Etsy Seller Interview with Gwen of ToysForTalking

How ToysForTalking 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 had just decided to retire from my job as a speech and language therapist in 2017, and I wanted to set up my own little online retail business, selling resource packs to help develop children’s language skills. My teenage daughter told me about Etsy and suggested it would be a good fit for my products because I make them all myself.

I make and sell products for children aged 1–8 years (or developmental age equivalents) that I would have loved to have had to hand when I was working. They are all based on toys or books that children really like, and they use a range of techniques used by speech and language therapists. These are explained in the advice sheets so that parents and school or preschool staff can pick them up and use them. I started with resource packs that I had made at work but improved on them so that they could be used over and over again. I have also developed whole lines of products from commissions from practicing speech and language therapists, parents, and school staff.

Favorite items

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

These are my favorite items:

Superheroes Blank Levels Pack: I developed this as a commission for a speech and language therapist working with a little boy who was really motivated by superheroes. I learned so much from my research! I am happy with all the activities in this bumper pack as it can be used for children at different levels of language ability. This has sold very well, I believe, because so many children love superheroes, and it is so important to motivate children to help them develop their language skills.

Language Concepts Screen with toys and pictures: I had a lot of fun finding the toys and creating the scenarios for this screening assessment. It is of most use for speech and language therapists, and as it is a recent addition, I haven’t yet sold any from my Etsy shop, but it’s a tool I would have loved to have used when I was working.

Bugs in the Garden Preposition Pack: I was always working on prepositions with children and was happy to find these bugs and miniature garden toys to motivate them. This has had several sales in my shop, probably due to the motivating little bugs!

What’s Inside? Mini fidget toys in brick boxes: I was happy to develop some useful turn-taking games with these resources, using fidget toys and hiding games. This has been a good seller in my shop because children love to hide and find objects, especially fidgety ones.

Boats, Cars, Planes, and Trains Links Set: I used these toys with young children with ASD all the time, and it was fun to create some useful visual resources to help them request and comment.This pack has sold well in my shop as the vehicles are easy to hold and link to each other, and it helps children ask for toys and name colors.

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?

It took me about 6 weeks to make my first sale. I remember being so excited because my first customer bought more than 1 pack! After that, sales picked up quite well. I am now a star seller," so my products are featured in off-site ads, which attract a lot of customers to my shop. I also have a loyal customer base that returns frequently to purchase more. 

Managing ToysForTalking

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 on my own. I add new products regularly and use the Etsy Seller app and the Sell on Etsy app to run my store, as well as often using the Etsy website. I use Royal Mail to ship and often use Etsy shipping labels for sending abroad, as Etsy helps with all the customs and tax information.

The future of ToysForTalking 

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

I’d like to sell more!

Advice for new sellers

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

Add as many products as you can, and keep adding them. Make sure you take lots of photos and write comprehensive descriptions. Use any reviews you get to advertise your products. Communicate with your customers. The Etsy messaging facility is very easy to use, and it’s important to reply promptly to any message from a customer.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Averaging £400 per month

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: Approximately £15 per pack. This is my labor, not strictly profit.

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: I don’t know