Etsy Seller Interview with Kaitlyn of KaitMarieDesignsCo

How KaitMarieDesignsCo 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! My name is Kaitlyn Dix and I am the owner of the ETSY shop KaitMarieDesignsCo, I began my jewelry making journey when I was young with my mema, she was an avid jewelry maker and she had 3 boys so when she got some graddaughters she was ove the moon. On days she would watch me and my cousins, she would take us into the local craft stores for the cute classes they do, like beading lessons and we would all make something. Overtime I just began to stick with it especially after she passed away, it makes me feel very close to her! I started selling on ETSY my Senior Year of Highschool in 2017. Overtime I made my shop reflect more of me, I am always on the water weather it is scuba diving, spearfishing, fishing offshore, or hanging out at the local sandbar looking for sharks teeth this made me add more of an ocean approach to my shop. I source my sharks teeth in Florida weather it is walking the beach or black water scuba diving for them, and I find all my shells locally as well.

Favorite items

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

This question is so hard because I have so many products listed in my shop, but personally, I think right now these are my two favorite  necklaces! I love my 14K gold-filled Mako necklace because it is perfect for everyday wear; it can be dressed up or down, and you can add cute, fun necklaces to it! My other favourites are my pearl necklaces. These are so fun too because they are so unique that someone always stops me to ask where I got hem. As someone who is always in the water, I was always struggling with my jewellery rusting, tarnishing, or turning green, and that is not the case with these!

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 first started ETSY making jewellery that was totally different from what I do now. I think over time everyone's style evolves, so you have to work with your clientele. Summer came, and I just kept adding to my shark tooth collection, not knowing what I should do with them, and got the idea to dabble in shark tooth necklaces. This was when I really started to see a spike in my sales. I think the more interactive you are on ETSY, the more attention you draw to your shop. On days I sit at home cranking out orders and marking them as shipped, I get tonnes of new orders, as well as on days when I am uploading new listings and adding to my shop.

Managing KaitMarieDesignsCo

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 mainly use Facebook and Instagram to aid in running my store. With these, I post new arrivals and my favourite product pictures to draw attention to my website, and I include the link in my bio. For shipping personally, I have always stuck with what ETSY provides through the seller feature; I buy my labels straight from the seller platform at a discounted price. When I first started to get sales with my store, I would just print the labels, cut them, and tape them onto the bubble mailer, but as I started to grow, I purchased a Jiose thermal label printer from Amazon. This has sped up the process a tonne and even saved me money. I package all my orders with a special jewellery tag, and since my earrings are fragile, I personally wrap every order in bubble wrap before it goes into the cute bubble mailer! As far as getting packages to the post office, I am very lucky, and my USPS man that comes to my house is the sweetest; he brings a bin and takes all my orders, so I don’t have to go to the blue mailbox every day!

The future of KaitMarieDesignsCo 

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

I have been making many efforts to expand my shop! I hope in the future I can offer more than just jewellery, and maybe I can open a boutique one day. In an effort to take steps towards this, I have a jewellery case at a local restaurant, and I have been bringing hats into the mix of my products!

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice to new sellers is to stay active and do not give up. Stay active, make more listings, and get your products out there! My shop is not nearly as big as half of the shops on ETSY, and it has been such a blessing to me. Every sale counts, and it is just so awesome to be able to turn your favourite hobby into a business and to share your creativity with the world around you!

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: My monthly revenue varies, but it is about $5,000 a month.