How AnaDream 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?
My mother loved crafts. From needle point, to knitting and crocheting, anything from table doilies to hats and bags to scrapbooking and minimalist jewelry making. I used to watch her do it and tried to copy what she made, and so I developed a love for everything "handmade" myself.
In 2017, I was introduced to crystals and gemstones, and I found them truly fascinating and beautiful. I ended up buying so many that I started making jewelry for my friends. One of them suggested selling my creations, which led to the opening of my Etsy shop in the very last days of December 2017.
At the beginning, I was really not sure what customers would like best, so I went through a lot of trial and error. I started with very "busy" jewelry, but within a few months I realized that minimalist was the preferred style.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
I have so many favorites! I just love natural stones. Some are so amazingly unique in color, pattern, and structure. Maybe it is what makes them bestsellers; customers love them too. Here are some examples:
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 got my first sale in February 2018, so about 2 months later. It was a slow start, but I had a full-time emergency dispatcher job at the time, and I didn’t put enough time into my shop.
I rely heavily on Etsy for traffic (including Etsy ads). Relevant titles, descriptions, and tags are essential to be found in the Etsy search, but customer service is also extremely important to ensure that you not only attract new customers by answering their questions as soon as possible, but also have them return to your shop in the future.
Managing AnaDream
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 am a one-person business. I do everything myself, which can be overwhelming at times, especially when you start, but in time you learn to prioritize and also realize that some steps can be eliminated and investing a bit in others will save you a lot of time and money (for example, the thermal label printer saves me 1-2 hours a day!)
I use the Etsy app constantly for updates and creating new listings, but for order fulfillment I still do everything on the PC. I find it easier to see everything at a glance, and I have multiple printers connected to it for packaging labels and sticker printing.
The future of AnaDream
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
I left my full-time job last year in April to dedicate all my time to my small business. I am looking forward to expanding and continuing to offer my new and repeat customers high-quality handmade jewelry and accessories.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
If you are just starting, be patient. Depending on how much competition your product has, it could take time to be found in search and build a "history" on Etsy. If it is an option for you, promoting on social media can be helpful at the beginning to start bringing traffic to your shop/items.
And, as I am sure many have said before, do not look at the competition’s sales. They might be advertising heavily inside and outside of Etsy. Concentrate on writing relevant titles, descriptions, and tags; have pictures that clearly show the item you are offering; and again, give it some time :)
Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.
Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 3.5% - 5%
