… I’ve set up a system that allows for design work to happen quickly – inspiration can happen anywhere so you have to have the tools to be able to design quickly. I like my online business to be fun and a creative outlet instead of work. If I can keep it in that space, the designs are better and much more interesting.

… I sell facemask chains. I use glass beads and string. My products are colorful and fun. They are eye-catching because of their bright colors. I design them taking into consideration their purpose; they have to be comfortable and light waited but they also have to be fashionable. I get inspiration from jewelry designs and styles that I find interesting. I then experiment with color combinations.

… When I first started to sell I was so worried if they liked it or not that I would message them to make sure this was exactly what they wanted. getting replies like “yea, that’s exactly what I was looking for” makes me relax and say well I hope they like it and I wanted to hear the feedback to know I can improve the products to customer satisfaction.

… The original goal when I opened up an Etsy shop is to spread the word about my handmade face masks’ awareness. What impacted my decision to start selling online the most is my fan base encouraging me to. I consider online selling a side-job and I do it for fun as a hobby. There is so much fulfillment that comes with this as consumers review my product and love it!

… I always dabbled in design since my background is in marketing and I had to do multiple projects for large retail and travel clients. I also am a performer and was always a very creative person so manifesting my ideas into clothing and home items was just another natural step.

… I think that overall the service that Etsy provides to sellers is overall a great method to create income for both individuals and small businesses, so I don’t have a whole lot of negative feedback. Etsy in general does a great job of helping sellers and customers alike by providing tools and feedback. For the most part, the store has been helped a lot by the growth of Etsy and its management team.

… We have shipped all over the world. Our items get measured and weighed. Postage is calculated on the web site. We do offer free shipping over $35.00. It attracts new customers. We ship everything ourselves. We have sold items on Amazon and found when we shipped items to them they destroyed them on a regular basis with forklifts.

… I sell stationery items and craft supplies like; washi tape, stickers, paper, and other ephemera used in scrapbooking and journaling. I search for unique items but I am drawn to vintage looking supplies. I just started designing my own washi tape and I draw my designs from vintage cloth patterns, floral elements, or antique books and paintings.

… For the past few years, I was making cards for friends and family. The reaction was always “WOW, did you make this card?” The feedback was more than positive and most of my friends encourage me to start selling, so I decided to give it a try. In the begging selling on Etsy was more like a mini income from my hobby. Now is a side-job, which I hope someday I will able to turn into a full-time job.

… I do ship internationally and charge just enough to cover the postage. It can take up to 3 weeks for a parcel to arrive in America so it’s a slow process. The majority of my business is in the UK and for that, I do not charge postage. The packaging is key to a good buying experience so I take care to make my packages unusual and beautiful.