How PaperloversKids 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 story begins at my own wedding. I've always really enjoyed designing on the computer, and when I couldn't find a suitable wedding invitation for us, I quickly created some designs myself. At that time, there was the Dawanda platform in Germany, which was later bought by Etsy. So I put my designs on Dawanda and couldn't believe it when the first orders came in. It was incredible that I was getting paid for something I enjoyed so much. This is how my wedding stationery shop has grown steadily. When Dawanada was acquired, I moved my shop to Etsy.

When the Corona crisis came and the wedding celebrations were cancelled, I started a kids shop where I offer personalised cards, books, candles, pillows, etc. This shop now makes most of my sales, but I love both shops.

Here you can find my two shops:

PaperLoversPapeterie
PaperloversKids

Favorite items

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

My baptism candles and greeting cards sell best. My favourite product, however, is my gratitude diary for children, which I designed with a lot of love and passion. I have two children myself and think it is important to instill a positive mindset in children at an early age. It's still very new, but I hope it's well received and buyers appreciate it as much as I do.

Gratitude book for kids, diary kids, diary gratitude, mindfulness kids, gratitude diary kids, mindfulness book
Baptismal candle field flowers, baptismal candle flowers, baptismal candle girl, baptismal gift, wildflowers, candle baptism, "Wildflower" collection

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?

To be honest, I can't remember much about it, but it happened relatively quickly, so it was motivating to keep going.
Apart from Instagram, I don't use any other channels at the moment. So the customers usually come directly from Etsy.

Managing PaperloversKids

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 work with a temporary worker who takes care of the assembly and shipping of my goods. I use Billbee for shipping.

The future of PaperloversKids

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

I would like to expand my product line. I would like to offer more books and decorative items.

Advice for new sellers

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

For me, outstanding customer service is number one. I am a perfectionist and want to offer my customers the best shopping experience. This includes communication as well as the products themselves and their packaging. I would advise a new seller to sell what they love. There are buyers for every niche. Stick with it, attach great importance to product photography, and design the product description and tags in the best possible way.

And then be patient!

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: On average around €10,000

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: approx. 50%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 3.3%

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.