Etsy Seller Interview with Sherry of Monkeyshine Beads

How Monkeyshine Beads 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 fell in love with beads when I took a bracelet making class at a local bead shop. I became obsessed and made and sold jewelry for the next 9 years, while still working a full time job. When the craft shows and Saturday markets became too burdensome, I decided it was time to quit making jewelry and sell off my substantial Czech Republic glass bead stash. 

I had been purchasing beads from Etsy shops for years and I decided to create the kind of shop I had always been searching for. That is how Monkeyshine Beads came into being.

Favorite items

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

I love premium quality designer beads from the Czech Republic. Beads are like fashion in that styles go in and out of fashion, and new shapes, styles, and finishes are always being designed. Basic beading supplies like fire polished beads are very popular. I also carry as many hand polished “table cut” beads as I can – many of which are not currently being manufactured.  Shopping for beads for my shop is fun and addictive! And who doesn’t want to try the latest bird, bee, flower, or leaf design?

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 think I made a sale within a week of opening my shop. That first year, I was excited to get 20-30 orders a month. I now sell up to 240 orders a month. 

I’ve built a good customer base, and I make it a priority to price my beads fairly, give good customer service, and to ship my orders out quickly. If sales are flagging a bit, I have a sale! 

Managing Monkeyshine Beads

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 a one-person operation, so I wear all the hats! One of the built-in “tools” I use is the SKU on my listings to track my inventory. This makes it simple to re-order from my vendors. For example, the SKU may read VC 1234 q120c10. VC is the code for my vendor, the digits following are the vendor item number, q120 indicates that the quantity of items is 120, and c10 indicates that the cost of the items was $10. If the vendor no longer carries the item I add “OUT” to the end of the SKU.

The future of Monkeyshine Beads

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

I want to continue to provide great beads, fair pricing, good customer service, and quick shipping to bead lovers everywhere. At the same time, I want to create balance in my work, life, and my personal life.

Advice for new sellers

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

Work diligently to improve your photos. Good photos sell your products. If an item isn’t selling, reevaluate the quality of the photo and the pricing. 

Think about ways you can make your product more appealing to your customer.  I often make jewelry that features several items in my shop to show customers how they can use certain bead styles. Another tactic I use is to combine beads to create interesting assortments. My main focus when purchasing beads is to buy the things I love or am confident my customers will love.