Etsy Seller Interview with Natasha of MoppetDolls

How MoppetDolls 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?

Moppet dolls are small textile dolls that are made according to original patterns and the author's original technique. The author is me, Natasha Davo. These dolls are suitable for 1/12-scale dollhouses, but most often these dolls are bought to express love or give positive emotions. At first, I only made dolls, but my husband, the main fan of small moppet dolls, also got carried away, and now he makes miniature furniture for small dolls. So now you can buy dolls, furniture, small houses, and accessories for dollhouses in the Moppet Dolls store.

I have been doing needlework since early childhood—as long as I can remember. My grandmother taught me to knit, and my mother gave me a sewing machine when I was 6 years old. I came up with a little Moppet doll because this doll combines everything that I can and love to do: sewing, knitting, embroidery, modeling, etc. I love making these dolls and coming up with new outfits and accessories. I work very hard, and I love that the dolls "leave" the house. This is my way to share my joy and love with the world. To make the world a little better, to give a smile, and to give relief. In addition, my husband, who makes furniture for Moppet dolls, sometimes grumbles that we have too many dolls and that we live in a Moppet doll house. It is necessary that the dolls go to other houses, to other "moms", and I need feedback from the buyers; contact with the buyer is very inspiring! Shop on Etsy is the perfect solution for me; my customers inspire me and share their impressions with me, and it's very joyful. I can say that my best advisers are my customers, and Moppet dolls are what they are now thanks to my customers. I am very grateful to them for this, and in turn, I offer impeccable service—fast shipping and beautiful packaging. I want Moppet dolls to evoke joy and pleasant, joyful emotions, and this should happen from the moment of ordering to receiving the parcel.

Favorite items

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

Usually, my favorite doll is the last one. I get great pleasure from the process; it is an endless search for solutions because the miniature requires perfect execution and perfectionism. For example, this one:

I love this combination of colors and a small cozy world around this doll. Moppet dolls awaken the imagination; it's easy to imagine how this girl came from school, stroked her kitten, and has her own little life in a small world.

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 opened the store in 2016 but did not actively work with it since there was a French marketplace called Allittlemarket. I started working actively at Etsy in 2017, and almost immediately, my sales became regular. It seems to me that this is because I know my audience very well and do what I love. I am proud that 80% of my customers make repeat purchases in my store. I use social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, as well as internal advertising on Etsy.

Managing MoppetDolls

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 know a lot of people who can make great handmade things, but very few can sell them. I like that I can combine these two directions: to make and to sell. My high education (management and marketing) and experience in sales and advertising help me manage my store effectively. My husband supports me and makes furniture for my dolls, but I do the rest of the work by myself. I pride myself on being efficient. After all, my job is not only to make beautiful dolls, but also to take photos, videos, work with statistics, use social networks, communicate with buyers, prepare mail, purchase materials, and prepare and participate in offline events. I think that I could be more efficient if I had helpers, but, for me, the most important thing is that my work is my creativity, and I am afraid that if my small business grows, I will manage it and my stuff and there will be no time for creativity. Now I'm looking for a social media employee, and I already have a good candidate in mind.

My processes for fulfilling orders and preparing for shipment are built in such a way that I do not waste time in vain. My task is to ensure delivery to any part of the world at a reasonable price and in safety. At the very beginning of my work on Etsy, I even had to slightly change the shape of the doll so that it fits in a 3 cm box because such a shipment is classified by the French Post as a letter and costs 6 times cheaper. In addition, letters and heavy parcels are sorted separately, and the small doll cannot be crushed or dented. It seems very simple, but for me, it was a business decision to change the shape of the doll to the form of shipping, and this decision brought me many satisfied customers.

The future of MoppetDolls 

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

Etsy's business is special because we sellers are in constant contact with the audience. This is not the kind of work that ends at 19 o'clock or on Friday. This work is part of my life, part of me. I can't stop making my dolls; it's like breathing, seeing, loving... So my goals are to continue to be happy, invent new dolls, and share my happiness with my customers.

Advice for new sellers

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

If you open your store with the sole purpose of making money, then most likely you will not succeed. I know this sounds pretentious and stupid, but I'll say it anyway. I love what you do. Share your love with the world. Listen to buyers. Listen to yourself. Learn.  Believe.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: The average monthly turnover for 2022 was approx.  2800 euros per month

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 60% in 2022

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0,8%