Each month we will be publishing on the Koalanda blog a brief report on the Etsy sales of the preceding month. Here is the report for January 2023.
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Sales on Etsy in comparison with previous months
The new year has started just as expected for those of us on Koalanda’s team in charge of monitoring the volume of Etsy sales. So far this year, we see the same trends that were evident last year.
Those of you who feel like sales have stopped since January and everything is going downhill can breathe a sigh of relief. There is no room for panic. The reason for the perceived January slump often has to do with the fact that people compare the January sales volumes to sales figures from November and December — the two strongest months for online merchants and especially for Etsy sellers. However, if the volume of sales in January is compared to sales over the summer and autumn, the picture is not so worrying.
The graph below shows that huge increase in sales on Etsy in the period around Black Friday and Christmas, as well as the large drop during the Christmas holidays. What is also evident from the graph is that sales volumes are recovering and 2023 is starting on a good track.
Compared to sales in December, the volume of average daily sales in January was around 25% lower. However, if we go back several months prior to December, we will notice that the volume of sales in January is almost the same as that in October and is higher compared to the sales recorded in August and September.
Sales on Etsy by category in January
Unsurprisingly, January 1 was the slowest day for online merchants in all categories. This makes sense considering the first day of the year is when customers are least likely to go online in search of new products. For the whole month of January, the best results were recorded at the end and this most likely means more good news are to come in February. The sales data shows very clearly that buyers were more active on weekends — something to keep in mind when listing new items for sale or renewing already existing listings.
Compared to sales figures for December, the largest drop in sales volume in January was observed in the following categories: Bags & Purses (76%), Home & Living (68%), and Jewelry (61%). For the categories Shoes, Clothing, and Toys & Games the decrease was around 50% compared to December.
In the category Craft Supplies & Tools there was little change in sales figures in December and in January, while for some categories there was even a small increase. For example, for the category Paper & Party Supplies, there was a one-percent increase in sales in January. The Weddings category saw an even larger increase of 7%. Spring is just around the corner and soon the wedding season will begin and with it — an increase in sales in the Weddings category. If you have any products that fit this category, now is the time to list them.
During high-volume selling periods like Black Friday and Christmas, it is very useful to compare your results to your competitor shops. With Koalanda’s competitor research tool you can monitor the sales of each individual shop daily! You can see the sales for the last 30 days or 12 months. Analyzing the reasons for their success is a critical step toward improving the quality of your shop. Register for free at https://koalanda.pro/signup to explore Koalanda’s competitor research tools.
Sales on Etsy by country in January
The sales trends we discussed above apply to US stores.
The data from UK stores looks a little better but, still, UK sales volumes more or less followed the general trends.
In the US, UK and Germany, the countries generating the largest share of sales on Etsy, the sales in January dropped by 30% compared to sales in December. The drop in sales volume was smaller in Canada (18%) and Australia (just 8%).
Newly opened shops on Etsy in January
254,233 shops were registered on Etsy in January.
Top 10 most successful Etsy sellers in January
The 10 shops with the highest number of sales in January were:
| Rank | Etsy Shop | Monthly Sales | Country | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CaitlynMinimalist | 47,781 | United States | Jewelry |
| 2 | SeedGeeks | 41,345 | United States | Home & Living |
| 3 | HeatherRobertsArt | 34,356 | United States | Craft Supplies & Tools |
| 4 | SouthernSeedExchange | 27,134 | United States | Home & Living |
| 5 | ModParty | 26,322 | United States | Weddings |
| 6 | AcornandCrowStudio | 23,878 | United States | Books, Movies & Music |
| 7 | BaileyDesignedCo | 23,047 | United States | Art & Collectibles |
| 8 | Manifestable | 22,338 | United States | Books, Movies & Music |
| 9 | NorthPrints | 21,610 | Canada | Art & Collectibles |
| 10 | Beadboat1 | 20,540 | United States | Craft Supplies & Tools |
Explore the top-selling and trending Etsy shops for free and without registration with Koalanda. In Koalanda you can browse the most complete catalog of Etsy shops on the internet, updated daily.
Holidays
Coming up, the day that looks the most promising in terms of sales volume in March is Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17). It makes sense to consider now if any of your products may interest Etsy users in the days before this holiday. For example, does your store offer green clothing or accessories?
Also, some may think there is plenty of time still, but Easter is just around the corner (April is not as far off as it may seem). It is time to prepare your products, both the actual merchandise and the SEO describing them, so that your offerings are attractive and can reach as many potential customers as possible. This exercise always takes time and effort but it is worth it! Especially if you sell decorations, do not ignore Easter. It is a superb business opportunity.
