Etsy Seller Interview with Wendy of alldressedupstamps

How alldressedupstamps 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’m Wendy Burns, owner of All Dressed Up Stamps, a digital download shop on Etsy.

I create hand-sketched artworks used for the craft market. My customer uses them for papercraft, primarily cardmaking. The images are downloaded as black and white lined drawings to be coloured by the customer. I joined Etsy in 2013, at the same time as I created an active Facebook group, an opportunity to share my love of creative crafts and drawing.

My background is printed textiles, working for many retailers in the UK. I moved predominantly into the children's wear market, which is where I found my love for drawing characters. Further inspiration also came from my own children, in particular my daughter Ellie. Many of the sketches are based around her ,her love for ballet and dressing up.

I receive many requests for bespoke artworks. It can be a favorite pet or just a particular idea a customer might have. I love challenges.

Favorite items

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

My favorite artworks listed in the shop are the character girls. I love drawing them and they are definitely the most popular. Customer feedback is that they love them too. Over the years, they have been the most requested, and as much as I try to offer new directions, they are still the best sellers and most downloaded.

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?

I can remember my first sale and how exciting it was. I still get that same buzz when I make a sale. Most of my customers come via my wonderful Facebook group all dressed up in stamps.

We run a monthly Facebook and blog challenge, which is a great opportunity to showcase the drawings. Within the group, we have a team that shares their creations and will also give advice on media, tips on techniques, and how to get started. It's a super friendly group for all abilities, and the only rule is that the artwork shared must be an "all dressed up" image, which can be purchased through my Etsy shop.

Occasionally, additional promotion will be done via collaborations with other online groups. A yearly event is the advent calendar, where various artists contribute and share prizes and discounts, which is great for generating traffic to my Etsy shop.

Managing alldressedupstamps

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?

The shop is super easy to run as it's just a digital download, so no postage or shipping is required. I have to relist occasionally and keep the artworks clearly cataloged. I list three new artworks every month, which are promoted through Facebook, Instagram, and Blogger. I have a few active discount coupons and take advantage of any that Etsy is promoting: Black Friday event, discount on items left in the basket etc.

The future of alldressedupstamps

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

My Etsy shop has virtually run itself, enabling me to easily continue with the day job. However, now that I have great customer loyalty, I would love to introduce new products to the shop . I would still focus on the digital option but would offer original coloured artwork rather than just black and white lined artwork.

I mentioned that I’m a printed textile designer by trade, so in the future I would love to offer textile products with the most popular characters: tote bags, T-shirts, etc. It would be great to take advantage of Etsy's selling platform to launch these new products. Watch this space!!    

Advice for new sellers

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

My advice for a new seller is to research your market and promote. The months when sales are slow are usually when I’ve not put time aside to promote. Make full use of all the tags and see what is trending on Etsy, noting any key events or celebrations which you can prepare for.

Try not to get too disheartened if sales don't reach expectations; it's a learning curve and be prepared to adapt your product . It's not always about what you like, but what your customer will buy.