Etsy Seller Interview with Barbara of TobyandBeeLondon

How TobyandBeeLondon 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?

A few years ago, I discovered PUL fabric as a great alternative to other waterproof fabrics such as vinyl, oil cloth, etc. Although constantly improving, I found that the choice of PUL fabric in the UK was somewhat limited. A lot of PUL fabric was marketed towards the reusable nappy market and was therefore not available to buy by the metre. This led me to the beginnings of my business selling PUL fabric. I started off with only a few designs of fabrics and gradually increased my range.

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 favourites, which is also a firm favourite with my customers, is the dinosaur print. It’s cute and colourful, and although it is one of my early designs, it is still going strong.

The ‘Rainbow Clouds print is also a firm favourite. The colours are super vibrant. It’s just a fun print.

My offcuts are also popular. They are always different. They are a great way to familiarise yourself with PUL fabric, and they are perfect for small sewing projects.

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 remember how excited I was when I received my first order on Etsy, and luckily, it did not take very long at all. Most of the traffic to my shop is organic. I do use Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, but admittedly, I should be posting a lot more. Social media is definitely something I could improve on. I am enrolled in Etsy offsite ads, which does help with bringing customers to my shop.

I always pay attention to good quality, excellent customer service, and fast shipping. I think this is very important because it encourages customers to come back. I have tried advertising on Facebook and Google, but I need to learn more about strategies and methods to maximise the potential.

Managing TobyandBeeLondon

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 run Toby and Bee by myself. I do everything, including designing and sourcing products, taking photographs, creating listings, packaging, shipping, customer relations, social media, etc.

I mostly use Royal Mail for shipping. Their online service is very efficient, but I also like to support my local post office, which is why I don’t purchase all postage labels online. I mostly use environmentally friendly packaging. I believe that we can all do our little bit to reduce waste. I usually use brown paper and recycled cardboard boxes.

The future of TobyandBeeLondon

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

My goal is to offer a wider variety of designs and to grow my revenue each year.

Advice for new sellers

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

It’s good to carry out some initial research, but don’t be afraid to jump in right at the deep end. The only true way to find out if people are interested in your product is by beginning to sell it. You can always start with a small selection and build up from there. Starting an online shop or, indeed, any kind of business, can be overwhelming. If you run the business by yourself, you will most likely need to gain a lot of knowledge on many different subjects, such as photography, production, taxes, shipping (especially overseas), packaging laws, social media, advertising, etc. Luckily, nowadays it is quite easy to educate yourself online, but be prepared to invest a lot of time.

Pay attention to quality and provide excellent customer service. Communication with customers is an extremely important aspect. Especially in situations where occasionally things don’t go to plan, for instance, items lost in the mail, etc., it is vital to communicate well and keep your customers updated. Most people are very understanding and forgiving if you show that you are doing everything you can.