How ArktosArt 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 Sophia, and I run my Etsy shop, ‘ArktosArt, with my husband, Andreas. We are based in Thessaloniki, Greece. We opened our Etsy shop in 2012, looking for a nice, cool place to sell on line.Etsy was in its early years back then, and it was a very warm and welcoming place to sell handmade crafts. It also looked so beautiful and original. I was taken with it, and we started our Etsy shop, 'ArktosArt'. In the beginning, we only sold our very own produced stuff, such as pottery and jewelry, but to help the shop take off, we started collaborating with other artists too. Now we also make many different art objects. Clocks, key rings, charms, various sculptures, etc. We still love making pottery most of all, but keeping a local shop and working on line all day does not help much to make ceramics, so whenever we get the chance, we are grateful.

Favorite items

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

Boy girl clock, brass children figures with brass tree clock, blue wooden clock with brass dial and brass figurines
Seated couple figures, brass sculptures of sitting couple, little figure sculptures perched on shelf, oxidised brass tiny figurines
Double silver hoops, swirly brushed hoops, medium swirly hoops, hipster sterling hoops, dangle hoop earrings, avant garde curly hoops
Tricolor tic tac toe sculpture, noughts and crosses set with cube pawns, high fire, stoneware clay tictactoe in three colours
Stoneware blue eye sculpture, high fire Greek ceramics, turquoise blue and white eye
Jasper worry beads, red jasper beads in brick red and sterling silver Greek worry beads, oval red jasper beads and silver mala, prayer beads

These are some of my favorite items in our shop. Not all sell well, but they are quite special, original, and quite representative of our shop, I think.

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 sold my first item about a month after we opened our Etsy shop; it was a small mermaid sculpture inspired by Greek folk art. I was so happy to hear the Chaching sound and get the champagne glasses email! I couldn’t believe it! It was my start, and I never looked back!

Managing ArktosArt

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 my shop with my husband and collaborator, Andreas. I answer all emails, listings, etc. He manages accounting and logistics. He also makes almost all the ceramics in the shop. I make all the jewelry, charms, etc. We prepare shipping together. We ship with standard mail or express. I also do all the promotion, and it is mostly on Instagram; our page is @arktosart_.

The future of ArktosArt

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

More effortless sales It is so hard to compete with the millions of shops on Etsy nowadays! The work is more for less sales probably.Etsy is a great marketplace, but it's getting harder and harder to be seen there.

Advice for new sellers

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

A new seller should create a shop with great service, top-notch photos and listings, do a lot of promoting, and take care of details like handwritten ‘thank you’ notes, swift shipping, always being there for your customers, etc.

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.