Latest / The Modern Etsy Seller Podcast / 35. 4 Ways to Use AI in Your Etsy Business | ChatGPT vs. Claude for Etsy Sellers

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35. 4 Ways to Use AI in Your Etsy Business | ChatGPT vs. Claude for Etsy Sellers · The Modern Etsy Seller Podcast

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hey there and welcome to the Modern Etsy Seller, the podcast where busy women build, grow, and profit on Etsy.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Melissa Carroll, a full-time teacher, a busy mom, and an Etsy seller who's built two successful Etsy shops in the small moments of everyday life.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Here you'll find simple strategies, real behind-the-scenes insight, and the clarity you need to stop second guessing and start moving forward one intentional step at a time.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get to it.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, welcome back.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Today I want to talk about how I use AI in my Etsy business.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: It has become a tool that I use pretty regularly, and I think there are still a lot of Etsy sellers who aren't quite sure how it can fit into their Etsy business.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the two big AI platforms right now are ChatGPT and Claude, and I use both of them.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Although lately I have been heading to Claude a little more frequently.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm finding that ChatGPT can be really, really wordy.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: Like it will give you a novel, and I just don't have time to read all of that.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: I want more succinct answers.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: And actually, another thing that drives me crazy about ChatGPT, I mean, this is a pro AI episode, but another thing that drives me crazy about ChatGPT is that at the end of almost everything it gives me, it offers one more suggestion, one more option, one more tweak that I could do.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's the platform's way of trying to keep us on the platform, but it also ends up pulling me into continuing to work on something that was already perfectly fine.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: So that is something that you do have to realize you have to know when to say, no, we're done here.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not going to make another change.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: But with that little caveat out of the way, I still do love AI, including ChatGPT, and I use it all the time.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Within my business, I have used it in so many different ways.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: I've used it to help with product messages, customer service, listing descriptions, competitor research, analyzing my own bestsellers, mock-ups, SEO planning, organization, idea generation, and writing emails to the people who are on my email list.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: I could create talking points and examples for every one of those and turn each one into its own section, but we would be here forever.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: So today I'm gonna focus on four of the ways I think would be most helpful for other Etsy sellers.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm going to give you specific examples of what I might actually type into Claude or ChatGPT to get better results.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: So let's start with one of the ways I think AI is most helpful.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: That is product brainstorming.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: So coming up with lots of ideas.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: You can use AI to brainstorm almost any part of a product idea, different recipients, different occasions and niches that are out there, or collection ideas, personalization options, ways to expand on something that's already working.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: For example, let's say I want to create a collection of products for coaches.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Or you know what?
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I have a gift for coaches that has taken off and I want to expand on what's working.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: So now I want a list of different types of coaches.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Doing it on my own, off the top of my head, I'm sure I'd come up with lots of different coaches, right?
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: All the common sports one, and then a handful of others.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: But with AI, I can have a really extensive list created and organized in seconds.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I would go into Claude and type something like, I want to create a collection of products to sell for coaches.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Give me every type of coach you can think of.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: Include group sports, individual sports, fitness, performing arts, academic things, and any less obvious coaches that I probably wouldn't be thinking of.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Organize them into categories and avoid repeating the same type of coach using slightly different wording.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I actually did this while preparing this episode, and I got a list of about a hundred different coaches.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna name a couple of them from the list right now.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: So some obvious ones, right?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Basketball coaches, swim coaches, less popular sports like fencing, all-star cheer, so it got specific, then debate coaches, robotics coaches, acting coaches, business coaches, mindfulness coaches, pageant coaches, and dozens and dozens of other ones that I would not have immediately thought of.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: And that one brainstorming session can give me enough directions to explore for quite some time.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: From there, I could also ask Claude to narrow the list by telling me which coaches are most likely to receive end-of-season gifts, or which ones are more likely to receive a gift from an entire team, or even like which categories might be less crowded.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: And then I could take one of those areas even and go deeper.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe I would take fitness coach, but I want to go even more niche down than that.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I could ask it for all the different types of fitness coaches.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: That is where AI is so helpful because most of us are going to think of the obvious ideas first.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: And we have to remember that everyone else creating products is probably thinking of those same obvious ideas too.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: So it's nice to be able to go into areas that aren't as obvious, and that can be done quickly with AI.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: AI helps you keep going and uncover areas you might not have thought of on your own.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: So whether you are starting with a brand new idea or trying to expand on something that is already selling, AI can make the brainstorming process much faster and give you a much bigger pool of ideas to work from.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the second way that I use AI is to help me write the first paragraph of my listing descriptions.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: So my main listing description, the main part of my listing description where I have like the product details and shipping and production information and my return policy and things like that, that is the same across all of my different listings within one product.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I do use AI to help create it, but it's a one and done kind of thing each time I add a new product because, and when I say product there, I'm saying like, say I want to start selling candles.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: So when I want to start selling candles, I'm going to spend a bunch of time in the beginning getting all of my listing assets ready.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: And one of those will be the listing description.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll get the help from AI, but I won't have to change that every single time I list a different candle.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I do change the opening paragraph in that listing description for every single new listing that I put up.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I do that because Etsy uses the words in the description to better understand and rank the listing.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: It might not be way up there in what it uses, but it is still something they use.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: And so why not try to maximize it for search?
