start with search, not with shops
Don't start by finding a specific competitor's shop. Start by searching your exact product type and noting which listings appear in the top 20 organically. These are your actual competitors for the query your buyers use.
what to record for each competitor
- Price (and whether they're running a sale)
- Number of reviews and average rating
- Title structure — how many characters, which keywords first
- Number of photos and types (lifestyle, flat lay, close-up, in-use)
- Estimated monthly sales (use tools like Alura or eRank for this)
finding keyword gaps
Look at competitors' tags using eRank or Marmalead's listing analyser. Find tags they use that you're not using, and tags with high search volume but lower competition. These are your quick wins.
analysing their photos
The top result's cover photo is usually the benchmark. Note the background colour, whether they show the product in use, and whether they include text overlays. Match the quality level and differentiate on style.
price positioning
If top sellers with 200+ reviews charge $15–$20, don't launch at $4.99 hoping volume makes up for it. Instead, launch at $12–$14 and run an early-bird 20% sale discount. Build reviews before pushing to full price.
what to avoid copying
Don't copy titles character-for-character or use identical photo compositions. Etsy can flag duplicate content and buyers recognise copy-paste shops immediately. Use competitor research as a benchmark, not a template.