Online Seller Experience, Small Business Success Stories
… We sell various forms of rock décor. Of course, our pieces include rocks, but we get to make the decision if it’s polished, how it’s cut, and what we make into it. A lot of times the piece kind of decides for us, some rocks are better for oil lamps, some are better for business card holders, while others might just be great as a stand-alone piece.
… We sell one product! Our Magidome connectors that allow you to build a versatile dome that fits your needs. We designed it on a cad program and have them inject molded for durability affordability. Magidome connectors don’t need fancy angles or carpentry skills. We try to make our product as simple and accessible as possible! Want a larger dome, simply use longer lumber! Simply cut to size, predrill and screw together!
… The organic chemistry stencil is our best-selling product. It was designed initially on paper, then redesigned in a 3d modeling program called AutoCAD. I chose to use polycarbonate as the material since it is very durable and transparent. The bright yellow color of our stencil helps it stand out from many of the other stencils on the market and in students’ backpacks.
… I enjoy most, that you can structure your day the way you want to. But it is equally hard that some people think, it means being totally free while not putting in as many hours. It takes a lot of self-discipline to organize and give your own business a structure and most of the time there are so many hours that go into it. While social media makes it all seem like a dream job.
… Working for ourselves has always been a passion. We’d prefer to work 100 hours for ourselves than 40 hours for someone else. The hardest part is managing all departments and scaling. It’s best to think of everything as a task to be completed as to not become overwhelmed.
… The main challenge is standing out amongst so many fast fashion brands, coupled with people’s misconceptions about how much work and effort goes into making clothing (particularly handmade) when they have become so accustomed to very low prices – which can usually only be achieved through unethical working practices and factory conditions.
… I have faced a few issues with the customers I must admit. As most of my items are customizable to fit all body types. Even if I have the size chart for them to be compared with but this does not seem to be cleared until now;) Another challenging aspect is shipping. We can’t say the exact date of the delivery time which is something I’m trying to improve.
… Etsy is a great lifestyle. I like it very much. Still get to know so many beautiful things and other sellers. TO be honest was not thinking run a shop for many years, but now it is my daily routine also after 7 years. I am not stressed, as I like what I do.
… I want all my knits to be sustainable, so I only use odd ends of leftover yarns or thrift yarns. This means all my knits are really yarn lead because I don’t get a choice in what I use! I encourage anyone using my patterns to use up their old ends of yarn instead of leaving them in a cupboard somewhere! It’s a really fun way to be more sustainable and get creative with what is already there.
… By far, my custom engraved wood guitar picks sell the best. I also sell other items such as bowls, vases, pocket knives, cutting boards, and more. But guitar picks have made up 70% of my sales for the past 7 years I’ve been doing this full time. My best seller has over 70 different wood types ranging from my backyard to all over the world.