experience. Here are a few highlights:
- Now when you perform a search on Etsy, you will often see links for recent popular related searches above your results. These related searches are actual searches recently performed by Etsy shoppers. They serve as suggestions for shoppers to refine their initial search or to stimulate ideas for successful similar searches. Related searches also offer sellers ideas to effectively tag items.
- We made improvements to the way subcategories are suggested during the item listing process. Now, only those subcategories relevant to an item's top-level Category are suggested as item tags. This adjustment is helping to make the Category browsing experience more relevant.
- We gave shoppers the ability to filter their search results by Category. This new feature provides shoppers a quick and easy way to narrow and refine their search results. Many Etsians tell us that this enhancement makes finding just the right item on Etsy easier and faster.
Checkout
We continued to work on making Checkout as smooth as possible, especially for new buyers. Our A/B testing framework allows us to test Checkout changes with a small percentage of shoppers, to make sure the changes will be understood and actually improve the user experience, before rolling the changes out to all shoppers.
- We enabled new buyers to register on Etsy as a part of the regular Checkout flow. This was an important change since previously new buyers were required to leave Etsy.com in the middle of the Checkout flow in order to complete registration. The old process often resulted in buyer confusion.
- We're currently A/B testing removing non-essential elements from the header of Checkout pages to focus shoppers on completing the Checkout process.
Seller Tools
Over the past few months, our new shipping tool with regional shipping options and the ability to rearrange items in your shop moved from the beta testing phase to full launch.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
In the last couple of months, we’ve devoted a fair amount of attention to SEO. With the help of our friends at SEOmoz, Etsy developed a stronger SEO strategy and implementation plan. The most significant changes of the last few months are:
- Giving sellers more control over your shop page title, Item listing page titles, and Section page titles
- Canonical tags for improved search engine ranking for these pages
- Updating shop URLs to be more search-engine friendly as well as changing to 301 redirects
We focused on shop and item listing page SEO and launched improvements, including tools to help sellers preview how their shop home pages and item listings will appear in Google search results. We believe that these changes are, in part, responsible for the continued strong traffic to Etsy.com.
In partnership with SEOmoz, Etsy also created the Etsy Guide to SEO.
SEO is an ongoing effort, and we'll continue to make improvements. We are grateful to Etsy sellers who actively participated in our Virtual Labs sessions on this topic and to those who are diligently using the guide to improve traffic to their Etsy shops.
Community
We recently launched a redesign of the Community Hub. The goal with this redesign was to provide clear, more immediate access to information for the Etsy community about important news, events and activities occurring on Etsy.
Many of you have asked us to communicate frequently and with as much relevant information as we can. Prior to the launch of the new Community Hub, Etsy had only one blog, The Storque. To date, The Storque has served as a resource for Etsy buyers, sellers, staff, and the general public. It showcases a lot of terrific content and information, but the content that’s most relevant to Etsy sellers is not always easily accessible. The Community Hub is a step in the direction of focusing our communications on distinct audiences. We appreciate your patience and your feedback along the way and hope that you find the new Community Hub useful.
What is in store for the remainder of 2009 and early 2010?
As the year winds down our main focus is on keeping the site stable for holiday shoppers. Starting mid-November and going through December, we will go into a bit of a code lockdown so as not to disrupt the buying and selling experience on Etsy. During this period we will only release changes that will not risk the performance and user experience of the site. This is a common practice for most ecommerce sites and one that we believe is critical. With that in mind, some of the updates below will launch before this lockdown while others will launch early next year. Also, some of the changes might only launch to a small subset of users, and then over time we’ll expand to all users. We’ll provide updates on the specific timing and plans for each of these items via the Forums, Community Hub, and The Storque as we get closer to each launch.
Search and Discovery
Many shoppers, especially those new to Etsy, don’t know what they’re looking for when they arrive at the site. Maybe they are searching for a gift, or they know they’re going to find something they love at Etsy, but they’re not sure what. In addition, some Etsy shoppers describe their search experience on the site as “overwhelming” while others describe it as “addictive.” We’re looking to convert those who may feel overwhelmed into addicts. We believe a key to that lies in enabling shoppers to refine search results in various ways.
