How NaumetsArtShop 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 name is Mykhailo, I am 31 years old, and I am an artist from Ukraine. In my store NaumetsArtShop I sell personalized portraits to order based on photography.  The store has more than 50 listings, including portraits in graphic techniques and color pastel portraits, portraits of pets and their owners, wedding portraits, and family portraits. I started painting portraits in 2012, and then I sold portraits only in the territory of my country, Ukraine. There were not many orders, but I received a lot of positive feedback. At that time, I was still studying at the university to become an architect. After completing my master's degree, I got a job as a furniture designer, but I didn't give up my favorite hobby. The history of my store began in 2019 when I decided to try this platform for selling portraits abroad as an additional income.  I researched the market and found a lot of information about Etsy and decided to start a shop. The first meals were only a few months away.  And in two years, my shop became the main source of income.  To create portraits, I have a workshop equipped with all the necessary accessories.  For sending, I use the national post office, which has already been tested by more than 1000 shipments

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 portraits depicting one person; this is how I can best work out all the features of a person. I like drawing eyes the most. Wedding portraits depicting the generation of brides, composed of various photos—mother, grandmother, and daughter in wedding dresses—have also become very popular recently. This is a great gift for relatives on the wedding day, which is probably why this listing is so popular.

Graphite Pencil Portrait, Portrait drawing, Drawing Portrait from photo, Unique gift idea for mom, father, wife, husband, children and other
Custom generational wedding portrait from photo, personalised wedding gift for mom, grandmother, MOB, mother of the bride custom gift

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?

The first sale was a few months after the store opened. It was a very important event for me and gave me a huge push forward. Social networks, especially Instagram, played an important role in this. At that time, I already had a fairly large audience (about 25 thousand followers), so I placed a link in the header of my profile and engaged in both advertising and content creation. Now most orders in the store are organic, I rarely use advertising.  Customers write a lot of positive reviews, which also influences the buyer's choice of my store among a large number of other options

Managing NaumetsArtShop

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 my own store.  I am a performer, marketer, economist, manager, and courier in one person. To manage orders, I use a table in my notes where I write down all new orders, customer names, formats, and other features, and also note the date on which the order needs to be placed. It takes me 5 to 10 hours to complete each order, depending on its complexity. I use cardboard tubes for packaging orders, and with each drawing, I put a certificate of authenticity with my signature and date, as well as a discount coupon for future orders.

The future of NaumetsArtShop

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

In the future, I plan to increase the number of sales, improve my service, and add even more options to the buyer's choice.

Advice for new sellers

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

One of the most important points is to find a competitive niche for your product. It is necessary to research the market very carefully and draw conclusions.  The quality of the photos in the listing also plays an important role.  It is also a desire to work and improve, the ability to communicate with customers and make concessions.  Well, you should not forget about the quality of the product you are selling.  If the customer likes your product, he will definitely come back and recommend you to his friends.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Monthly income $2,000-$5,000

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: About 1600-4000$

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: About 1-1.3%

Alura Team
Alura Team

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