Etsy Seller Interview with Kristen of CraftyChickenCompany

How CraftyChickenCompany 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’m Kristen Tugwell, owner and founder of Crafty Chicken Company on Etsy. We design and sell chicken-themed gifts and décor, such as egg and egg carton stamps, t-shirts, funny egg cartons, and coop potpourri. I started Crafty Chicken Co. in 2020 after seeing an explosion of chicken owners during the pandemic. I decided to take a break after I got overwhelmed in 2020 and reopened my doors in January of 2021. The inspiration for our products came from my love of chickens. I've always wanted chickens since I was a kid, and we finally got the chance to get some when we bought our first house.I saw so many people selling their eggs, and I thought it would be really neat to personalize the eggs to give them that extra "pop." I looked up the regulations on ink for eggshells and was able to source the only FDA-approved eggshell-safe ink. From there, I started coming up with designs that I thought would look adorable on eggs.

I create all of the egg stamps and egg carton stamps myself and take pride in my creations. Our materials are ethically sourced and produced in the USA. I have a wonderful team consisting of my husband and our two kids, who are my biggest supporters and helpers. My daughter has taken an interest in the business and has come up with some designs herself. Crafty Chicken Company started as a hobby but has quickly grown into a passion, and I am excited to see where the business goes in the next few years.

Favorite items

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

My favorite products are our Egg Safe Ink Pad, our Custom Egg Stamp, and our Personalized Egg Carton Stamp. These three items are also our best sellers. I use the egg-safe ink pad every time I give out eggs. It has never seeped through the shell, but I have peace of mind knowing that even if it did, it is safe for consumption. The egg stamp and egg carton stamp are two of my favorites because I love the designs and think they really add pizzazz when giving away or selling eggs. It helps create repeat customers!

Many customers have said how much they love being able to personalize their stamps. Many give them as gifts to friends and family and rave about how much the recipients have enjoyed them. Those who are trying to build their brand are now able to have it front and center for their customers.

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 first opened up shop in March of 2020 and had my first sale the next day. I got completely overwhelmed by orders and had closed my doors by the end of the summer. I reopened on January 21, 2021, and had my first sale that very same day. I currently attract my customers through keywords and paid advertising. At first, I was relying solely on keywords. It helps that I have such a specific niche, so I am easier to find in the search bars. I attempted social media but did not have the time or energy to devote to it.I find that constantly researching keywords and updating my tags has led to the most success thus far.

Managing CraftyChickenCompany

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?

Currently, it is just me who manages my shop, but during busy seasons (spring and holidays), my family helps me package orders. My furry sidekicks include our two dogs, cat, and two dozen chickens who oversee all operations! I have to order the dry ink pads and ink separately, so I spend most time refilling those. I order about 200 ink pads at a time and fill, label, and package them myself. Each order is packaged with love and care, and I include a how-to card in each bag. I handle all shipments and fulfillment for stamps and cooppotporri. Some shirts are outsourced and shipped separately, but for the most part, everything ships directly from my home.

I use several apps that help keep myself sane and able to run my business mostly on my own.

G Suite: For emails, file storage, and calendar reminders
Adobe Illustrator: All designs are created and edited here.
Pic Monkey: Quickly edit photos and resize them (I prefer this over Canva).
Quickbooks Online: Accounting and expense tracking
Alura: keyword research and listing optimizer

The future of CraftyChickenCompany 

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

In the future, I wish to expand my standalone chicken website and blog. From there, I would like to open up a shop and sell on that platform as well. I plan to continue selling on Etsy but would also like to see what other platforms can do for the business as well. Additionally, creating new, unique designs is always our top priority.

Advice for new sellers

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

Research, research, and research some more. I believe the shop has been as successful as it has been because I researched this niche and its keywords. Finding a specific niche is key. You will not have long-term success by hopping on any old trend you see online and throwing it in your shop. You can have a t-shirt shop, but who will you market it to? What is your customer base? Those are the most important things to research before opening up shop. From there, you can narrow down your keywords and start creating and listing items.

Social media makes it look easy, like you’ll have overnight success if you do this "one quick thing." Yes, you might get a lot of sales for that one quick thing, but what will keep them coming back? It’s not an easy side hustle and takes a lot of work, but the more work you put into it, the more you get back.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: This varies greatly depending on the time of year but it averages about $4,000 a month

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: Roughly 67%, I need to get much better at tracking this!

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 1.6%, this fluctuates depending on month. I have seen it as high as 3.3%