[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message]Niche : Personalized Design
Shop link : https://www.etsy.com/shop/genwoodycom
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/genwoody_/[/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…
Hello, I am Fırat. Yes, I am an artist 🙂 I started this story by making wooden toys for myself in a workshop at a young age. I am a crafter.
How did you discover Etsy? Did you have any previous experience in selling handmade products? Why did you start selling online?
I discovered Etsy as a result of my research. I was doing my sales in a local shop before. I started selling online during the pandemic process.
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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 use natural wood in our products. We use natural materials such as walnut wood, beechwood, beeswax, and olive oil. What makes our products stand out is that they are 100% handmade and natural.
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?
Of course, I had a master. After years of apprenticeship, I completed my own development.
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?
The pandemic process forced me to sell online. Sales in Turkey reached my goal, I wanted to open abroad and saw that the optimum location of the Etsy handmade products is sold. that’s why I run a full-time sale on Etsy.
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?
I didn’t have any fear. Even if I didn’t sell, I had nothing to lose. Those who do not buy my products lose 🙂
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?
I made my first sale 1 week after installing the product.
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?
Apart from Etsy, there are sites where I sell online locally. My day passes by producing in my workshop.
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?
Our products are ready before ordering. I and my colleagues are producing in the workshop all day. Currently, our best selling product is the train.
What is the biggest impact on the profitability of your shop? How expensive are the materials you use? How do you price your products?
Since the materials we use are natural wood, they are a bit expensive. But our main raw material is manual labor. We make a price to compensate for this, but it is still quite affordable.
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?
Since we produce products for children, I always try to keep my inner child alive.
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 internationally. Since our product prices are cheap, we have to reflect the shipping cost to the buyer. Since our products are ready in stock, we ship them the day the order arrives or the next day.
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?
I’m glad they are competitors. It increases product quality and forces us to produce better quality products. We draw attention to the products with photos that better reflect the products.
How do you deal with disputes or bad ratings/feedback? How do you manage presale and post-sale communication and customer satisfaction?
We take into account all the demands and suggestions of our customers and develop ourselves according to these demands.
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?
I haven’t had any problems with selling on Etsy yet. Selling on Etsy showed that I need to have a wider range of products.
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?
I haven’t started using social media actively yet. I am currently not running ads on any platform.
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?
There is no negative feature that I can say for now.
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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 are not considered successful yet, we are still struggling and working.
What piece of advice would you give to new or established sellers or those considering selling on Etsy? How can they avoid beginner mistakes?
Don’t be afraid to try to make mistakes.
Anything you wish to add, feel free to do so here. We value your opinion
Thank you for the report.
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