Etsy Seller Interview with Rachna of GranvilleDesigns

How GranvilleDesigns 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 shop mostly sells printed drinkware—coffee mugs and wine glasses. I began the store because I learned about sublimation and thought it was so cool to be able to think of an idea and make a product from it. I gave a few mugs as gifts and began to get requests for others, and I eventually started an Etsy store. My mugs are sublimated on high-quality ceramic and shipped from the USA.

Favorite items

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

My favourite mugs are the ones that are funny and highly niche. While I don’t knit, I have some ones I like for knitters, and I like those a lot. Sayings that make me laugh are also my other favourites. I tend to favour funny and sometimes sarcastic or snarky sayings, but generally nothing too mean.

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 earned my first sale a few months after starting my Etsy shop, and I primarily attract customers through Etsy itself—mainly through SEO.

Managing GranvilleDesigns 

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?

My shop is mainly me, and I use ceramic blanks, a sublimation printer, and a mug press. I sometimes get help from another company during peak periods, and they also make the items by hand when they help out. I use Shipstation to print my shipping labels, and I make a trip to the post office usually 1-2 times a week. I try to keep my store simple to run, so I don’t use many tools or apps beyond that.

The future of GranvilleDesigns

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

I enjoy thinking up new designs and testing new products, so I see more of that in my future.

Advice for new sellers

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

I think consistency is really important for success. Find a level of effort that you can comfortably maintain for the long term and work consistently on your store. Be thoughtful about how much stress and pressure you put on yourself, and take a part-time job if you need to while your store gets off the ground. Try to keep your business costs low and run it as simply as possible. One thing I wish I’d done earlier is set up a customer email list, so I’d suggest that for a new seller. For myself, I see my store as a fun side business; I don’t expect or intend to turn it into a full-time income. I understand that this may be different than other Etsy sellers, but for me, it’s a good fit for my life and all the other activities I’m involved in.