Etsy Seller Interview with Deborah of DeborahRobinsonArt

How DeborahRobinsonArt 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 shop is Deborah Robinson Art, and I first began selling back in 2015 when some friends suggested I should. I had always hand-drawn cards for people when it was someone’s wedding or birthday at work, so initially that’s what I sold while I navigated online selling. I had left teaching to be a stay-at-home mom, and my new shop was a way of helping me cope with the challenges of adjusting to my new role.

Favorite items

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

I love my ‘dogs’ range, and although they maybe don’t sell as well or as regularly as my illustrated maps, these are the pieces I create for myself. I love dogs and their honest expressions, so when I want to relax and indulge myself, I draw and paint dogs.

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?

It took me around 6 weeks to get my first sale, and I realized quickly that I needed to improve and simplify my product photos. I currently attract buyers by having a good range of items for sale and by creating what’s popular rather than what I like. It took a few initial years of trial and error before I found what worked, and I’m still always looking to develop and increase my range.

Managing DeborahRobinsonArt

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 run the shop alone, and I ship everything myself. I use Etsy postage so that I don’t have to line up at the post office.

The future of DeborahRobinsonArt

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

I hope to expand and improve my shop by creating new pieces and reaching out to customers to find out what they’d like to see me create next.

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice would be to keep photos clean and fuss-free; make sure you continue developing your skills; and keep doing research on what people like. I attend drawing and art classes, and I practice every day to maintain and improve my skills. Also, make sure you have plenty of stock coming in; the more you have, the more likely you are to sell.