Etsy Seller Interview with Iryna of UAmaze

How UAmaze 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 story began over 5 years ago when I first read a book about a successful seller of handmade goods on ETSY. I did not know of ETSY at that time, but I was intrigued by the prospect of not only selling worldwide but also sharing the amazing world of Ukrainian art with people in the USA, Canada, Europe, etc. My workshop based in Kyiv, Ukraine, had some hand-painted items, such as wooden plates, jewelry boxes, women's bracelets, and candle sticks. I also just received a big order from a Ukrainian cheese factory to create Christmas ornaments combining their logo and Petrykivka art. The ornament turned out to be bright, unique, and so lovely that it became obvious to try selling them on ETSY.

Favorite items

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

I consider myself very lucky to create Christmas ornaments; I feel like it makes my art part of every year's Christmas magic. The ornaments add happiness to both adults and kids and create memories to cherish. However, ETSY offers excellent options for buyers to create their own one-of-a-kind personalized custom ornaments with portraits of their pets, homes, or family members. These are some of my favorite products: wedding portrait ornaments, couple portrait ornaments, and house ornaments. Every time I receive so many kind words from my buyers, I know these are the types of gifts people will cherish forever.

Not long ago, I created a new product in my shop: the wooden portrait nesting doll, which may include just 2 dolls or up to 9 dolls. I think of this product as a housewarming gift that will be enjoyed by every family or every person, no matter what age she or he is. Portrait nesting dolls were ordered from my shop as gifts for a Hollywood celebrity, the author of an American bestseller book, and, most recently, a businessman who is regarded as one of the wealthiest people in the United States. I love to draw portrait nesting dolls, as each of them tells the story of someone’s life or family history.

The products in the UAZE shop, of course, have a Ukrainian identity because they are inspired by traditional Ukrainian art. So I admire creating custom decorative plates of any size, wooden Easter eggs, and little home decorations with the Ukrainian spirit. My items might be positioned as contemporary versions of Petrykivka and Samchykivka styles.

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?

Despite the fact that the first sale occurred shortly after I opened my Etsy shop in 2017—it took nearly two years to find a niche and receive the first Etsy best-seller sign on one of my products.Discounts, seasonal sales, and advertisements are marketing tools that every seller can and should use.Social media attracts a lot of visitors, including the recently popular Tik-Tok. So I will suggest using accounts on social media as additional tools to promote your store on ETSY. I tried to work with the "influencers" on Instagram, but unfortunately, it did not result in traffic to my shop.

Being client-oriented and providing the best possible experience is critical for every seller. Because a happy client will definitely return to your shop and, most likely, will suggest your products to their friends. I am proud that some of my buyers have not only returned to my shop for 5 years in a row, but are literally my friends now. We are keeping each other posted on some family events and sharing pictures, and I am very thankful for everyone being extremely supportive during last year when Ukraine fought for its independence.

Managing UAmaze

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?

UAmaze Shop is a team of people who are lifelong friends. We shared responsibilities for fulfilling different tasks. One person is taking care of marketing, and once in a while we have a brain-storm to share new ideas or thoughts of new products with each other; one team member is in charge of shipping, including all connected documents and contacts with the shipping providers; one team member is managing our workshop on a daily basis and is in charge of supplying everything that the business requires. She also controls the stocks and uses annual statistics to plan what needs to be painted ahead so UA will not experience shortages during the hot season. I am an artist, but sometimes I am happy to collaborate with 1-3 more Ukrainian artists to create new, unique products for our UAZE shop's clients.

We tried different apps and tools, but E-Rank was the most effective tool for us. Also, I engaged a few consultants at the very beginning of our start-up to help with the basics of understanding keywords, titles, and the principles of marketing on ETSY. Some of their advice was more successful than others. I think that the current situation with the volume of lessons on how to sell on Etsy is awesome. New sellers may find much useful information on Patreon, YouTube, or by using apps such as E-rank, Marmalead, Sked Social, Alura, and many others.

The future of UAmaze

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

My goals on Etsy are to continue growing in sales as well as to create products that will have demand throughout the year. I am working on a special wedding gift that will be announced soon and on a new collection for home decorations. My current sales are close to 5,000, but my goal is to increase them twice by the end of next year.

Advice for new sellers

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

Probably the best advice is to research the market and find out the best niche for marketing your product. Use all available resources before you start to sell on Etsy. Learn from the people who share their experience and expertise on Patreon, YouTube, or in ETSY seller groups on Facebook. Remember that mono-shops are the most successful, and you will benefit from starting with a relatively small assortment of products of the same nature. The quality of your product is the best way to advertise it, so never give up on quality. Talk to your clients, and they will give you an idea of their needs; this is the way to create new items or new collections.