Etsy Seller Interview with Alejandra of RomanticaArts

How RomanticaArts 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 Alejandra Veira, and my Etsy shop is RománticaArts. I live in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Spanish is my mother tongue, so I wanted to choose a name for my shop that could be read and interpreted both in Spanish and English. And of course, a name that would describe the spirit of the designs I create, which is very romantic. And I do not only mean "romantic" just as a synonym of love, but as a way to look back at the past with some nostalgic feelings and try to incorporate it into our present lives. That’s why I use many vintage images. I love everything vintage!

I’m a fan of crafts as well. I’ve done quite a lot: painting, ceramics, dolls, jewelry, turning trash to treasure... When I was making jewelry about 10 years ago, I found Etsy and started buying my supplies there. I found the site magical, inspiring, and amazing, and I wanted to open my own store there. I was jobless at that time, after spending over 20 years working in advertising as a creative director. As I was looking for my jewelry supplies on Etsy, I discovered digital download shops, and I knew that was the next path I was going to take.

Meanwhile, I got a job and started learning Photoshop by myself. After a few months, I was finally able to open my store with just 34 designs.

Favorite items

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

I have over 430 designs now, so it’s not easy to pick a favorite one, but I’m a fan of Jane Austen. I love all of her books, and she’s been an inspiration to me. She was a woman ahead of her time. So I must say that I had a great time working on all of my Jane Austen creations! I think many women feel the same way I do about this genius author, so all of my Austen’s creations sell well all year long.

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 two months to make my first sale!! But I never gave up. I kept on designing and working on my shop because I knew I would make it.

Managing RomanticaArts

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?

It’s just me and my computer! As I create digital downloads, I don’t have to worry about shipping. I have a few rules. First, I always answer all my customers’ messages as soon as I can and I try to give excellent customer service, trying to solve any issues. Second, I try to always stay cool, no matter what. Third, I research to see what other digital downloads shops are doing. 

I use Pinterest a lot. I have many boards and I always try to pin 10–20 images per day. I keep a board just for my shop’s products, and I also pin to other groups' boards.

I also use E-Rank to improve my SEO.

I have an excellent relationship with a wonderful crafter lady who has a YouTube channel, and I send her some of my digitals for her to share with her audience. I also share my digitals with a lovely Facebook group. Both these things have helped to increase my sales a lot.

The future of RomanticaArts

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

I was promoted in my job a few months ago so it’s been exhausting to have a job and an Etsy shop. But I never gave up. My intention is to double my sales, they’re slowly going up lately. 

Advice for new sellers

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

-Never ever give up.

-Keep a shop with a neat and tidy appearance. Fill in all the blanks and upload every image. Your biography is very important. People want to know about you! Put your photo in your bio.

-Keep your shop’s images, descriptions, tags, etc., updated. Use words wisely. Use E-Rank or your favorite app.

-Create a Pinterest business account and start pinning. 

-Keep in touch with wise Etsy sellers on Facebook. There’s a huge community out there that wants to help you! And stay away from the ones that don’t. 

-Did I say never ever give up?

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: USD 2.000 - 2.500

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: USD 1.500 - 2.000

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 3-4%