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Niche : Home and Living
Shop link : https://www.etsy.com/shop/Zraybi
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/zraybishop
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Tell us something about yourself, how did you get started, do you consider yourself a crafter,maker,artist…
I come from a family whose main job is producing and selling wool rugs . Since early ages, watching my grandparents and parents weaving rugs got me into this environment and I have since enjoyed every moment of it .
How did you discover Etsy? Did you have any previous experience in selling handmade products? Why did you start selling online?
My family has warehouses in Marrakech, Morocco, and I do have experience in selling handmade rugs. As for Etsy, I wanted to share our creations and rugs with different people around the world. I discovered Etsy on a random ad on Facebook, and after a couple of clicks, I realized that it would be an excellent place for me to display our handmade rugs .
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 ?
The rugs we offer represent the traditional designs which are specific to the different regions of Morocco : Beni Ourain, Azilal, Boujaad and others.
Our Moroccan rugs are designed and weaved by Moroccan women from the Atlas mountains and take part in a local, ethical economy. Entirely handmade from pure sheep wool and recycled materials, they allow an eco-friendly production .
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 share my ideas and designs with the team I have, and they translate these ideas to unique rugs . It was a process of continuous learning and improvement, the designs got better and better over the years .
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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?
My main goal was to share my passion for rugs with people all around the world . Every rug is handmade, unique , and has it’s own story . Selling on Etsy is a side job for me .
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?
One of the concerns I had was the satisfaction of customers with the rugs. The rugs might have minor imperfections rugs, like loose threads and natural wear, since it is handmade or vintage. I have posted this information in my listings and made sure to answer all of my customer’s questions prior to their order.
As for profitability and competitiveness, I have done the research to see where my rugs would rank price-wise, so it wasn’t an issue for me moving forward .
How long did it take for you to get your first sale? Did you ever thought you would make a lot of sales in the first year? What was a goal you were hoping for? How many sales an average you get per week?
the First sale came in around a month after opening the shop. I didn’t think I’d have a lot of sales in the first year, I was hoping I could launch a nice looking shop with unique rugs and build a great relationship with my customers for the first year. As for sales per week, I can’t give you an exact number because it varies a lot. Summertime and Christmas is usually a good time for us .
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?
I do have a full time job outside Etsy . With the technology nowadays, I am able to receive all emails and notifications from my customers and reply instantly . I usually pack the rugs during the night and ship the next morning before starting work .
How does your manufacturing process looks 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 tools that you are using in manufacturing process?
Our rugs are entirely handmade from pure sheep wool and recycled materials . 99% or my rugs are already created and listed ahead of the orders, but I also do customized rugs when customers send me a picture of a specific model or size they need .
What is the biggest impact on profitability of your shop? How expensive are the materials you use? How do you price your products?
For the materials, wool is not very expensive in Morocco, however, producing a rugs takes about a 4 weeks full time job, and shipping fees are quite expensive because the rugs are heaving and we do express shipping with insurance and tracking number .
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?
The rugs we offer represent the traditional designs which are specific to the different regions of Morocco : Beni Ourain, Azilal, Boujaad and others.
Do you ship your product internationally? How do you handle postage pricing? What is average time it takes from the order to the delivery? Do you use free shipping? If so, why? How do you package your products?
I ship for free worldwide, because the price for shipping might vary from one place to another, also the size and weight of the rug makes a difference . From the order to delivery takes less than a week, since I use express shipping .
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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?
Every rug is different and unique, and even with many competitors, each and every one has his own style and creations .
How do you deal with disputes or bad rating/feedback? How do you manage presale and post sale communication and customer satisfaction?
I try to be as helpful as possible, and so far I have a great feedback for all my customers . I communicated through the whole process with my customers, provide tracking number as soon as I have it, and answer any question or concern they might have .
Has selling on Etsy changed your life in any way? If so, how? Did you ever thought you would get this far with your shop? Have you ever been stressed dealing with customers and manufacturing products? How did you deal with that?
The best part about my shop is that I get to interact with different people all around the world . It has been an incredible journey so far and it is a lot of fun to get to do what my family does on daily basis back in Morocco .
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?
Instagram has been very helpful and creates traffic on my Etsy shop . I don’t pay for ads outside of Etsy, and I offer discounts to promote my products .
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 customers satisfaction?
Fees on each transaction are pretty high . Also, it would be nice to be able to post videos along with the pictures .
What are some things you did to set your shop for success on Etsy? What is one lesson you learned the hard way?
Good quality pictures make a big difference in my listings and give an extra value to the rugs .
So far, no negative effects of lessons that I have learned the hard way, hope it continues that way 🙂
What piece of advice would you give to new or established sellers or those considering to sell on Etsy? How can they avoid beginners mistakes?
First, an online seller should love what he is selling .
Second, he has to have knowledge and experience with the products he sells, to be able to communicate and answer questions efficiently .
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