How Ambienoise 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?
I (Tara) was teaching veterinary medicine at a college in the Bay Area when I was put in charge of the necropsy lab (a necropsy being an autopsy on anything other than humans (Latin-based words). I was in charge of the master demo rat. One of the tasks was removing the skin of the rat, which I did successfully and quickly! My colleague came up to me in the lab and told me that I was skilled and that perhaps I should consider skinning and taxidermy as a profession. Because I’m highly suggestible, I said okay, but the thing is, where do I get the animals?
During my time in the veterinary field, I’ve worked with many shelters and was deeply saddened by the animals in dumpsters. The unclaimed, hit by cars, etc. I told myself if I were to pursue taxidermy, I would only use animals that died either naturally, by being hit by a car (as natural as you can get sometimes), by humane (medically indicated) euthanasia, or by vintage "trash" taxidermy—all destined for the trashcan or incinerator. I take these animals, all thrown away and discarded, and I give them new life.
I, unfortunately, injured my back while taking care of live animals and providing medical care to live animals, both pets and feral. Due to my injury, I can now focus primarily on taking care of animals post-mortem. Giving each of these animals a name, care, life, love, respect, and above all else—a family. I needed an artist-friendly site to sell my critters on, so I listed my first creation on Etsy. After the first animal was sold, I put that money towards compensation for a friend who collected discarded animals for me, and I had damaged old taxidermy sent to me by family and more. It was a lot of little things that snowballed into a successful Etsy shop. I gave it a shot due to Etsy's low posting fees, and I stuck with it because that is where people seemed to find me most.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
I do love my soft mounts a lot; they are fun to make and have such personality. My highest-selling item is my ermine slap bracelet
Queen Cleasel was the first receiver of an ermine slap bracelet and many other ermine creations of mine, and the attention I received from her followers and random Facebook group people has led to many more sales.
They are quite fun to make, and I’m proud to say someone even wore them to her wedding! They have gotten a lot of attention for something I made on a whim, thinking it would never take off. Now I’ve sold close to 10 pairs, if not more at this point. I’ve sold to friends, family, celebrities, and strangers—some of whom have become great friends of mine. I’m proud to share my art with anyone.
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?
It did not take long for me to get my first sale on Etsy. I believe it was within the first month of listing that I made my first sale. I did nothing to attract the first few sales, relying purely on Etsy promotion and advertising services. After a while, once my art started taking off, I made an Instagram account, a Facebook page, etc., and started posting new pictures of my creations. I post critters sometimes to taxidermy forums, but I do no active advertising.
Managing Ambienoise
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?
Rick prices items and does the active selling, both online and at art fairs, while Tara focuses on the animal side and the creative side of the shop. I make sure Rick does not overprice anything so as not to exploit these animals; just cover costs. Rick handles the shipping and handling, relying on USPS flat rates for the majority of sales. Tara focuses on making sure the animals are ready for their new homes.
The future of Ambienoise
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
Tara hopes to one day be in an official gallery or open her own gallery space, showcase, or boutique. There are actions being taken towards this goal. Otherwise, Tara’s intentions for the shop continue to be to provide loving homes to forgotten and discarded creatures.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
List anything and everything. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. A full shop looks better than a few items and no reviews. Focus on customer care and satisfaction and keep open communication with your customers. Be friendly and honest; your patrons will recognize this effort. Treat them like dear friends of yours. Remember, these people are not just buying something from Etsy; they are promoting and supporting your art and future career.
Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.
Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Roughly $100-$2000
Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: Roughly 70-86%
Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: I do little advertising; most traffic is due to Etsy marketing and my own promotion. Approximately 70% of lookers end up buying something over $20.
