Etsy Seller Interview with Jennifer of boticadiosa

How boticadiosa 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?

I have been an Etsy consumer for years. I spent most of my leisure money on supporting fellow witches on the site. In the run-up to Halloween 2019, I was with my then-coven, performing some rituals, when it occurred to me that it might be fun to offer some of the products and services I already offered to friends and family for free on Etsy. I began by offering sprays and divination services and chose to open my shop on November 11, 2019, which was my Abuela's birthday. At first, this was just a hobby shop, but as I began to receive orders and started making other products like bath salts, soaps, candles, bracelets, etc., I realized how much I missed devoting myself to my craft and working on creative pursuits.

During this time, I was a successful realtor and worked a part-time government job, so I was working over 80 hours a week and was experiencing full burnout. When COVID hit, I was slowly working to make my Etsy shop my full-time pursuit, but getting sick catapulted me into just going for it, and I haven't looked back since. Etsy has given me the opportunity to make a living while taking care of my poor health, and I am much happier not being in a constant state of burnout.

When I first began selling on Etsy, I tried a bit of everything to find out what sold best and what I enjoyed making the most. Over the past three years, I have started focusing on candles, bracelets, oils, and sprays. Although I still enjoy making other jewelry and bath products, I don't have enough space to pursue all the things I want to make. I source my crystal materials from fellow Etsy sellers, and I have reputable suppliers for my natural soy wax and clean scent fragrance oils. The botanicals I don't grow myself are purchased locally or from other Etsy sellers.

Favorite items

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

My current favorites are my Aurora Tiger’s Eye Bracelet, which is just gorgeous, and I feel like aesthetically it represents the vibe of my shop. And Tiger’s Eye is one of the crystals that has so many varying metaphysical properties that I think it’s a must-have for everyone. I’m also really loving this ruby and garnet bracelet. Ruby is just stunning, and I think the combination with the garnet is not only aesthetically pleasing but also not one I see very often.

One of my favorite candles is my Negroni Sbagliato Prosecco candle. I created this fragrance back when Emma D’Arcy was going viral for saying it was her favorite drink. It is a custom fragrance that no one else has, and I wish you could smell it through the screen because it’s honestly the best-smelling candle I’ve ever smelled. I sold a lot over the holidays in person, but unfortunately, it hasn’t sold as well on Etsy. This is one I really thought would be a hit. Another candle I really love is my Healing Intention Candle. It’s honestly so beautiful to look at, and it smells heavenly. And it has amazing energy. It’s one of my favorites because I use flowers from the myrtle tree outside my bedroom window to top it.

 And finally, I am really digging my new Aphrodite Intention Spray. It’s a mix of floral, vanilla, and fruit and is great as a body mist. There is also an oil roller version for those who want a more concentrated scent.

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 received my first sale just over a week after opening my shop in November 2019. It was from a fellow Etsy seller that I had previously ordered from, and soon after, I got two sales from friends. My first sale to a stranger was on December 30th of the same year. To attract customers to my shop, I focused on improving my SEO and enhancing my product photos in the beginning.

Initially, since my shop was just a hobby, I didn't get on social media until August of 2020, when I started working on it full time. I created an Instagram account that I posted on sporadically and a Pinterest account that I never really used. Despite this, my shop did really well in 2020 and 2021. However, as sales began dropping for everyone in 2022, I improved my social media strategy and even started using TikTok.

I found that Pinterest is the platform that brings in the majority of my social media traffic, but TikTok has been a more enjoyable form of advertising. While providing good customer service and producing quality products have been key to growing my shop on Etsy, consistent marketing and getting my products out there have also played a significant role.

Managing boticadiosa

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?

As of now, I run my shop completely solo. My dining room table is used for my photography, and my guest room is where I make my candles and store all of my inventory. I use a combination of Target bookshelves and cube shelves to store everything. For my shipping area, I have my old sewing table set up with clear, stackable, open-faced bins to hold different supplies so I can easily grab whatever I need for orders. I recycle everything I can. Candle Science's packing peanuts always get saved and used before the fancy paper fill for boxes. Any bubble wrap I save gets used before the ones I purchase. In the summer, I use reflective bubble wrap that blocks heat to keep candles and soap from melting. And in my bedroom, I have an area set up for making my bracelets, along with my desk area.

As for the apps and tools I use for my shop, here are what I think are must-haves for all sellers:

Avery: Their site is great for taking my label designs and putting them on their templates for home printing.
Canva Pro: the free version is great, but I do love Canva Pro because I can make one design and then resize it for all the different social media platforms. It also allows you to post to most social media sites directly from the design. And the brand kit is such a timesaver for me.
eRank: This is my main SEO tool for keyword research, tracking changes to my listings, seeing what’s been spotted on Etsy, and tracking competitor sales.
HP Instant Ink: the ink in these printers lasts forever, and you pay for a certain number of pages per month, with unused pages getting rolled over. They send out replacement ink automatically, so you don’t have to think about it. I use my printer for my shipping labels, packing receipts, postcards, and labels. I’ve had the same printer since 2018, and it still works great.
Photoshop: I have been using it for years, so I find editing to be easier in here.
Premiere Pro: This is what I use for editing video content.
Quickbooks Self-Employed: I love being able to upload receipts and track mileage. And when it's tax time, it sends all of your information to TurboTax. And if you are using a CPA, you can get summaries made up to make it easier.

The future of boticadiosa

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

My primary goal for my Etsy shop is to continue its growth. I plan on finishing my garage and converting it into a dedicated workspace, which will give me more room to make more items. In the next year or two, I would like to hire someone to assist me with photography and social media, two areas of my business that take up a lot of time that I could better spend creating items.

Looking into the future, I would also love to open a storefront. Having a separate area for processing online orders would streamline my business and create a physical space for customers to connect with my products. While these goals will take time, I am dedicated to the growth of my shop and am excited about its future.

Advice for new sellers

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

To do your research. Product research, keyword research, market research, etc. Ensure there is demand for your product and that your SEO is on point. Keep working to make things better. My product photos now are so much better than they were when I started. Great product photos can make or break your shop. And I recommend that you always keep trying to learn and grow. And have great customer service. I have been an Etsy star seller consecutively every month since it launched, and I have not done a single thing different in my business. Stay on top of messages and set away messages or auto messages if you need time away. Communicate clearly with your buyers. Use the shipping profiles to ensure your processing times are correct. Ship items on time. And take the time to thank your buyers with a message after they order.

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

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: My shop’s conversion rate is 1.4%.