[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message]Niche : Home and Living
Shop link : https://www.etsy.com/shop/BDSMarchitecture
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kinky_architecture
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BDSMarchitecture
Website : https://bdsmarchitecture.com[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Tell us something about yourself, how did you get started, do you consider yourself a crafter, maker, artist…
Behind the name of BDSM Architecture, there is a young, skillful, and kinky couple named Edgar and Sally. Once unable to find what we truly wanted in the local market, in 2016 we built the first bench and cross by ourselves to use and enjoy. At first, we thought that this would be only our thing but after the local BDSM community continuously praised us for our creativity, very soon we became inspired to design, build and sell professionally made kinky furniture. We understood that together with a professional team they are able to not only realize our own fantasies but also make the dreams come true for those who are interested in the kinky lifestyle and are looking for something out of the ordinary to complete their life with.
How did you discover Etsy? Did you have any previous experience in selling handmade products? Why did you start selling online?
At first, we thought that this would be only our thing but after the local BDSM community continuously praised us for our creativity, very soon we became inspired to design, build and sell professionally made kinky furniture. Someone recommend Etsy for us and it soon became our first step in selling online.
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What products do you sell, what type of materials are used in your creations, how do you design your products, what makes your products stand out?
We produce and sell BDSM and fetish furniture. The best thing is that the products that You are able to find in the store are designed (and wonderfully tested…) personally by us. So, if a piece of furniture is decided to be sold, we are absolutely sure that the experience of using the piece of furniture is amazing and also, is completely safe. While designing and building the furniture, every step is with care: such things as durability, comfort, functionality in mind. Many of the pieces of furniture or accessories are multi-use and have multiple ways of how they could be used, so they serve the user rather than the user serves them. After all, what could be better than a kinky multi-functional piece of furniture that would last You for years and would look great? Of course, the aesthetics are never forgotten – every piece has a sleek design that will please Your eyes no doubt.
How was your experience in learning to craft, are you self-taught or did you have a mentor, how long did it take for you to be satisfied with your creations?
I learned it by myself at first to make the first pieces and later we involved more professionals in our team, such as designers, engineers, craftsmen, etc. The most difficult and exciting part of this craft is to join the strengths of different professionals and create something unique.
What was your original goal when you opened up an Etsy shop? What impacted your decision to start selling online? Do you consider online selling as a side-job, full-time job, or extra income to pay for your hobby?
We opened the ETSY shop as our first step to sell our BDSM furniture. We wanted to test the market and check if someone is interested in our creation. Soon we opened an e-shop, and started as a hobby it became our full-time job.
Did you have any fears or reservations before opening up your Etsy shop? Were you worried about profitability or product competitiveness? What are some concerns and questions you had before you got started? How did you overcome them?
As I checked the market, there were not so many competitors in this BDSM furniture area and after the popular movie 50 shades of grey was released, it provided me more belief that we’ll succeed. Of course, we were afraid that we don’t have a lot of items in our shop, professional photoshoots and it will influence our sales. But we worked on these threats hard, and step by step overcame all of them.
How long did it take for you to get your first sale? Did you ever think you would make a lot of sales in the first year? What was the goal you were hoping for? How many sales an average you get per week?
As already four years past since the opening of the Etsy shop, I do not recall the exact date of the first sale, but I can remember the excitement when sales started to grow – it as fascinating to know that you do something right. in four years sales grew almost 5 times and still growing exponentially, so it motivates us to push ourselves, even more, to do everything more professionally.
Do you have a job outside Etsy? If not, are you able to commit full-time to online selling? How does your typical day look like? How do you manage time?
Edgar has more businesses and Sally works full time on BDSM Architecture. We are both working from home, so most work is done by the computer: planning, designing new pieces, etc. The next step is gathering made pars, powder coating them, checking pieces, and packing them. Edgar is responsible for all production and Sally is responsible for sales and marketing, so it’s easier to manage time when tasks a divided clearly.
How does your manufacturing process look like for e.g. your best selling product? Do you create products ahead of the orders? Do you customize your products, if so how? What are the tools that you are using in the manufacturing process?
