Etsy Seller Interview with Alexa of smalljoysquest

How smalljoysquest 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?

Like many other small businesses, I started during the pandemic. I knew about Etsy and had opened a shop before, but I never actually had the time to make or list products. At the time, face masks were an obvious place to start. And to my surprise, despite all the competition, my masks became best sellers. I always loved designing and sewing. I worked as a factory seamstress for years, so I also had the skillset to make and source the right materials for my products. After making cotton masks, I used the money I had earned to buy my first sublimation printer. I also bought some mask blanks and other blanks. I soon had to learn that the quality and availability of sublimation blanks can be very inconsistent. I had no problem sewing my own masks, but after the pandemic was over, I had to figure out other products that I could make from scratch. Me and my whole family are mad about dogs, so pet products were the obvious next step. Now I make personalized dog bandanas, poo bag holders, pillowcases, and even digital designs. All my raw materials are sourced from UK wholesalers.

Favorite items

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

My favorites are my poo bag holders; although personalized bandanas sell better, I guess this sort of humor is just not everyone’s cup of tea. I love them because they are funny.

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?

My first sale took months, but at that point, I just listed some stuff I made for my own entertainment. When I listed my first face mask, it was very well-timed. And got a sale in 48 hours. I have learned that following the trend and offering what customers want is important. Today I plan ahead using a retail calendar and try to spot any upcoming trends that I can leverage to leverage sales.

Managing smalljoysquest

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 am a one-woman band, so the less time I spend managing my shop, the more I can dedicate to the actual making. Which is the fun part, right? My physical products are made to order, so I don’t need inventory management. I use Allura for market research and keywords. For designs and printing, I use Photoshop. I have tried quite a few third-party listing tools, but now I am settled on good old Excel and just use my existing listings to copy and Etsy’s own batch editing features. I don’t ship internationally because I've had some bad experiences. I just use Royal Mail labels bought from Etsy and pack, and ship my items myself. However, in busy times, I get help from my family and temporary staff if needed.

The future of smalljoysquest

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

I like my shop small and cheerful for now. I don’t plan to significantly scale my business for the next 2-3 years because I am a home-educated mom. It provides an income and a creative outlet for me. I am looking into ways to outscore some parts of the blank-making process, and I am looking into AI tools to automate some parts of customer service in the near future. I believe in slow and sustainable growth. I already have experience managing busy times, so I’m confident that when the time is right for me to prioritize growth, I will be able to organize the workload adequately.

Advice for new sellers

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

Conduct product research and adjust your products to meet demand. This doesn’t mean you should lose your personality or make something completely different from what you like to make. It often just takes a bit of brainstorming to find the ideal combination of your own style and trending topics. However, don’t forget to take action. Ideas can only be validated by customers buying them. So anytime you come up with something, list it. You can always go back and improve the listing, photos, etc., but until your product is online, it doesn’t exist for your customers.

It can take a while until the shop gains traction, and even then, a mix of busy and very quiet periods is normal. It is important to make the most of them when they happen. I never stop listing or improving my products or listings when things are quiet, but I also use these times to spend more quality time with family and self-care. This allows me to keep working like crazy, delegate tasks, and make the most revenue when the "party is on".