Etsy Seller Interview with Asta of PurringPyjamas

How PurringPyjamas 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 Asta, the creator of my little business venture, which goes by the name of PurringPyjamas. I handmake and sell clothing for our precious pets to keep them toasty warm during chilly winter nights and protected from the harsh sun during the day. I'd never imagined I'd be making and selling pet clothing. My late grandmother taught me how to knit when I was in primary school (my grandparents had plenty of sheep, which resulted in us having an abundance of wool), and I have kept it as a hobby ever since.

Back in 2013, I got my first Sphynx cat. Living in Finland, a country known for its harsh winters, I noticed she'd get cold easily despite the house being quite warm. I started knitting her clothing, making a ton of mistakes and adjusting and tweaking designs as needed. After seeing the clothing I made for my cat, a few friends encouraged me to start selling pet clothing, as they thought the designs were beautiful. After thinking for a little bit, I decided to give it a try, and that's how PurringPyjamas was opened in February 2015.

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 difficult to pick favorites! Honestly, it's usually the new, "shiny" thing that excites me, so it would be these few designs:

I'd say most of my products sell pretty well! I have so many designs that are limited in quantity, and so far I don't really have things lingering around for more than a season or two (except for made-to-order products, of course). I am also not really someone who focuses on selling as much as possible; yes, of course, I like clearing out the old stock to make space for new items, but at the end of the day, knitting and making pet clothing are my hobbies. It is a coping mechanism that helps me deal with anxiety and stress. So I just make whatever I feel like making, and there is always someone who loves something I make. I am also happy to see people focusing more on slow fashion and small businesses and investing in quality rather than quantity; I think that's one of the reasons why people choose to buy from my shop.

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 probably took a couple of weeks to get my first sale. I was so excited that I could barely sleep that night! I won't even talk about how nervous I was—what if they receive the sweater and hate it? What if I don't know what I am doing? I probably didn't, but you live and you learn! :)

I don't do a lot when it comes to attracting new customers, honestly. Besides using Etsy's own advertising and hashtags, I also have Facebook and Instagram pages for my business. A fair amount of people found me via Instagram; not so many on Facebook. I don't find Facebook particularly great for sales, but it's still a decent place to reach more people. Their shopping feature is pretty nice too! Honestly, the old-school method of word of mouth proved to be a fantastic way to get customers. I've had so many people buy from me, love what they bought, and then send their friends and other family members to purchase something too.

Managing PurringPyjamas

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?

Yes, I am the only one who manages the shop from A to Z. I am quite old school, and I try to keep everything as simple as possible. Knitting is a slow art form, literally (we could call it a "craft", but when I see some knitted items, they definitely resemble art rather than your basic jumper), and it takes multiple hours to make one item. That's one of the reasons I don't do a crazy amount of advertising. I think that's one of the reasons why, 8 years later, I still find knitting as enjoyable as I did when I first started my shop.

The only tools I use for my shop would be my Nikon camera for taking photos and Photoshop for editing them, as well as my printer, as I print my business cards at home. You definitely don't need a fancy camera and computer programs for this, though! Apps, such as Snapseed or A Color Story, are great tools to edit photos on your phone, and they're free! I personally use Snapseed (mostly) to make quick edits to photos I upload on Instagram.

Again, shipping and packing are all done by me. I use Finland Post to ship everything. I'd definitely recommend investing in some nice packaging! Most of my packaging is not only recyclable but can also be reused by the customer. It warms my heart every time I read a review from a customer complimenting the packaging that the item came wrapped in. Opening a package is part of the experience, and it's almost as important as the product itself. Also, pack your items well! Postal service can be absolutely brutal in the way they handle packages, so having good packaging is a must.

The future of PurringPyjamas

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

Honestly, not many! I just hope I can continue doing this for as long as possible. I am happy people are interested in my products, and as long as they are buying, I will be selling. I know in today's hustle culture there's always the need for more and bigger (and there's nothing wrong with it as long as you don't overwork yourself and take sufficient time to rest), but I am content with the pace that I have achieved in these 8 years. I am used to the rhythm, know how to handle both the slow and busy seasons of my shop, and know what to expect. And I am happy with it.

Advice for new sellers

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

First and foremost, patience! Many things take time. For example, while I did make my first sale within the first couple of weeks of having my shop, it took another 5–6 months for my shop to truly get discovered by people. So do not get discouraged.

Don't compare yourself to other people who are in the same business as you. Concentrate on doing your own thing! Of course, you can take a look at what's happening on the market and get inspiration (inspiration, not copying!) for your own business. I also like checking on general trends—what colors and textures will be popular that year? What is it that people are looking for? Etsy makes seasonal as well as yearly trend reports that I highly recommend checking out!

I have noticed this being relatively common, unfortunately, but do not copy others. You can get yourself banned from Etsy for policy violations and get into all kinds of legal issues. If you didn't come up with it and didn't make it yourself, it's not yours. If you want to make a version of a famous product (something from Disney, for example), take a look into getting an actual license that allows you to use their products; otherwise, you may (and probably will) get sued. And probably the final advice: have your shop information properly filled out and have your photo as well as your name listed. People love to know who they're buying from.