We make our products to order, and we have some most popular items as modern spreader bars made ahead. The most favorite part of owning this kinky business for us is definitely completing the custom orders. For us, there is nothing more satisfying than making the wildest fantasies and dreams into reality whilst talking and getting to know the customer on a personal level. There are many custom orders that were included in the stock and became very popular among the buyers – this encourages us to work even harder and to please every need of a customer.
What is the biggest impact on the profitability of your shop? How expensive are the materials you use? How do you price your products?
We mostly use black steel in our products and everything is powder-coated to ensure durability and lifetime guarantee. Steel and professional welders, who work with it are not cheap, so it consists of the biggest part of the price. The final price depends on product popularity, design, materials, additional items added to the product, and of course how difficult is to ship it. All our items are disassembling, but it is still bigger than the usual package and sometimes cost twice as items to ship overseas.
What inspires you when you’re creating? How do you get ideas for new products? What are some methods or tools you use to get creative?
We mostly get inspired by our clients, who approach us with ideas for custom orders. We are also thinking about our personal experience, what we lack or what would any other person or couple would lack in their bedroom/dungeon. We participate in both local and international BDSM and fetish community, so we carefully follow discussions and trends.
Do you ship your product internationally? How do you handle postage pricing? What is the average time it takes from the order to the delivery? Do you use free shipping? If so, why? How do you package your products?
Yes, we ship worldwide and we offer free shipping in Europe and the USA because it’s more attractive to our customers. We have based in Europe ourselves so sometimes shipping costs more than an item itself to ship overseas. Everything is packed in discreet card boxes to respect our client’s privacy. We mostly ship to the USA and most EU countries, but we have already shipped our products to Australia, South Korea, Japan, Dominica, and eve Qatar.
Are you worried about competitors? Does it impact your business in any way? If there are a lot of similar products, how do you make your own stand out?
We have some competitors around the globe, but everyone has their own style. Mostly BDSM furniture and equipment are made from wood, and we exclusively make everything from metal. We create stunning high-quality products for an affordable price that could suit most of the kinksters’ wallets. The kinky furniture is also designed and built in such a manner that it could be easily disassembled and stored in the most comfortable place.
How do you deal with disputes or bad ratings/feedback? How do you manage presale and post-sale communication and customer satisfaction?
We usually try to talk all disputes out with a client personally, we are always happy to solve problems: we can offer to resend the new item, discount or some complimentary gift to satisfy clients. As all our products are made to order, we always try to explain to our clients about the deadlines or delays.
Has selling on Etsy changed your life in any way? If so, how? Did you ever think you would get this far with your shop? Have you ever been stressed about dealing with customers and manufacturing products? How did you deal with that?
When we started we were determined that we need to grow our business and it won’t be just a hobby for us in the future. Etsy was a great start and became our main sales channel so it just proved to us that we can do it. Of course, the beginning wasn’t easy, and sometimes we still reach stress points when dealing with customers, especially in shipping, customs, or delay questions. It’s hard not to lose mind, but anger won’t solve problems so you just breathe in and searching solutions.
How important is social media for your shop? What are some common tactics you use to promote your products? Do you spend money on ads outside of Etsy? How do you generate excitement/hype around your products?
We mostly work in our Instagram account, we use Google ads as well, but mostly advertising channels are closed for us as we sell in the adult category. We try to create aesthetic content with professional photos and videos, which would excite our clients and people who are following us. We try to create sexy but not vulgar content which would make people fantasize.
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What are some things you don’t like about Etsy? If you could talk to the CEO of Etsy what recommendations would you tell him to improve sellers and customer satisfaction?
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What are some things you did to set your shop for success on Etsy? What is one lesson you learned the hard way?
We believe that professional and aesthetic photos are one of our success reasons – it makes us distinct from other sellers and to ensure that client will get exactly what he sees in the photos. The biggest difficulty we encountered while working with this business was shipping overseas, especially when global lockdown began, lots of our items were lost in postal services, or shipped way longer than expected, which made our clients unsatisfied.
What piece of advice would you give to new or established sellers or those considering selling on Etsy? How can they avoid beginner mistakes?
Work hard and be attentive to details.
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