How ReginaldSpleen 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 Peter, and I run Reginald Spleen’s Curiosity Emporium as my alter-ego, Reginald Spleen. I began selling on Etsy after I made the choice to take redundancy from my middle-management job rather than relocate away from my current city. I took a 75% pay cut and lost my company car and my company credit card. What I gained was the ability to spend time at home rather than in a slew of hotels around the country, to sleep more soundly, and to be my own boss.

It was a bit of a scramble when I started, making whatever came to mind in the hope that someone would buy it. I undersold everything, and it was very stressful. But slowly, I developed my niche, designing and selling wooden homewares with a Gothic-Edwardian leaning. I tend to draw my designs first and then make a prototype, which almost always needs a few changes. Most of my work is done in my shed and my office (spare room). I use a shared resource center when I need to use larger, more expensive tools.

Favourite items

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

My apothecary boxes are probably my most popular items at the moment: I had the idea kicking around for a while before I designed and started selling them.

Wooden apothecary chest with drawer for potions or essential oil storage box with 12 glass bottles, cork stoppers and labels

One of the items I am most proud of is my chore charts: It took a lot of development to make sure the sliders fit correctly and were loose enough to slide easily, but not so loose that they fell out. I tweaked both the design and the way in which I made them. This significantly reduced the time it took me to make them.

Custom wooden chore chart, record chores and tasks on this editable weekly chore board, wooden to do and task tracker, make it magnetic.

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 after a day or two. I currently do not promote anywhere and rely on Etsy SEO to bring in customers. I am planning to increase my promotion on Instagram, though I find it tiresome.

Managing ReginaldSpleen

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 do everything myself. The only exception is over Christmas when my wife takes over replying to messages from customers. I have the Etsy sellers app, but I only use it to see and reply to messages when I am out. Otherwise, everything is done on my laptop. For shipping, I use Drop and Go, which allows me to enter addresses into a spreadsheet and print address labels on my thermal printer (a great investment). 

The future of ReginaldSpleen

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

More of the same, really. Since I began, my revenue has increased year after year, partly because I sell more items, but mostly because the prices of my items have risen. It is very true that if you price too low, you will not sell; perceived value is important. I really just want the time to develop more items.

I do hope that Etsy improves its customer service and addresses the race to the bottom with resellers and people infringing on others' intellectual property. I could make a fortune if I were able to engrave Hogwarts crests on my items, and it is so frustrating that others are able to get away with it.

Advice for new sellers

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

Work hard. My wife once said, "When you work for yourself, you can work whatever hours you want, provided they are long."
Be personable. Don’t assume customers are trying to scam you.
Price correctly. Don’t have constant sales.
When you can buy supplies in bulk, it will save you a lot of money.
If you can keep your work area tidy,
Be patient.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: Just enough so that I only need to sell on Etsy at the moment. (Though it is getting harder.)

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: varies hugely from product to product.

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: It was at 3%, but as my items became more unusual and more expensive, it dropped to around 1.5%. This is because people will visit the shop even if they cannot afford to buy the item. 

Alura Team
Alura Team

Alura is your all-in-one platform for selling on Etsy. With more $500.000+ gross sales over four years selling on Etsy, Alura is built by experienced sellers for sellers. Start with a free account and explore all the features you need to start, run, and grow your Etsy shop.