I have a long running history with the website Etsy. Etsy is a site where you can sell things you make, to put it simply. Items range from homemade bath bombs to bedazzled bras. When I was in my first year of college, I would decorate front of blank notebooks with collages of pictures I would cut out from magazines. That was my first posting on Etsy. I mean, those notebooks never sold but it was my first time. I then made a sweater with the lyrics to a Lorde song screen printed online on the front and I sold a couple of those. I then went bigger and drew band lyrics and names in my handwriting on shirts and I sold a good amount of those until I almost got shut down for copyright for using the phrase "5SOS" which stood for 5 Seconds of Summer, a band (still pretty bitter about it). I then started all over and made a new shop for shirts where I put my own quotes I made up on them. That shop definitely went under quick (see my old post about my shirt business). But I decided to reach out to some Etsy sellers that I found via different parts of the internet and I wanted to get THEIR opinions on Etsy, which I thought would be cool in case someone was looking into starting their own Etsy shop!
People and shops that I interviewed:
1) What made you want to start selling on Etsy?
Suki: So I decided that I wanted to start my own business when I was at uni, I always knew I wanted to work for myself but I just wasn't sure what I'd make etc. When I finished uni I decided to just go for it and as the products are handmade, Etsy just seemed like a good fit and quite simple to open up a shop.
Eclectic River Designs : At the time I started my business, around 2013, my sister was on Etsy with her business and convinced me to open a shop. I'm glad I listened lol!
Bath Bomb and Stuff: I started my Etsy shop when I fell in love with Bath Bombs! I thought that I could easily create those and sell them. I love taking a bath with a purpose! Why not share that with other people!
2) What's you're favorite part about Etsy?
Suki: My favourite part is probably all the lovely customers. I feel like people who buy from Etsy know what they are paying for and are genuinely very lovely. It's also the fact that there's a wide variety of people who shop and sell on there, which I find very exciting and motivating.
Eclectic River Designs : For me Etsy is super easy and quick. My son has a rare syndrome called 4p- Syndrome and requires most of my time, I'm help my husband run his kayak/canoe rental business so I'm pretty busy. Etsy takes out the worry and hassle of marketing and up keep a website would bring. I've tried a website and it was way too much work.
Bath Bomb and Stuff: I love Etsy. It is easy to have a shop and it is very low cost.
3) Are there any things you've encountered that you don't really like when it comes to Etsy?
Suki: I guess when you're starting up it's very difficult to get your products seen as there's so many shops and products. Also the fact that you can see how many sales you've made, as when you've got 0 sales and you've just opened shop it can be very daunting.
Eclectic River Designs: Not really. I mean sometimes my bill frustrates me but what bill isn't frustrating lol!
Bath Bomb and Stuff: I have had a rude customer or 2. I have a hard time with that. I shoot for the best quality service and product as I can. I have run into a few that have complained and would not let me fix the problem.
4) If you could pick one item, what's your favorite item you sell?
Suki: my favourite I guess is the clutch bags and makeup bags, as a lot of people will use them for special occasions and weddings etc and send photos, which is an amazing feeling when I know that someone loves your products. One of my fave colours is the Night Sky Purple Rainbow Glitter and the Burnt Orange Glitter.
Eclectic River Designs : I cant lie, my body jewelry are my best sellers and I wear them too!
Bath Bomb and Stuff: I would say that my Whipped Body Butter is my favorite product, besides my Bath Bombs. I have very dry and itchy skin and my Whipped Body Butter really helps with that.
___
I want to thank Suki, Mary and Jennifer, who were total strangers to me and were SO so kind to answer my questions when I reached out. It means a lot. And every one of these shops are special and different from each other and they all have AMAZING products!!!
___
I want to thank Suki, Mary and Jennifer, who were total strangers to me and were SO so kind to answer my questions when I reached out. It means a lot. And every one of these shops are special and different from each other and they all have AMAZING products!!!
Post a Comment