Etsy Seller Interview with Elizabeth of kidskippot

How kidskippot 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 name is Elizabeth Ehrlich, and I am the owner of Kids Kippot. I started making kippot (yarmulkes) when my children started grade school so that they could have fun and washable kippot to wear at school. So many people asked me about them that I decided to try selling them. Etsy was brand new but seemed like a good place to find the right audience for my product. All my kippot are handmade by me from cotton fabrics. I source my fabrics from a variety of sources, including print-on-demand services like Spoonflower and Contrado. Many of my designs are inspired by customer requests. I really enjoy creating something special for a customer.

Favorite items

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

I recently started selling Challah Covers in addition to the 3 styles of kippot. These have been selling well and are really fun to make. I also like making kippot from really fun prints, like Brains, Graffiti, or Llamas (a Llamaka!)

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?

My first sale came within a few days of listing items in my Etsy shop. As I learned more about how to run my shop and how to best list my products, sales came faster and more frequently. I currently use Etsy search ads as well as off-site ads (Google, etc.) that are managed by Etsy. Many of my customers find me after seeing my product in use or when their kids ask for a kippah like their friends have.

Managing kidskippot

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 the only one running KidsKippot. I sew all of the products myself in my home workshop. I use a tablet in my workshop to keep track of orders. Packing the product happens in the workshop, and then shipping labels are printed in my office. I use Paypal and Woocommerce for my stand-alone website sales. I track expenses with Excel. I use USPS Pickup services and have installed lockboxes on my front porch to protect outgoing shipments.

The future of kidskippot

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

I’d like to continue to create new designs and work with customers so that the kids (and kids at heart) have fun and colorful kippot to wear. I don't plan to grow too much as I enjoy being able to handle the business I have and be flexible for my family.

Advice for new sellers

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

Etsy is a wonderful platform if you have a niche product. It can expose you to a wide audience in a way that was not available 15 years ago. Make sure that what you are selling is unique and well made. Use high quality photography and be very responsive to your customers.

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 average $6-8K a month

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: Between 5-6%