2 years ago today I hit "publish" on my first item in my shop. I only listed that one item at that particular time--- knowing that I'd be listing other items in the future (after my wedding)
I had no idea that my shop would become what it is today, a little shop that has evolved from mainly physical items, to more of a 'digital' based business.
I had no clue.
I have had so much fun over the past 2 years of learning, experiencing and creating my items. and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for it as time goes on.
I wanted to share a little more about my shop, being that I've had people ask me -- what IS it that you DO?. bottom line- I make stuff.
-What do you make?
-I make customized items - primarily digital downloadable products (Like save the dates, wedding invitations, birthday party invites, customized gift signs, wedding signs....)
what are digital downloads?
-basically I create the customized design- and the customer can print the design - they can print off as many as they need, and wherever they'd like. An extra plus with the digital items, they can use the files to share through social media or email, if they prefer.
Why do you create digital downloads?
-Digital downloads save on time and money.
If we were to print off everything- it costs us (and in turn the customer) to have the items printed, and then we have to charge for our time (extra cost) and then we have to ship the items to our customer-(shipping has a cost..) and then we save the planet a little, by not having to throw away extra packaging/boxes and things...
Plus if the customer realized they forgot on their guest list- or need extra items printed, they can easily print their extra items - and not have to worry about us printing and sending them to them.....
Do you offer printing if people can't print?
Yep. we do offer printing. (just be sure to contact us for a quote!)
Ok, enough about digital products. What kind of physical items do you make?
We have decreased our physical items (just based off of what is popular, what sells and what people are looking for)
CURRENTLY: we do sell Customized table numbers, Burlap and lace garlands, and some vintage items.
I'm looking at adding some old products back into my shop, as well as a few other new creations too! :)
Is this a 'full time' thing or just occassional?
I spend the majority of my day working on Etsy stuff.
I am the only 'employee'-ha.
So a few of my tasks I have to keep up with
-Create designs
-answer emails / messages with questions or issues.
-Talk with customers about designs and what exactly they want.
- create and send them the designs.
-pack and ship physical items- including taking items to post office.
-Purchase supplies when needed.
-Advertise and promote my shop through national advertising, as well as social media.
-create listings for items
-take photos of items for listing.
-- i'm sure i'm forgetting something.
I stay busy.
Do you have busy times?
Yes. I'm still trying to figure out my busy times, hard to see a 'trend' after 2 years - last year though, Around april / may I had a huge influx of customers ordering last minute wedding table numbers. and in December I had A HUGE response to one particular design for a Holiday card (I wasn't expecting the huge 'rush') it was a little overwhelming, but really cool.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to start or getting started on their Etsy business.
Oh yes. probably too much advice.
1) be patient. (your first sale may not be for a few months. - my first sale came about 3 months after I listed my first item)
2) Take good photos. take photos that draw people to want to buy. - Take photos that don't have much of a background. crisp and clear to see the object. I don't want to see your Cheeto sack in the background. and I don't want to see your unmade bed. Get GOOD lighting- best is natural lighting. not too bright, but not dark.. And make sure it's an accurate photo.
---- My husband purchased a spoonrest for my birthday -it was something i had been wanting for awhile. when he got it in the mail, he was so disappointed. the photograph made it look like a MUCH larger spoon rest--- bottom line.- it works, but we both were disappointed (since it was one on my 'wishlist' I dont know if it had the measurements on the description, but the photo made it look like a big ladle on the spoon rest- when i guess it was a tiny ladle- not a regular laddle :( )
3) be awesome at customer service. - Respond to messages as quickly as possible. get orders out in a timely and fast - but thorough manner.
4) get orders out in a TIMELY Manner- you have a section that says of how long it will take you to make your item / get your item out--- if it takes 3 days to make your item, but you're behind on orders, and your backlog is at least 2 days worth of work- then you need to make sure you select that it will be 5 days before the customer will see that it has shipped.
---- I ordered something for MY wedding - and I was low on time- I was supposed to get the item like 2 weeks before my wedding- they didn't have any kind of announcement on their front page saying that they were running behind on orders, or anything- it was the week of my wedding, I didn't have what I needed... I STILL hadn't heard from the shop- about anything- they didn't tell me that 'they were behind on orders, but they expected to ship them out at such and such time... NOTHING. I emailed them... asking where my package was (I was nice, but that was the bottom line of the email.) I never got a reply back... but that evening they shipped my item... and I got it JUST in time for my wedding.
