Etsy Seller Interview with Jacqueline of TheWickedGriffin

How TheWickedGriffin 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 learned silversmithing in high school, but I stopped making jewelry for about 10 years because I didn’t have money to afford the tools. Then sometime in 2011, I bought a pair of earrings that were asymmetrical, so I fixed them with some pliers. That gave me the idea to buy charms and put them on ear hooks so I could have more earrings. I posted pictures on Facebook, and family and friends told me I should sell them on Etsy. So I opened a shop and couldn’t believe that I actually sold a pair of earrings, even with my awful first-generation iPhone photos.

That set me back on my jewelry path. I started using the money I made on Etsy and my job to buy jewelry tools, and I just went crazy with it. I began by experimenting with new techniques and making the items I liked. But it wasn’t until I started focusing on the customer and what they wanted that my shop started to take off.

Favorite items

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

My favorite items are the way-over-the-top expensive items and the OOAK items, but not because they’re expensive. It’s because they’re more focused on the art of the craft. But these pieces hardly ever sell! And I think that’s totally okay, because they are there for those who want them.

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 opened in 2011, and I want to say it took maybe a couple months. I focus on getting organic sales on Etsy with good SEO and product photography, as well as through Etsy ads.

Managing TheWickedGriffin

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?

It is only me running my shop, and I hope to keep it that way as long as possible, being the introvert that I am 🙂 I don’t use any apps or tools other than erank and I use Etsy for shipping labels.

The future of TheWickedGriffin

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

I’d definitely love to sell more! Who doesn’t want that? But my current focus is on adding as many quality items as I can.

Advice for new sellers

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

Focus on one type of product; don’t have jewelry, coffee mugs, and dog collars because that doesn’t make sense.

Get really good at product photography because even if your SEO is on point, you still have to get someone to click on your listing!

Figure out your branding as early as possible, define who your target market is, and make products for this audience only.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: About $6,000 monthly on average on Etsy alone

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: I’m not sure for Etsy alone, but in total for all my selling venues it averages about 60%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 2.3%