To that end, many of the features currently in development will be designed to give visitors a better view into the kinds of unique items available on Etsy and help them more easily refine the results displayed. We know that shoppers who perform a search on Etsy are significantly more likely to buy something than those who do not use the search function.
One feature in development is what we call Search Suggestions. This means that we'll suggest relevant search queries as site visitors begin to type a query into the search bar. These suggestions will be specific to Handmade, Vintage, Supplies, All Items or the Category page from which you search. The suggestions will be derived from Etsy’s search logs and will be displayed in a dropdown box as is the practice on many heavily trafficked ecommerce sites. We believe this functionality will help shoppers more quickly and easily discover items of interest on Etsy.
We're also dedicated to improving the overall search experience by focusing on improved handling of misspelled search terms, the page shoppers see when they perform a search with no results, and more.
Checkout
We remain focused on making Checkout as easy as possible for all Etsy buyers, especially new buyers. We're working on a project we call Guest Checkout, which will enable new buyers to check out on Etsy without first choosing a username and registering on the site. This type of functionality exists on many ecommerce sites and is generally an expected option for shoppers. By introducing it on Etsy, we intend to remove hurdles in the Etsy Checkout process.
International
Many buyers and sellers have asked for an easier way to communicate prices in currencies other than U.S. dollars. We plan to introduce a currency calculator on item pages so that shoppers can quickly (and without leaving the page) calculate prices in currencies other than U.S. dollars. The actual transactions will still occur in U.S. dollars.
Google Product Search
Many Etsy sellers use their Etsy shop RSS feed to schedule uploads of their items to Google Merchant Center, for placement in Google Product Search.
Later this year, Google is changing how sellers on marketplaces like Etsy upload items for placement in Google Product Search, and we're working with Google on a solution that will allow Etsy to automatically upload items from your shops into Google Base if you choose to opt in to the program. This functionality will be launched in beta form to a small group of sellers and will gradually roll out to the entire Etsy seller community. More details on this initiative will be announced soon.
Help
As mentioned in my last update, we have been working to launch a new Help site to make it easier for our members to find information more quickly along with a new set of internal tools for Etsy's Support Team. We’re pleased to report that this is about ready to launch. Please stay tuned to Etsy’s blog, The Storque, the new Community Hub, and to the Forums for further details.
Updates From the Etsy Product Team
We’re delighted to welcome Michael Craig to the team. Michael joins us as our design director focusing on user experience design. Among other things, he will focus on creating design standards for the site. Welcome, Michael, a.k.a. mcraig71!
We’re also thrilled to welcome two new babies to the team. Congrats to Beth, a.k.a. bethela, on the birth of her very cute son, Rowan! (MCR, who heads up Etsy's Sys Ops Team, and his wife also had a boy!)
We love to hear from you. You can find the Product Team on Etsy:
Sean is sean11
Tom is kutty
Eric is ericds
Beth is bethela
Amy is amydec
KC is okaysee
Jen is jendoo
Michael is mcraig71
And I’m saralouhicks
Lastly, but most importantly, we appreciate all of your input that you provide in the Forums, Storque blog comments, and in emails to Etsy’s Support Team regarding improvements and suggestions for the site. We take the suggestions from our community as one of the greatest considerations in determining our product roadmap, and we’re personally committed to make progress against them. We understand that it may seem that many long-requested features have not been prioritized, but we want to stress that we are listening, we appreciate your suggestions, and we are making progress.
There’s more ahead so please stay tuned. I’ll be back at the beginning of the year with another Talking Product post that provides an overview of our priorities for 2010. As always, your feedback is important, so I look forward to a continued dialogue around our priorities.
Thanks!
Read More Talking Product Posts | Check Out the Seller Handbook
| Tags | business, company, Etsy, Etsy News, ETSY NEWS, planning, Product Team, Sara Hicks, selling, site features, Talking Product, Tech Updates |
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140 comments Login to add your own!
tinybirdarts
Wow I love all of the improvements & can't wait to see the rest!
