Etsy Seller Interview with Marta of MartaShishkovaDesign

How MartaShishkovaDesign 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?

Hello, my name is Marta Shishkova, I'm from Ukraine, and my shop is on Etsy. Since 2009, I have been engaged in various creative activities in different directions, from soft toys to decorative boxes. I was in constant search of myself. Several times a year in Ukraine, we went to all possible exhibitions, and then one day in 2014, at the exhibition, I met a girl who made decor from flowers. With our growing friendship, she began to express herself by saying that she had a diploma in floristry, and she reprimanded me for not being able to do so. It was a personal challenge for me. And I discovered my recognition in flowers, particularly wedding style. For three years in Ukraine, I studied with other photographers but made my models different from theirs.

In 2017, I decided to give Etsy a try. At first, I sent parcels through local mail from Ukraine. Then I discovered an intermediary in the United States and asked to contact them because they would deliver faster. And they have a warehouse for storage in the USA and Europe for customers, which is very convenient for my customers. People can get the finished product in 3 to 10 days.

Favorite items

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

My favorite products are flower crowns, especially when I am asked to make an individual order, and I love it very much. My imagination wakes up more for creativity.

And of course, boutonnieres are the most sought-after item in my store for a wedding.

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?

It took me 30 days from opening the store for the first sale and one year for the first hundred sale. I studied for the first year and studied how the platform and advertising work. At first I sold advertising $ 1 per day and then gradually raised it higher and in this way more people saw me and there were more sales.

Managing MartaShishkovaDesign

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?

At the moment, due to the war in Ukraine, we have had to temporarily change our place of residence. Last year was terrible for us and, at the same time, joyful with the birth of our fourth son. We pick ourselves up and continue to work! I have a lot of support from my husband; as I tell him, he is on maternity leave and I work. He also sends all orders And I help him with his Etsy shop. We search for keywords through marmalead and Erank.

The future of MartaShishkovaDesign

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

My future goals are to expand the range and discover new categories. We are starting all over again from scratch because of the war in a new place.

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice to beginners is to upload at least 20 products in the first month and follow the statistics every day so you can see what buyers are looking for. And be sure to gradually add new products and categories to your store so it will rise higher in the search for products. Well, the main thing is work and faith in yourself!