Etsy Seller Interview with Christina of WardrobeByMe

How WardrobeByMe 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?

I have a background in the fashion industry. As a freelancer, I experienced periods with less work and decided to try expanding with PDF sewing patterns for home sewing. An American friend of mine told me about Etsy, and I quickly understood that opening a shop would be a low-risk investment. I design, create, and write all my sewing patterns from my office in Espergrde, Denmark. The designs are created from the perspective of making clothes that you love to make and wear over and over. They are the garments you reach for every day. I have created patterns for women, men, and kids. You can make everything from underwear, hoodies, and sweatpants to advanced jackets, dresses, and pretty tops. Aside from Etsy, I also have a webshop, and in the past I have designed for my webshop and also put my products on Etsy. I have, however, over time discovered that what is popular on Etsy is different from what is popular in my own web shop. Consequently, I’m currently working on designing sewing patterns exclusively for the Etsy market to meet the demands and tastes of the Etsy customers.

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 the ones that sell best. Our best sellers on Etsy are the men’s patterns. I think this is because the competition is low in this product range. Compared to other shops that sell men’s sewing patterns, we are not doing as well as they are. This is something I’m still trying to figure out why.

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 sale came within a few weeks, but the growth has been slow and steady since we started in 2015. The real breakthrough came during Corona. I think that Etsy’s massive marketing campaigns during Corona did a lot of good for my business.

Managing WardrobeByMe

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 shop alone. I use Alura and E-rank, and I also listen to Etsy’s trend reports to see if I can adapt products accordingly.

As a pattern designer of PDF sewing patterns, I use a lot of different tools every day. Adobe is a must: Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro. I draft and grade patterns with the PAD system.

The future of WardrobeByMe

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

Keep growing and taking more market shares on Etsy's marketplace.

Advice for new sellers

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

Selling on Etsy is relatively risk-free, as you only pay when you make a sale. I know that the fees can seem high on Etsy, but the thing that is amazing about Etsy is that the customers are there; you don’t have to chase them, and with the right SEO, tags, and pictures, you are sure to become successful on Etsy. Etsy ads are another great way to both find your customers and also get a deeper understanding of what products the customers are looking for and what they like. Again, you only pay when the customer interacts with your product, and you don’t have to go through the pain of creating your own Facebook or Google campaigns.

Look at your competition, analyze their product, and find out why they show up in searches. Check your search terms on Etsy and find out what people are searching for, rather than making up fictive search terms.

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

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: 4-6K Euro’s

Question: What is your average profit margin?
Answer: 70%

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 3-4%