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I want that opening to naturally include what the product is, who it's for, who it could be from, an occasion someone may be shopping for.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: And even though that section ends up only being a few sentences, this is one of those places where I could sit staring at a screen for a long time trying to figure out where to start.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: So for me, using AI is a super fast and super simple way to get that paragraph where I want it.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: So let's look at an example of what I might do here.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: So if I was maybe creating a personalized wine glass for a new homeowner, I would go into Claude and type something like write a short Etsy listing introduction for a wine glass meant for a new homeowner that says there's always wine at Mia's house.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: Explain what the product is and who someone may buy it for, make the paragraph sound natural and flow well.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: Then I ask it to work in some of the following keywords and phrases where they make sense.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: And what I do after that sentence there is I paste in my exact title.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll tell you why in a second.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: Then I say you can rearrange the wording, leave out phrases that do not fit, and add other relevant terms if needed.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Do not force every keyword into the paragraph or repeat the same idea multiple times.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: The prompt does not have to be written exactly like that every time, but those are the main pieces I include.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I explain what the product is, give Claude the exact message that appears on it, and then I paste in the keywords that I've already researched from the listing title.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why, because I've already researched those words.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: I already know that those words are gonna help me be found.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: So it's important that I copy and paste them and then hey, try to get them in a second place where they sound natural.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: Because we don't want to do any of that keyword stuffing.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Once upon a time, people would actually take their listing title, copy and paste it right into the top of their listing.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: And Etsy discourages that.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: So instead, I want those words to be placed into the opening paragraph in a natural way, and AI helps me do that.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I also make sure I give it permission to rearrange those phrases, leave out some of them if they're not gonna fit and I don't want anything being forced into an awkward, strange paragraph.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: It still needs to make sense to the person reading it, and I always then read through what it gives me because sometimes a phrase sounds unnatural or it repeats the same idea or it adds details about the product that aren't even true.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Most of the time, though, it really is fine just as written by AI.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Regardless, either way, it does give me a strong starting point and helps me turn the SEO research that I've already done into an opening paragraph that flows.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: And then once you have that prompt that works for you, save it into a doc so that you can just copy and paste that template every single time you're creating a new product versus retyping it.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: All right, the third way I use AI is to help me respond to customer messages, especially when there is a problem or I need to explain something to the customer that they might not be happy about.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I already know what I want to say, so I'll just quick type up a message into Claw without worrying too much about the flow or the exact wording.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: Other times I'll simply share the message that I've received and let Clauder Chat GPT know how I plan to handle it.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: In both cases, I then ask it to turn what I've written into a message that is clear, kind, and professional.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: This keeps me from spending 20 minutes rewriting the same sentence.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say a customer messaged me because the order arrived damage.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: I already know that I'm going to offer the choice of a replacement or a refund.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I might type something like a customer received her order and the product arrived damage.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'd like to offer her the choice of a free replacement or a full refund.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Write a short Etsy message apologizing for the problem, letting her know that I will take care of it, and asking which option she would prefer.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: I want the message to sound warm and conversational, not overly apologetic or formal.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Or here's another example.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I'm gonna now, this is gonna be the something they don't want to hear, kind of a message.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say she wants to cancel a personalized order, but it's already been submitted for production and can no longer be canceled.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: I could explain the situation to Claude, tell it what my policy is, and ask it to help me write a kind but clear response.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: The important thing is that I give AI the full situation and tell it exactly what I'm willing to do because I do not want it offering a refund, replacement, discount, or another solution that I never intended to provide.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: I also make sure that I tell it to keep it short because they tend to go on and on and on in their responses, and that is not necessary for your customer service responses.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: They do not want five paragraphs.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: They want to know that you understand the problem and what is going to happen next.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: Once it gives me the response, I read through it every single time.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: I would never just trust it, copy and paste it.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: You definitely want to read through it, make sure every detail is accurate and change anything that does not sound like you.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: Again, it's gonna save you from spending too much time trying to find the right wording.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it is especially helpful when I'm frustrated and know that the first response I want to type is probably not the one I should send.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: And if it's a response I think I may need again, like those examples that I just gave here, I save the finished version in Etsy as a quick reply.