Etsy Seller Interview with Sue of allthatglitzandglam1

How allthatglitzandglam1 got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

My name is Sue, and my shop is All That Glitz and Glam (1 at the end when searching on Etsy). I sell costume jewelry and accessories, mainly keychains, bag charms, and wineglass charms. I started my shop back in 2016, just after I had taken voluntary redundancy and decided to have a work break before returning to work. I had the luxury of a nine-month break, and it was during this time that I set up my shop and started advertising some of the items I had been making. Before my redundancy, I had already started making jewelry for myself and had made keyrings for family members. I had so many ideas swirling around my head for different designs, and I really enjoyed experimenting with the stock I had purchased. It seemed like a logical next step to find a platform where I could sell my work. At the time, I had never heard of Etsy and had set up a Facebook page. An old school friend contacted me to tell me about Etsy, as she also had a store on their platform. Now I'm back working full time, and after work each day, I start making orders or designing new items. I must say, I find it totally relaxing and addictive. The rest is history.

I spend hours looking at new stock and making my purchases from various suppliers online. I also try to keep up with current trends, but honestly, I don't put all my focus on this, as not everyone wants what is currently 'trendy'.  My mom always says, "Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we were all the same?" So I try to be eclectic in my designs. It's very easy to just design to your own tastes, but in my eyes, it's also a mistake.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

This is a really hard question to answer when you have over 400 items to choose from. Currently, one of my favorite items is the True Crime keyring or car accessory, seeing as I'm hooked on all the TV programs. Although it is listed as a large Keyring, it also comes with a chain adaptor so it can be attached to the central mirror in your car, and there are 3 options to choose from.

Earring-wise, I'm rather partial to the Freeform Midnight Blue Earrings, which have a classy, simplistic look about them.

I love working with black haematite beads; I just love the feel of them, and although I have a few haematite necklaces listed, this is currently my favorite. I often think that my photography skills don't do my jewelry items any justice; it's really quite hard to get a decent picture!

One Bagcharm that has stood the test of time in my store is what I lovingly call the "big shoe" and has been one of my best sellers over the years. I think that's because it is quite quirky and also has a shoe quote on it, so it appeals to all those shoe lovers out there.

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

My first sale took around 3 weeks, and for the first 9 months, I was getting about 4 sales a month. Even now, I don't have massive amounts of sales, as I also work full-time, but this is manageable for me. When I first started selling on Etsy, I had visions of receiving multiple orders and being run off my feet. The reality is that it takes a lot of hard work to get noticed, and you need to constantly chip away at it.

I use Facebook and Instagram to attract customers to my Etsy Store. When using Facebook, I also link my sales to local small business groups and craft selling sites.

In the lead-up to Christmas, people on these sites will request specific themed gifts for friends and family. For example, one person was looking for bee-themed gifts. So I was able to link my bee-themed items. I have had quite a number of sales this way!

Another way that I pull sales to my store is by searching for them on Etsy; this way, I can see where they are in the search. If I have to scroll down too much, then I go into the item and tweak the listing titles, and then I repeat the search about 3 days later to see if it has moved up the ratings.

I don't pay for advertising on Etsy, Facebook, or Instagram. I find it eats away at your profit. Now I am in a position where I have repeat customers. This year, my sales have dropped, but looking at the comments on Etsy's Facebook pages, everyone is in the same boat. As people have less spare money at the moment due to the hike in utility bills.

Managing allthatglitzandglam1

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment? 

I'm a one-man band. I do everything from sourcing the stock, designing, photographing, listing items, posting them out, and dealing with customer inquiries. I tend to do everything on my phone, just for convenience. From sourcing stock, which I mentioned previously.

The design part is all in my head, and like everything in life, sometimes I'm happy with what I have designed, and other times it just doesn't look right and won't make it to my store.

The photography is literally a work in progress. I'm not a photographer, and it's been a massive learning curve. I have chopped and changed methods and apps just to get a decent photo. I'm relatively happy with how my keyrings and bag charms now turn out, but getting a decent photo of jewelry is a whole different ballgame. I've made some lovely pieces of jewelry, and the camera just doesn't do them justice! Once again, I used my phone's camera.

I also use a range of different apps and equipment. Just to get a couple of decent pictures.

I purchased a light box about 2 years ago, and this was a game changer. Now I couldn't do without it.

Once I have a couple of decent images, I then upload them to Fotofuze. Fotofuze is free as long as you link it to your Etsy account. I love Fotofuze, and it is so easy to use. You literally highlight the item and clickfinish, and it gives you a crisp background in either white or black. This is then downloaded back to my phone gallery. It's the phone software that I use to do any editing; sometimes the color bleeds out a little, so I use the color palette on the software to tweak it.

If I want to add multiple photos to one image, I use either Photo Collage Maker or Collage Maker Grid Art. These are both freeware items that can be downloaded from the Play Store. Like all of the software mentioned, you can subscribe and upgrade for more features.

Postage-wise, the most useful kit is a set of digital kitchen scales. This makes sure there are no nasty shocks once you get to the post office.

I suppose I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to post; I like to handwrite my envelopes, as I think it gives a personal touch and also a reminder that you are selling handmade items and not something that has been churned out on a production line. All of my items arrive in a gift bag, with the necklaces presented in an organza gift bag. I also send out a flat-pack pillow gift box.

I answer messages as quickly as I can. I still think there is a lot of anxiety around online purchases; after all, customers are paying up front for goods! I find that getting back to the customer as soon as possible goes a long way. Especially if their goods are delayed in transit for whatever reason. Keeping an open dialogue until the item arrives gives the customer confidence that the service you provide doesn't end once it goes into the post box.

I never ask my customers to post a review! I have myself been a customer on Etsy and, on a couple of occasions, been pestered to make a review. I don't ever go back for repeat orders when this happens, as I find it off-putting. If customers want to leave you a review (good or bad), they will.

The future of allthatglitzandglam1 

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

Just really to keep doing what I'm doing. You never know what the future holds, so I just like to live in the moment. As long as I still enjoy what I'm doing and the ideas keep coming, I will carry on.

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Be prepared to work hard and have a lot of determination. Use negative reviews and feedback to your advantage. If a customer isn't happy with a product, message them and ask them why they were disappointed so that you can improve your product.