Etsy Seller Interview with Yannick of OmbellaTresors

How OmbellaTresors 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?

I am Yannick (in feminine), I have always been manual, and I love DIY to divert everyday objects. I have been passionate about Feng Shui for about fifteen years. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art that aims to harmonize environmental energy to promote the health, prosperity, and well-being of people living in their environment. It involves the organization of objects in a space in such a way as to facilitate the flow of 'chi, or life energy. Feng shui can be used to improve various aspects of life, such as careers, health, relationships, wealth, etc. Accessories are used to amplify or diminish the Chi, and crystals are an interesting and frequently used element. I am passionate about crystals, and they are like me. I am said to be a solar person. Putting them on stage by making decorative objects illuminates me!

I opened my shop on Etsy in August 2021, totally by chance. I had some health problems and was bedridden for a few months. To avoid sinking into sadness, we adopted Umbelle from an association that takes in abandoned cats. She is my inspiration, my rainbow, and my therapy, and I started making mobiles with crystals; I made many, many of them. I made many, many crystals. There were too many of them, and my husband told me that I had to do something with them, like sell them. He always believed in me, much more than I did!

I didn't want to be in a soulless marketplace like a certain market leader, so I discovered Etsy. I knew it by name without really using it. I found that this platform was a good way to promote passionate craftsmen like me, and I, therefore, launched myself with great ease because the tool is very easy to use. I create every day in my office, which I have converted into a workshop. I live in the Loire Valley in France, a bucolic place in the middle of the vineyards with an environment conducive to well-being in the middle of nature. My imagination is boundless; I am constantly thinking of new products, new textures, and new supports. My brain never stops. I buy mainly in France and Europe and often from other Etsy sellers because I also like to make the community sellers work, like with all my driftwood, for example.

Favorite items

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

It's very hard to choose my favorite items, as I love them all. My number one is Cloud, even though it takes a lot of work to make it. It is just as I imagined it would be—a real gem that invites you to dream. I love the feedback from customers on this model. They understand perfectly the universe I want to create.

The manufacturing process has evolved with each order. It's a completely eclectic item and so unique. What makes a suncatcher great is the sun, and Cloud is beautiful even when the sun is not shining on it. Each piece is unique because of its shape or the hangers. It's a product on which I work completely freehand (a French expression).

Then, in Cumunolimbi, its originality comes from its mounting on a driftwood and with a drop of crystal that diffuses the aurora borealis when the sun crosses the prism. It is a journey to the polar circle. Each piece is also unique because of the wood and the density of the sun's rays. This product is very successful in spring and summer. Customers are used to macramé driftwood hanging, and this model has brought a new style to this type of decoration. Spring is the latest innovation inspired by this model.

I love my HOME DECO BOX Trio; it represents the sun, the stars, and the moon. It is the representation of the celestial bodies that fascinates our humanity, a treasure that favors the escape of the spirit. For this model, I wanted to create an interior decoration gift box to offer. People who receive it often don't know about suncatchers, and they marvel at the jewels when they discover their effects. I love this "wow" effect. It is a very successful item.

Andromeda, Cassiopeia, and Pegase are also very popular with customers. These are delicate interior jewels sublimated by crystals, made with great finesse.

The yoga mat and the lotus, decorated with natural stones, are little treasures for meditation. I like to propose natural stones in my creations; it brings softness to the mobile.

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 think I was incredibly lucky; my shop opened on June 8, 2021, and I had my first sale five days later.

Then a sale every 3 to 5 days, or even 2 or 3 on the same day. My shop was not finished at all. The pictures were horrible; there were only six products, no collection. Everything had to be done.

My first customer loved his purchase, gave it a 5-star rating, and would recommend it. Then the other orders came in, and the customers loved my originality and customer service. All of this gave me confidence that this was possible and that I was having an incredible experience.

So in the first year, I created a lot of templates and worked on my product sheets, SEO, and branding. I wanted customers to receive the kind of customer service I expect as a customer.

From the beginning of 2022, I attended all the Etsy training webinars in addition to their seller's manual. I put in 300% of my time. I entered the Etsy Design Awards 2022 by creating the totally amazing product "Cloud", true to my imagination and the magic I want to bring to customers.

This product brought incredible traffic to my shop starting in the summer of 2022. Elle Décor magazine selected one of my products in their "Etsy coup de coeur.", The Etsy algorithms did the rest, and I had regular sales every day.

To bring in customers, I create new designs on a regular basis to increase my listing.

I use Etsy marketing with a medium budget on about 20 of my listings with the products that have the highest click-throughs, visits, and bookmarks, as well as my new items, and I post on social networks.

Managing OmbellaTresors 

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 shop alone; I think, I make, I pack, and I send; I answer the customer; I contact the carriers, who sometimes lose the parcels...

I update the shop. I do my accounting, I post on social networks, and I take photographs. The list is so long.

I still have a job, so evenings, weekends, and holidays are devoted to the shop. Orders are processed within 3 days on average, except for wooden creations and special orders.

Unfortunately, my days are not long enough to do everything I want.

In terms of tools, I used Erank to work on the quality of my listings and Etsy marketing. I also used Alura for a few months, and I found it quite complementary to improving the quality of the listings and the tool to get reviews from customers.

My husband is now helping me with the website.

The future of OmbellaTresors  

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

There are so many of them! My first objective was to register and protect my creations; the Ombella Trésors brand has just been registered and is in the process of being validated.

I am working on new models with other materials. In my mind, they are already very beautiful and very much in the current trend. I just have to make them.

My goal is also to work on my own website, and deploy more social networks.

I also want to participate in regional fairs, markets, and craft exhibitions.

The last goal is to improve my photos and packaging.

Advice for new sellers

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

Be yourself and be creative.

Do what you love with passion.

Share your world; there will always be customers connected to yours.

Don't be discouraged by what you don't sell right away. Etsy is a marathon. You have to take your time to do things. You need to be curious and educate yourself with all the materials Etsy has to offer.

Take part in Etsy webinars; even if you think a subject doesn't concern you, there will always be information to pick up.

And then take care of your customers; they are the ones who will make your shop successful.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Too variable‍

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 25 %

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 1.8 to 2.5 per month