How artshop77 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?
In 2011, we started to paint more and more watercolor and acrylic paintings, mostly landscapes and cityscapes and were looking for platforms to sell them online, as we were not happy with the options to sell them locally or via local stores. We always loved to travel and experience cities, views, and landscapes. During these travels or at home, we were trying to encapsulate these memories, moods, spirits, and encounters into art and get them onto our walls at home. As we saw the positive reactions to these artworks of cities like New York or Munich, beach landscapes and scenery from the Caribbean, or little towns around the Mediterranean, we just kept going and tried to get better and better.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
It is always interesting to see which paintings perform better than others. Sometimes we are really surprised at how fast certain new artworks rise to fame and get sales, while others take longer. Here are our favorites:
Munich is our home town. We love this place and view because, first, it is the bustling market place of Munich, where tourists and locals are shopping together and enjoying the time. At the same time, it is the place where you can view several Munich landmarks, and for those you can't, we have added a signpost.
Saint Lucia was an incredible experience during a journey through the Caribbean. Unforgettable, when seeing the Pitons, is the amazing view of these peaks and their combination with absolute dream beaches—a true Caribbean dream.
Nice France—who has been there?—no words are needed, just enjoy.
As I have been looking at maps but also painting maps of cities for a very long time, it is a very exciting and interesting twist in life to now do maps as a piece of art. Again, it is all about discovering the soul of a place and a city, combining it with reality such as roads, borders, landmarks, and architecture, and creating a piece that truly represents the inner self of a place. These maps are never finished, as it is all about getting closer and closer to your inner self.
The Teide Volcano in Tenerife, Spain, is massive, and so are the likes of this artwork; it is our most popular piece.
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 took quite a while. We nearly gave up when, during a journey through the Caribbean, a friend mentioned Etsy and recommended we give it another try. So, it was like fate and coincidence. Now we rely on more than coincidence. We try to attract customers to our Etsy shop through social media.
Managing artshop77
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?
We at artshop77 are two creative minds. We rely on Etsy seller tools. Etsy does not offer shipping labels for Europe, so it is a continuous process to evaluate the best shipping options for our customers, especially in a climate of astronomically exploding shipping costs.
The future of artshop77
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
Continue to grow, Be inspired by our clients; add new products. Keep getting better; create exciting new artwork.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
Just start and keep adding new pieces. Don´t expect your sales to skyrocket from day 1.
