Etsy Seller Interview with Nova of BestLifeApparel

How BestLifeApparel 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 Etsy journey initially began as a hobby. To unwind from my stressful life, I made jewelry as a form of meditation.I realized I could make a little money if I sold my jewelry, too, creating a win-win situation for myself.

As I connected with the community, I saw other sellers doing a lot with their Cricut machines, so I bought one for myself and began to learn how to use it. I tried creating cards, creating stickers, creating magnets, and then trying heat transfer. I realized I loved working with heat transfer vinyl the most and decided I wanted to open a t-shirt business. I purchased an industrial-grade heat press, some blank clothing, and some packaging materials, created a new Etsy shop, and Best Life Apparel was born.

Favorite items

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

One of my favorite products is my moon phase tank top. I created this design for myself and have created it as a poster that I hang in my office as well. I like the idea that everything in life is just a phase and that we should just go with the flow. Take the good with the bad and enjoy every moment because it will inevitably pass and change into a new one soon enough.

This hoodie is one of the more complicated designs (to make) in my shop, but I love it so much.

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?

Likely because I had previous Etsy experience, my first sale came the same day I launched. I knew how to set up a listing for search and had some friends already interested in what I was creating. With my first shop, it took about 3 weeks to get my first sale, and that was from a friend! So all in all, it really does take a little patience and practice.

I don’t do much in terms of social media marketing or marketing outside of Etsy. I try to simply list products that people want to buy and optimize my listing to the best of my ability with keywords and search terms. I let Etsy bring me the traffic. It’s what I pay them for!

Managing BestLifeApparel

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 do manage my shop by myself. I create the designs, I create the images, I create the listings, and then I create the product once I get an order. I then package and ship the order using Etsy's built-in label system and drop the packages off at my local post office.

The future of BestLifeApparel

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

I am currently wholesaling some of my products to about 30 retailers across North America and intend to continue to grow and expand as a brand as far and wide as I can.

Advice for new sellers

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

Any new seller should come to Etsy with a brand. Do not try to sell to everyone. Know what you do well, know who you do it for, and then make products to keep those people coming back! Try to be unique and different. If you’re selling or creating the same thing as everyone else, you really limit your reach, and your competition increases. That’s a lose-lose. Find your personal spin. Be you. Do it for yourself first. The rest will naturally fall into place.