Etsy Seller Interview with Sebnem of ShebboDesign

How ShebboDesign 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?

Actually, it all started with a cat! I adopted my cat, and my darling cat "Pasha '' has taught me to live in the "now," and he gave me the courage to listen to my heart. So I left my career (I was a project coordinator) and my comfort zone. I followed my heart and embraced my painting and drawing passion again. So the story of "SHEBBO DESIGN" has begun...I am Sebnem, the creative hands, mind, and soul behind Shebbo Design. I live in Istanbul, Turkey. I heard about "Etsy'' from a friend of mine who was an artist in 2009.

Only a few people in Turkey knew about "Etsy" 12-13 years ago. I had no idea how an "online shop" runs, but I thought it was a big chance for me to share my "hand-painted" items with the rest of the world. So I opened my Etsy shop. At the beginning, when I was a newbie, my product photos were poor, my item line was unclear, and I listed various kinds of my hand-painted items. During the years, I discovered my real niche. Now, I do what I love most. I do mostly custom portrait gift ideas (it is my specialty), cute pet-friendly gifts, and whimsical art pieces.

Favorite items

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

My favorite items are my originally hand-painted "custom pet pillows." Preparing a custom item for someone—a real handmade item from start to finish—means a lot to me. Whenever I get 5-star reviews and compliments from my buyers, I am over the moon. My first goal is not to make a profit but to make people happy. I am not a mass producer, and my first target is not to earn huge money and get more profits. I do love to touch someone’s life with my "custom hand-painted" items, especially with my pet memorial and pet loss items.

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?

My first sale came in a month, but consistent sales came in the sixth month. When I was a newbie on Etsy, I had listed various kinds of my "hand painted" items in my shop (hand painted porcelain pieces, painted stones, painted bags, etc.) And I had no idea how I could have attracted potential buyers to my shop. And, to be honest, Etsy, Google, and other applications did not have perfect intelligent search algorithms back then—years ago. So I was trying to take better product photos and joined some Etsy teams. And I experimented until I found my niche market (pet lovers). 

Managing ShebboDesign  

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?

My shop is run entirely by me. Owner, Maker, Designer, Painter, Photography, Shipping, Marketing, Everything! But sometimes my sister helps me sew my pillows. I am trying to use social media applications (Instagram, Facebook Pages, and Pinterest) to reach more potential buyers. I'm also trying to keep my item tags and keywords up to date for SEO purposes. 

The future of ShebboDesign  

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

I need to reorganize my shop sections and categories to give them a more fresh look. And, of course, I want to reach out to more potential pet lover customers all over the world by launching "custom digital art" items for my repeat buyers. 

Advice for new sellers

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

First of all, make something unique. Be original; don’t copy other items, and don’t steal designs and ideas from others.
Choose your niche market. Search the market you want to enter for your potential competitors' products and pricing strategies. Create a SWOT analysis.
And when you decide to open your Etsy shop, be patient, and please be honest. Running an online shop is a full-time job. If you spend more time improving your shop, you will get better results.