Etsy Seller Interview with Trenton of Palmetto Wood Shop LLC

How Palmetto Wood Shop 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 began selling on Etsy as just a hobby in 2014.  I have always enjoyed woodworking, so I began by selling custom, handmade furniture.  I quickly realized that an online furniture business came with some unique challenges (especially shipping!), so I transitioned to smaller, personalized gifts that were easier to produce and ship on a larger scale.

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 items is this pocket knife. It is very versatile, and the wood handle makes an excellent surface for a personalized message to be engraved on. 

I think that one of the main reasons that this knife is popular is that it is a durable knife that can be used daily, and the price is also very affordable.

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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 made my first sale within 24 hours of listing my first item on Etsy. Of course, this was several years ago, and there weren’t nearly as many sellers as there are now and the most recent listings created were very heavily favored in Etsy’s search algorithm.

To attract customers, I use Etsy’s ads and also periodically update my listings to ensure that they are using the most up-to-date recommendations for SEO (search engine optimization).  Also, high quality pictures and videos are helpful too!

Managing Palmetto Wood Shop

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?

We have a small team and use Shipstation to manage our shipping and fulfillment. Our goal is to ship all orders out the next business day, even if they are personalized, and we are able to do that with over 99% of our orders.

The future of Palmetto Wood Shop

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

I would like to add new products on a more regular basis to attract new customers.

Advice for new sellers

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

Start by reading Etsy’s policies so you’re familiar with them and the fee structure. Take great photos and videos and make sure your listings are SEO optimized.