How IcdArtwork 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?

Hi, I’m Ian, the owner of icdartwork. I am from Manchester, England. I started my Etsy shop at the end of 2020, during the COVID pandemic. By day, I am a graphic designer with a genuine passion to create and share artwork with the world. I just love to get creative and wanted to do some extra creative work in my spare time. I started off with some word art designs.

The word art idea spread throughout my personal life into producing wedding gifts for a close friend and my father-in-law on their wedding days by building up silhouettes of couples from words that make them who they are. I also surprised my wife on our wedding day during the toasts with a similar A0 print (she cried—excellent!).

So I started to create other ways in which I could combine words and photos into different collages, and this is how I started my Etsy shop, after a push from my wife to ‘just do it'. I am always thinking of new designs, all day, every day. I do research into trends, special occasions, or just general interests. I have a sketch pad full of ideas that are all in progress and will be added to my shop soon!

Favorite items

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

One of my favorite products is my 18th photo collage design.

18th Birthday Print, Personalised Photo Collage, Family Print, Landmark Birthday Print, Framed Print, Birthday Gift idea

This design has been a best seller for over 12 months, and I love the way each design is different with the variety of images sent over. No design is ever the same! I just love how it combines all those memories into one framed image that can be displayed. Another favorite of mine is my country photo collage.

Holiday Photo Collage, Memories Print, Honeymoon Montage, Personalised Photo Print, Gifts for Him, Gifts for her, Birthday, All Countries

Using a silhouette of a country and inserting the images within This idea was created after we had just been on our family holiday and wanted to display our memories in one frame. This is a very unique design, and I love creating them. I get to see the world sitting behind my computer, which gives me inspiration for where I would like to go on my next adventure!

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 orders were from family and friends, but my first order from someone I didn’t know came after a few weeks of being open and only having a select few listings. I used to use social media to try to drive traffic to my shop, but I realized that spending time on my titles and long-tail keywords should be my priority. These have worked really well for some of my products.

Managing IcdArtwork 

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 everything myself, from speaking to the customers about their designs to completing the design using Adobe Creative Suite to printing, framing, and packaging them up! The only help I get is from my 4-year-old, who likes to help put all the orders in the lockers I use to dispatch my items before I go to work. Having the app on my phone means I can always reply to any questions within a quick time frame. Manage my orders and prepare myself for the evening.

The future of IcdArtwork  

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

Like most small business owners, my goal is to expand my shop with Etsy and onto other platforms and drive it to be able to potentially take this full time in the future. Being able to give me more time to spend with my family.

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice for anyone new would be to do your research on your products and find a niche within that market. Learn the SEO of the Etsy search engine by watching YouTube videos and reading blogs and other websites. Ensure your images are eye-catching, as this is the first thing potential customers see when scrolling through.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: This changes monthly, so it's hard to give a figure.

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: Since I started, my conversion rate has been 3.5%.

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.