Etsy Seller Interview with Sally of Eyupcardsandcrafts

How Eyupcardsandcrafts 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?

Ey up, my name is Sally, and I am the owner of Ey Up Cards & Crafts. I'm originally from Yorkshire (UK) and now live in Nottingham. Eye up is Yorkshire for hello." I design and make greeting cards that have the wow factor and stand out from the others on the shelf.

One day my husband wanted to make something for a friend that involved cutting thick cardstock, so he came home with a Cricut cutting machine. I had never made anything before, so I watched YouTube videos on how to use the Cricut. I started making basic cards for family and friends. It was my nephew's 21st birthday on New Year's Eve 2020, so I had a go at making a pop-up box card. Everyone was really impressed with it, so I decided to add it to my Etsy shop. Wasn't getting many orders until March 2021. I was talking to the receptionist at my dentist, and I showed her what I had been making. That night, she placed an order for a lilac 21st Pop Up Box Card. That somehow started a boost in sales. I've had constant sales ever since. I now have quite a few returning customers. I love it when I hear the cha-ching! I love making cards. I am so passionate about eye-up cards and crafts. One of my children moved away to university, so I turned their bedroom into my craft room, which is where I spend most of my time coming up with new designs. I design and make all my own cards using Cricut Design Space and Affinity Designer. 

I love talking to the customers; quite a few ask if I'm from Yorkshire, obviously because of the name of my shop. Quite often, we end up having a full conversation through the messages. It's really enjoyable. Going the extra mile also shows in my reviews. I have encouraged my sister-in-law to open an Etsy shop. She has had a few sales.

Favorite items

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

I love making the pop-up box cards; they are different from normal cards; they stand out; they look really nice; and according to my customers, they have the wow factor.

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 joined Etsy in December 2019, I had basic cards in my shop. A month later, on January 30th, 2020, I got my first sale, so maybe 2 months. I always promote my shop on Instagram and Facebook. I always encourage people I meet to take a look at my shop.

Managing Eyupcardsandcrafts

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 Eye Up Cards and Crafts from my craft room most evenings and weekends. I use Facebook and Instagram to promote my shop. I follow a few Etsy groups on Facebook who give advice on things like SEO and wording descriptions, as well as reading the Etsy Handbook for tips. I will also look on the Etsy Forum for tips.

I use the Etsy App to keep an eye on my orders and reply to any messages while I'm at work. As soon as I receive an order, I message the customer to say thank you for the order, and once I have made the order, I send photos to make sure they are happy with the card and to confirm the personalization before posting.

My cards are currently on a 7–10 day turnaround due to the volume of orders I receive and working full time. However, I do make and send most of the orders within a few days. All my cards are posted within 24 hours after all orders are sent using Etsy shipping labels. Due to the recent cyberattack and Royal Mail strikes, I have been using Transglobal for international customers. My accountant deals with all my accounts; he sends everything off to HMRC. I have an excel spreadsheet with all my incomings and outgoings, also one for stocktaking.

The future of Eyupcardsandcrafts

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

I would love my Etsy shop to be my full-time employment, and I would employ others to help make the cards. Employ a designer to come up with new ideas for the cards. I would like to introduce more items to my shop.

Advice for new sellers

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

I would tell new sellers to try to have a niche and make something that other shops or a few shops are selling. Make sure you have good photos of your products and that your descriptions are fully understandable. Your SEO is on point. Join Facebook groups and don't be afraid to ask questions. Most of all, enjoy and look forward to your first cha-ching.