How MomsGlasshouse 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?
Mom’s Glasshouse specializes in unique and custom stained glass creations and home decor, including custom windows, cabinet inserts, and holiday decor. As a young child, my father was part of a start-up soldering iron company. As a high schooler, I worked in the production of irons and later soldered circuit boards. I have always been crafty, but I really wanted to use my skills in soldering and combine them with my creative side. My husband gifted me a starter kit, and as they say, the rest is history. When I first started, I didn’t even know about Etsy. I was making little ornaments and small nicknacks, learning the craft. I found myself needing a home for my creations. I offered to make ornaments as a fundraiser for my daughter’s swim team. The coach asked, "Oh, you mean like on Etsy?" Within a week, Mom’s Glasshouse was born.
Over the years, my shop has gone from a very rudimentary shop with horrid photographs. But over the years, as my art has evolved, so has MomsGlasshouse. I found my home and heart in abstract designs. I am particularly drawn to geometric designs using a wide variety of textured and colored glass to create unique pieces. Even when I re-create a pattern, the unique nature of the glass and the placement of the textures make everyone a one-of-a-kind creation.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
As I noted above, I am obsessed with abstract designs. I only have two installations in my own home, including one that I also sell in my shop:
The large, clear privacy window was a request from my husband for our bathroom window. Being decidedly short, the clear upper window never bothered me. My husband, at 6’4", took exception to be able to look out on the neighbor’s patio (and vice versa). I have sold this design multiple times every year since. I think the popularity of this piece, along with the smaller similar pieces, is due to the simplicity of the design with a modern flare. This isn’t your grandmother’s stained glass. They are contemporary and flashy and fit in almost any design aesthetic. They are also wonderful for providing privacy without blocking light. Particularly when using all clear textured glass, all of the sun and color come in, but the glass also provides privacy without having to pull the blinds.
The other items that are super popular but seasonal are some of my holiday pieces. The most popular continues to be a 3-dimensional standing Christmas tree and in white.
The other holiday items that will always be in my inventory are my whimsical Christmas tree, dove, and star of David. Since day one, these have been solid sellers, and I typically sell out by the end of the season.
However, Christmas decorations and holiday decor are very popular categories to sell in on Etsy. Getting in front of buyers in a sea of "Christmas Trees" is definitely a Herculean effort. I typically increase my Etsy ads significantly from October through at least mid-December. I will pick a few items to highlight and heavily advertise all season. Holiday 2021 Etsy included my Star of David in their Hannukah promotion, and I sold nearly 200 units in a matter of hours. While exciting, I am a one-person shop and had to decline to participate in a second promotion prior to Thanksgiving. I came away from that experience realizing that I needed to adjust my pricing so that I could absorb a 20% discount in order to participate in these promotions in the future.
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 love the story of my first sale on Etsy. I opened my shop in early October 2015, and my first sale was about a month later. My very first sale was a dove to a woman in Canada. She has been back several times over the years since. To have my first sale be one of my most consistent repeat customers warms my heart. Bringing people to my shop continues to evolve. I try to keep my social media accounts active, but admittedly I cannot keep up with posting as frequently as needed. By far, Pinterest seems to have the largest impact on driving buyers to Etsy. While I’m not able to track traffic to actual sales on Pinterest, it does seem to have the largest impact on visits. For the most part, I am reliant on Etsy ads to drive buyers to my shop. I am currently embroiled in a large corporate production and have pulled back on my ads this spring. As I mentioned above, during the holiday season, I will significantly increase my ad budget.
I have very few sales from off-site ads, almost exclusively limited to my awareness ribbons. I have concerns about this program, particularly the potential impact on higher-priced or custom items. As a micro-seller ($30k/yr), absorbing an additional 12% (ostensibly hidden) charge on any one sale is difficult. In order to account for the possibility of the fee, I run the risk of over-pricing my pieces. In addition, I had a very sour experience when processing a wholesale order of ribbons. When I quoted a discounted price to the buyer, I did not include the possibility of a fee. When the custom order was posted, I was charged 12% more than I accounted for, which ultimately came out of my labor and profit. Since there is no way to know in advance if the charge applies to a custom sale, I caution you to plan accordingly.
Managing MomsGlasshouse
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 am a one-person shop: content creation, social media, shipping, receiving... it’s all me. This business remains mostly a hobby-artist venture, although I would love to devote 100% of my time to it. I love what I create when I can! I use my iPhone for most of my shop management, photos, and videos. I mainly use Etsy’s mobile apps, but I often also browse the full site on my phone or iPad. I remain inclined to use Sale on Etsy, but am trying to get used to the new Esty mobile app; it’s taking me a bit to get used to finding where things are on the new app. I do major site work, respond to messages, or do anything that may require a full keyboard from a computer where I have a keyboard, full screen, and a printer. I do all of my financial management through Quicken. I also often use Excel to calculate my costs, price my products, and manage my material inventory. I use an Access database to track my completed inventory.
The future of MomsGlasshouse
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
It is my goal to continue to grow my shop and exposure. Over the years, not only have I evolved with my art, I have done the same with my shop. I plan to continue these efforts to shift toward a more refined clientele and product, with an emphasis on more custom work. I will continue to use my Etsy shop as a venue for sales and, more importantly, exposure.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
Not everyone is going to agree that your favorite thing is a "best seller" Continually evolve; try new products, colors, sizes, etc. Eventually, you will land on something that will hit a market that maybe you didn’t even know existed. When you find that, run with it as long as you can, but always look for more evolutions. Keep your inventory fresh and changing.
MomsGlasshouse
One of a Kind and Custom Glass Creations
