How AzilesCoPlanners 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?

Hello! I’m Elizabeth, the owner of AzilesCo Planners, where I design and sell printable planning tools that focus on home organization and self-care. My Etsy story began in 2021, after I moved to Italy with my husband and realized it wasn’t going to be easy for me to get a job in this new country. In the beginning, I panicked a bit, but then I decided I wasn’t going to stay still and started looking for a way to create my own source of income.

I found a video about Etsy and started researching more about it. After a couple of months, I uploaded my first listing, a Valentine's Day-related product, but I didn't yet know how the platform worked, so I ended up with no profits in the first few months. Later on, I decided to pivot my product line and started creating planners, as it was something I needed myself to organize my new business, new home, new routine, etc. As my shop grows, my products are expanding to include printables that my customers can use in many areas of their lives. The journey hasn’t been easy; I started from scratch and I’m still learning about SEO, graphic design, and other skills that will help me offer better products as time goes on.

Favorite items

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

My favorite items at the moment are the houseplant care planner and the dog care planner. These sell very well, and it makes me happy when I read the reviews highlighting how helpful they are for first-time pet owners or plant lovers!

House Plants Care Planner Printable Plant Care Journal House - Etsy Italy
Printable Dog Care Journal Pet Planner Dog Mum Planner Dog - Etsy Italy

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?

Luckily, my first sale took only 2 weeks after getting my shop up and running! As it was a seasonal product, it sold a couple of times close to that holiday. I occasionally use Pinterest to promote my products, but I’m proud to say that I get a lot of sales from repeat customers and people who find my shop thanks to someone else’s recommendation.

Managing AzilesCoPlanners

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 the store by myself—I research products to create, design the planners, update my shop, manage customer service, and keep an eye on what’s going well and what needs to be improved. I use Canva and some Adobe programs to design and list my products, Alura and Erank for keyword searching, and Pinterest to promote my work.

The future of AzilesCoPlanners 

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

I have a lot of ideas in mind! At the moment, I’m working on improving the products I already have in my shop according to customer suggestions. I’m constantly learning new skills, such as how to use different planning tools that would allow me to expand my shop by offering digital planners, Notion planners, and more.

Advice for new sellers

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

  • Practice, practice, practice Your products will get better if you keep practicing new skills.
  • Don’t compare yourself to others with thousands of sales; they also started from scratch, and every journey is different.
  • Consistency is key. Dedicate some time every day to work towards your business goals.
  • Listen to your customers and take their feedback into account to improve your offer.
  • Create products you enjoy making.

Take one step at a time, enjoy the process, and learn from it. It can be slow at first, but don’t give up. Instead of stressing over it, look for areas of improvement, find new skills to learn, and ask for feedback. Those sales will come! Enjoy the process! Be patient and keep learning!

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: My profit is about 95% of the revenue

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 4.2%

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.