Etsy Seller Interview with Nel of Nelmoonjewels

How Nelmoonjewels 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?

Nelmoon Jewels were opened in 2012 with the goal of becoming the go-to shop for memorable handmade necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and metaphysical home accessories that bring uniqueness and individuality. With creative and attractive designs for individuals who want to boost their confidence with modern styles, bright colors, and cheerful shapes. I create jewelry and home accessories using gems, precious stones, and metal components to bring energy-balancing elements and promote a positive spiritual balance and a healthier lifestyle.

Being an artist for over 20 years and collecting gemstones, I wanted to share the one-of-a-kind jewelry designs I created during my free time. I also offered crystal consultations and created custom jewelry to fit individual client needs, selecting special stones that would bring joy and balance to their lives. Primarily focusing on the crystal properties and positive energy vibrations.

Aside from the naturally formed crystals offered in my shop, the jewelry I sell is handmade using metal wire and crystals of all shapes and sizes. I make unique jewelry with positive vibes.

In 2015, I expanded my business to include a selection of hand-picked rare gemstones and mineral specimens carefully sourced from mineral collectors, friends, and direct ethical sources across the globe.

Favorite items

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

My favorite items are all the druzy crystals, bright color crystals, rare stones, and rainbow sheen stones like the titanium aura crystals.

Druzy crystals sell the most, but sometimes it’s hard to capture the amazing sparkles through pictures, so I try to always add a video to all my sparkly stone listings. The druzy crystal specimens, rare stones, and geometrical crystals sell the most. It’s almost impossible to find a crystal in the same shape, weight, luster, natural etching, and color. I offer a large variety of crystals, and customers like to have the option of adding multiple stones to their shopping cart.

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 a couple of months to make my first sale. I found that I had to tweak the listing, update the pictures to make the item clear, and take pictures from different angles. I also updated the listing tags several times until I used up all the tags.

I use EtsyAds to bring in exposure, I use Instagram to post occasional sales, I create TikTok videos of crystals, and I use Facebook to post-sales. I also hand out business cards to friends and family, and at local vendor events. The cards contain a QR code that takes them directly to my Etsy shop.

Managing Nelmoonjewels

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 primarily manage the business by myself, including sourcing, advertising, accounting, marketing, and production. I do have partners who help with carvings, and my family helps with dropping off packages throughout the week. I use the Etsy seller app to run my shop, PayPal to transact payments, Square Reader to process credit cards, and social media to do free advertising.

I carefully package all orders within 2 days. We drop off mail almost daily. I use the Etsy seller app to purchase and print shipping labels. We reuse leftover label strips for labeling our inventory and crystal boxes. We try to recycle as much as we can.

The future of Nelmoonjewels

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

In the future, we hope to offer an even larger array of XL crystals as well as gold and pure silver component options for our jewelry line.

Advice for new sellers

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

My recommendation to a new seller is to take your time with each listing. It gets better with practice. Make sure that you’re using as many tags on the item as possible and adding all the materials as well. Include the item size to help prevent customer returns or negative feedback. Update listings regularly and ask for feedback. Add as much information as possible to the item description to make your item feel unique and fabulous. I like to offer coupons to repeat buyers and freebies on orders over a certain amount.