How BraveMoonman 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 shop name is Brave Moonman. I began selling on Etsy in 2006 under my personal name, and then in 2007 I started this shop. I was originally making and selling hand-sewn coin purses in the shape of old-school cassette tapes. I changed direction in about 2013 when I burned out on sewing and started doing art based on the logo I had created for the shop, a cartoon astronaut with a cat sidekick. That eventually developed into the shop it is today, where I draw mostly cute cat characters.

I decided to sell stickers and similar items because they’re simple to produce, source, and ship. I outsource my keychains, pins, and prints, but for most of the stickers I sell, I make myself at home with my silhouette machine. I especially like doing that because I can try out new designs with less pressure to buy large quantities from an outside manufacturer.

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 all-time favourites, a sticker of a moody cat who is sitting at a hissing booth (like a kissing booth, but grumpier), happens to be a bestseller.

Grumpy Cat Sticker Waterproof Sticker Hissing Booth Sticker Funny Cat Sticker Cute Moody Cat Sticker Vinyl Funny Cat Gift

But my favourite items don’t always align with which items are selling well. My current favourites are:

A sticker shaped like a slice of strawberry cake with a cat cookie on top

Strawberry Cake Sticker Kawaii Sticker Cat Cake Strawberry Shortcake Sticker Cute Food Sticker Kawaii Desserts Strawberry Decor Cat Cookie

An art print featuring a robot cat who is recharging in a wall outlet

Robot Cat Art Print Cyberpunk Art Cat Poster Unique Wall Art Mini Prints Cute Art Prints Cat Robot Art Print Weird Art

A keychain with the Mona Lisa as a cat

Mona Lisa Cat Keychain - Fine Art Keychain, Cute Cat Keychain

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?

Honestly, I don’t remember because I’ve been on Etsy for such a long time, and I don’t recall how long it took. But I don’t think it was longer than a month. Currently, I attract customers to my shop by trying to take good photos and using good keywords in my titles, descriptions, and tags.

Managing BraveMoonman

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?

It’s just me managing my shop. I use the shipping labels that are provided through Etsy and fulfil my orders myself.

The future of BraveMoonman

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

My main goal for my shop in the future is to get as many sales as possible, really. I would also love to add more items to my shop because I have a tonne of ideas and artwork that I haven’t turned into products yet.

Advice for new sellers

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

Don’t be afraid to start; go for it!

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 so far this year is 3.2%

Alura Team
Alura Team

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