How ArtIdeaDecal 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?

After graduating in 2010, I worked in various sales companies for 7 years. Gradually hatching the idea to open my own business, I had no idea what I wanted to do for sure. In January 2017, my friend approached me for a joint venture into large-format printing, home decor, and promotional production. We mastered production quite quickly, and we already had experience selling on the domestic market. There is very close competition in the domestic market, so gradually the situation forced us to create new products and look for alternative markets. So we mastered graphic editors and design, and then we got some new friends who, at that time, were already engaged in international trade. We realized that it was not so difficult and even interesting. Gradually, we found our niche on Etsy, and in October 2017, the store was opened. In December 2017, my son was born, who was the driving force behind my success and continues to be. The laborious design of children's world maps is created with the idea that my son will like it.

Favorite items

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

Definitely, my favorite thing is to design children's maps of the world. This requires perseverance and communication with the child in order to take his wishes and suggestions into account. In principle, these designs sell well, although the competition is very high. My favorite design on this listing is;

Vintage Style Mural Wallpaper Kids Animal Map of World with Countries Nursery Wall Art Peel and Stick World Map Custom Wallpaper Wall Decor

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?

The store was opened at the beginning of the Christmas season, so the first sale was about a week after the store opened, and the next sale was not long in coming. To attract customers, I try to fill in the listings correctly and use Etsy advertising as much as possible. There is a page on Pinterest, but it is not of particular interest.

Managing ArtIdeaDecal

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'm the only one who manages the store. The main tools are Etsy articles and videos; there is a lot of interesting information for store administration, attracting customers, and self-development. "EtsyRank" and "Etsy Marketing Tool" are good and convenient tools for automating some processes and analyzing tags. But one way or another, in order to correctly create listings, a large proportion of the time is taken by market analysis.

Recently, I have been taking a minimal part in the production process, and for this, I have assistants. 3–4 times a week, they bring me a list of orders with the indicated weight and size of the parcels. All I have to do is choose a postal service, create a shipping label, and at the end of the day, transfer the packages to the postal service for onward delivery around the world.

The future of ArtIdeaDecal

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

I want to devote more time to new designs to expand the assortment in the store. To attract new customers and increase sales, I want to improve the quality of listings, not their quantity, as for me, 500 listings are enough for convenient store administration in my product niche. And I also feel the need to master the involvement of social networks to increase sales. These are the things I consider top priorities.

Advice for new sellers

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

On February 24, someone said that it was impossible to win, and someone else said, "We will fight." I recommend fighting for the quality of every listing, every tag, every cent of the advertising, every star for a "star seller,", the fastest response to a message, the fastest possible delivery, and the feedback of a customer who was happy to receive your product. Success is in the little things.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: On average, 10-15 thousand dollars.

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 10-20%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 0.4-0.5%

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.