MY lesson_ COMMUNICATE with your customer. no matter what. if you're going to be a day or two behind, let them know- and make sure that it wont cause any problems. :)
5) Tag your listings--- appropriatly. So the whole point of tagging is to make sure people who are looking for a particular item, actually are SEEING this item. if you're trying to sell a pencil holder- you need to use tags like "desk" "Pencil" "Pen" "holder" even "gift" but you don't want to tag it as a "shoe" or something- i mean just make sure it's relevant.
6)Don't OVERSELL or UNDERSELL your items.
-so its hard to price your items --- Many people associate 'cheap' with 'not good quality" - people will spend more to make sure they are getting a good quality item. - some people look for 'deals though too.
- Some are willing to spend a little more for a 'gift' they're willing to spend $20 for a printable item that they are giving as a wedding gift- because it will be nice. - it's a gift.
but don't oversell- it still has to be reasonable. if you're selling a necklace- simple necklace- theres a cheap price- theres a medium price and there's really expensive---
just be sure to remember WHO you are marketing that necklace to... Is it good for a gift? is it for a college student (not a big budget) or is it really nice- like something that someone would wear on their wedding day?
remember to factor in your time, and the expenses that etsy takes out.
7) Shipping- remember to price out shipping stuff shipping to Alaska or across the country will cost more than shipping to someone close. -- Etsy at this time doesn't have a way for them to automatically calculate shipping (like what ebay does) so it makes it a little frustrating, you have to calculate the shippign yourself- and pretend like whoever is going to buy this item lives really far away.
-figure out how big your item is (get out that ruler and measure it. don't guess)
-figure out how big of a box you're going to need.
- and how much padding (bubbles / paper etc.)
-now weigh it all (INVEST IN A LITTLE SCALE THAT IS ACCURATE!)
-figure out the furthest city away from you,and what the zip code is.
-now open up usps.gov- and do 'calculate shipping'
input your zip and the furthest city's zip
then either select which priority box, or input the information of the box you're going to use.
then it will calculate the shipping.
it takes time.
I've made the mistake one too many times - you have to calculate the shipping, and not just 'guess'.
Please celebrate this milestone with me.
My shop is offering 40% off your order (no minimum order!!!) this will only be until 4/15/15!
coupon code: SHOP2NDBIRTHDAY
www.etsy.com/shop/atasteofeverything
I had no idea that my shop would become what it is today, a little shop that has evolved from mainly physical items, to more of a 'digital' based business.
I had no clue.
I have had so much fun over the past 2 years of learning, experiencing and creating my items. and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for it as time goes on.
I wanted to share a little more about my shop, being that I've had people ask me -- what IS it that you DO?. bottom line- I make stuff.
-What do you make?
-I make customized items - primarily digital downloadable products (Like save the dates, wedding invitations, birthday party invites, customized gift signs, wedding signs....)
what are digital downloads?
-basically I create the customized design- and the customer can print the design - they can print off as many as they need, and wherever they'd like. An extra plus with the digital items, they can use the files to share through social media or email, if they prefer.
Why do you create digital downloads?
-Digital downloads save on time and money.
If we were to print off everything- it costs us (and in turn the customer) to have the items printed, and then we have to charge for our time (extra cost) and then we have to ship the items to our customer-(shipping has a cost..) and then we save the planet a little, by not having to throw away extra packaging/boxes and things...
Plus if the customer realized they forgot on their guest list- or need extra items printed, they can easily print their extra items - and not have to worry about us printing and sending them to them.....
Do you offer printing if people can't print?
Yep. we do offer printing. (just be sure to contact us for a quote!)
Ok, enough about digital products. What kind of physical items do you make?
We have decreased our physical items (just based off of what is popular, what sells and what people are looking for)
CURRENTLY: we do sell Customized table numbers, Burlap and lace garlands, and some vintage items.
I'm looking at adding some old products back into my shop, as well as a few other new creations too! :)
Is this a 'full time' thing or just occassional?
I spend the majority of my day working on Etsy stuff.
I am the only 'employee'-ha.
So a few of my tasks I have to keep up with
-Create designs
-answer emails / messages with questions or issues.
-Talk with customers about designs and what exactly they want.
- create and send them the designs.
-pack and ship physical items- including taking items to post office.
-Purchase supplies when needed.
-Advertise and promote my shop through national advertising, as well as social media.
-create listings for items
-take photos of items for listing.
-- i'm sure i'm forgetting something.
I stay busy.
Do you have busy times?