BabbidgePatch
Thanks so much for the update~ Etsy is such a wonderful community for both sellers and buyers!
letterhappy
reiddamnit
moonstr
seababejewelry
kidgiddy
I'm so excited to hear about Guest Checkout & will look forward to opting into the Google Base if that link becomes a reality!
I'd love to see more helps like the Pounce for newbies shop owners like myself! It's just so hard to get noticed with so much established talent!
Thanks etsy! kerry
SimpleJoysPaperie
Thank you for your continual processes to make etsy seller / shopper friendly.
bylynnkrestel
love the guest checkout idea!
hope that is implemented soon!!
OnTheRound
sproutonline
Looking forward to alot of these changes. Thanks for sharing!
CarryTheWord
theenchantedcupboard
great ideas ans love the changes so far!! Good work everyone!!!
SewnNatural
Love this update, and appreciate all your efforts. We benefit so much from your work, so thank you!
SewnNatural
Loved this update, really appreciate your efforts. They help us out tremendously, so thank you!!
worksofwhimsy
Especially looking forward to the guest checkout and the improvments to "help".I'm one of the "overwhelmed" ones, so any improvements to search are bound to help!
EJPcreations
VintageEye
lovelygifts
HoneyBoo
TiamatDesign
It's great to hear about the new feature of prices in currencies other than U.S. dollars. .Very usfull tool!!!
candythomasgourdart
Etsy-thank you for all that you do.You really stay on top of things.THANKS!
PipocaHandmade
LustreBeads
Thanks so much for the update, it all sounds very exciting! I'm still keeping my fingers tightly crossed for a discount code feature :)
OneClayBead
I am in awe of all that's been done in a very short time! It is a privilege to be a part of Etsy!
LadyLuLus
DalkullanJewelry
The Guest Checkout will be a major benefit to buyers and sellers, I'm looking forward to seeing it implemented. Thanks for all the improvements, Etsy!
underoakstudios
QuiltSewPieceful
Thank you for keeping us so well informed, and making Etsy such an awesome place to buy AND sell.
capitolagirl
timesandchimes
squidart
These improvement really help keep all us sellers motivated. It is clear that Etsy would still have killer business even without all of these improvements, so it means a lot that admin is working so hard!
ME2Designs
Thank you for all the improvements implemented so far, and the planned improvements will surely be a big help for new buyers in particular!
FrillyButts
So I guess you guys have been pretty busy huh? Thanks for keeping us posted! Keep up the great work!
MaruMaru
vivikas
oldworldprimitives
GreenMamba
Guest checkout and the currency calculator both sound great, as do some of the proposed improvements to search.
Thanks! I'll be keeping my eye peeled for these feature updates.
thebestvintage
OhFaro
michon
thanks - one suggestion that would also help a lot is the ability to make coupon codes. Any chance that could go on the 2021 list? :)
crochetgal
The tech team really deserves a shout out for all that they are doing behind the scenes to keep Etsy up and running as smooth as it does.
Thanks guys!
strandsoflight
Thanks very much for the update and thanks to all those who are working so hard on these improvements. Etsy just keeps getting better!
GreenMamba
Oh, one suggestion regarding the Community Hub page:
The featured articles (lined up on the left hand side) take two clicks to reach, instead of one. It's redundant to click on one of the teasers, only to be taken to a second, almost identical teaser. Then you have to click yet *again* to get to the actual article. Any chance the first click could be streamlined into a direct link?
strandsoflight
Hmm, last one didn't post. Trying again to say thanks for the updates and all the hard work!
AnnsCrafts
happyhound
Thank you for the update Sara & for the contunued efforts to improve Etsy!
vintagehomerecycled
Guest checkout sounds wonderful, will we be seeing that before the holidays? Thanks for that last round of great updates.
1AEON
VixVintage
Krystyna81
Totally agree with Green Mamba's suggestion above ^^^^
"This means that we'll suggest relevant search queries as site visitors begin to type a query into the search bar. These suggestions will be specific to Handmade, Vintage, Supplies"
I'm a little skeptical about "leading a horse to water" so to speak. How can we be sure that the suggested queries lead to all etsyians, not just the chosen few?
eclipse
So search suggestions is like an auto-complete type thing? Like if I type in "sil" it might offer me some popular autocomplete options such as "silver", "silk", etc? That sounds useful.
