How to Find a Deal on Etsy

I'm a girl who loves to shop. But I'm also a girl who knows how to find a good deal and won't get ripped off. I'm constantly posting my finds on my Facebook page and one of my online buddies asked if I'd post about finding deals on Ebay and Etsy.--Cause that's where I do most of my shopping.

It may come across as strange to some people that I shop for cloths and just about everything else on Ebay but it's really pretty convenient. I love getting mail so it's more fun than going to the store. And 90% of the time I'm getting a rockin deal.

I just recently started shopping on Etsy and that's a little more overwhelming to me, but I'm quickly learning tips to finding a bargain.

1. Be Specific: Personally, I get overwhelmed by just searching for random things on etsy, and that's a quick way to buy something you don't need. I use as many key words as possible to get a good amount of return results, but not enough to have to sort through dozens of pages of stuff.

The Groovy Mommy $10

2. Narrow the Results: If I'm searching for something like a "baby dress" and get tons of results, the first thing I do is usually click "sort from lowest to highest" but then the first half a dozen pages seem to be patterns, so I enter a prize range to sort it even more, maybe between $5 and $15, so I can skip through pages of patterns, but scan for the cutest, lowest-prices results.

3. Compare Compare: If you're coming across several items that look alike and are priced similarly, check out things that may be "deal breakers." How quickly they ship (is it ready to mail, or made to order?) and compare things like shipping costs. Sometimes buying multiple items can save you on shipping, depending on the seller.

4. Communicate with the Seller: I almost always write to the Etsy sellers and tell them what I'm looking to buy, and ask specifics about the order, (my husband makes fun of me because I can never order a meal without some exception, I think I'm the same way with buying things on Etsy) sometimes (not always) if you get a really nice seller, they'll offer something extra for a discount.

For instance, I was just going to buy one dress from Sumo's Sweet Stuff for a rockin' deal of $10. But then I saw another one that had just sold that I liked, and decided I wanted to buy two, but then I really liked the headbands and wanted one to match one of the dresses, but the seller was nice and said I could get two for $10, when normally they're $6 a piece. I've found lots of sellers who are nice about my custom orders and offer a discount when I'm torn between something. You never know who will hook you up with a deal so you'll buy more!

So these adorable dresses Lil' J and I took a photoshoot in today are from Sumo's Sweet Stuff. I saw one listed on her shop as a tunic top and asked if she could make a dress like that. She whipped them up so quick and sent my like 10 emails to make sure I was getting what I wanted. Etsy ROCKS!

5. Word of Mouth: I'm constantly finding awesome deals by just asking my friends about their favorite shops. I'm always finding things I wouldn't have found on my own. There are SO many sellers and it's impossible to see them all. Sometimes I'm looking for dresses and end up finding hairbows I love by a seller who also makes dresses.

It's fun to hop around, and ask around for favorites.

What are your favorite Etsy shops? Everyone who comments before November 2nd will be entered to win a $15 credit to Sumo's Sweet Stuff. If you follow her blog or tell me what you want from her shop you'll get an extra entry! Random.org will choose the winner! Good luck!