What Is The Best Time To Post On Etsy

In the dynamic world of online retail, timing can be everything, especially on platforms like Etsy. Understanding the best times to list items and post shop updates can significantly enhance your visibility and sales. Let’s dive into the optimal times for these activities on Etsy.

What is the Best time to post on Etsy?

According to the drum Consumers are more likely to make purchases online on Mondays and Thursdays, with the peak purchase time every day lies between 8pm and 9pm in each local time zone. This is not an exact science, but a good starting point.

Sales volumes are also consistently high from 3pm and begin to die off after 10pm.

Therefore, one can deduce that the best time to post on Etsy is during, or slightly before these time periods.

Here’s why this timing works:

• High Online Traffic: Mid-week afternoons and evenings see increased online activity as people are more likely to indulge in impromptu shopping.
• Impulse Buying Peak: Listing during this time caters to customers looking for quick purchases, increasing the likelihood of sales.
• Time Zone Strategy: To maximize visibility across the U.S., consider re-listing items at 4:00 PM in each time zone. This requires a bit of investment but can yield significant returns.

Avoid Saturdays: Interestingly, Saturday is the least effective day for listings. Aiming for Sunday instead increases your chances of success.

Does listing time on Etsy really Matter?

While research and common advice suggest that when you list items on Etsy can really make a difference in how visible and successful they are, let’s take a closer look at how things actually work on Etsy.

You might be surprised to find out that the exact time you list something might not matter as much as you’d think. This is mostly because Etsy’s search system doesn’t work instantly.

Here’s the thing: Etsy’s search engine takes a bit of time to start showing your item in search results. So, listing your item at a so-called ‘perfect’ time doesn’t always give you an immediate boost.

But, the time you list is still important for a certain group: the people who follow your shop. Your followers get notified when you post something new. So, if you list when they’re usually online and active, they’re more likely to see and interact with your items.

That being said, a more effective strategy for reaching potential buyers involves building an email list, which I have explained in detail in this article. By cultivating a list of interested customers, you can directly email them about new listings. This approach ensures that your message reaches your potential customers at the most opportune time, aligning with the periods of high engagement identified in the research.

This approach does more than just get around the slow pace of Etsy’s search system. It also creates a more personal link with your customers, which can help turn their interest into actual sales.

What is the Best Time to Post Shop Updates on Etsy?

If you haven’t yet built an Email list for Etsy, go create a landing page on convertkit now. In the meantime, you can use the next best thing – shop updates. Again, only the people who follow your shop will get these updates, but it is better than nothing! Some key points to conisder:

• Evening Hours for More Views: Posting around 6:30 PM Eastern Time is a smart move. This is when a lot of people are online, so your updates are more likely to get noticed.
• Mid-Morning for Serious Buyers: If you’re aiming to catch the attention of buyers who are ready to purchase, update your shop between 12:00 – 1:00 PM. This period often sees a boost in shopping activity and is just before the 3PM conversion boost, as many people take a break from work or are working from home and browse online.

Wrapping Up

Although you can try and perfectly time your listings – truth of the matter is that it will make little to no difference when you post on Etsy. If your shop has a lot of followers, timing could play a small factor in boosting initial sales. But for the average shop – you are better of focusing your efforts on more important areas.

This is not to say timing does not matter on Etsy or, with customer shopping habits. Again, the best thing you can do is work on building an email list. This way – you have complete control over your timing. You can instead list youir items whenever suits you, then send an email blast during peak shopping hours.