Thinking of going into the world of Etsy? Well, make sure you read this post first because we have got some incredible stories from inspiring women in the business who spoke to us.
If you love art/crafts and are thinking about what to do after college or university, then Etsy could be the place for you, and, lucky for you, this post has all the advice you need to know.
So, grab a cuppa and enjoy.
1) Charlotte Wade - CW Photo Art
Charlotte set up CW Photo Art in September 2018. "I have always been creative, and had been working in a job I hated for 4 years, so I started my handmade business alongside my part-time job." She has since decided to run her business full-time from her home in Shropshire. "I now run my Etsy business full-time from home after a year of running it alongside a part-time job."
Charlotte recommends that those who want to set up a successful Etsy business, should take it up as a full-time job, due to the time it requires. "I would recommend Etsy if you are serious about starting a business." She added: "If it's just a hobby I would suggest just doing craft fairs because to be successful it's a full-time job."
Her main advice for those looking to set up a business is to make sure they do plenty of research."My advice would be to research Etsy (there is a free sellers handbook)." She added: "There is a lot to learn about SEO, photography, writing about your work, customer service, fees/finances." She also suggested creating unique products which stand out from the crowd. "Also you would need to be making something that sets you apart from others, just copying what is already on there is not going to make you any money."
Charlotte believes that social media has been hugely beneficial to her business. "I am part of many weekly twitter chat groups that are really good for getting my work seen and have had many features in blogs."
2. Sophie Laverick - Family in the Frame
Sophie started Family in the Frame in May 2019 and currently runs it alongside a degree in Education. "I was at an awkward phase where I wanted to start making money but still had to be committed to my a-levels." She added: "I came up with the frames from a similar idea I made from Pinterest and I decided I wanted to make one for my family and a friends birthday that was coming up."
Her decision to sell her frames on Etsy came from others suggestions. "I then got comments on the frame saying I should offer them to other people, and I thought Etsy was the easiest way to do that as it has so many creative individual businesses already available to people."
Sophie said she would recommend Etsy as a place to sell. "It is a great way to communicate with customers and very easy to create in-depth adverts." She has not yet set up social media for her business, but she advises those wanting to set up an Etsy, to make sure their photos are good quality. "Great photo quality will also get your products noticed."
3. Liane Blewitt - Liane Blewitt Applied Arts
Liane started her business in May 2020 during the first lockdown and runs it part-time alongside her job."I love making so I went to university to study applied arts which covered three disciplines and fell in love with metal work. She added: "After leaving university I found it hard to save for equipment but years on I started making again during lockdown."
She decided to use Etsy for her business due to the high amount of visitors on the website. "I decided to go with Etsy as it has a high volume of traffic and found a calculator online to figure out their fees so I knew how to price up items." She added: "This was a great way to test the waters and make some extra money on furlough."
Liane said she would suggest Etsy to those who have finished products."I would recommend Etsy to someone who wants to sell finished products with a range of pieces. She added:"The fees are quite little to list but definitely weigh up the full price as Etsy push for free delivery."
She believes that uploading items "little and regular" is the key."Perhaps one item a day and use other social media platforms to push advertising such as Facebook and Instagram." She suggested the use of hashtags and interacting with other creators."Building a community is important to find out about events and competitions."
4. Milly Hawkins - Modge Designs
Milly started her Etsy in August 2020 after she graduated with a degree in Illustration. "Once I graduated (amidst a global pandemic!) and had a break for summer, applied and got rejected from a lot of design jobs, I decided to take matters into my own hands and prove more to myself than anyone that I could still do what I have always been passionate about."
Milly runs her business full-time. "Modge has proved to be quite popular and actually tends to be full-time hours most weeks." She also recommends that those who are looking to set up their own craft business, should set up an Etsy page before a website. "I definitely recommend Etsy first before setting up an actual website shop because you need to be discovered first, creating a website is a waste of time if nobody is going to find it!"
Before setting up an Etsy, Milly advises that people should first know what they are wanting to sell. "You want to have something in mind before setting it up - for me it was cards and prints. She added: "Start easy, share with your pals and ask them to share, see what people like etc. I would also recommend reaching out to more recognised small businesses local to you and showing them your work / gifting something to them for free as they will most likely share it with a bigger following and that gets a ball rolling."
Milly has found social media to be a huge benefit and feels it should be used more. "If you are a graduate, your university Facebook groups love to see what you're up to now." She added: "If you're still a student too you might find fellow students want to support your small business."
You can check out her fantastic illustrations on her Facebook and Instagram.
5. Megan Pugh - Megan Pugh Art
Megan first started using Etsy around four years ago. "I opened my Etsy shop in 2017, but had no idea what I was doing!" She added: "I left it alone for about a year, and eventually made a few sales at the end of 2018. After that I decided to put more work into Etsy, and started properly selling as a business in 2019."
Alongside Etsy, Megan has a variety of other commitments. "Etsy is how I sell online, but I also sell in person at markets, take commissions, Natural History illustration and children's books, supply other businesses, high street shops and galleries." She added: "I'm hoping to teach some classes in future too."
Megan really enjoys using Etsy, and, like many of the others, would suggest it to others looking to start their own art/craft business. "There's no huge start up fees, so you don't have to worry about making a big loss if you decide it's not for you, which was very important to me." She added: "I find it simple to use, and there are lovely communities with other sellers that can help you if you need advice."
She advises those who want to use Etsy to not doubt themselves. "People know that Etsy is where they can find items that have taken time, effort and skill to make." She added: "Don't put your prices down because you are doubting yourself (which is something I've been guilty of!." Megan also feels that how items are presented matters. "Secondly, I think presentation is important." She added: "Display your item in a way that shows its value - that could be surrounded by other beautiful objects, or styled in your home, or in nature." She also suggests making sure items are packaged properly and not to over-use plastics in doing so.
Lastly, she suggested that Instagram and Facebook are good platforms to use, to increase a businesses visibility. "Instagram is good to use as an online portfolio, so people can see all your work displayed together. She added: "I've found that a really great way is to join Facebook groups specifically for artists to promote their work, and some specifically for people who are looking to buy from artists."
Concluding Thoughts..
This post has provided some incredible stories of the females who have dedicated a lot of their time to making their Etsy perfect!
So, whether you have just left university, school or college, or are still studying there, and love art and crafts - then Etsy may be the place for you!
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