Selling custom stuffed animals on Amazon and Etsy: 101 Guide to earning more POD sales

Rachel
November 6, 2024
6:00 am

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CustomHappy’s new custom stuffed animals, available in two varieties: pandas and lambs, are super cute. These custom toys make fantastic gifts for both adults and kids. It could be a birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, baby shower, or just because. Whatever the occasion, these stuffed animals are sure to be a hit.

In this post, you’ll find tips and insights to drive more traffic to your stuffed panda and lamb listings and increase sales. The strategies include…

Creating compelling product listings
Using effective marketing tactics
Providing outstanding customer service
And more!

I’ve also shared a link to a new collection of stuffed animal mockups, freshly crafted by my team. These mockups are completely free and can enhance your product listings and promotional materials, making them more attractive to shoppers.

This guide is aimed at helping both experienced ecommerce sellers and newcomers increase web traffic and drive more stuffed panda and lamb sales.

Let’s get started…

1. Make simple designs for your custom stuffed animals.

Here’s some advice for creating cute, high-quality custom aprons to sell on Amazon and Etsy:

Create simple text-based designs for your stuffed lambs and pandas.

For several reasons, creating simple text-based designs for the t-shirts worn by your stuffed pandas and lambs is a good idea. First, simplicity typically translates to timelessness, which means your designs will hold their appeal year-round, not just around certain seasons or holidays.

Second, simple text-based designs convey clear messages that are more likely to resonate with larger audiences, which means more sales potential.

Lastly, simple text-based designs are easy to customize, which customers love. (I talk more about customization below.) Here are two examples of simple text designs for panda and lamb products found on Etsy:

Image Source

Let customers personalize your panda and lamb designs.

Shoppers enjoy customizing the products they buy, so give them the chance to personalize the t-shirts worn by your stuffed pandas and lambs. Let shoppers add their names, initials, a special date, an image, or a message to the designs.

Personalizing toys, especially for kids, makes stuffed animals unique and more meaningful. This added option enhances your toys’ appeal. Plus, it helps your products stand out from the competition.

2. Optimize your product listings for your stuffed pandas and lambs.

Here are some tips for optimizing your stuffed panda and lamb listings. These tips will help you drive more traffic to your listings and earn you more sales.

Write clear, keyword-rich titles for your panda and lamb stuffed animal listings.

Writing clear, keyword-rich titles for your print-on-demand stuffed panda and lamb listings is important for maximizing visibility and attracting potential customers. A well-crafted title should include relevant keywords that shoppers are likely to use when searching for these items, such as “custom stuffed panda,” “personalized lamb toy,” or “cute plush animal.”

Incorporating specific descriptors like “soft,” “adorable,” or “gift” can further enhance your titles’ appeal and searchability. Clear and concise titles help potential buyers quickly understand what the product is, its unique features, and why it stands out from competitors. By optimizing your titles with strategic keywords, you improve your listings’ chances of appearing in search results, driving more traffic to your products, and ultimately increasing sales.

Additionally, clear titles help ensure that the right audience finds your listings, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. To discover the most relevant keywords, consider using the tools listed below:

Google Keyword Planner
eRank
SEMRush
KeySearch
Etsy search bar
Amazon search bar

Here are some popular keywords related to panda and lamb custom stuffed animals:

Stuffed panda

Stuffed lamb

Write detailed descriptions for your custom stuffed animals.

Include your animals’ most important details and features in your listings’ descriptions. This includes details like the following:

Soft plush fill
White 100% polyester tee
Cuddly toy
Embroidered paws
Machine washable
Dry on low heat
Plastic eyes
Thread-sewn mouth and nose

Here are the specifics from CustomHappy:

Small plush panda with tee

Small plush lamb with tee

Anticipate the questions potential buyers might have about your stuffed animals. Then, directly address these questions in your product descriptions. This transparency builds trust and reduces the likelihood of refunds, as it gives customers a clear understanding of what they should expect.

Include high-quality lifestyle images in your stuffed animal listings.

Including high-quality lifestyle images in your custom stuffed animal listings is important for capturing the attention of potential buyers. Lifestyle images showcase the toys in real-world settings, allowing customers to visualize how they might look and feel in their homes or as part of their children’s playtime.

