Etsy Seller Interview with Serene of SympleCase

How SympleCase 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 first started selling on Etsy in 2017, selling quirky printable greeting cards as a side hustle project. The project served as an outlet for me to express myself creatively, and I loved every minute of it. As I began to become more comfortable with Etsy, I opened a second shop, Symplecase, in 2018 and sold mainly quality phone cases, laptop sleeves, and other accessories, as I wanted to try selling physical products as well. I focused on the design and marketing aspects of the business, as they are what I am better at while leaving the fulfillment of orders to my trusted suppliers, who print and ship the products to my customers.

Favorite items

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

This simple initials design was inspired after watching "Inventing Anna" on Netflix, where the main character, Anna, was shown using a phone case with her initials ‘AD’ printed on it. The phone case did very well and even became a bestseller for a period of time. It shows that there are many opportunities to be harnessed if we can spot and tap on relevant trends.

On a personal level, I really like this "Stay Wild, Moon Child" phone case as it is a quote that I resonate deeply with.  It is definitely not the bestselling phone case but it targets a niche market such as people like myself. 

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 was lucky enough to get my first sale two days after opening my shop. The progress thereafter was slow but steady, with spikes during peak periods like Christmas and the back-to-school season. I would say having the right keywords and beautiful thumbnail photos is essential to getting the first couple of sales without the need to invest your time and money on any other marketing platforms. Listing new items in a consistent fashion is also helpful in reaching new customers. It also signals to Etsy that you are an active seller who takes care of your shop.

Managing SympleCase

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 manage my shop alone as I only need to focus on creating designs, making sure the product photos are stunning and handling customer service. I currently use Printify as my print-on-demand partner to get my items printed and fulfilled. I also use Marmalead and eRank for keyword research, Photoshop, and Illustrator for designing, and Google Sheets for finance tracking.

The future of SympleCase

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

I hope Symplecase can continue to grow and become more stable in its sales. I also hope to expand my product line to include more relevant products if the opportunity arises.

Advice for new sellers

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

Find a niche and start from there. Be patient and hone your various skills while on it, and you will get better in no time.