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: That way, AI helps me write it the first time, and Etsy makes it even faster to use the next time the same situation comes up.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: All right, the fourth way I use AI is to help me organize and analyze successful listings.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Researching other Etsy shops and listings can give you a lot of useful information, especially when you're trying to decide what types of product to sell and what audience to create for, and how you may be able to make your own listings stand out.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: But it's also really easy to spend a lot of time looking at listings without coming away with any clear conclusions.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: You click one product, go to another, notice a few things here and there, and an hour later you've got 20 tabs open, but you're still not really sure what you've learned.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: That has happened to me multiple times.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: AI, though, can help you take those observations and organize them into something useful.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say you're considering creating personalized gifts for a new homeowner.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: You may find several listings that appear to be selling well and take notes on those.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: Take note of what the product is, the price, the personalization options, the wording used in the title, the types of images that they include, especially that first main thumbnail image.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: And anything buyers repeatedly mention in the reviews.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Do not ignore the reviews for the situation.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: Look at positive and negative reviews.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: Then go into Claude and type something like I am researching successful Etsy listings for personalized new homeowner gifts.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: I am going to give you information from several listings, including the product type, price, personalization, title, etc.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: etc.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: Organize the information and identify any patterns you notice.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me what features appear repeatedly, what buyers seem to value, and where there may be an opportunity to create something different.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Do not suggest copying any specific wording, design, or product.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, it's important to also tell Claude, ChatGPT, whichever you're using, what not to do as well.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Then I would paste in the notes I collected, or depending on what I'm analyzing, I'd likely also upload screenshots and explain what I want Claude to look for.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: Again, the goal is not to ask AI to create someone else's bestseller.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: We're using this to help us understand what is happening across a group of listings.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: One thing I hear all the time is that success leaves clues.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: And here we are having AI help us find those clues.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: Once Claude identifies patterns, I can ask follow-up questions based on what it finds.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: I may ask which audience seems to be receiving these gifts, or what occasions are being targeted, or what questions I should consider before creating my own version of the product.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, as always, you still need to use your own judgment because AI may make assumptions that are not supported by the information you gave it.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: But it can help you organize what you found and turn a bunch of separate observations into a clear picture of the market.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: That makes competitor research much more useful because instead of simply scrolling through successful listings, you are looking for information that can help you make better decisions in your own shop.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: All right, so those are four of the ways that I use AI in my Etsy business and that I recommend others using in their business.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: So for product brainstorming, writing that opening paragraph of the listing descriptions, helping with your customer service responses and analyzing successful listings to better understand what buyers may be responding to.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: And there are plenty of other ways that I use it and that you could use it.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: But the biggest thing I want you to take away from this episode is that you do not need to hand over everything to do it.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: These few little areas are gonna make a big difference and save you tons of time.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: So start with one task that takes too long, or one place where you tend to get stuck, or one part of your business where you keep staring at a blank screen and let AI help you get moving.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Just remember the quality of what you get back is going to depend on what you give it.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: You have probably heard that before, but it definitely bears repeating.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you ask a vague question, you're probably gonna get a really generic answer.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: So the more information you provide about the product, the situation, the goal, the more useful the response will usually be.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: Even then though, never assume the first answer is the final answer.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: There is definitely back and forth that happens.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: I almost always make changes or ask follow-up questions or tell it what feels off or give it more direction until I get something I can actually use.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_00: AI is not going to know your business better than you do, but it can help you move through parts of it faster.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: And when we're trying to build our Etsy businesses in these small moments of our days, that makes a big difference.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have not used ChatGPT or Claude much yet, pick one.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: I suggest starting with Claude at this point, and then pick one of the four things we talked about today and give it a try.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need to do them all at once.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: Just start with one that would save you the most time right now and see where it takes you.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: I have a feeling you will quickly start using it for more tasks.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's it for today.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: But before you go, if this episode helped you in any way, I'd love it if you would leave the podcast a quick review.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: Reviews help more Etsy sellers find the show, and your feedback helps me create more of the episodes you want to hear.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, and I will see you in the next episode.