Etsy Seller Interview with Patricia of PeanutoakPrint

How PeanutoakPrint 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?

PeanutoakPrint is the name of my shop, and I started selling Posters in 2012 (I had an Etsy shop before this one in 2008 of jewelry that didn't quite work out, and in 2012 I had the idea since I'm a graphic designer, of creating a Posters shop with Posters created by me). That was a very good time for me because the fact that I'm a graphic designer made it very easy for me to develop the shop and the designs/illustrations for my Posters. I started to develop even more my illustration and creativity via digital and handmade drawing, which was very special to me as an artist.

Favorite items

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

My favorite item is probably the Layer Cake quote poster from the movie. I think it was a good design for that quote. It’s my favorite just because I think it turned out to be a very pretty poster, not because it is the biggest seller I have. It sells well; I think people really like it as much as I do.

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 took me about 3 to 4 weeks to make my first sale (to Greece), and it was the first of many. The shop took off from there very well. I don’t do much to attract clients. They flow organically to my shop; I do Pinterest, Twitter, and some Instagram, but nothing pays.

Managing PeanutoakPrint

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 manage my shop alone; I always have, and I believe it will continue that way. I don’t use any tools to run it. I handle shipping once a week, where I manage all the orders and ship them the next day, usually.

The future of PeanutoakPrint

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

I would like to sell more, of course, and I would like to make my shop a digital one, not a paper-based one. Not just to have more time to design and illustrate new posters but to save the planet and have a lower carbon footprint in my shop.

Advice for new sellers

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

Focus, perseverance, and persistence. Give it your energy,  some time and you'll see results.