Etsy Seller Interview with Svitlana of educationtoys

How educationtoys 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 EducationToys store has been around since 2016. All craftswomen live on the territory of Ukraine, in the city of Dnipro. The store offers goods for children and the elderly. For children: knitted toys, knitted fruits and vegetables, developing books and pillows for the development of fine motor skills. For the elderly, fidgeting pillows and blankets calm a restless mind and slow down the course of illness. Since childhood, I have loved to do needlework. After graduating from university, I gave birth to a child and graduated from a sewing school. I learned how to sew different clothes for my family. I received my first order from the children's development center—12 developmental pillows. I really liked it, and I started sewing educational toys. My children enjoy playing with and developing with my books and pillows. In my country, handicrafts are not as valued as they are in America and Europe. My husband researched handicraft marketplaces and chose Etsy. In the fall of 2016, I created my store on the Etsy marketplace, and already in December I received the first order for a fidget pillow from France. This is a pillow for a child. At first, the store only featured squirming pillows and educational books. A year later, I added such sections as knitted fruits and vegetables. After another 2 years, I added patterns. The theme of child development is popular around the world, so I decided to make pillows and books that will help the child develop. All products are made at home in my workshop.

Favorite items

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

I put my soul into each product, so I can’t choose which one is my favorite. I love sewing and knitting, so sewn and knitted goods are presented in stores. A variety of goods allows you to not go in cycles in one type of work. Fidget pillows sell better than educational books because there is less competition in this niche. Sewn and knitted toys are sold in the same proportion.

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 3 months to make the first sale after registering the store. I attract buyers with the help of advertising on the Etsy marketplace. Also, sometimes I do sales and promotions. In the US, I ship items with free shipping. I make products for sale that are in the sales trend.

Managing educationtoys

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?

Every day I renew items for sale. Once a week I add 1 new product for sale. Those products that are not in demand (according to Etsy statistics), I edit (tags, photos, and descriptions). I'm using Etsy stats on the web version of the marketplace. I am using the Sell on Etsy app from the App Store. I also use the Erank tool. I make all my products myself. Some items are already ready to ship. I also make preparations for all goods in advance in order to fulfill the order faster. I also do the packing and shipping myself. More often, shipment is carried out by a standard delivery service, less often by express delivery if the goods need to be delivered urgently (for a holiday or a birthday).

The future of educationtoys

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

In the future, I want to increase my monthly sales so that I can make more products. I want to build a friendly, well-coordinated team of people who want to turn their hobby into a job.

Advice for new sellers

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

I would recommend to beginning sellers that they try to exhibit any kind of product since it is not known what the buyer will like. It is not necessary to imitate other stores, but it is better to create unique products that can become bestsellers. Don't be afraid of anything. The one who does nothing makes no mistakes. Customers don't necessarily have to buy the product you sell. You may have individual orders, which you can then put on the conveyor.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: $500-700

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: $300-500

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0.5