Etsy Seller Interview with Dimarnae of DoubleDHarnesses

How DoubleDHarnesses 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?

I have a couple Etsy shops, but my most successful is called DoubleDHarnesses. I started it back in 2019 with my friend Dan, who was super into harnesses as fashion accessories. I took a stab at making one and just kind of developed my skill from there. All my harnesses are handmade; I just buy my materials in bulk.

Favorite items

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

My favourite items in my shop are probably my FTM/Trans Masculine piece along with my pierced packers. They sell decently, but they’re my favourite because I get the most feedback about how much they help with people's dysphoria, which feels good to have genuinely helped someone overcome.

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?

My first sale on this shop happened kind of quickly; I don’t remember exactly how fast, but it was probably within a week of opening the shop. It was for a red front buckle harness. I don’t actively try to bring customers to my Etsy; I try to direct them to my personal website. But I do pay for Etsy ads as well as run sales to keep things moving. Etsy is where 90% of my sales come from.

Managing DoubleDHarnesses

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?

As of right now, I am a one-man shop. When I go to events, I enlist the help of family and friends, but Monday–Friday, it’s just me and I making orders. I try to make this clear to people who order because I very easily get behind on my order. I have a schedule. I try to stick to where I build Wednesday-Monday and do a big shipping day on Tuesday.

The future of DoubleDHarnesses

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

I would eventually like to open a physical, all-inclusive space. I actually have a GoFundMe account to help achieve that goal one day. I want anyone, regardless of their gender, sexuality, or anything else, to be able to come in and feel safe shopping for what they’d like. Along with offering same-day harness builds and the option to build your own gear,

Advice for new sellers

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

If you’re just starting out, Etsy is a great tool to use to grow your business. They have a customer base and the tools to run a successful shop. Etsy does have its downsides, though, so personally, I’d use it as a building block, but branch out for sure.