Yes. I'm still trying to figure out my busy times, hard to see a 'trend' after 2 years - last year though, Around april / may I had a huge influx of customers ordering last minute wedding table numbers. and in December I had A HUGE response to one particular design for a Holiday card (I wasn't expecting the huge 'rush') it was a little overwhelming, but really cool.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to start or getting started on their Etsy business.
Oh yes. probably too much advice.
1) be patient. (your first sale may not be for a few months. - my first sale came about 3 months after I listed my first item)
2) Take good photos. take photos that draw people to want to buy. - Take photos that don't have much of a background. crisp and clear to see the object. I don't want to see your Cheeto sack in the background. and I don't want to see your unmade bed. Get GOOD lighting- best is natural lighting. not too bright, but not dark.. And make sure it's an accurate photo.
---- My husband purchased a spoonrest for my birthday -it was something i had been wanting for awhile. when he got it in the mail, he was so disappointed. the photograph made it look like a MUCH larger spoon rest--- bottom line.- it works, but we both were disappointed (since it was one on my 'wishlist' I dont know if it had the measurements on the description, but the photo made it look like a big ladle on the spoon rest- when i guess it was a tiny ladle- not a regular laddle :( )
3) be awesome at customer service. - Respond to messages as quickly as possible. get orders out in a timely and fast - but thorough manner.
4) get orders out in a TIMELY Manner- you have a section that says of how long it will take you to make your item / get your item out--- if it takes 3 days to make your item, but you're behind on orders, and your backlog is at least 2 days worth of work- then you need to make sure you select that it will be 5 days before the customer will see that it has shipped.
---- I ordered something for MY wedding - and I was low on time- I was supposed to get the item like 2 weeks before my wedding- they didn't have any kind of announcement on their front page saying that they were running behind on orders, or anything- it was the week of my wedding, I didn't have what I needed... I STILL hadn't heard from the shop- about anything- they didn't tell me that 'they were behind on orders, but they expected to ship them out at such and such time... NOTHING. I emailed them... asking where my package was (I was nice, but that was the bottom line of the email.) I never got a reply back... but that evening they shipped my item... and I got it JUST in time for my wedding.
MY lesson_ COMMUNICATE with your customer. no matter what. if you're going to be a day or two behind, let them know- and make sure that it wont cause any problems. :)
5) Tag your listings--- appropriatly. So the whole point of tagging is to make sure people who are looking for a particular item, actually are SEEING this item. if you're trying to sell a pencil holder- you need to use tags like "desk" "Pencil" "Pen" "holder" even "gift" but you don't want to tag it as a "shoe" or something- i mean just make sure it's relevant.
6)Don't OVERSELL or UNDERSELL your items.
-so its hard to price your items --- Many people associate 'cheap' with 'not good quality" - people will spend more to make sure they are getting a good quality item. - some people look for 'deals though too.
- Some are willing to spend a little more for a 'gift' they're willing to spend $20 for a printable item that they are giving as a wedding gift- because it will be nice. - it's a gift.
but don't oversell- it still has to be reasonable. if you're selling a necklace- simple necklace- theres a cheap price- theres a medium price and there's really expensive---
just be sure to remember WHO you are marketing that necklace to... Is it good for a gift? is it for a college student (not a big budget) or is it really nice- like something that someone would wear on their wedding day?
remember to factor in your time, and the expenses that etsy takes out.
7) Shipping- remember to price out shipping stuff shipping to Alaska or across the country will cost more than shipping to someone close. -- Etsy at this time doesn't have a way for them to automatically calculate shipping (like what ebay does) so it makes it a little frustrating, you have to calculate the shippign yourself- and pretend like whoever is going to buy this item lives really far away.
-figure out how big your item is (get out that ruler and measure it. don't guess)
-figure out how big of a box you're going to need.
- and how much padding (bubbles / paper etc.)
-now weigh it all (INVEST IN A LITTLE SCALE THAT IS ACCURATE!)
-figure out the furthest city away from you,and what the zip code is.
-now open up usps.gov- and do 'calculate shipping'
input your zip and the furthest city's zip
then either select which priority box, or input the information of the box you're going to use.
then it will calculate the shipping.
it takes time.
I've made the mistake one too many times - you have to calculate the shipping, and not just 'guess'.
Please celebrate this milestone with me.
My shop is offering 40% off your order (no minimum order!!!) this will only be until 4/15/15!
coupon code: SHOP2NDBIRTHDAY
www.etsy.com/shop/atasteofeverything