It’s one of those seasons again. You’re used to summer being quieter for your shop—many sellers report that July/August brings slow sales on etsy as people are in holiday mode, distracted, or spending less on non-essentials.
But this year, something feels different: the lull is deeper, the rebound into autumn slower, and your shop’s numbers don’t seem to recover to the same level they used to. If you’re seeing lower traffic, fewer conversions, or simply fewer orders than in previous years, you are not alone.

In this post, I’ll walk through why that might be happening (beyond the usual “summer slow») and what you can start thinking about now to reposition your shop for the rest of the year.

Why sales might be slowing year-on-year on Etsy

Here are several key factors to consider. Many overlap and compound each other.

1. Seasonality & shopping behaviour shifting

  • As mentioned, summer is typically a slower season for many Etsy sellers. One seller writes: “Summer is consistently slower for me… many (but not all) shops are very busy in November & December…”
  • But this time around, the build into autumn is weaker. Perhaps due to economic caution, shifting consumer habits, or simply saturation of what people are buying.
  • The platform explicitly acknowledges: “A drop in visits to your shop or sales can mean … changing trends, a shift in purchasing behaviour, and more.” Etsy Help

Takeaway: the “usual slow months” are still slow, but the baseline may have shifted downwards, so previous summer dips feel deeper and recover more slowly.

2. Increased competition & saturation

  • More sellers, more listings. For many, that means your same product category is now more crowded, and your searches now face more competition for attention. For example: “Competitors means that the sales are spread across.”
  • Even though the overall number of active sellers on Etsy recently declined, the “active” may skew: the platform reported a drop from ~7 M to ~5.6 M active sellers in a year. Marketplace Pulse
  • What this means: while there might be fewer sellers, competition is still fierce for good listings, and buyers may browse more widely or compare more.

Takeaway: Your product may still be excellent — but you now have to work harder to stand out. Market noise has increased.

3. Visibility, ranking & algorithm changes

  • Your listings may not be showing up as effectively as before. According to one blog post: “One of the main reasons why your Etsy shop is not getting sales is that your products are not ranking high enough on Etsy search.”
  • Etsy’s support article mentions that a dip in visits/sales “may be” because your shop or listings are lower in search result ranking.
  • Also, if you’ve been “doing the same things” you used to and not refreshed listing photography, titles, tags, or changed SEO, you might be losing visibility without realizing.

Takeaway: Treat your shop as though you are relaunching. Refresh listings, review tags/keywords, and make sure you’re still optimised for what buyers search for today.

4. Buyer behaviour, economics & discretionary spending

  • A key issue: many of the items sold on Etsy are “nice to have” rather than essential. When budgets tighten, consumers cut back. For Etsy itself, the publicly reported data confirms: “our first quarter performance … was pressured by the challenging environment for consumer discretionary products.”
  • Inflation, cost-of-living increases, rising shipping costs, and longer delivery expectations all conspire to make buyers more selective (and possibly switch to cheaper alternatives).
  • The platform states a dip “may be” due to changed purchasing behaviour.

Takeaway: Even if you’re doing all the right things, external economic factors may suppress demand. Recognising it means you can adjust price differently, emphasise value, and shift product mix.

5. Trend fatigue, product lifecycle & innovation required

  • What sold well last year may not sell as well this year. Trends change, buyer tastes shift. One blog advises: “Research new Etsy market trends… offer a new product that’s popular during the season you experience slow sales…” Marmalead
  • If you’ve kept the same best-sellers unchanged for a few years, the appeal may be diminishing.
  • Also, as your own shop matures, you may have tapped the easiest opportunities and now the growth requires more creativity or adaptation.

Takeaway: Consider refreshing your product line, testing adjacent product categories, adding novelty, or leveraging micro-trends to re-energise your shop.

6. Platform policy changes, fees & advertising dynamics

  • Easier to overlook, but important: your cost structure and promotional environment may have changed. Some sellers report that changes in ads, fees, and visibility affect sales. For example: “I’m convinced that Etsy changed ‘something’ that is affecting smaller sellers.” Reddit+1
  • The help article suggests that shop changes (e.g., fewer listings) may impact performance: “The more items you have listed, the more chances shoppers have to find your shop.” Etsy
  • If you’ve reduced listing volume, paused promotions, or stopped experimenting with ads, you may feel the effect now.

Takeaway: Don’t assume platform dynamics are static. Review your listing volume, ad spend, external traffic sources, and whether costs are chipping into your performance.

What you can do when you have slow sales on Etsy (practical steps)

Here are some tactical responses you can work through, adapted to your own shop (and your personal situation with multiple shops, running from home, managing energy levels, etc).

  • Measure what’s changed. Compare key metrics year-on-year (visits, conversion rate, average order value, traffic sources) rather than just month-on-month. The platform emphasises longer timeframe data for trend spotting. Etsy Help
  • Refresh listings. Update titles, tags, descriptions, and photography. Focus on long-tail keywords, unique angles, and seasonal relevance. (Example: instead of “greeting card,” maybe “eco compostable hand-drawn square greeting card daughter birthday”).
  • Innovate product line. Introduce one or two new variations or limited editions. Monitor what’s trending. Test new categories or product types.
  • Promote beyond the Etsy search. Use your blog, Pinterest, Instagram (which you already are doing), and email list to drive traffic. Don’t rely solely on the internal Etsy search.
  • Adjust pricing/value perception. Maybe offer bundle deals, or emphasise premium materials (like your 350gsm recycled uncoated card) and sustainable packaging as a selling point.
  • Plan for seasonality. Since you expect a build into autumn, begin prepping now: listing launches, promotions, Pinterest scheduling, and blog posts tied to upcoming themes.
  • Rest & pacing. Since you’re managing multiple shops, working from home, and dealing with ME + IBS: allow for rest, pace the workload, batch tasks when energy allows. Your creative stamina is part of your business engine.

Final thoughts

If you’re feeling a slump, you're fed up with slow sales on Etsy, you’re totally justified to feel frustrated. But today’s slower numbers don’t necessarily mean you’ve done something wrong; many of the factors are external, structural, or simply the new normal. The key is to adapt: re-fresh, re-position, and leverage your unique strengths (your handmade cards, your sustainable materials, your brand story).

You’ve been in this game long enough to know that the market fluctuates. Summer always has its quiet patches. What’s different now is that the starting line for the rebound might be a little lower, and the competition and demands are a bit higher. But because you’re thoughtful, creative, and experienced, you have all the tools to respond.

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