I am really in favor of improving the mispelled word function. Etsy has long needed a "did you mean labradorite?" type of function.
I am VERY dsappointed there is nothing here about improving the favorites function. Another Christmas will come and go with no way to organize favorites into shopping lists, wish lists, no way to make one set of favorites public while keeping a different set private, no way to make Etsy Minis from separate folders of items, no tools at all other than one big bucket of chaos where everything gets lost.
If you want to stimulate playfulness, sharing and discovery, the favorites feature is one of the most ripe with possibility and it's completely neglected. There is SO MUCH you could be doing with favorites.
TattieTats
Thank you so much for working to add Guest Check-out That has been my greatest hurdle in turning visitors into buyers.
quirke
It's nice that you're planning a currency calculator, that will be helpful for buyers. But it doesn't help international sellers, we still have to deal with the issue of our own currency constantly fluctuating against the U.S. dollar, and constant conversions on our prices and money transferrals. I really hope that true currency conversion is still planned for the future.
quirke
It's nice that you're adding a currency calculator, that will be helpful for buyers. But it won't help international sellers, we will still have to deal with the problem of our currency fluctuating against the U.S. dollar, and constant conversion for prices and money transferrals. I really hope that true currency conversion is still planned for the future.
beadinbythesea
Thanks for the update. I'm looking forward to seeing all the improvements.
Any progress on discount or coupons codes?
artaltered
Another holiday shopping season with no shipping options for buyers.
People have been asking for that for years.
:/
Sammis2shoes
Ams glad.
Ams real glad.
Ams really really glad.
Ams really really really glad.
Ams really really glad.
Ams real glad.
Ams glad.
Good night!
* seriously!*
jdizaclothingco
i know you guys are tired but workin like a choo choo train, I think I can, I think I can!
scribblingclub
girltuesdayjewelry
Thank you Etsy! This girl appreciates all you do for us!
SolDelSur
recycledwares
wow, you've been busy and looks like from your lists, you still have lots to do. thanks for the hard work.
debhillart
thecraftpantry
2TrickPony
I love the easier checkout idea, all the improvements sound fantastic
breadandroses2
Thanks for all your efforts! Since Etsy already uses other Google services, doesn't it make sense to integrate Google Checkout online payment processing service to the Etsy checkout? Buyers like payment options and plenty aren't so keen about using Paypal.
breadandroses2
Thanks for your efforts! Since Etsy is already using Google services, how about integrating Google Checkout online credit/debit payment processing service into Etsy's checkout form? Buyers like options and Google Checkout is terrific.
breadandroses2
I did not intentionally post multiple times! Sorry. No comment showed after clicking 'add your comment'. Maybe glitch?
bhangtiez
BusyBeadLady
JustinRichel
blackscrapcat
I'm so impressed with Etsy! It's the best! So glad I "stumbled" on this very cool site!
RADROBOT
RetroLane
mepottery
When I saw this I thought Etsy was adding "talking" products... as in giving our listings some audio. Glad that was not the case :) Keep up the good work.
warpedLaurie
Checkout
Checkout
We remain focused on making Checkout as easy as possible for all Etsy buyers, especially new buyers. We're working on a project we call Guest Checkout, which will enable new buyers to check out on Etsy without first choosing a username and registering on the site. This type of functionality exists on many ecommerce sites and is generally an expected option for shoppers. By introducing it on Etsy, we intend to remove hurdles in the Etsy Checkout process.
slinkymalinkicat
Thank you for doing what you do! :D I can't wait for the Guest Checkout, that sounds like a fantastic idea.
Welcome to Etsy Michael! And a big Congrats to Beth and MCR!
spacejam
secretjewellz
Thanks for the update. And even better code lockdown this year.
PomLove
thank you for taking care of us and for everything you do to make our jobs easier and more pleasant! you guys rock!
wheeware
rozzie
MagicMarkingsArt
Hmmm...I think there's a problem with the comment section. I was wondering why there have been so many repeat comments recently, and unless they're being approved by the editors first, I do believe the spam reducer is eating some of our words then spitting them back out.
