Etsy Seller Interview with Isa of SunflowerShopByIsa

How SunflowerShopByIsa 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’m Isa, the owner and founder of Sunflower Shop by Isa, which sells unique air plant hangers and decor. Because air plants get all of their water and nutrients from the air, they do not require dirt and can be displayed in a variety of ways, including macramé. In 2020, I was searching for a particular type of hanging air plant holder but could not find any for sale. I remembered that my mom used to make macramé items when she was younger and wondered if I could use macramé to make what I was looking for. I taught myself some basic knots on YouTube and bought some cord. After a few attempts, it worked!

At the time, I already had an Etsy shop with miscellaneous listings of crafts I had made and decided to upload the new air plant hanger I designed. I was shocked to suddenly start getting 2-3 orders a day. I continue to sell an improved version of that original hanger but have since expanded to a variety of different colours, sizes, and styles. Occasionally I will sell fibre art that does not include air plants, but the central theme for all my products centres around unique air plant displays.

Favorite items

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

My two favourite products are the basic hangers (my first love!) and the "Bridge" hangers. The basic hangers are simple, versatile, and a staple in my shop. The Bridge hangers feature a unique pattern of macramé knots resembling a suspension bridge, hence the name. They symbolise the tension between harsh geometric lines and softer internal spaces. Maintaining a balance between firm boundaries and our caring, compassionate instincts can be difficult, and these hangings represent how those two things can work together.

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 would occasionally sell one of my miscellaneous crafts (mainly shoe bags) every few months or so, but I sold the first air plant hanger within a few weeks of listing. I credit that to creating a product that had been previously unavailable. It turns out I was not the only one looking for that particular air plant display! I continue to attract customers to my shop within Etsy itself by ensuring I have up-to-date tags, full and accurate descriptions, and high-quality listing photos. I try to offer popular or trending colours as well. I also market through social media on Instagram and Pinterest, as well as through Etsy’s own Explore feature.

Managing SunflowerShopByIsa

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?

For almost three years, I’ve run every aspect of the business on my own. However, as order volume has increased, I have had the opportunity to recently hire some assistance. This has allowed me to invest more time in the business development side, such as marketing and management.

I mainly use three tools for photo and video editing: VSCO, InShot, and CapCut. Once I found the right presets for the bright, airy look, applying them consistently to all my photos and videos saved me a lot of time. Making short-form videos can be time-consuming as well, so InShot and Capcut help cut down on editing. I’ve also used Planoly, a scheduling app, in the past when needed.

The future of SunflowerShopByIsa 

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

I hope to continue to brighten customers’ lives with unique ways to add greenery to their homes! I also have some new product ideas in the works and would like to create more one-of-a-kind pieces.

Advice for new sellers

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

My number one advice is to sell a good product, either one that is not yet available or one that you can make better than anyone else if it is already sold. My second piece of advice is consistency. My shop has cycled through many slow and busy seasons. When you sell a non-essential item, especially in the home decor category, demand can be easily impacted by unforeseen, uncontrollable events such as holidays, natural disasters, gas prices, and even elections. Don’t give up. Instead, use the slow seasons to improve your products and design new ones, ramp up your marketing, rewrite your listings, and also rest a bit for when the next busy season comes.