How SUCDECOCO 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?
Well, the story of Suc de Coco and what we currently sell on Etsy is quite interesting, to be honest. It's actually a story of two because my adorable husband is a fundamental part of this whole process, both in the technical and design aspects, as well as being my biggest moral support.
Truth be told, my interest in drawing in general dates back to when I was a kid. It has always been my biggest dream to work as an artist, and to some extent, I've achieved it. I've worked alongside my husband in fashion design, creating patterns and designs for children's and adult clothing brands with franchises like Disney, Marvel, SpongeBob SquarePants, and more.
We have also taught computer design classes using Illustrator and Corel Draw, focusing on the fashion industry. But deep down, I've always had this yearning to be able to draw whatever I wanted, to let my imagination soar, to apply my own style, mainly kawaii, and to create original characters.
One day, I came across Etsy and thought it could be the opportunity to fulfil my dream of drawing what I love and selling it. Why not give it a try? Let's see what happens. And that's when we created Suc de Coco.
That was back in 2014, the year we opened our Etsy store. However, due to life circumstances, I couldn't add any content, and the shop remained there, without products, at a standstill.
It wasn't until February 2020, when I became interested in the world of digital planners and stickers for them, that I decided it could be the chance to revive the shop, and so we did. But the next month, the pandemic hit, and with it, the lockdown.
I couldn't believe it! What does the universe have against me? So much time has passed waiting, and just when we could finally do it, the world shuts down, and I see my hopes fading away once again.
But even so, with the situation of being stuck at home, we decided to go ahead and upload our creations because, at the very least, it was a way to distract ourselves and disconnect from the terrible situation.
To our surprise, the sales started pouring in! I discovered Facebook groups of digital planning enthusiasts and started showcasing my creations. Lots of people loved them and became instant fans of Suc de Coco. We were overwhelmed and incredibly excited at the same time.
So, without hesitation, we fully committed ourselves and started regularly uploading unique and original content. And that's how it's been until now.
Personally, I believe this experience has shown me that if you desire something strongly enough, don't hesitate and go for it. It may not happen today or tomorrow, but if you stay persistent, it will surely come, and that moment is just incredible!
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
One of the things I love the most is creating characters, and I think that's evident when you see the incredible variety of different characters we have in our products. But perhaps, because it was the first one and because it gives the store its name, our favourite is Coco, the blue kitty.
Any set featuring Coco continues to be a bestseller for us, and it's also our personal favourite. I believe this is reflected in our sales as well. Even though it's one of the oldest designs, it remains one of the most popular. Coco is an adorable kitty, but at the same time, he has a mischievous and fun side—a combination that makes him very appealing to consumers.
These are a few of our best sellers:
But please visit our store, and you will see many more adorable characters that will captivate you.
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?
As I mentioned in the introduction, it took six years from the time I opened the store until I started adding content. But as soon as we began adding listings, sales started coming in within a month. Currently, I believe one of the most consistent ways to generate sales, apart from organic traffic on Etsy, is through our interaction with fans in Facebook groups. Going directly to those who are interested is truly the best way to reach your potential market. Then, it's up to them to evaluate and decide if your product is worth it. If you approach it with enthusiasm and effort, I'm sure you'll eventually reap the rewards. Sooner or later, your hard work will pay off.
Managing SUCDECOCO
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?
Being a digital content store, we don't require significant investments in materials. We handle everything between my husband and me, dividing the creative and promotional aspects, which I handle, and the technical and design aspects, which he takes care of.
For the creation of our content, we use:
Procreate
Affinity Designer
Goodnotes
For the assembly:
Affinity Designer
Affinity Publisher
For mailing:
Mailerlite
The future of SUCDECOCO
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
Currently, our goals are to expand our content by including other types of products. I'm still not sure whether we'll add them to the same store or create a separate, parallel store. Some of the products we're considering are:
Colouring pages: Providing printable colouring pages for people to enjoy and express their creativity
Cliparts: Offering a collection of digital graphics and illustrations that can be used for various purposes like crafting, digital design, or scrapbooking
Stamps: Creating digital stamp designs that can be used for paper crafts, card-making, and other creative projects
By expanding our range of products, we aim to cater to a broader audience and provide them with even more options to explore and enjoy our creative offerings.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
Our advice to anyone who is unsure about whether to open a store or not is simple: give it a try! Don't let doubts hold you back, such as thinking it won't work or wondering who would be interested.
Fortunately, we live in a global world where we are all connected. That means there are countless people out there who share our interests and might love and want to buy our creations.
Personally, I believe it's better to try and see what happens rather than wonder what could have been if we had taken the chance. Don't let the opportunity slip away—go for it now!
Don't put too much pressure on yourself or have grand expectations. Do it for yourself and for the joy it brings you. The perfect moment never arrives, and when you realise it, time has passed, and it becomes more difficult.
So, take a leap of faith! The world belongs to the brave, and there are countless people out there eager to see what you have to offer. Let your creativity shine and share your unique creations with the world!
SUCDECOCO
Digital planner stickers, illustrations and much more!
