How AegisSabers 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?

Aegis Sabers was created out of a need on my part to create a dueling saber that looked like a set piece but was still fully usable and affordable. I started with one listing for my original Ronin V1, and it took off from there. I started my shop in the fall of 2019 with a few T-shirt designs and transitioned over to swords shortly thereafter in the spring of 2020. I designed my sabers with a small team of a few people who, like me, wanted to make something great, and together we shared a vision and built the store.

Favorite items

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

My favorite saber by far is my Outcast saber. It's always been an elusive collector's item for me before the days of affordable sabers, and it was a dream come true to be able to create this saber for regular people with day jobs who still wanted a classic saber from the good ol' days of Star Wars PC gaming.

OUTCAST - All Metal LIGHTSABER - Premium Sound With in built Recharging - Full RGB Color Spectrum

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?

In the beginning, it took over two months to get a single sale. Currently, I use Etsy and Instagram as my main advertising locations. I have built an Instagram account purely on sales from existing customers without any paid ads, and I only pay Etsy around 10 dollars a day for my current ads.

Managing AegisSabers

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 manage everything myself, from the accounting to the daily messages. I manage the store primarily through the Etsy app for iOS. I have warehouses that store my sabers as well as the custom builds I have on hand at all times.

The future of AegisSabers

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

I would like to build Aegis to rival Ultra Sabers, even if it takes 10 years. I want to keep making affordable, quality swords for the young and old alike for years to come. However, more importantly, I want to make people happy and provide something I never had as a child.

Advice for new sellers

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

First, the good. Etsy has a built-in audience and is the best market for unique and niche items. eBay is overrun with dropshipping and generally bad products with poor customer service.Etsy does a good job of keeping IP under control and doesn't allow sellers to have their items copied or stolen.

Now for the bad. Etsy has zero support for shop owners. There is no chat, email, or phone line available to us, period. They are quite good at being hands-off and letting sellers do things as they please, but be aware that cases will be decided arbitrarily and often without your input, giving you no time to dispute claims or even prove evidence of customer malfeasance.

They also do not allow for any retractions of reviews, even if you have proof the stated facts are false. They claim to let you dispute reviews, but only if they link to other products or contain personal information. Any other reason, such as abusive behavior, language, etc., is ignored and allowed to stand.

If these reasons do not deter you from using Etsy, then be aware of them ahead of time and plan accordingly.

  • Know your strategy for dealing with Karen and other customers who will never be happy.
  • Know your limits; don't over promise anything or you will regret it.
  • Be honest and upfront with people about shipping and details about your products.
  • You're not Amazon, and returns aren't free. Use Etsy's return policy to your benefit and protect yourself.
  • Again, you are not Amazon; make sure your shipping times are clearly stated and give yourself enough time to get everything out on time.
  • Take weekends off.
  • Don't forget to have fun and enjoy making passive income.
Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.