How KeenBeeStudio 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 started selling on Etsy in 2015. It started with the Word Nerd design which I had printed and I hand rolled and shipped out orders from my kitchen table. I always wanted soft shirts and positive designs as a librarian and when I couldn’t find them, I made them. I use a POD company to ship/print almost all of my orders. During the summer months when I’m not working I do print many of my own designs. I often take custom orders from my friends and end up selling them in my shop. Many of the ideas for the librarian shirts in particular come from things I say in my day-to-day life as a school librarian. 

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 the Retro Rainbow First Grade Design 

I made it on a whim one day while I was learning some new Adobe Illustrator techniques and it has been a bestseller for my shop ever since. I try to pay attention to trends in classroom decorations and I follow a few teachers on instagram to see what colors/decorations teams are going with and make coordinating shirts. Sometimes designs don’t do well, and that’s just part of the creative process for me. 

The Read Languages shirt is something I thought of a long time ago, and I never had the time to make it. It’s one of my bestsellers for librarians.

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 only took a few weeks for my first sale when I started out. Having a store that is well thought out helps. I try to put as much information in my listings as I can. It helps customers trust that we print with the best technology and on premium shirts.

Managing FreeBeeStudio

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?

It’s just me so far. I use Buffer for my social media, Alura to track keywords and send thank you messages through ETSY, honestly my favorite part. My shipping is all handled by my PD company unless it’s an in stock item.

The future of FreeBeeStudio

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

I’d love to be able to just keep doing this for years to come. I love seeing my shirts and librarian conferences and on Instagram.

Advice for new sellers

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

Be patient. Be original. If you like it, most likely someone else will too. And take care of customers, customer service is how I create repeat customers in a competitive market.

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

‍
‍Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: I’m a top 1% Etsy seller.
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Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
‍Answer: 3.8 - 9.0% depending on the month of the year.

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.