Etsy Seller Interview with Courtney and Fraser of WilliamRaeDesigns

How WilliamRaeDesigns 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?

We started our Etsy store in 2014, after I had our daughter Sydney. I wasn’t feeling totally fulfilled with being a mother and was looking for something that wasn’t just caring for a baby. I ended up hanging out in the garage with Fraser more and more, with him teaching me very basic carpentry skills. I was able to combine my love of words and the need to create something with my hands into one product! We started selling them during the summer at the local farmers market, and once the season ended in the fall, we created our Etsy store to try and make it a full-time gig.

Favorite items

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

Right now, I’m really loving our Bucking Bronco print! And our ‘All you need is love” sign. 

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?

We were really fortunate and got our first sale within the first week! I think we entered the market at a really perfect time. It wasn’t saturated, and it was just starting to become a trend. 

Our current Etsy marketing strategy includes running Etsy ads and promoting our listings on Pinterest. We also make sure we’re up-to-date on Etsy SEO and improve our listing 2-3 times a year.

Managing WilliamRaeDesigns 

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?

Our shop currently runs out of a warehouse in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Our team consists of three people: Fraser, Tina, and Sydney. We all work together to get signs out the door, whether it's painting, staining, or framing. We’ve got a table saw, air compressor, framing gun, router table, and silk screening equipment all in house to create our signs. 

We don’t really have any apps that help us run our store; I find they're all available on Etsy’s platform already.

Shipping is done through Etsy’s shipping label programme, and we fulfil all orders n-house.

The future of WilliamRaeDesigns  

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

We’d actually really love to improve our efficiency over the next few years! Finding new and better ways to make the whole process even better.

Advice for new sellers

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

I always recommend new Etsy sellers research the market they’re hoping to enter. For us, it was home decor. I made sure I knew what signs were the most popular in that category and analysed the listings to see what they were doing right. If you’re entering an already crowded market, you might have to adjust your expectations. And vice versa, if you’re entering a sparse market, is it because no one is doing what you’re doing? Or is it because that product isn’t selling? The market and what people are buying will affect your business more than anything!

My last bit of advice is to give it time! Your shop will look different every day of the week. Some days will be busy, and some will be slow. Both are okay! Don’t panic on a slow day and change all of your listings. Patience and persistence will get you through!

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: $3000-$7500 USD. It varies greatly based on the season!

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 50-70%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 1.4%