Etsy Seller Interview with Sara of TheScrapFaerie

How TheScrapFaerie 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?

After my daughter was born nine years ago, I developed severe postpartum depression and anxiety. It got so bad that I ended up needing to be hospitalized for more than a week and doing several months of therapy. Two of the things that got me through that time were babywearing—as my daughter was a colicky baby who hated to be put down—and crafting. As I got into babywearing, I developed a deep appreciation of the textiles used in baby slings, both handwoven and machine-woven, and I sympathized with caregivers who wanted to keep ‘forever’ pieces of the baby slings that kept their babies close without having to store yards of fabric. There were a few existing shops that used pieces of baby slings (or ‘wrap scrap’) in their jewelry, key fobs, and handbags, but there was room for more of us in the industry because we each had a different style, used different materials, and favored different babywearing brands. I also really focused on using recycled textiles, both small pieces from other shops that made larger items like handbags and stuffed animals, and the waste from the manufacturing process. I also chose to make a significant portion of my jewelry with wood settings handmade by a fellow Etsy seller. The warmth and beauty of the wood set off the textile inset beautifully. Over the years, I have expanded my product line based on customer requests and taught myself to sew. I love a challenge, so when a customer asks me to make something, I can’t wait to try it out! Crafting has truly kept me mentally healthy and helped me be a better parent. When I’m feeling stressed out, I hop on my sewing machine and make my kids some clothes. An hour later, the stress has usually melted away.

Favorite items

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

One of my favorite listings - and I can't believe it hasn't sold yet! - is the bee pendant and honeycomb earrings set

It’s made with one of my favorite baby slings, the pattern Buzz by Sling Studio. The older I get, the more I appreciate bees and all they do for the earth. Blush is my favorite color, and I love how the blue in the piece of scrap I used pairs with the honey-colored wood of the bezel. My second favorite item in my shop is this necklace made with (surprise!) Another of my favorite scraps, the pattern Koguty by Natibaby, is this necklace. I absolutely love the color scheme and the floral motif, the pattern placement, and the way the entire thing came 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 honestly can’t remember how long it took me to make my first sale. It probably wasn’t all that long, but it felt like ages! As a new Etsy seller, I naively thought in terms of "if I launch my Etsy shop, customers will come," but I did not realize how much work it actually is to set up your shop, take good listing photos, create the listings, come up with tags and titles that will get your items noticed, promote and drive traffic to your shop, stay relevant as trends change, manage inventory, and keep enough supplies on hand during the pandemic and after. The Etsy "cha-ching!" never gets old, though. I love hearing that sound or waking up to a new order email in my inbox.

Managing TheScrapFaerie

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’m the President, CEO, Postmistress, Customer Service Rep, and everything else at TheScrapFaerie! I wear many hats. It gets quite hot in the summer. Hahahaha.} I use the old Etsy seller app, the Square app, Facebook groups, and Instagram mostly. I’m not very social media savvy, but I do my best to create interesting content. My shop isn’t so busy that I can’t ship orders in a timely manner, and I have many repeat customers because awesome customer service is my goal. I try to reply to customer messages as soon as I see them; I ALWAYS message potential customers back, even if it is to direct them to another shop that can serve them better; I always send handmade thank you cards and stickers with each order; I ship no later than the 2nd business day after I receive an order; and I make it right, no matter what. I think my customers have come to recognize and appreciate that about The Scrap Faerie.

The future of TheScrapFaerie 

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

I’d love to grow my shop. Not so much that I quit my full-time job as a data manager for an education nonprofit because I love what I do and the company I work for, but enough that I can create more and have extra spending money for travel as my kids get older. My favorite memories are of trips I have taken with family and friends. In the years I have been in business, I have steadily refined my craft, increased my product line, and made connections with more than five small retail locations around the state.

Advice for new sellers

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

Live the three Ps: patience, persistence, and promotion! You might get your first sale the day you open your shop, or it might not be for a month, but either way, be patient with the process. Keep at it. No sales? Tweak your listing photos, categories, item descriptions, and listing tags, Plan to semi-regularly post social media content about your business, but try to come up with fun and engaging ways to do that. Also, join social media groups for sellers and read what other people are posting. You’ll learn so much about being a seller from reading what other sellers are asking or giving for advice, from how to deal with lost packages and tricky customer service situations to the latest trends, the best ways to promote, how to set up an attractive craft fair booth, etc.