How ProperCopperDesign 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 Khan, and I am the creator of Proper Copper Design, a design workshop in Brighton that creates beautiful interior products such as handles, taps, and showers from industrial materials such as copper and brass. I am a carpenter by trade, and my passion began when I refitted my kitchen at home with reclaimed pallet wood and a handcrafted tap made from copper, which ages naturally over time. I was amazed at copper's versatility, and I began to experiment piecing together minimal designs, ranging from hanging pan racks to outdoor showers, which we have been selling on Etsy since 2016. We handcraft each order as they come in and have a variety of finishes; everything is packaged in eco-friendly packaging.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
Our best-selling product is the genuine brass pot and pan rail. This is due to its original design, being easy to fit, and being a clever storage solution. Our simple copper T-pull handle—we were the first on the web with all of our copper handle designs, and this classic design is featured in homes all over the World. We are excited about our verdigris shower, Verdigo, with its waterfall shower head and modern design that has been aged to a turquoise colour, which makes it one of a kind.
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?
Proper Copper Design really took off in the beginning due to Etsy and the fact that our copper products were the first to market. It was only days after our launch that we were gaining sales. We are a company that is driven by innovation, so If we have requests for something unusual from our customers, we will learn how to make that into a new product and release it into our catalogue. We believe that as a business, you need to keep it fresh by trying out new designs and expanding your product categories. When we started our business, we would often sell gifts, but now we are mainly selling copper and brass homeware to clients for their interior design projects. We are currently working on making short films of our products to add to our Etsy product listings.
Managing ProperCopperDesign
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?
We have our Etsy shop all logged in and check it regularly through the day for any messages. It is great because it is connected to our Royal Mail and courier accounts, so once the order has been crafted in our workshop, it is packaged and posted, and the customer is updated automatically. We find it fairly simple to chat with customers, set up bespoke orders, and have these processed within the lead times.
The future of ProperCopperDesign
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
We would like to offer new lines of products, such as copper and wooden furniture! We would like to have better product listings with videos and technical drawings so that customers can easily plan their interior projects.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
You need to be aware that although Etsy is a great opportunity for customers to find you, it is also a platform full of other makers who are looking for new designs, and we have struggled with copycat businesses popping up making our designs and undercutting our prices, making it difficult for us to keep our customer base. I would advise you to watermark your images, mention that you are the original maker of this design, and keep your most precious ideas saved for your own portfolio or website.
Keep your customers happy by being quick at responding to their needs, offering friendly advice, discounts, and setting up custom orders in a timely manner in order to encourage sales.
We didn’t find that the promoted listings worked for us; we would say that your investment would be better spent on social media posts promoting your new products and redirecting traffic to your Etsy store.
Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.
Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: £8-12,000
Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0.8 %
ProperCopperDesign
Proper Copper Design
