Etsy Seller Interview with Aivi of Fairyflossteahouse

How Fairyflossteahouse 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?

Hello! I’m Aivi, the artist behind FairyFlossTeahouse. I sell a range of cute pastel/celestial-themed stickers, stationery, and pins all inspired by things I love, such as Sailor Moon, the galaxy, and pretty pastel aesthetic things in general! I’ve always imagined how if only I could turn everything in this world beautiful and cute (based on my own standards, of course), so why not start by designing little things to add a dose of happiness to people's lives? 

I actually came up with my shop name back in 2016 when I claimed it on Etsy, but I never went ahead with the project as life got in the way until 2020 when the COVID lockdown started it all. I was discovering all these amazing cute artists on Instagram and thought to myself, "Surely I can do this too? I’ve never really had experience drawing in this style, but I know I really liked cute things, so it started off as a challenge or hobby, which then turned into me selling my first art prints as people were asking to buy them! I didn’t have any fancy equipment; I used the printer I had, tested out some materials that I was happy with, and worked from there. I outsourced my first few stickers from manufacturers in China and only created more after I earned back what I spent in the first round.

I don’t exactly remember how I got into designing enamel pins, but I dipped my toes in it and fell into the trap—pin addiction is real! I fell in love when I opened my first pin order, almost like a mother holding their baby for the first time—my pin babies were born! Honestly, the feeling of something I created myself felt really surreal to me, and to this day, I still feel the same with everything I make, which is what keeps me going, I suppose!

I create my designs mainly on Procreate now. I did start off with a very ethereal style on Adobe Illustrator, but this year I am pushing myself to get more confident with cute character drawing on the iPad. I have also invested in my own sticker cutter machine so I can make as much as I can at home rather than outsource; it gives me more control. I now also have a monthly subscription for sticker sets and pins on Ko-Fi and Patreon.

Favorite items

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

It’s hard to choose a favorite, but if I had to, it would probably be my acrylic phone grips and my Dreamland Cuties pin collection. I have my grips framed up, and they look really pretty together! The pin collection was my first crowdfunded project, and they sum up my vibe perfectly: celestial, cute, and pastel! The phone grips are definitely one of my best sellers, especially Fuwa the Fox, the most popular character!

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?

I had my first sale as soon as I added my first listing on Etsy. Thanks to my Instagram following, I had already built up some interests, which was very lucky! At the moment, I am relying solely on Etsy traffic itself, word of mouth, and my own social media. Customer reviews and reshares of their purchases really help too! (very thankful) This year I am looking into selling in person more, so hopefully I will gain more traction locally too.

Managing Fairyflossteahouse

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?

Currently, I am the only one who manages everything in my shop; I have no special tools or magic spells, unfortunately. It does take its toll on my mental health, so recently I have taken a step back to go at my own pace and really focus on my products. My room is now my office/store room, and I am running out of space! I quality-check, pack, and print all my own postage labels at home. If it’s large orders, I prepare a proof of shipping slip so I can quickly drop it off at the post office rather than having them create a proof for every package. My post office is only 5 minute's walk down the road, which is handy.

The Future of Fairyflossteahouse

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

Within the next year, I am hoping to be creating more pouches, bags, wallets, and some clothing. I just bought a heat press machine, so it will be a fun new adventure to explore. I hope one day I will grow enough that I will have to hire external help!

Advice for new sellers

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

Make use of keywords for your listings so you can be found easier amongst the competition. Have good photos of your products—not overly edited to the point it doesn’t look like the actual colors of the item; try to match as closely as it would look in real life.

Be honest and clear in your descriptions of the item. If you have different grades, be sure to specify how you grade them.

Good customer service: be kind and patient with customers and always try your best to solve issues or questions that arise.

Lastly, believe in your products; you can’t sell something you don’t love yourself. If it doesn’t get the attention you had hoped for, it may take some time to reach the right customer, or you can take it as a lesson to see how you can further improve in the future. Sales don’t happen overnight, and it will always be an ever-growing journey. Have fun and create things that make you happy!