Etsy Seller Interview with Zenja of LoveSugarArt

How LoveSugarArt 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 is called LoveSugarArt and I sell all kinds of custom fondant cakes and cupcake toppers. Years ago, when I had my two sons, I wanted to make their cakes a bit more special, so I also made them cake toppers to go with the decorations. My friends saw that and also wanted to have them. The more I made, the more I fell in love with the craft. Merely by accident, I discovered Etsy. Just to test it out, I listed a couple of toppers, and to my surprise, they sold really fast, and from that point on, my business just grew. Most ideas for new shop items come from my customers, and if I am happy with how those ideas turn out when I actually make them, I add them to my shop.

Favorite items

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

I actually have more than one favorite. One of them is my rainbow, which is also my bestseller. I think personalized items like this one outperform other toppers. The other favorite is custom ordering in general. I currently offer around 100 items in my shop, but a lot of times customers will message me and request something completely custom and unique. These orders are always more of a challenge, but they usually also end up being my best toppers. Sometimes I’ll list them, but otherwise, I just post them on my Instagram.

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?

When I first listed a few things on Etsy back in late 2016, it was just for fun. I was just making toppers for practice and didn't have any use for them, so I wondered if anyone else would have them. To my surprise, my first sale came within a week or two, and then they just consistently started increasing as I added more and more items to my shop. I do have an Instagram and Facebook account, but I am really not good with marketing and driving sales, so most of my sales just come directly through Etsy’s search engine. I think that the fact that after all this time my shop is a bit more established, combined with positive reviews and repeat customers, really helps with sales.

Managing LoveSugarArt

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 joke that I am a one-woman band. I handle everything myself, except for the really tedious paperwork, so I do have an outside account for that. Social media apps are almost a must, and the Etsy seller app also helps to stay connected. Shipping is tricky with my type of product, so while it would be easiest to outsource it, it is also a very delicate process, so for the time being, I do it myself.

The future of LoveSugarArt 

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

I have so many ideas for toppings I want to add, but sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day and incoming orders always take priority over any new items I want to make and add. I am also working on my own website, where I’ll also offer cake decorating supplies and cake decorating kits for those who prefer to maybe get one cake topper and DIY the rest of the cake.

Advice for new sellers

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

Although it is always good to be prepared in advance and read up on the basics of Etsy, I find that a lot of new sellers get overwhelmed by the amount of information out there and then just get scared. Or they go on Facebook and Etsy seller support groups, where a lot of times sellers will go if they have problems, but those new sellers then only see the amount of those problems. So I would say, do your research to see if there are any legal requirements in your state or country and some market research to see if there is interest in the product you are trying to sell, and then just go for it. You can tackle any issues as they occur, if they occur at all.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: It varies monthly; on average, it is about 3.000 EUR (approximately 3.200 USD), but that includes shipping. If we are talking about how Etsy calculates revenue in their stats, it averages around 2.000 EUR.

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 30%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: Between 1 and 1.5%