These images should highlight the toys’ features, such as their softness, size, and unique designs. They could depict children hugging the pandas and lambs or have the toys displayed on a nursery shelf, for example. Lifestyle images can enhance your stuffed animals’ perceived value, making them more appealing and increasing the likelihood of a purchase.

You can use my free stuffed panda and lamb mockups, which I link to below.

3. Provide efficient and professional customer service.

With ecommerce, top-notch customer service is crucial. Sellers should not just meet but surpass customer expectations with supportive assistance. This dedication builds stronger customer loyalty and retention.

Outstanding customer service means being attentive, responsive, and empathetic. Aim to address questions and concerns promptly and courteously, ideally within twenty-four hours.

Satisfied customers are essential for any business. They’re more likely to return and spread positive word-of-mouth referrals, making them valuable (and free!) marketing assets.

To streamline your customer service, consider using pre-written scripts for common inquiries. You can access a collection of customer service scripts I created by clicking the links below:

4. Offer discounts and promotions for your custom stuffed animals.

To draw in new customers and increase sales, offer discounts and promotions periodically. Special deals can make your products more attractive than your competitors’ products.

Plan discounts around major holidays, lesser-known holidays, and big sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Also, consider loyalty programs that reward repeat purchases, referrals, and social media engagement.

Discounts and promotions not only attract buyers but also help clear out excess inventory. For step-by-step instructions on setting up discounts and coupon codes on Amazon and Etsy, click here.

5. Promote your pandas and lambs through social media and email marketing.

Here’s how you can promote your custom stuffed animals to drive more Amazon and Etsy sales.

Social media marketing

To showcase your custom panda and lamb toys, use popular social media platforms like the following:

Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
TikTok
Pinterest
YouTube

Ensure your social media posts feature high-quality images and appropriate hashtags (use the list below). This strategy helps you connect with a more focused audience of potential buyers.

Email marketing

An email list isn’t necessary to succeed with LHS. However, a list is a great asset if you have one or plan to start one. By curating a list of customers interested in your print-on-demand stuffed animals, you create a powerful marketing tool. Regular newsletters (weekly or monthly) can showcase your newest designs, special promotions, and exclusive discounts to customers.

Additionally, sharing behind-the-scenes videos, telling your brand’s story, and conducting feedback surveys can deepen your relationships with your audience and boost brand engagement.

Hashtags and coupon codes to promote your custom stuffed animals

Hashtags

Use this list of hashtags to increase your social media content’s visibility:

#CustomStuffedAnimals
#PersonalizedToy
#CustomToys
#PrintOnDemandToys
#UniqueStuffedAnimals
#Plushies
#PlushToy
#PlushAnimal
#CustomAnimals
#CustomPanda
#PersonalizedPanda
#CustomPandaToy
#PandaLovers
#PandaGifts
#CutePanda
#PlushPanda
#PandaStuffedAnimal
#CustomLamb
#PersonalizedLamb
#CustomLambToy
#LambLovers
#PlusLamb
#LambGifts
#CuteLamb
#LambStuffedAnimal

Coupon codes

Use this list of coupon codes for all your custom stuffed animal promotions:

PANDAFAN
PANDAFRIEND
PANDALOVE
PANDA
LAMBLOVER
LAMBLUV
LAMB
TOYS
STUFFEDTOY
CUTETOY
ANIMALPAL
ANIMALTOY
ANIMALS
PLUSH
PLUSHIES
PLUSHPAL
CUTE
CUDDLE

(Note: Ensure your promotions have clear terms and conditions so customers know exactly what to expect.)

I also had my designers make a bunch of fantastic panda and lamb mockups for you. Here’s a preview:

Click here to access your free stuffed animal mockups

If you want to receive these mockups, sign up here. You won’t need to put in your credit card details on the next page (unless you’d like to sign up for other offers on that page). This is just an easy way for us to get you your mockups in as smooth a way as possible. Enjoy! :)

I hope you find this post about selling custom stuffed animals useful. If you have any other tips or insights to share, please leave a comment below. And if you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with your friends and followers.