Etsy Seller Interview with Utary of DearMimiDress

How DearMimiDress 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 started selling on Etsy when I had a baby. I began sewing baby clothes during my spare time and had the idea to sell them because many friends and family members complimented my handmade baby clothes. As my baby grew, I made more and more clothes and sold them on Etsy, until one day I made a tutu dress for my baby’s first birthday and also made it available for sale on Etsy, and then I got lots of orders for that dress. I then began branding my dress and started sourcing help to sew it. I sell my dresses at local boutiques and also online.

Favorite items

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

 My favorite item is this dress.

They are classics and simple tutu dresses and I love them because they are simple yet elegant and charming for a flower girl. These dresses are the best seller in my shop and the customers like them because it makes their girls feel like a princess when wearing them, yet the simplicity is just blending well with their wedding theme. 

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?

When I first opened my Etsy shop, it took me 5 days to get my first sale. I was so happy because, before opening my shop, I did a lot of extensive research on how to sell well on Etsy. I use niche and long-tail keywords. I also try to be consistent and list a new product every day for the first two weeks of my shop's opening. I attract customers mostly organically from Etsy; I don't really do well on social media and other types of marketing, but I keep learning about them.

Managing DearMimiDress 

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 am still handling the shop all by myself. I have two seamstresses now to help me sew the dresses; sometimes I also sew them myself. I do the quality control, making the designs and patterns, as well as preparing it for shipping, packing it, and sending it to the post office. I also manage the shop alone, from taking photos, doing keyword research, marketing, and managing my Etsy shop.

The future of DearMimiDress

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

I have a goal for my shop in the future: to provide more and more new designs and to have double and then triple the sales of what I have now. I am preparing myself to find more seamstresses to help me with sewing and probably an assistant for me to handle the shop. I also hope that I can expand to provide another line of linen dresses instead of just tutus like I have in the shop now.

Advice for new sellers

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

For a new seller, my advice is to do extensive research before opening and selling your product on Etsy. Find out about how Etsy works, what to prepare, and what your competitor is doing, gather some long tail and niche keywords with fewer competitors, and prepare to be consistent in posting as many listings as you can, one or two per day, until you reach consistent sales. Also, you may experience lots of challenges and obstacles; keep going and learn more from other sellers and the Etsy community.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Approximately $2000 - $3000

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 2,3 %