Etsy Seller Interview with Eugen of tefia

How tefia 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?

It all started in 2015 when I decided to create my own brand of leather goods and bags. I sold bags at markets and through Instagram; later, we opened a small store in Kyiv. Almost all of our sales took place in Ukraine. I opened my Etsy shop in 2016, but before Covid, I barely used it and had no sales. But COVID completely turned my business upside down. Markets were not held, the store had to be closed, and online sales in Ukraine were stopped. And I started looking for additional sales channels. And I remembered that I have an Etsy shop! I had seen many successful cases on Etsy where the same masters had tens or even hundreds of sales per day and began developing my store. I can't boast of the same crazy sales, but I definitely realized that it is possible if you have a good product and develop a store.

Favorite items

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

The doctor's bag is my personal favorite. I really like this bag, and it has also found a following on Etsy. It sells quite well. This bag is stylish, beautiful, and comfortable. I use only high-quality Italian leather and good hardware. I pay great attention to details, so I constantly work on the quality of my products. I hand-dye leather cuts, parts, and straps. Also, I have more than 70 leather tones, so the client can find a shade for any look. Also, I try to please all my customers and often fulfill individual orders.

Also, one of the popular formats is the Boombag shoulder bag. They are not so popular, although, I think, unjustifiably, because they are convenient and beautiful.

Also, I recently started making a bag for hairdressers, and in a couple of weeks, it was already bought by a dozen customers, which inspires me a lot to develop similar products:

I would also like to show you my unusual backpacks, which I make in different colors and sizes.

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?

The first purchase in my store was made literally after 2-3 days, but then there was a long period without purchases, and I was disappointed in this site. and abandoned the development of the store for several years. But in 2020, I returned to the development of the store and began to fill it with an assortment to work on the listing because the competition on Etsy is very high. And every month, my sales started to increase. I use internal advertising to promote my store.

Managing tefia

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 the store myself. For analytics and listing formation, I use the e-rank service. To create postal invoices, I use the Western Bid service, which saves a lot of time for me.

The future of tefia

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

My goal is 1,000 sales per month. I am still very far from this indicator, but working on the store, I understand that it is possible. The potential on Etsy is almost endless.

Advice for new sellers

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

I recommend that new sellers do not delay and open a store on Etsy as soon as possible. Do not give up, even if you do not immediately receive a stream of work and look for the right approach and use the necessary services for promotion.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: About $10 000

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: About 30%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 1.1%