Etsy Seller Interview with Irina of elvesworld

How elvesworld  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 met Etsy for the first time in 2006 or 2007. In those years, the market was very young and very different. I fell in love with this place right away, since I always liked doing all kinds of crafts: painting, knitting, and sewing. In 2007, I created my first shop on Etsy: I made small and very fun textile bags. It was a very fun experience, and I loved seeing the acceptance of my designs. But I closed the shop in 2008 because my family and I went on a big trip that lasted a few years. This is a story for another time.

My passion for traveling made me think about how I can have my business online, travel, and change countries all at the same time. I wanted something that filled me with happiness but was also very portable and easy to create and move around. This is how the idea of starting my passion for creating toys and my career as a technological engineer in the textile industry came about. I went back to Etsy in 2015, I think.

My first tutorial was of a very famous and much-loved character: Pippi Longstocking. Back then we were in the Arctic Circle in Sweden, and so my daughter Pippi was born in her house. It was very exciting and cozy to be with my creations in the middle of the polar night inside a beautiful log house in the heart of the forest. Ideas for new designs came constantly; many were not realized. Time was not enough for me. It is the main problem for tutorial designers. If you do it right, a tutorial requires two or sometimes three months of work. I am a perfectionist; I need everything to be perfect, and my buyers can enjoy very detailed and easy-to-follow instructions. How do I do it? While I'm working on one of my designs, another comes to mind, and another. Until I get to feel what I want to create the most, I choose an idea that fills me the most with emotions. And I can never stop; it's really a passion.

Favorite items

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

I have many favorites! The first of all was Pippi's tutorial. The product in the store is called "Lotta Doll with Ginger Red Hair" due to copyright, but I think the character I created is quite recognizable. It is my first product, and when it went on sale, it sold very well. Now it has few sales, but that is more because of my clumsiness with the tags and SEO. It's my emotional favorite.

My latest Baby Bunny design is also my favorite. For me, it is a sign of my growth as a toy designer. I think it came out very sweet, and buyers appreciate it.

Another tutorial very much loved by me and my buyers is "Oak Leaves,"  a deviation from the world of toys. The outline of this pattern was created one summer inside a car. We were traveling around Finland, and I was experimenting with the oak leaf outline. Later at home, add to your collection of leaves from various trees, with the goal of one day publishing a book titled "Autumn Leaves."

My Teddy Bear is another product I'd like to mention.It is also loved by buyers.

I can't stop naming my favorites, so another very fun Christmas elf

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 didn't have to wait long; I think my first sale was made after two weeks of placing the first product. Currently, I use Pinterest and Instagram to attract buyers.

Managing elvesworld 

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?

Yes, it's me alone who does absolutely everything. I usually use the Etsy Seller app.And due to the digital nature of my products, I do not have any shipping; they are digital downloads.

The future of elvesworld 

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

I'd like to expand my crochet toys section by creating a new line of Baby Animals. 

Advice for new sellers

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

To be passionate! and be very patient. Never think that others are better; just analyze the market and find your own site. What is left over for everyone? The more we are, the more creative the world becomes. Also, remember to take very good photos of the product. I give you this advice because I recognize that it is my weakest part. I would like to be a professional photographer.