Etsy Seller Interview with Elena of TutuJoliStore

How TutuJoliStore 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?

Tutu Joli started in 2017, my first side business ever, with minimal knowledge and a big vision. I looked for a product idea in a very niche market—not very saturated but also an item that people would need or like. I quickly realized most tutus have to be made at home, which takes time, effort, and skill. Not every mom, grandma, or auntie has the time for this. So I decided to change the game and make tutus available for every little girl and pet out there at high quality and extremely affordable prices; thus, TutuJoliStore was born. I started small, with basic tutu skirts for babies and pet tutu skirts (unsure if I should branch out to all pets or focus on one). I did A/B testing, and I quickly learned that dog owners are my big market, so I pivoted and started focusing my listings on dogs only. My margins were thin, but I knew it was a long-term game and investment, so despite the high costs at the beginning, I kept going to get my name out there, to get those reviews, and to improve my ranking and Etsy Quality Score. Once I got there, I branched out into my kids' tutu category as well and started to grow fast. My advice to new sellers out there,  start small with lots of patience, dedication, and hard work (sleepless nights).

Next, I searched all hours of the day and night for reliable high-quality tulle suppliers, and 6 months later, I began to build strong relationships with suppliers who can deliver quality tulle in bulk at lower costs, and my margins began to grow. Joanne Fabrics was a good start, but if you are ready to take the next step and grow, then you’ve got to go internationally and buy directly from the source—skip the middleman! Today, TutuJoliStore is a well-known store on Etsy, with frequent return customers who know and trust they will get exactly what they ordered: A product that looks exactly like the picture: the best tutu for girls or dogs, machine washable and reusable skirts, quick shipping, and excellent customer service! 

Favorite items

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

My Pom Pom Tutu Skirts for Girls are my best sellers! They are soft, unlike other tutus on the market, and machine washable for multiple uses and hand-me-downs, girls adore them, and moms love them! Available in vibrant colors, the multicolor pom poms allow girls to wear them with any top! The most popular color option is the white pom pom tutu skirt, which comes with a cute pom pom bow hair tie or matching kids' jewelry.

The Dog Tutu Skirt is my best-selling product in the dog category! I’ve created a unique design where the dog can wear it comfortably all day long and still be able to go potty without getting it wet or dirty. Check it out!

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 a couple of weeks for TutuJoliStore to get its first sale on Etsy, and it was the happiest day ever! It gave me the courage to keep going! Each year I double my sales, and it is encouraging! SEO is important, but what I’ve learned through the years is that investing in marketing is key! Today, my daily ad budget is $100 per day.

Managing TutuJoliStore

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 wear all the hats, from production to sourcing materials, photography, packaging, marketing, and shipping! Tutu Joli has become my full-time job now, so I handle it all myself. It's all about organization! The more organized you are, the better your process becomes. Think of Ford’s famous production line; it all has to be streamlined and smooth to get the product out of the door. Also, take advantage of the free USPS pick-up service; they will come to your door and pick up all of your shipments on the same day; argh, no more trips to the post office; what a waste of time! Lol! Here is a quick photo of my available stock and garage warehouse organization:

The future of TutuJoliStore 

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

My goal for TutuJoliStore  is to become the go-to shop for all Tutu-related products and enter the retail market at Target, Nordstrom, and Macy’s. Dream Big!

Advice for new sellers

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

It takes time! Do not give up and be patient! Be passionate about the product you are selling if you want to succeed; don't do it just for a quick income, as it won't last. Believe in yourself and your product, even when others won’t, and keep pushing for your dream! It will happen if you put in the time, effort (sweat and tears), and love into it!

With that being said, here are a few important tips from your TutuJoliStore fellow:

1. Photos: Create clean, airy photos of your product! Invest in professional photos! There is a group on Facebook where photographers and sellers connect, and you can get them done for a lower cost. (Let's work together on professional photos for small businesses.)
2. SEO: Don’t copy other sellers' titles and descriptions; search engines will find it as a duplicate and ignore it; instead, be different and unique! Utilize Alura’s AI for product descriptions; trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised! (I used to pay copywriters; however, since discovering Alura's tools, that is no longer the case!)
3. Respond to customer messages within 30 minutes; do not lose that potential customer just because it took you too long to respond!
4. Shipping: Try to create available stock ahead of time instead of making the order as it comes. This will save you time later on and improve your shipping times! As you can see in my example above from the photo of my garage, I have about 8,000 tutus and accessories available and ready to ship at any given time, so I pack and ship within 1 hour of an order being received.
5. Research: Get out there and try to learn as much as you can about Etsy, its algorithm, best practices, supply chain distribution, etc. YouTube is a great resource; utilize it! Do research on the competition and see what you can do better than them—what makes your product better—and showcase your strengths!
6. Marketing: Invest in ads! Set up a daily budget and leave it! Some days the ROI will be great, some not so much, but look at the big picture, the 30-day ROI, the 90-day ROI, and the yearly ROI, not just from day to day, in order to really see which items should be advertised and which should be skimmed.
7. Pivot: Learn from your shop; what sells and what doesn't; it's okay to start in one direction and then pivot; business changes, competition changes, customer needs and demands change, so stay on top of it!
8. Branding: Invest in branding. People buy from Etsy, and all they remember is Etsy, not who you are as a seller. Therefore, brand your packaging, thank-you cards, stickers, etc. Do anything you can to put your name out there so they remember where they got it from and come back again the next time.

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

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 50%

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