Etsy Seller Interview with Julie of TriangleSeniorYear

How TriangleSeniorYear 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! My name is Julie Stallman, and my Etsy shop is TriangleSeniorYear. I sell digital downloads and templates designed to help students and families celebrate high school and college traditions and events. I opened my shop in October 2021, and all of my digital products coordinate with the resources, articles, tips, and tools that can be found on my website, TriangleSeniorYear.com. The site helps students and families navigate high school, especially senior year, so it’s less stressful and easier to enjoy. The products I sell in my Etsy shop are an extension of that concept and are truly meant to make senior year easier and more fun. I design all of the digital products myself.

Favorite items

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

My favorite products are the Senior Night Poster Templates, Yearbook Ad Templates, and Cowboy Boots Dorm Art. The Senior Night Poster Templates are my most successful product category by far. I think they sell well because Senior Night for high school athletes is such a well-deserved and emotional event for both the athletes and parents. The yearbook ad templates are one of my favorite products because I love senior pictures and the idea of capturing a graduating senior’s style is so much fun. Plus, most of the template mockups feature my nieces, nephews, daughters, and friends. The Cowboy Boots prints are special because I designed the first one for my daughter’s college apartment, and from that, a fun little collection was born!

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 think it took me about a week to attract my first sale, and I was so excited. I create my listings carefully and do my best to follow Etsy's best practices. Etsy SEO does a lot of the work attracting customers to my shop, but I also drive visits through social media and via the blog.

Managing TriangleSeniorYear

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 my shop by myself right now. Since my products are all digital, shipping and fulfillment are done automatically via Etsy. I use the Etsy Seller app to keep in touch with my customers, follow up after sales, and answer their questions.

The future of TriangleSeniorYear 

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

Of course, growth is always the goal! I couldn’t have imagined back in October 2021 that I would have exceeded 2000 sales just 16 months later. I hope to continue to add products that help my audience make senior year and the transition to college less stressful and easier to appreciate and enjoy.

Advice for new sellers

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

Learn what makes a good listing and provide excellent customer service to your customers!

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 $900 per month on average

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: About 80%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 4.5%