Anyway - thank you, welcome, and congratulations. And hopefully this didn't show up twice.
prendasbyenid
This is great... Thanks a lot and keep improving this site, that for myself is addictive but still a little bit confusing.
patriciavidour
I have to say that I find this drawing too similiar to mines...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/patriciavido...
AnniesWearableArt
Thank you, Etsy, and admin for keeping us all in the loop! All your extra efforts make it so much easier to stay current! Many thanks; much appreciated!!! :)
AnniesWearableArt
Thank you, Etsy, and admin, for keeping us all in the loop. All your extra effort makes it so much easier to stay current on everything. It is much appreciated! :)
craftpile
magdamagda
MonikaDesign
Art2ArtColorado
MyMoms
kitandcaboodleshop
Thanks for all you do and for the updates. Will like anyhting that will make selling and buying easier for all.
jbeaudet
SpiceofLifeDesigns
I'm excited to see the added site functionality which makes things easier for buyers.
I also second the suggestion above about shipping options - integrated options for first class, priority, and express selected by the buyer at time of checkout would GREATLY improve our ability to handle last minute holiday orders.
raretreasure
Thanks for the update etsy, the improvements are much appreciated!
ArtisticIntentions
Appreciate the updates - thanks for keeping us informed!
GreenMamba
Very good points above from eclipse, quirke, artaltered and SpiceofLife.
Favorites really *does* need attention, and is a much-overlooked shopping tool, not just a feel-good or bookmarking feature. And an actual currency converter, as well as shipping options ,would be great time-and-hassle savers.
I hope these are on the near horizon.
heartsandlaserbeams
ok can i just say i hope hope hope 2010 is the year of the coupon code at checkout? loving all the updates you guys have been working on this year, thanks so much!!!
glorioushats
chocolatecreative
Tanks for all the had work, so far the experience of the site has been very satisfactory, all I need now is to make a lot more sells!!
StellasKnits
Sounds fantastic! Can't wait for the new checkout system where buyers don't have to register.
strikebooks
Hi from Montreal. Thanks for including my hammer in the storque. Etsy rocks as we all know. My experience so far has been totally awesome. Etsy has connected me to a larger community including hooking me up with folks in my own town, producing shows, new costumers and fans. That crazy team in Brooklyn must have had some crazy cool role models to have come up with the etsy beast.
best
Strikebooks
foxpots
I'm so glad you are working on an improved help feature. When I first joined, I found it very difficult to find help. It was usually there, it just wasn't obvious where to find it. I still have trouble finding answers to some things.
RussianDollDesigns
jwlrywrkroom
Great! Especially looking forward to the streamlined checkout, where guests do not have to register. :)
1022SeaShellAve
banyantreeclothing
linsjewelbox
hurray to Etsy for striving to improve sales! =) i agree to some views that buyers should be allowed to sign in as guests first without having to create a username and sign up formally as this takes time and can be confusing.
LavenderField
Iammie
cavebaby
Sounds like great changes! Now if we only had a coupon code system it would be terrific!! :)
animalsandicons
cathystotes
Thank You for the Updated information,
Love the Guest Checkout~
clarelupino
SilverDragon
So... exactly where and how do we change our shop page and item listing titles?
KreatedbyKelly
whyte
mizusugi
littleyellowyarrow
thanks so much for making things easier for us. You're the best!
nowvintage
A lot of good things coming along..my favorite two are allowing buyers to buy as a guest..and the google update..
CafeBoulet
Even when I think Etsy can't make me love it here anymore.... I read an article like this.... and LOVE it more! Thank You Etsy! I REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE IT HERE! :0)
mollyannemake
MaudBailey
Pontepretties
Keep up the great work Etsy....you impress me more and more!
anne4bags
I love the idea of a guest checkout. Your work is awesome. Thanks.
ButtonFinder
Wonderful Ideas, Especially Guest Checkout
I think I found etsy just at the right time :) Excited New Seller!
Thank you
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