Shop Feeds Are Here

April 3 - Edition #32

Author

Dia Creative
April 03, 2025

April 3 - Edition #32

This week you'll learn:

  • 🗳 Etsy and eBay Are Going Full Social Mode

  • 🗣 Short Form Video Tips and Tricks

  • 🚙 Blue Apron’s Referral Program

  • ⚡️ Quick Hits: Instagram AI comments, Tiktok Amber Alerts, and border patrol wants your IG handle.

Etsy and eBay Are Going Full Social Mode

Image Source: Pixelcut

Big changes are happening on Etsy and eBay. They’re borrowing some of the best tricks from social media to make shopping on their sites way more personal (and honestly, a little more fun).

Feels More Like Scrolling, Less Like Searching

Both platforms are rolling out new features that make the whole shopping experience feel a lot more like TikTok or Instagram. Instead of digging through endless pages of stuff, you’ll get a feed that’s built just for you, based on what you’ve clicked on, bought, or even just browsed.

Here’s what they’re cooking up:

  • A "For You" Feed: Just like TikTok, you’ll see products picked for you, based on your taste and past searches.

  • More Visual Browsing: Think less text and more images, making it easier to scroll through and spot things you like.

  • Interactive Stuff: New ways to check out products and talk with sellers right there in the app.

AI Is Running the Show

Behind the scenes, it’s all powered by AI. These platforms watch how people shop in real time and learn what they’re into, so the feeds get smarter the more you use them. The goal is to make it easier for buyers to find cool stuff without having to hunt it down.

What This Means for Sellers

If you’re selling on Etsy or eBay, this could be huge.

More people scrolling means more chances for your stuff to get seen. But it also means your product photos and listings need to be on point because now you’re competing in a feed where visuals are everything.

Short-Form Video: Grab Attention Fast

Image Source: Linkedin

Short-form video is still blowing up.

And if you’re not already jumping in, now’s the time. People are spending hours on this stuff. TikTok users, for example, are clocking around 34 hours a month. YouTube Shorts? They're getting 50 billion views a day. It’s a big deal.

Here’s how to make short videos that actually get people to stop scrolling.

Know What Works Where

Every platform has its own thing. What crushes on TikTok might flop on Instagram, and YouTube Shorts has its own vibe too. Here’s a quick rundown:

  • TikTok (up to 10 mins): Best for hopping on trends and going viral.

  • Instagram Reels (up to 90 secs): Great for showing off your brand to people who already follow you.

  • YouTube Shorts (up to 3 mins): Awesome for quick “how-to” videos and getting on people’s radar.

The Stuff That Makes Videos Pop

If you want people to actually watch (and not swipe away), keep these things in mind:

✅ Hook ‘Em Fast. You’ve got like 3 seconds to get their attention. Start with something that makes people stop. Ask a question, make a bold statement, whatever works.

✅ Stick to One Point. Don’t cram everything into one video. Keep it simple with one clear idea.

✅ Mix Up Your Shots. Close-ups, wide shots, quick cuts… keep it moving so it doesn’t feel boring.

✅Tell People What to Do Next. End with a call to action—whether it’s “follow for more,” “check the link,” or whatever makes sense for you.

Quick Wins You Can Try Right Now

  • Chop up longer videos into short clips

  • Use trending sounds and effects while they’re still hot

  • Try different times to post and see when your crowd is most active

At the end of the day, short videos don’t need to be perfect.

They just need to be consistent, real, and give people something valuable fast. Keep posting, keep learning, and you’ll see what works.

How Free Food Made Blue Apron $35 Million

Image Source: Thebrandhopper

Blue Apron totally changed the meal kit game. And they didn’t do it by blowing millions on flashy ads.

They bet big on something way simpler: getting their happy customers to spread the word.

And it worked. Like, really worked.

Free Food = Smart Move

Blue Apron spent $35 million a year giving away free boxes of food. Sounds wild, right? But it wasn’t just a nice gesture. It was a super smart play.

According to their IPO filing, 34% of their new customers in early 2017 came from referrals. And they were only spending about 15% of their marketing budget on the referral program. So for a small slice of the pie, they got a huge chunk of new business.

Why People Couldn’t Stop Sharing It

The referral program crushed it because of three simple things:

They Knew Their People: Blue Apron’s core customers were upper-middle-class food lovers. Those people knew other food lovers who were all about trying new things. It was like word-of-mouth on easy mode.

The Offer Was Too Good to Pass Up: A free box of fancy ingredients and recipes. It feels like a legit gift. Way better than “$5 off your first order.”

The Math Made Sense: Sure, giving away food isn’t cheap. But the folks who came in through referrals stuck around longer and spent more. So in the end, the upfront cost paid off big time.

They Didn’t Stop There

Blue Apron didn’t just sit back and let referrals do all the work. They backed it up with a few other smart moves:

  • They jumped on podcast ads early, before everyone else figured out they were gold.

  • Their boxes and meals were super Instagram-friendly, so people actually wanted to post about them.

  • They teamed up with partners that made sense, getting in front of curious foodies wherever they were hanging out.

Sometimes the best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. Give people something worth sharing, and they’ll do the heavy lifting for you.

⚡️ Quick Hits

What we’re working on right now

Have you listened to our Podcast yet? Pioneering Perspectives: A Dia Creative Podcast 🎙️

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