Etsy Seller Interview with Stacey of Aquilajewellery

How Aquilajewellery 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 Etsy shop started with a burning desire to combine two lifelong passions: travel and jewelry. A few years ago, I stumbled across a dusty silversmithing village in Indonesia and watched some local artisans create rings and bracelets using a native skill called jawan." I walked away knowing I had to do something with this experience. A year later I returned to the village and began working with the local artisans to create a small range of rings, designed by me, inspired by places I had either lived or traveled to, and influenced by the beautiful filigree work that I had seen them practicing. I knew that Etsy would be the best place to start my venture, having been a customer for many years. And so the journey began!

Favorite items

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

Kerala: Our flagship! I feel it really shows off the intricacy and craftsmanship of the skill at the heart of our shop, Jawan.

Our best seller online! Simpleness is a winner.

A new addition, the Ubud pendant, takes inspiration from the mountainous town of Ubud, Bali, where temples, shrines, and terraced rice paddies cover the green landscape and spirituality fills the air.

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?

I think it took a couple of weeks of tweaking, competitor research, and optimizing my listings before a sale came through. I remember a little tear when it did! I now use EtsyAds to bolster my sales. Jewelry is a competitive sector on Etsy, so I find this really helps.

Managing Aquilajewellery

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 manage it all myself. Since starting on Etsy, I have been able to open a physical shop too, in Brighton,  shop too, in Brighton, UK, and so the orders are dispatched from there. The main tool I found useful is Vela; it's really helpful when bulk-editing listings! Also, I couldn't live without my Dymo XL Label Printer—very efficient and professional!

The future of Aquilajewellery

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

I am currently working on expanding my range and seeking some expertise on optimizing my listings. There are people out there that do this for a living, and as I also have a physical shop and now a website too, I’ve learned to lean on those who have mastered something rather than trying to do it all myself!

Advice for new sellers

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

Have patience; it takes time to be recognized and to build authority, just like it does on Google. Tweak your listings regularly, ask customers for feedback, and be prepared to adapt accordingly. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people who have already mastered something. Most people love to share their knowledge!