Etsy Seller Interview with Karina of KarinaYordanovaArt

How KarinaYordanovaArt 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 Etsy shop is called KarinaYordanovaArt, and it sells digital products that help with your art journey, such as digital brushes, art tutorials, custom brushes, and also art commissions that have proven to be a great gift option for people. I began selling in 2017. At first, I tried selling art prints of my own art and other products, such as calendars, little pocket mirrors, stickers, and notebooks. Unfortunately, it didn’t prove successful, so for a long time, I didn’t think anything would happen with this shop. It was in late 2017 or early 2018 when I bought an iPad and started drawing on it. Later on, I decided to see if I could create a brushpack for the programme I was using, Procreate. Once I did that, everything changed for my shop. I still to this day create my products on the programme Procreate.

Favorite items

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

My favourite items are my tutorials. Every one of them was created with a lot of love and attention, and it took a long time to perfect. They’re very detailed and beginner-friendly, and I’m happy they’re also selling well in the shop. My favourite is when people come back to share a review or send me a message saying how much the tutorials have helped them improve their own art. Seeing people happy and saying things like “I never imagined being able to draw this before!” is really what makes it all worth it for me. I’m a self-taught artist, so the tutorials are step-by-step my own process in art, and I’m very happy when they work for other people too.

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 sale for a digital item was in late 2017 or early 2018, but it was a few days after posting my first brush pack. Since then, the one and only way I’ve found that attracts customers is to be very active on social media, especially Instagram and Pinterest. I tend to share a lot of videos of me drawing using my own brushes. Occasionally, I’ll also post a specific brush video that shows them in action. I have my website listed at the top of my social media pages so that potential customers have an easy way to reach it.

Managing KarinaYordanovaArt

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 the shop with the help of my husband, who proofreads and helps with customer service while I’m busy with custom orders. I don’t currently use any special tools or apps. My shop offers only digital content, so no shipping is needed.

The future of KarinaYordanovaArt

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

My main goal is to create brushes for Photoshop and other art programmes out there, as well as continue to expand my tutorials and custom orders and commissions.

Advice for new sellers

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

Don’t be afraid to change what your shop is about if your first product ideas don’t work. I never would have achieved the success I have if I had stubbornly stayed with the products that just wouldn’t sell. In my opinion, being flexible and happy to go with the flow and try new things is the key to a successful Etsy shop.