Etsy Seller Interview with Camille of FatCatGreetings

How FatCatGreetings 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?

Growing up, I would see my mother and grandmother skim endlessly through card displays at various boutiques in search of the perfect greeting cards to add to their expansive collections. They always settled on the funniest and cleverest cards, already knowing exactly who they would be given to.

A few years ago, after graduating university and seeing bills and junk mail occupy increasing real estate in my mailbox, I realised my mother and grandmother were onto something. Receiving a funny or sweet card by mail is always a welcome change from the usual neighbourhood mail. It makes people smile, feel loved, and, with FatCatGreetings, laugh! In an age where it sometimes feels like text messages have taken over meaningful interactions, personalised greeting cards are a thoughtful and inexpensive way for people to show their friends, family, and loved ones they care. And while receiving a card is great, giving one feels even better!

I also wanted my cards to have meaning and my business to have a positive impact in my community. Being an animal lover and having adopted three stray cats, I know how hard shelters work to give stray animals a better life despite their very limited resources. Knowing that there are cats struggling to survive outside in the summer heat waves or during our cold Montreal winters breaks my heart. By giving back a part of my profits to various local shelters, it makes this small entrepreneurial venture matter so much more.

I bring my ideas to life on Procreate and print them from the little office corner I've set up in my apartment. That’s where I package and address them, and then drop them off at the mailbox at the corner of my street.

Favorite items

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

My favourite item is definitely the Bridesmaids movie card. I think it’s a bit of a cult movie, and the specific scene it was inspired by is so funny. I put in a lot of time to create the perfect rendition of it, and when I first listed it on my Etsy page, there were no other ones like it.

For similar reasons, I also love the Legally Blond-themed card for law students passing the bar exam. Again, a cult movie and a card I was the first to create, but also because I'm on the verge of finishing law school myself

I’m also a big fan of the card I created for people grieving the loss of a beloved pet. As a pet owner, I know how heartbreaking and difficult it is to lose a furry companion, and I found there weren’t many card options out there for that particular situation. When a local shelter reached out to me, asking if I could create a card design for them to give to clients and colleagues when an animal passes away, I was glad to step up for the task.

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?

My first few sales were from friends and family keen on showing support, but my first ‘real’ sale was a few days after opening my shop. At the time, I had priced my cards very low to attract customers and differentiate myself from established shops. When I look back, the designs weren’t amazing, and neither was the marketing for them, but you’ll never get ahead if you don’t jump in the ring and give it a shot.

With time, I watched videos on improving your Etsy SEO, choosing appropriate keywords, taking good pictures of your products, practicing endlessly on Procreate, getting a better printer and better suppliers for the material, etc. All of that helped, of course, but when I see my shop today, it is unrealistic to wait until you are at this level of ease and fluency with Etsy, marketing, design, etc. to start your store. I’m a big believer that slow and steady wins the race.

To attract customers today, I partner with various shelters in my community to do giveaways, which helps get my cards out there; I make sure my listings are appealing and stand out on the Etsy app and website; I participate in local art fairs; and I reach out to influencers or businesses I like to offer them cards in exchange for publicity.

I’ve done a bit of social media (Instagram and Facebook), but I don’t have the time to fully commit to creating content and running the pages, as I’m in school full time and have just welcomed my first baby. I have found that overall, if you have a good product, Etsy manages to push it out to the right people!

Managing FatCatGreetings

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 with the tools Etsy provides sellers. I have a spreadsheet to keep track of my supplies and handle shipping and fulfillment myself. I have a small office corner set up at home with shelves where I store envelopes, blank cards, ink refills, and stamps. I print the cards on a per-order basis and package and mail them myself.

The future of FatCatGreetings

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

Life is pretty busy for me right now, so you could say I’m coasting with my store as-is. I'm at a stage where things run on their own and the sales come in in waves, depending on the time of the year. Obviously, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day are the busiest. In the future, I’d love to work on some new designs, maybe revamp the pictures in the listings, and do some more wholesale contracts.

Advice for new sellers

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

Jump right in! Don’t waste time waiting for everything to be perfect and optimized. There are tonnes of resources out there to help you along the way, but you won’t know where you need help until you actually start your shop.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: 2500$

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 60%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 4.7%