Etsy Seller Interview with Zara of UniqueCreativeByZA

How UniqueCreativeByZA 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?

My Etsy shop is called UniqueCreativeByZA, and I launched it in April 2017. I love making greeting cards, jewellery, and keyrings. I started crafting when I was a teen, making birthday cards for my friends and stretchy bead bracelets for myself. I remember one of my friends saying they looked forward to receiving one of my cards on their birthday. I think that motivated me to make all kinds of cards, and I built up my stocks so much that I thought it might be time to try and sell some. I then opened my Etsy shop online. I started with my cards, of course, as well as some of the stretchy bead bracelets I had made. I then self-taught myself jewellery techniques and delved into the world of semi-precious stones as well as sterling silver. What can I say? I love learning new techniques! I’m so glad I started selling my things; it’s been great to create something from scratch with love and have it be sold to someone who truly appreciates it! I source my stock from high-street retailers as well as online suppliers. I look for inventory that I would be happy to wear myself as well as be able to make beautiful pieces with.

Favorite items

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

I have quite a few listings in my shop, so this is a really tough question! I would say this greeting card:

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed making this greeting card and was even more pleased with how it turned out. I used a variety of different skills to make this card, so it reminds me how far I have come with my card-making skills over the years. I tend to make and sell one or two of a greeting card as it feels more unique to me than having 100s available of the same design. Another favourite of mine is this daisy chain bracelet listing:

I adore floral designs, and this one sells really well in my shop. It was such a pretty chain, so I thought, why not make it into a bracelet? It has such a feminine feel and just makes an outfit that bit more summery!

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 a month for me to achieve my first sale, and I still remember my first sale. I was so happy as it was the first time someone purchased something that I had made, and that filled me with so much joy. I still smile whenever I get a new order; that feeling doesn’t fade away for me. To attract customers, I mainly use the Etsy Ads service to help promote my listings online. I also trade at craft fairs to help promote my brands in person.

Managing UniqueCreativeByZA

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 am the designer, maker, and logistics coordinator for the shop—I do it all! I use the Etsy app to view my orders, and I also purchase my postal labels through Etsy as I find it slightly cheaper than posting via the post office.

The future of UniqueCreativeByZA 

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

I would love for my shop to continue to grow and evolve. I am also aiming to be a star seller on Etsy.

Advice for new sellers

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

Find something you love making and sell it; that way, it is a pleasure to make and is even more satisfying when you find that someone else thinks it’s beautiful and buys it from you! Also, to keep trying: I genuinely thought that no one would buy my handmade items and that I would never get that first sale, but I didn’t give up, and I’m so glad I kept going as I now have the confidence to be a more creative person!