Etsy Seller Interview with Niki of aprilandjuneworld

How aprilandjuneworld 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 studied fashion design and journalism, so my big dream was to have my own brand or a fashion-related job. In 2015, I started creating bags and accessories for people, and my friend Adri showed me this platform called Etsy. Before Etsy, I couldn't imagine that one day someone from New York would purchase my bag. This time I had a day job at a clothing brand as a shop assistant, so creating bags was only a hobby. In 2016, I decided that I had to look for another job where I had more freedom. It may sound silly, but I wanted a job where I could bring my dog, Buksi, with me. A dog shop called Luludog advertised for a part-time shop assistant by chance, and I got the job two days later. I really liked working there, and I met people who loved their dogs as much as I loved Buksi. In my free time, I had more chances to create bags, and I realized that more and more often my mind wandered around dog accessory ideas.

In 2017, I felt that I had to give a chance to my dreams and risk it all, so I quit and decided to give myself one year as an entrepreneur. Next to my bag designs, I started to create dog accessories and opened my second shop, April and June World. (Our brand name is only April & June, but someone is already using it as a shop name on Etsy.) At first, I visited textile shops and tried to find special materials and patterns for my designs. My husband, Donát, who works as a graphic designer, had the idea that I should print my own textiles. This is how I learned transfer printing and later sublimation techniques. Now, after 6 years, I can proudly say that my love of dogs and fashion has fully translated into April and June. I am still an entrepreneur, and we shipped our products to almost every continent. Etsy and, of course, our customers provided me with a stable financial foundation, allowing us to have our own webshop as well as many distribution partners in addition to Etsy.

Favorite items

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

My personal favorites are the tropical patterns, but we have a really eclectic style. I tried to find one style that could define us, but I really like to play and discover new things, so why would I repress any new creative idea? I find joy in pretty simple things and in cute things too, so we have minimally patterned collars and kawaii patterned harnesses too.

When our corgi Sodó joined the family, my first set for him was the Minimal Tropical Monstera Leaves, so I can say that this is my personal favorite now from the tropical line. We have had this pattern for two years in the shop, and I can bravely say that we have created hundreds of pieces with it. I think customers will like this design because the pattern and rose gold hardware are really chic.

As I mentioned, our pattern library is really diversified, so the other big customer favorite is the Happy Cookie design. I think a lot of dogs' names are Cookie.

The galaxy in deep space is another simple yet intriguing pattern from us. I think this is a perfect choice if someone doesn't like patterns but wants something more interesting than a unicolored pet accessory.

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 started April and June World in February 2017, and my first customer arrived after two months. I've been constantly uploading new items and reading the Etsy Seller Handbook since the beginning. Our niche is patterns, and we can create products for all sizes of dogs. Lately, we find it a bit hard to attract non-European customers as compared to previous years, so this year we started using Etsy Ads, but it is still in the learning process.

Managing aprilandjuneworld 

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?

My biggest help at work is my husband, Donát, who miraculously always knows the answers to all my work-related questions. If I am weak in something, he can always help me, so we complete each other. All the photos and the size charts are created by him, and I keep in touch with the customers and fulfill the orders. Currently, I can handle the orders from Etsy myself, but DHL's Global Mail division is a huge help for us with shipping internationally. Before DHL, we had to go to the post office with the packages, which was time-consuming for us. For my everyday Etsy tasks, I mostly use the platform on my PC, but Etsy Seller's app is a big help for me when I am out of the office.

The future of aprilandjuneworld  

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

As previously stated, Etsy is a tremendous help to us in reaching customers all over the world. Of course, our goal is to reach more people and increase our sales. So this year we would like to add some new product types and new patterns too. We must keep an eye on changing customer behaviors, so we should work on our social media platforms and try new things, such as the video feature in listings. 

Advice for new sellers

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

Lots of things have happened in the world and on Etsy since we opened our shop back in 2017. When we started our business, Etsy had 2 million sellers; now, if I am not mistaken, it has almost doubled. So when someone opens a shop and fulfills every requirement with listings, SEO, pictures, etc., the most important thing they have to learn is patience. Etsy is a brilliant platform to sell your unique products, but without constant learning and flexibility, you can hardly prevail. I recommend everyone give Etsy a try because it helps a lot before starting your own webshop. Later, of course, everyone should always strive to have multiple platforms to sell on because, as the saying goes, "don't put all your eggs in one basket."