Etsy Seller Interview with Andy of AskOpossum

How AskOpossum 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 shop is called AskOpossum (there is no specific reason or story behind this name, actually). The purpose of my shop is to help artists and creators from all over the world display and promote their work. My shop especially helps those who sell their work on Etsy because the image aspect ratio of my mockups and my color choices work well with the Etsy website. The method is simple: I create digital images of blank picture frames onto which artists can quickly insert their work using graphic design apps on their computers or those based online. This puts their artwork in a real-world setting without the hassle of setting up frames in their homes or using photo studios. The style of my frame mockup is very consistent, which is important for Etsy storefronts.

This idea came when my wife wanted to set up her Etsy shop and asked me if I could create a digital frame for her work. I created a couple of frame mockups and started my own shop as well. Since then, it has been an incredible journey growing my shop, and collaborating with sellers and artists who come to me and ask for customized frame mockups that suit their needs. I especially enjoy seeing my customers’ artwork in their reviews and watching their shops flourish with my little contribution.

Favorite items

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

My favorite items in my shop are mockups featuring details, interior design, props, and advanced lighting. All the items I sell are created using computer software for virtual reality, and the process of bringing them to life is very sophisticated and takes a lot of time. I designed the furniture and accessories, which are portrayed in these images. It took a lot of time and care to make them what they are. Surprisingly, these items do not necessarily belong to the group of bestsellers, but they still have a special place in my heart.

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?

It took me a couple of weeks to sell my first item. It caught me by surprise, as I did not really expect it, but most importantly, it motivated me to put even more effort into creating items of the highest possible quality and providing great service. Since then, I have worked very hard on improving quality, and, in fact, the items with which I started my shop are no longer included in my portfolio as I have updated my shop a number of times. I do not actively promote my shop on social media, nor do I use Etsy ads. I run sales once in a while. What I prioritize the most are the quality of my products, speedy communication with customers, and custom orders when customers request an item that I do not have in my shop. For example, sometimes I create a whole bundle of imagery if my customer wants to use only my mockups for their Etsy shop in order to achieve visual (brand) consistency.

Managing AskOpossum

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 run the shop completely by myself. I create artwork, communicate with customers, and manage listings and promotions. As all my products are digital, I do not need to handle postal shipping or create items individually for each order. I use some very expensive licensed software to create my work, as well as a highly powerful computer to generate the imagery. This process is called "3D rendering," and it is the same one used on, for example, animated movies (even though my images are, indeed, static). I only use the "Sell on Etsy" app to manage the shop on the go and my PC for managing and uploading the listings.

The future of AskOpossum

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

I would love to add a feature called "Smart Object" to all my listings. Adding images to my mockups is already extremely easy, but Smart Object basically automates it. This is something customers sometimes ask for, and I always try to follow their requests. It would mean re-doing nearly 400 of my listings, so it is a big goal to be looking at, but definitely worth it. I would also like to expand my portfolio and, of course, start selling more of my favorite listings. I will look into promoting my work more using social media and Etsy ads.

Advice for new sellers

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

Make sure your product is of top quality and stands out amongst the listings of other sellers. Clarity is very important for the presentation of your work. Your shop's display should be consistent and have a consistent brand identity. The use of colors, lighting, choice of materials, and the overall look of your shop should be harmonious. My personal tip would be to use warm and earthy colors and bright lighting. Your images should look bright against the Etsy white background. Describe your product thoroughly, not only verbally but also with a sufficient number of high-quality images. The early version of my shop had rather dark images and vibrant colors, but my sales really increased rapidly when I made my mockups very bright and toned down the color palette.

Also, let Etsy help you to succeed – there are many articles and tips, and tricks on the Etsy website. If you follow these techniques, you can’t go wrong. Getting the description of your product right is the key – the tagline needs to be specific rather than generic. If you get the tagline of your product right, your listing is more likely to be displayed to the browsing customer.