[vc_row][vc_column][vc_message bb_tab_container=””]Niche : Personalized Design
Shop link : https://www.etsy.com/shop/hunnigukshop
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/hunniguk[/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…
Ever since I was young I’ve been an entrepreneur. It started with a small lemonade stand when I was 5 Years old and eventually grew to me opening up my own Etsy shop as a high school student. In 2019 I became a huge fan of a k-pop group called BTS. I decided to purchase some BTS merchandise but realized that it looked like everyone else’s. My mind is always thinking about how I can make something prettier or more of “my style”. I started by hand cutting out stickers and sticking them onto my merchandise. Eventually some of my friends who were also fans got really interested and wanted me to make stickers for there Merchandise. I got more and more demands And I later then purchased a sticker cutter came up with more sticker designs. Then, on July 10th I opened my Etsy shop. I didn’t think anyone would purchase but after putting in hard work perfecting my shop and instagram people started to purchase. Originally I wanted to draw stickers for bullet journals but the cost of making them were more expensive then the stickers I am currently selling. For now i’m just trying to grow my shop as much as I can and eventually I will pursue my goal of selling digitally drawn stickers for bullet journals. I would call myself an artist Because all of my designs are created by me. And that is my story !
How did you discover Etsy? Did you have any previous experience in selling handmade products? Why did you start selling online?
When I was in elementary school a craft called “slime” was very popular and trendy. My mom opened an Etsy for me that she managed. I would make the slimes and ship them to anyone who ordered. I would post videos on instagram and told my followers that I sold my products on Etsy. I made over $500 on just slime alone as a small 11 year old with my moms help of course. That journey has now passed and I have closed that Etsy shop. I began to miss creating products for people and making my own money so on July 10th I opened a sticker shop on Etsy and I’m currently selling decal for BTS Merchandise. But I hope to expand my inventory and products in the future. I really enjoy Etsy it makes it easy for young entrepreneurs Like me and people with dreams to sell their handmade products.
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?
I sell decal stickers for BTS merchandise. The stickers are holographic opal with a BTS members name. They are great for anyone who wants to decorate there merchandise or surface with their favorite members name on it. I have different names and graphics you can choose from. All of my designs are my own and are cut out on a Cricut Machine. My products stand out because they are made by a BTS fan for BTS fans.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”100001378″ img_size=”737×737″ onclick=”link_image” css_animation=”appear” bb_tab_container=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”100001377″ img_size=”737×737″ onclick=”link_image” css_animation=”appear” bb_tab_container=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”100001376″ img_size=”737×737″ onclick=”link_image” css_animation=”appear” bb_tab_container=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
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 have always loved art, drawing and basically anything creative. I’m a huge researcher so I would watch videos on how to make homemade stickers and how to digitally draw on YouTube. After finding the right programs and materials I was able to perfect my sticker designs. I am definitely self-taught And it has taken over 5 years to find my art style and interests.
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 original goal starting up my shop was to make digital drawn stickers for bullet journals, but the costs of ink and online programs were way over budget. But I still wanted to sell stickers and products for k-pop fans So I found a way to make stickers for BTS merchandise. I would consider it a extra income to help me save up for college so I can go to art college and hopefully Pursue my Dream of becoming a digital animator.
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 was worried that no one would buy my products because it is catered towards one fan base. Eventually I realized how much of a demand products like what I sell were and it gave me hope.
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 just started up my Etsy so I can’t be exact with goals but from how my current sales are going I believe I will do very well this year. I make about 3 sales a day at the moment but then again it has been about a week for me. It wasn’t hard to make my first sale because I was able to bring in some sales from followers I have on instagram.
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?
Since I am a full time student and an athlete I don’t have much time to spare. I study for 2-3 hours a day not including going to school online for about 5 hours a day and studying Foreign language for an hour. I then have an hour soccer practice 3 times a week. But the extra time I do have i use for my business. The spare time is usually during nighttime so I don’t go to sleep until after 12am.
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?
I pre-make a batch of my non-customizable stickers before the week starts. But for my customizable stickers I write them in my planner and make them when I have spare time during the day. I then package all of the orders once the products are made and ship them out that day or the day after.
What is the biggest impact on the profitability of your shop? How expensive are the materials you use? How do you price your products?
I try to keep my material costs as low as possible so I Purchase them in bulk. My most expensive material is the actual vinyl that the stickers are cut out from. But I feel like my products are priced very well.
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?
Luckily my products have one theme which it a BTS members name, but for designing the art around the name I just get the ideas when I listen to there music.
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?
I do ship internationally! Since k-pop specifically BTS is Korean, a lot of my customers are Korean fans who are looking to decorate there merchandise. I also get a lot of orders from fans who are not able to buy k-pop merchandise in there country. International shipping is 3 dollars because stickers are cheap to ship out internationally. I have free shipping for anyone who lives in the United States because that’s where I live, so stamped mail is only a few cents to ship. I ship my products in first class stamped mail or first class stamped international mail. I package my products in waterproof envelopes that aren’t easy to bend so your product is safe.
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 standout?
I am not! I feel like Etsy is such a creative platform that everyone’s product is different from each other so my product is completely different compared to other sellers.
How do you deal with disputes or bad ratings/feedback? How do you manage presale and post-sale communication and customer satisfaction?
I haven’t had any bad feedback so I haven’t had to deal with thing like that yet. But I have my shop policies printed in my announcements on my Etsy shop so customers know what my policies are. If customers have questions about a product or if checkout isn’t working for them they can email me or contact me directly on Etsy.
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?
It definitely has! It’s taught me skills that most teenagers my age probably haven’t learned yet. And yes manufacturing products that are created by you is always hard to keep up with especially if customers are asking for more designs and products but I doesn’t stress me out it gives me ideas for new 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?
At the moment I am focusing on Etsy and eventually I will create an instagram for my shop but for now I share my products on my k-pop bullet journaling instagram that has an audience that is interested in 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 customer satisfaction?
I think the biggest complaint from international customers, it is hard for them to get there currency converted through Etsy check out and they frequently have to ask me for help.
What are some things you did to set your shop for success on Etsy? What is one lesson you learned the hard way?
I started an Etsy ad campaign and that has been bringing in customers to my shop and people who might be interested in my products.
What piece of advice would you give to new or established sellers or those considering selling on Etsy? How can they avoid beginner mistakes?
Anyone can start an Etsy shop no matter how old you are or what creative product you want to sell, you just need to be confident and ready to put in hard work. Make sure your products are presentable and professional. Make sure your shop is trusted and welcoming so more people are interested!
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
