Etsy Seller Interview with Rashmi of RashmiBCreations

How RashmiBCreations 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?

Hello everyone, this is Rashmi. I am originally from India. When my husband moved to the USA, I also joined him in 2017 after our marriage. At that time I was working in the digital industry, but after moving to the USA, I quit the job and thought about starting my own business.

When I was a kid, as a hobby, I used to make greeting cards and give them to every family member and friend. I loved how they used to react and get emotional. So that's how I started thinking about making greeting cards and selling them. This time I wanted to make some unique greeting cards, so I discovered explosion boxes (box greeting cards). It's basically a greeting card in a box. The greeting will look like a box when closed, but once you take off the lid, all the flaps will fall down to reveal a beautiful full-sized greeting card inside. This box card has plenty of photo and personal note slots to make it more personal and memorable to everyone.

Now, to suit the USA demographic, I researched and gathered some information about the theme for the boxes. For the raw materials, I got to know that there are some craft shops like Joann and Michaels. So I got all the raw materials from there and started making boxes. The first-ever box took almost a full day to make. Then one day, I remember we were hosting a party and I was showing my box cards to everyone. And one of my family members told me about Etsy. I got so excited and opened my first Etsy shop, "RashmiBCreations," the next day. I listed my first product in December 2018. And started waiting for my first sale.

Favorite items

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

It's really hard to choose only one of my favorite items. Every item listed was once my favorite, but yes, there is a current favorite: the 3D cake explosion box.

I usually get more custom color orders for this particular item. And I love to see how different color combinations turned out at the end. That's my favorite thing. And of course, this particular item gives me more sales, as this box is a universal theme box for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, etc.

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 still remember the excitement when I got my first order. So, I listed my first product in mid-December 2018 and received my first sale on January 1, 2019. The box was Valentine's-themed. To attract customers, I usually use appropriate tags and give free domestic shipping on all my items to get my shop rank up. Occasionally, I run Etsy ads as well to reach more customers. Also, recently, I started to participate in craft fairs as well.

Managing RashmiBCreations

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?

The Etsy shop is the only thing I am currently doing; it's my full-time job. I am the sole operator of my shop, from designing, making, and packing to the shipment. I am running my shop on mobile through the Etsy app. For shipping, I use Etsy shipping methods to create shipping labels and deliver them through my local post office.

The future of RashmiBCreations

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

I believe it's definitely necessary to set goals to keep the shop's energy alive. So this year, my goals are;
To double the sales this year.
To participate in at least 3–4 craft fairs.

Advice for new sellers

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

If your product is unique and stands alone, just trust yourself and go for it. Use appropriate tags. Research the requirements of the customers and try to add a variety of products To keep your shop up to date, update your product designs periodically.