Etsy Seller Interview with Véronique of BohoStones

How BohoStones 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?

Hi ! My name is Véronique, and I am the jeweller of Boho Stones, a French jewellery brand. We offer fine and timeless jewellery, handcrafted with quality materials such as gold-filled and sterling silver. Our universe is distinguished by clean lines, combining metal work with the beauty of precious stones. Our goal is to sublimate women with everyday jewels, simplicity, and elegance.

From the beginning, I have always loved jewellery and the creative arts. I sincerely believe that this profession has always been predestined for me. I remember myself as a child looking at my grandmother's jewellery box. When I was older, I was amazed by the giant trays of pearls that I received for my birthday. So when I discovered that I could make my own jewellery, I couldn't resist. From there, Boho Stones was born in 2014.

Firstly, out of passion, I made my first jewellery thanks to some tutorials found on Pinterest. In September 2014, I created my first jewellery brand with an ethnic and raw style: Precious Spell. Two months later, I quickly realised that this style did not suit me, and I decided to create a new jewellery brand, this time with a delicate style: Boho Stones. To sell my first creations in parallel to my studies, I immediately chose Etsy as a platform. This allowed me to test my products and find buyers from all over the world very easily. It got so big that I finally decided to be a full-time jeweller after raduating five yyears ago.

In my mind, the need to slow down was felt. To take the time to create and to work with my hands. I make all my jewellery in my workshop in the south of France. Each of them is made to order and offers many customization options. Self-taught, my curiosity grew over time, and I never stopped learning new techniques. Either through online training, video content, or physical courses with other designers. Boho Stones is above all a human-scale project, born from a passion for jewellery and creation. A brand dreamed up with the heart A project that grows and evolves at my own pace.

Favorite items

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

One of my favourite pieces of jewellery is my flower-engraved necklace. First of all because I love wearing disc necklaces, but above all because this bouquet of flowers represents me a lot: softness and elegance. This is a unique flower design, which I drew myself and then engraved on a metal punch. This is one of the creations of which I am most proud.

Then, I recently created my very first fine cuffs and I LOVED it! They are super lightweight and go great with any look. I like to be able to accumulate them according to my desires. They also represent my universe very well—thin and easy to accumulate.

And finally, I really like my bamboo ring, with its beautiful engraved texture. It is a thin ring that is engraved with several lines, which gives it a very luminous, textured look.

These three creations sell well because they are both discrete and timeless. Whether it's this flower necklace or other engraved jewellery, they are very popular during the holiday season or for Mother's Day. These are jewels that are easy to offer.

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?

My first order on Etsy arrived very quickly because I opened my shop at the end of November 2014. The holiday season helped a lot to get my name out there. Sales have then continued to increase over the years, although the last two years have been more difficult due to the current economic context.

To attract new customers to my shop, I always try to put myself in my customers' shoes. In particular by offering them clear and harmonious product listings, to give them confidence. Then I also give a lot of importance to the referencing of my listings and update them regularly. In addition to that, I create new collections every year to renew the interest of my buyers. I also try to have impeccable customer service, which is then reflected in my customer reviews. So new people who want to order from my shop know that they can do it with confidence.

Managing BohoStones

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?

At the moment, I'm the only one working for Boho Stones. I take care of all the sub-businesses that a shop can generate because I love to learn and vary my daily life. I don't use any specific tools to manage my Etsy shop other than Etsy's dashboard. I use Erank occasionally to update the tags on my product listings and see current trends.

The future of BohoStones

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

My main goal is to continue to live out my passion for many years to come. To always have fun creating new jewellery, and why not expand my team? Formerly a Parisian, I am new to the south of France and would love to open my first physical store here. Ideally, it would be a workshop or boutique in which I could both work and sell my creations.

Advice for new sellers

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

If you want to get started on Etsy or in entrepreneurship in general, my only advice would be to go for it. Go for it! The more questions we ask ourselves, the more we try to make our project perfect, and the fewer chances our project has to be born. Go for it, have fun, learn, fail, get up, and you will see that it will surely be one of the best experiences of your life!

And if you have already started, then focus first on the quality of your creations, the beauty of your photos, and the relevance of your SEO. If you work well on these three points, then you will have great sales to come.