Etsy Seller Interview with Sorcha of hookedandhung

How hookedandhung 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?

Hooked and Hung was established in 2017, not long after I graduated from Edinburgh with a degree in product design. The inspiration behind the shop, however, started long before this! As a shop owner, I sell hand-crocheted plants, cacti, and succulents alongside a wide range of hand-painted terracotta pots. I often think of it as a botanical wonderland! The main source of inspiration was a deep love of all things plant-related.I grew up in a family-run plant nursery, so you could say plants are in my blood. After falling in love with the craft of crochet around 10 years ago, I began crocheting some rather questionable blankets and clothing before finding inspiration for the idea of crochet plants after struggling to think of gifts for my botanically loving family! After a lot of failed attempts, I somehow found a rhythm for capturing the forms of leaves and branched out to different plant species and forms.

Once I had finished my degree, I found myself in a variety of different retail and hospitality jobs and really missed being creative with my time. It was at this point that I decided it could be fun to think about trying to sell some of my work! It was a very daunting process, as most creative people will tell you. There is something very strange about the feeling of creating a piece of art and selling it for actual money. It took a lot of trial and error with Etsy, and I did an enormous amount of research into how to get found before I even got my first sale. It took a while for my first sale to come through, but my goodness, the feeling of the first time someone placed an order was thrilling! After that, I was hooked (quite literally). There is a lot more going on behind the scenes of every Etsy shop than most people realize. As a small business owner, you are in charge of everything. From designing to manufacturing, branding, marketing, shipping, etc., it all falls on my shoulders. This being said, it's a lot of fun and very empowering at the same time!

Favorite items

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

Hooked and Hung, as mentioned before, is built on two types of products: my crocheted plants, cacti, and succulents, and the hand-painted terracotta pots. While my pots have been a huge success, I am in love with the crochet side of the business. This is the area that I feel allows me to express my creative side the most. I have developed a wide range of products to suit all budgets, from teeny-tiny keyrings to life-sized and life-like houseplants. I sell both novelty cacti, which are colorful and playful with adorable little eyes, and very realistic pieces, which have customers wondering if they are real! Me, I love the realistic approach. I find them to be both niche and successful, as they offer a talking point and a WOW factor at the same time. Finding something unique and fresh, in my opinion, is the foundation of selling something well. It's not something you see every day. It's also vital to be passionate about what you're making and selling. Without passion, you won't truly push yourself to be successful and will get disheartened when things aren’t going as well as you had hoped.

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 think it took a few months to earn my first sale that wasn’t a family member or friend supporting my business. This time was a little disheartening after spending a lot of time and effort putting together a shop. I have found the biggest hurdle for new Etsy shop owners is the first year, when orders are few and far between. This is the stage at which most people give up. There is a lot that goes into attracting customers, and I don't think there is one sure path to success with it. In my experience, I have found photography to be the key to getting people into my shop. This, paired with good descriptions, tags, policies, and unique products, is what has worked for me. I use a little of the Esty ads to top up the traffic coming in, but honestly, through hard work and amazing customer service, I get customers coming back time and time again.

Managing hookedandhung

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?

It is a business I run by myself. It is a lot of work, but very rewarding at the same time. I use a number of tools to keep my business going. I work from my computer and use it to manage orders and customer service. Another key part of managing my shop is the accounting side of it. Me, I use Quickbooks as a point of collection for all incoming and outgoing expenses. For my photography, I use my DSLR camera and a good light box and backdrop set up to ensure professional images. To edit my photographs, I use Photoshop, and for marketing with these images, I use Canva. To get the word out about my shop on social media, I use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. While I could definitely be more proactive on my social media, I like to spend time building successful listings that bring in organic traffic through Etsy itself, which allows me to spend more time creating and processing orders. For shipping, I use Etsy shipping labels, which are through Royal Mail, and hand-deliver them to the post office myself. I have spent a good number of years sourcing eco-packaging and reusing materials that come from sources other materials I use for making my products.

The future of hookedandhung 

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

I hope going forward that I can continue my success with my shop. I find it is currently at a manageable level and am looking to expand the range of listings I have to offer more choices to my customers. Another key part of what makes my shop successful is that the majority of my listings are customizable and made to order. This gives the customer a good range of choices to create something special. I hope to continue with this and provide the best service I can.

Advice for new sellers

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

This is a question I get asked a lot. It is something I am really inspired to share with people. BE PATIENT! That is my number-one piece of advice. Don’t give up a couple of months in because it’s not what you thought it would be. That being said, set your expectations at an achievable level. I think people imagine they will set up their shops and be selling out in a matter of days. This just isn’t the case. Your shop needs time to grow and develop. Putting in the time to tweak listings and add more products is what will set you up for success. Look around for both inspiration and competition. Are there people selling similar products? If so, are they successful, and if they are, then what is it that makes them popular? NEVER imitate what another shop is doing; instead, draw inspiration from what makes them successful and apply it to your own shop. You will find your own voice and brand in the time. I can’t count how many times I've changed my branding, shipping materials, photography style, listing description, etc. It's a slow process, but if you are dedicated and patient, the rewards will follow!