As part of our run-up to the Etsy Christmas pop-up shop at the end of this month, we’d like to introduce some of our sellers to you. We asked them a few questions about their shop, how they became an Etsy seller and their golden tips for online success!
This episode: Cheryl from LittleSwift
Cheryl sells colourful, whimsical and folk inspired plushies and accessories with an emphasis on re-using and recycling found materials, all designed and handmade by Cheryl herself in her small studio in Thurston, Suffolk.
How did you choose your shop name?
I love birds and they are a big inspiration in my design work so I wanted to name my shop after one of favourite birds-a swift.
How did you decide to be an Etsy Seller?
After doing a bit of research on online selling handmade products I opted to go with Etsy, as it was a global company which has a strong identity and is well known. This was in comparison to Folksy, Not on the high street.com etc. I felt there was a lot of information, useful advice and resources available on their website for new sellers and it was an easy and straightforward process to set up my shop. I also like the communities behind Etsy and being able to join in with a local team in your area to share things and do events etc.
What do you love most about your products?
I always have people comment that my products are really different and unusual and also colourful which I love. The jewellery and accessories I design and create are eclectic and not the norm as they are made from recycled materials, I love finding new fabrics and materials which are unloved in charity shops, car boots and thrift stores and using my imagination and creativity to rework them into new pieces which then can be enjoyed and loved by someone.
What have been your biggest challenges in running an Etsy Shop?
Time is a major challenge! I think to make Etsy successful for you, you need to put the time in. Up until July this year I was working full time and didn’t have that much free time to spend on photographing, styling, listing and keeping a constant presence on Etsy. Also it is hard to stand out from the crowd, Etsy is saturated with sellers and it’s getting harder to find the customers. I think the more variety and items you can stock helps with this and this is something I hope to work on over the coming months (after Christmas!)
What are your best tips for running an Etsy shop?
I think having a good variety and plenty of items in your shop will help boost your visibility on Etsy and bring you more customers. Also linking your shop to a Facebook page, Twitter, blog etc where you can keep potential customers up to date with new products, interests, markets and events etc helps too, it’s all free publicity. Get as much advice as you can from as many people too, there is a vast resource of knowledge on Etsy, there blog is great and forums etc can be really useful.
Come meet Cheryl, and our other sellers at the Fountain Inn, 12 Regent Street, Cambridge!
29th November 2014: 11:00 – 20:00
30th November 2014: 11:00 – 20:00
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