Etsy Seller Interview with Hennadii of MereLeather

How MereLeather 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 Hennadii. I’m the owner of the leather goods atelier MERE. Knowing the abilities of my father and his craving for inventions, I asked him to sew a leather case for my iPhone. The result was a pleasant surprise not only for me but also for all my friends, so in November 2012 we sewed the first orders. We are united by the desire to give customers the highest quality, most comfortable use, and perfect appearance of handicrafts by MERE.

Favorite items

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

The personalized bookmark is our bestseller. It’s not a very expensive and unique gift. People love it, and it’s easy to make and ship worldwide.

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?

We use Etsy ads to promote items from our shop. We have sold on Etsy for 5 years and don’t really remember, but I think it took 2-3 weeks to get our first sale.

Managing MereLeather

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?

My wife helps me run sales on the internet (Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook) and communicates with customers. We have workers who make leather goods, and I ship items and buy materials.

The future of MereLeather

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

We want to improve our quality year after year and promote the Ukrainian brand.

Advice for new sellers

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

Don’t give up; do the best you can; take responsibility; and put item quality and customer service above all; it will give you results higher than expected.