Etsy Seller Interview with Whitney of JustTheFrosting

How JustTheFrosting 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?

Before I started my Etsy shop, I ran a home decor store in Nampa, Idaho. After a few years, I decided to expand a little bit and start making custom vinyl for people that came through the store. So many people loved it that I decided to open an Etsy shop while running the store, and it really took off. I was doing so much better on Etsy that I decided to close the store after 7 years and pursue the Etsy shop full-time from home.

Favorite items

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

My cornhole board decals are some of my best sellers. They have some of my highest profit margins, and I love making them because many people purchase them as gifts, for weddings, or for themselves, and I get the most feedback from them than any other item.

My shapes are some of my favorites to make because they are the quickest items for me to make, and I love seeing the final products that people normally make for their children’s rooms.

Door decals are my most popular sellers since they are simple and cheap, especially the one I linked below. They add a simple touch to someone’s front door, and I can make them very easily.

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 earned my first sale within the first few days I opened the shop. I am lucky to have many repeat customers, some of whom I’ve had since I started the shop 10 years ago. I also run advertising on Etsy.

Managing JustTheFrosting

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 am currently the only one who manages my shop. Besides Etsy, all I use is design software to create all the designs. I have a machine that cuts the order out, then I peel and tape it, roll the decal in a shipping tube with directions and a test decal, and the order is ready to go.

The future of JustTheFrosting 

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

My future goals are to expand the shop onto other platforms and to hire a designer who can create new products for me to use in the future while also editing my custom orders for me.

Advice for new sellers

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

My biggest advice would be to make sure and make a big effort to connect with your customer base, whether this is through Etsy, social media, or an alternative platform. Etsy is such a custom place for many, so having a good relationship with the buyer is essential to keeping them as a valuable customer in the future. I would also recommend having a plan for bringing other traffic outside of Etsy into it if things are starting out slow.