Latest / The Modern Etsy Seller Podcast / 48. How Important Is Your Etsy Shop Name? | Etsy Tips for Beginners

Transcript

48. How Important Is Your Etsy Shop Name? | Etsy Tips for Beginners · The Modern Etsy Seller Podcast

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hey there, welcome to the Modern Etsy Seller Podcast and What You're Wondering.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: The segment where I answer one specific Etsy question in under five minutes.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Melissa, a busyworking mom with two profitable Etsy shops, and I help other busy women make money with Etsy and print on demand.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: In today's episode, I'm answering the question: how important is my Etsy shop name?
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: So your shop name matters, but probably not nearly as much as you may think it does.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Your shop name is probably not going to be the reason someone buys from you or doesn't buy from you.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like, think about how most people shop on Etsy.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: They search for a product or maybe a gift idea, they see an image that catches their attention, they click on it, they look at the product and the price, the photos, maybe the reviews and the description, and then maybe they buy it or maybe they don't.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Somewhere along the way, they might have noticed your name, but it's not likely that the name factored into their decision on whether they bought the item or not.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: But you still want to choose a name that you like.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: And there are a few things to keep in mind as you think of a name.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: First, it can only be 20 characters or less because that's Etsy's limit.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Second, it should be relatively easy to say, to spell, and to remember.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then I would be careful about choosing something so specific that you completely box yourself into one product or one niche, especially if you're just starting out and you don't really know where your shop might go.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then once you have a name picked out, you should do a couple of checks to ensure that your shop name isn't already out there all over the world.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: The first place I would check is Etsy.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, Etsy won't allow two shops to have the exact same name.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: So if you try to name your shop something that already exists on Etsy, it will tell you.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: But there could be a really slight variation of your name that does exist.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: And you want to know that before you choose your name.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: So search the name and make sure there isn't already another shop using it or something really similar to it.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Pay particular attention to shops selling the same types of products you plan to sell.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want to open your shop and immediately create confusion between your business and someone else's.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: Once you've cleared it on Etsy, you're gonna want to do a Google search.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Just type the name in and see what comes up.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: There could be a business using that name outside of Etsy that you wouldn't necessarily find searching in Etsy alone.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: And while you're doing that, I would check to see if the website domain is available.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: You may have absolutely zero intention of creating your own website right now, but your business could look very different a few years from now.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: And if you do eventually want your own website, it would be nice to have that option.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: I realize it could be taken in a couple years, but at least knowing it's not taken now is gonna be helpful.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: I would also check Instagram and really any other social media platform that you think you may eventually want to use for your business.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: You don't necessarily need to start those accounts right now, but I would at least want to know what's already out there before I commit to the name.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Then one last check I would make is the trademark database.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: You can search the USPTO database to see if there are any existing trademarks for your name or something very similar to it, particularly within the same type of products or business.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, I'm not an attorney, so if you find something that looks questionable, that's when you might want to get some legal advice before moving forward or just choose a different name.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: But at the very least, I would do that initial search before you start building a brand around the name.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: So put some thought into your shop name.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: You want something you like, something that gives you room to grow, and you definitely want to make sure you've done your homework before you commit to it.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: But don't let finding the perfect name keep you from moving forward because at the end of the day, your shop name probably isn't going to make or break your Etsy business.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, that's it for today.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: But before you go, if you've been enjoying the podcast, I'd love it if you would take a minute to leave a rating and a review.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: It helps more Etsy sellers find the show, and your feedback helps me create more of the episodes you want to hear.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you next time.