Giving Etsy Gifts

Ah yes, it's getting to be that time of year again. Although of course there are gift-giving opportunities year-round - all those birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, christenings and so on cry out for handmade presents - there's something about the Christmas holidays that inspires a happy frenzy of shopping.

Some tips to make shopping (and selling!) easier:

• If you want to have a gift sent directly to its recipient by the seller, use the "Add a gift address" feature in PayPal, to reassure the seller that they're sending to an official address. Follow the links in PayPal from Profile > Add or Edit Street Address > Add Address > Add a gift address.

• Buyers can use the Shop Local Etsy feature to search not just for their own area, but for someone who sells locally to their gift recipient. If I want to send a present to someone in the U.S. or England, I might start by opening Shop Local especially if it's getting down to the wire for shipping; closer can be faster, and many shops offer to gift wrap and attach a card (free or for sale).

What tips would you add, for both buyers and sellers? Please include them in the comments, with your shop name so we can all see what you're doing for the holidays.

Judith / aka jswrites