Etsy Seller Interview with Beverley of Diversecushions

How Diversecushions 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'm Beverley Dew, and I'm the proud proprietor of Diverse Cushions, which is an Etsy shop. I create and sell cushion covers that range from classic William Morris designs to one-of-a-kind cushion covers made from an eclectic mix of velvets, linens, and Japanese kimono silks.

My cushion cover story began in 2011, when I stumbled upon a breathtaking piece of Japanese kimono silk at my local vintage market. The intricate details and vibrant colors sparked my creativity, and it was this piece of silk that became the centerpiece of my first cushion cover. From here, my passion for creating cushion covers grew, and I found myself continually searching for more kimono silks to use in my designs. After a year had passed, a friend suggested that I create my own website. Although I followed through with this idea, I struggled to generate traffic and sales without hefty advertising costs. My daughter had introduced me to Etsy a couple of years earlier, and so after several months of minimal success from my website, I decided to open my own Etsy shop. This year marks my 10th anniversary of selling on Etsy, and although there have been ups and downs, I've mostly loved every minute of being part of the Etsy community.

Favorite items

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

My favorite listings in my Etsy shop are:

This cushion cover is made from a combination of kimono obi silk and velvet. The woven peacock and floral design is stunning and combines beautifully with the teal velvet.

I love the beautiful mandarin duck and floral design and the luxurious combination of metallic gold and purple kimono silk combined with the ruby red velvet. Both of these cushion covers are one-of-a-kind and have no sales history, but my next favorite has been one of my best sellers. This one has a very vibrant design and really brightens up a room.

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?

Soon after I opened my Etsy shop in 2013, I developed a health condition, so I didn't invest much time and effort in my shop until 2015. Initially, I had little idea how to write keywords and listing titles, but with advice from other sellers on the forums, I soon got the hang of things, and a sale followed a few weeks later. I've been promoting on social media for some years now, and I do find that this attracts some customers to my Etsy shop.

Managing Diversecushions

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 manage my shop alone, and the most important tool I use is Adobe Photoshop. I use the tools here to ensure that all my cushion cover images have a clean, white background. I also use Grammarly to correct any spelling mistakes. As for shipping and fulfillment, I pack all orders myself and mostly use Royal Mail for delivery.

The future of Diversecushions 

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

In the near future, I aim to expand my inventory by including new items such as table runners and Japanese wall hangings.

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice for a new seller is not to give up when the first sale doesn't appear after the first couple of weeks. It often takes time and persistence to get the first sale, so patience is key. It's also important to add new items regularly and to freshen up the tags and titles of listings that are not doing so well. Great photos are crucial, as this is what initially attracts potential buyers. I find that social media is a good way to promote my shop. I always share my new shop listings on Instagram and Pinterest and have generated quite a few sales from both. Finally, I strongly advise not having Etsy as your sole selling platform, as sales may not always be regular.