Etsy Seller Interview with Evonne of darlingclandestine

How darlingclandestine 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 wanted to throw a bit of a wrench into traditional fragrances. DarlingClandestine offerings aim to be more than a list of pretty perfume notes—I want my wearers to be struck with nostalgia, with something uncanny, with a love for a fragrant element they thought they could never love. I began by just doing it. Purchasing a bunch of fragrance elements—essential oils and synthetics, both locally sourced and from far corners of the globe—and learning how they play together Mixing little potions, slathering them on myself and my friends, and discovering how they bloom.

Favorite items

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

Oh, that one’s tough. All my babies are my favourites, and I suppose I have a tender spot for a few that are on the odder side. The ones I’d like to bring attention to this season, though, are from my Falloween collection. Years ago—maybe 2015?—I introduced my first Falloween offerings, built on a theme that skirted the usual candy bag/apple picking/pumpkin spice and usual “spooky” themes, and delved into what’s getting scarier these days: the vague tensions that eat at us on a daily basis, like impostor syndrome, pressures to be successful or attractive, and the fear of getting old before we’ve meaningfully done that, the fear of rejection. Falter, Wither, Squander, and Spurn This year, I’ve brought back the most-requested of those four—Squander—and added three new offerings for 2023, with sort of a “post-apocalyptic” theme: the ghosts of our humanity. Linger: water lotus, opium resin, olive bark, sage. Tether: Queen Anne’s lace, Spanish moss, torched palo santo, blackberry cream. And Sunder: ozone, persimmon, chicory, and spent matchsticks.

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 sales (maybe within a week of me opening the shop?) were actually of some wire-wrapped jewellery items, and I was so grateful to the folks who purchased those and insisted that I was charging too little for those. As for fragrances, the folks who first supported me were part of an indie cosmetics community—some of them makers themselves. This community has followings on Reddit and other forums, and though I prefer to stay out of the discussions myself (I don’t want anybody to feel obligated to say nice things about my stuff; I want them to make their recommendations freely!), they are a powerhouse of love and support. I am immensely proud to say that 90% of my customers are repeat customers, a vast majority of them customers for years and years, and that the number one search term that brings folks to my shop is not “fragrance” or “perfume” or “bath and body” It's "darling clandestine." I know that the rave reviews and recommendations of my customers are what’s bringing them to me, and I love these people so very dearly for their ongoing support.

Managing darlingclandestine

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?

In the last couple of years, I’ve been fortunate to have my partner Todd handle the fulfilment portion of DarlingClandestine. He’s far better at keeping track of inventory and finances than I am, and he’s one of those weirdos who enjoys making spreadsheets. He’s the perfect complement to my own haphazard, mathematically challenging, impulsive manner of working, and it allows me the freedom to focus on the creative parts of the work, which is really the dream. I’ll keep him as long as he’ll let me.

As for tools, Etsy has a collection of seller tools that are fairly easy to navigate if you’re not afraid to do some experimental pointing and clicking. Its customer service for sellers, though, is pretty limited, instead relying on "Forums,” where you can search for discussions about any issues you’re having. A nice feature about Alura in that regard is its spaces for blogs and seller tips—you might find that someone else has asked the same question you’re asking, and they’ve come up with a good solution.

The future of darlingclandestine 

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

I would love to be able to offer more of my inventory on a more consistent basis. I believe there are now more than 60(?) fragrances in the DarlingClandestine catalogue, and I get requests almost daily from folks who miss a particular scent they once owned and loved, or from folks who’ve heard “legends” about a particular scent from an indie cosmetics forum. The goal is to one day have the space—and, of course, the revenue—to keep that much inventory at once, but for now I have a “day job” that pays the more boring of my bills. My current system involves taking requests into consideration, running the numbers on the overall success of those particular fragrances, and offering what I can on a “short preorder” basis. That has worked fairly well for several years now, but I know there are still a few oddball fragrances that some of my customers (and I!) miss having around.

Advice for new sellers

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

One, make the things. Even if things aren’t awesome at first, The first step to being a creator is to actually create. You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t, and you’ll gain confidence in what’s worth selling. And try to offer new listings on a regular basis—it bumps you to the top of Etsy searches.

Two, experiment with different approaches to tools like hashtags, product photos, social media posts, and other ways to catch customers’ attention. Again, you’ll learn what works as you do it, but you have to learn by doing.

Three, know your worth. Don’t fall for folks who reach out to you with offers of “exposure” or “honest reviews” in exchange for free products. There certainly are lucrative sponsorship opportunities out there, but you have to sift through the folks who’re just grubbing for free stuff. By the way, there are plenty of folks out there who will give glowing reviews on highly trafficked platforms after legitimately buying what you’re selling and not asking for freebies. Those folks are precious gems.

Fourth, and most importantly, be open, honest, and generous with your customers. If something doesn’t work out as planned, communicate and let them know about the issue. Folks are much more likely to trust you—and come back to you—when you let them know what’s going on and when you make it up to them with kindness and generosity when something is amiss. You are your brand, and you have to show your customers the love they deserve. Not everyone chooses to spend their money to support independent creators, so when you find folks who dig you and your shop, cherish them.