How RabbitTarot 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 an artist, and over the years I have created a number of tarot and oracle decks in addition to sculptures and paintings. My tarot decks are my best sellers; I have them professionally printed from companies in the US and China and sell the finished decks, artwork, and related items on RabbitTarot on Etsy. My friend introduced me to Etsy, and I had always thought of selling my art online, and Etsy made it easy. I started by selling sculpture and went on from there with paintings, prints, and other items made from my original art.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
I don't really have a favorite, though I am especially proud of my Oracle decks since those are the most recent ones I've made. My current best seller is the Tarat tarot deck, which features white rats.
My Rabbit Tarot used to be a bestseller; however, my sales for this item tanked because of bootleg copies being sold, and I am currently fighting against illegal counterfeit copies of this deck being sold by overseas operations.
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 have been selling since 2006 on Etsy via my other shop, Bluedogrose. The first item I sold was a sculpture, and it only took a week to get my first sale; however, Etsy was a lot different back then, with a lot less competition and a very basic layout. I now have five different shops on Etsy for different aspects of my art and one for vintage. I do very little at this point outside of Etsy to promote my shops. I post new art on social media, and I have my own website, nakisha.com, which directs people to Etsy and other places I sell my art.
I am at a place in my business where I don't feel the need to constantly promote and hustle for sales. I have always sold organically, by word of mouth and traffic from random individuals sharing their love of what I do via their channels (YouTube, etc.) and repeat customers. I never pay for exposure or exchange my items for exposure. The trick is having something unique that no one else has and that people want.
Managing RabbitTarot
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?
Most everything is me, except my vintage shop, which is a cooperative shop with my partner. I handle 90% of the shipping and fulfillment; I actually enjoy this part of the job since it connects me with my customers. I just use Etsy shipping since it really is the cheapest and easiest option I've used. I don't use apps, and I don't even have Etsy on my phone, as I need to strike a balance between work and life. I treat Etsy as a job and work at it every day, but it's on my terms.
The future of RabbitTarot
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
I would like to get on top of the issues with copyright infringement, which I am currently battling. As far as goals go, I am in a good place right now, and I would like to keep that energy going into the future.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
The biggest thing is to really appreciate your customers. Treat them the way you want to be treated. I worked once at a high-end hotel, and the biggest lesson I learned then was to say "I'm sorry" if a customer came to you with a complaint. even if it was the customer's fault to begin with. Always respond with sympathy and respect. Always show you appreciate that they are spending their money on you and what you are selling when they have every option in the world at their fingertips. Be grateful and kind, and always be honest. You will make mistakes; we all do, but you should own up to them and work to make them right. Of course, this does not imply being a pushover; you do not have to give people the moon, but if you are fair and honest, people will respect you. And of course, brilliant photos and descriptions longer than half a sentence! You are selling people the idea of the item before they buy it; tell them everything about it! Give them something to tell their friends about later.
Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.
Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: I've been selling on Etsy since 2006.Bluedogrose (animal art) 16,162 sales Rabbit Tarot (tarot decks): 2425 sales Wireanimals (sculpture) 785 sales Nakisha (vintage) 2109 sales Randomenvy (other art) 84 sales
RabbitTarot
Tarot Decks by the artist Nakisha
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