How tragicomic 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?
Hello, I am Ezequiel, and my store name is Tragicomic. From a very young age, I liked crafts and building with my own hands. On the other hand, I have always been in love with Jim Henson's puppets. Combining both passions I started building puppets at least 20 years ago. I used to sell them in street markets in Spain, but here nobody knew them by then, and I thought of expanding my market abroad. It was at that moment that I learned about the new e-commerce markets, and that's how I came to Etsy.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
My favorite puppets are the plague doctor and the vampire. The vampire is a much-loved puppet among my Etsy clients. I guess he is timeless and easily attracts everyone's eyes—a tyrannical vampire villain who controls the economy and world order. As for the plague, doctor... He had a boom time during the COVID pandemic (obviously!) but now we have him a little "forgotten". It is a pity! It has several accessories, and I think it could have a great original personality that has not yet been so exploited in performances. In recent months, I have also added a new character "Cayetano", which I adore. He is a well-known character in any Spanish bar that serves good tapas and good wine.
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 was about two months before I made my first sale. The beginnings are complex. At first, you don't know how the market works, what your customers might like, the whole issue of tags, etc.Everything was new! And although I am not yet a great expert, lately I have tried to improve my photos, explore new techniques, and improve my ads, little by little.
Managing tragicomic
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?
In my shop, it's just me. I buy the materials from small businesses in the area and try to improve the local economy since the self-employed do not have it easy in Spain with the issue of taxes. I am building the puppets as the orders come in, and that is why my completion time is between 1 and 2 weeks. I answer the messages; I communicate with my clients... I myself also take all the orders to the transport company, So everything is on my hands! I recently downloaded the Etsy app, and it seems to work quite well and makes my job easier. Lately, I also try to grow in social networks, but this requires a lot of time.
The future of tragicomic
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
I always want to continue innovating and growing. Many times I can't resist continuing to create, even though I have a lot of work! There are so many possibilities. New materials, more and more fun fabrics, my new 3D printer to create new accessories, eyes that open and close, ventriloquist puppets, terrifying dolls... The world of puppets and crafts is immense! And my clients, with their crazy and fun ideas that always keep me there, with new and fresh illusions...
And everything comes to life when my puppet arrives at your house and becomes one of the family... And it has a personality and a life of its own! And sometimes he even has a YouTube channel, and he's famous! I love my work.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
I would tell a new seller on Etsy to follow their dream. Patience; as I said before, beginnings are never easy. But nowadays we have great improvements with FAQs, testimonials from other sellers, apps that make your job easier, etc.
I would recommend that you first investigate the world of SEO, the listings, etc. to position your product well in the market and be very clear to whom it is directed.
Even so, you have to give it time to see if your idea works. It is important to be clear about what you want so as not to get away from what you really like, but also to have some flexibility to fit it into what works well in the market. Step by step without ever losing hope
