Inspirational Mondays - MoxieRings

It's Monday again! For many of us it is frustrating that the weekend went by in a flash, but for some of us it was a disappointing weekend with low sales. But it is the thing that keeps us going that actually get sales coming. Just like MoxieRings, started by Susie in July 2005 the shop manage 1097 sales to date. Here's how -

RROF - Is your Etsy shop your main source of income? If not what is your regular job? (This question is intended to give an idea about how you need to divide your time, which is common issue amongst a lot of people here),

MR - Nope not the main source of income by a long shot!, I wish!I am a graphic designer, currently seeking employment, so I am spending huge amounts of time just searching for a job these days, but at one time Etsy was much businer for me,


RROF - When you started listing your first few items, was the response what you expected?
MR - I signed up to Etsy as member #1150 so it was very early days, and there was nothing happening sales wise. I had my first sale after 6 months and then focused more energy into it, as I saw potential.

RROF - Looking back, share with us some of the mistakes you think you've made when you just got started, and how you overcome them.
MR - No mistakes per se. I would recommend to new craters that they realize not everything will sell though, and just because you can make it does not mean there is a market for it.
I do recommend making sure u have a creative niche, especially when it comes to the jewelry category, which is overfilled and nearly impossible to to get any action in unless you have some outstanding product or insane prices!

RROF - Have you ever felt like giving up? What made you stay?
MR - HAAHAA I gove up all the time but cannot really since I am a creative junkie!

I am compelled to make jewelry and other crafty stuff. When I realized jewelry was a ridiculously overstuffed category I thought why not sell the custom earring cards I make for myself in a customized way for others? I also have always made notepads so started to sell those too! And of course I started offering web banners for Etsy or any other site, ad or blog, was among the first to do so, so it was good to start wit early on…

RROF - How do you promote? And in your opinion, which works best for you?,
MR - I used to have 40-50 orders a month, so I think I should probably check into the forums more often, though I find that promoting there does not net sales or even hits like it used to, and I had also tried purchasing banner ads on other sites (cannot recall names) but I found that was fruitless, too. If I thought a particular site would net some sales I would advertise again.

RROF - If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently?,

MR - I would probably do it all the same!

RROF - Any other thing, thoughts, advice, links, ... etc you would like to share with the Newbies?
MR - My pet peeve with some pages is that they write so much that you have to scroll down a bunch just to see the featured products! Pictures sell much better than paragraphs of written words, save all that stuffing for the profile page is what I recommend! Keep it a short blurb and then let your pics and graphics do the talking, especially banners, I notice which DO NOT communicate what your shop is all about, either graphically or with a short catch line…
In bricks and mortar retail, it is all about putting your best forward and same with online sales, make the pics appetizing and quick to grasp words where necessary!

If you do not make a killing right away on Etsy, do not give up, focus on your craft fairs and wholesale accounts, as I have found that things I cannot giveaway on Etsy, sell like hotcakes in person! No substitute for hands on selling where the customer can touch the goods! And once u reach a customer out here in the real world, make sure u do not let them go without your Etsy url be it on a business card, bookmark or whatever! Return customers are the name of the game!
HAPPY ETSYing!


RROF - Thank you Susie of MoxieRings for your time with this interview, it is much appreciated! Wishing you the best with your shop!