How Nubuckcuir 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 Etsy shop is Nubuckcuir. Before knowing about Etsy, I sold my leather bags at local fairs and in my workshop, especially to relatives and acquaintances. Until one day they told me about Etsy, and my business took a huge turn! I would never have thought that my clients would be so far away, that they would like my creations so much, and that they would even ask me for custom orders...I sell high-quality leather accessories, made one by one by me in my little shop, located in the mountains. I am inspired by nature; I look for comfort, timelessness, and versatility in my designs. I also love being able to create personalized orders.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
Backpacks are undoubtedly the best-selling accessory in my store. I started with just a very basic backpack design, and now you can find several collections where the backpack is the protagonist. My favorite piece is the Harmony backpack, which is very elegant and minimalist.
But I have to highlight my best seller, the Basic anti-theft backpack. It is very light, ideal for day-to-day use, and has exquisite design and quality.
Duna is my new collection inspired by the Canary Islands.
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 year was hard; I didn't get the first sale until 10 months later when I understood that it wasn't just about uploading the products. I started to take beautiful photos where you could see how the bags look on real women, optimize the titles, keywords... I was also lucky that Etsy selected a Nubuckcuir fanny pack for their editorial, and it sold out quickly. Today I try to listen a lot to my clients, who are already more than 2000! I understood that I had to expedite and provide security on the issue of shipping; now I only work with FedEx and DHL. I am always open to adapting my designs. I want my clients to find their ideal bag, and we create it together through various messages, drawings, etc.
Managing Nubuckcuir
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 alone in charge of the management of the Etsy shop; every day I answer the messages of my clients, and I send them twice a week. Many of the photos are also taken by me and edited with Photoshop, but if I can, I do photo sessions with professional photographers. To search for keywords, I sometimes use EtsyRank, but sometimes I have a hard time finding the exact word due to not knowing much of the language.
The future of Nubuckcuir
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
My goal for next year is to reach more customers. Being able to expand my product catalog and, of course, sell more! Create a strategy so that customers who have already bought from me and are satisfied repeat business. And maybe in the future, I will be able to expand the team, hire a photographer, and have someone help me in the workshop. That would be great!
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
If you are a new seller on Etsy, I would tell you to be patient; selling on Etsy is a great opportunity for your business. I would give you some basic advice: study how Etsy works, follow the advice of Etsy Success, and follow experts on this marketplace. There are many tools to succeed on Etsy.
Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.
Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: €2500
Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer:40%
Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0.4%
Nubuckcuir
Handmade Leather Backpacks, Fanny packs and Bags.
