How WoodHistory 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 Etsy journey probably started 20 years ago, but I never got to see my inner inspiration - until the fateful day. My husband and I had metal dining room chairs covered in faux leather - already slightly damaged, dirty - they needed to be replaced. I looked for a replacement in all stores, but I couldn't find any and I didn't like anything. Until the most important event happened: I saw an ad with used wooden chairs and instantly fell in love with them—by no means because of the price, but because of the charm and quality!

We went to see them, but they needed thorough renovations and repairs, which neither of us knew about. And when I still insisted that I wanted to have them, I decided to fix them, but as there was no knowledge, I went to the course. Since that fateful day, my heart has been dedicated to the wonderful products of our past. Because I enjoyed renovating, cleaning, and beautifying old products, they started to accumulate, and I knew that I needed to release them into the world—and this is where my story on Etsy begins.

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 always wooden, as I'm in love with old wood, its smell, its rough surface, and the long past that has permeated this beautiful natural material and left traces on it. The choice of my shop name WoodHistory was logical and was chosen in 10 seconds 🙂 I love old kitchen boards; they were my best-selling item for a while. I believe that they would still be in the first place today, if only I had the chance to find those real, antique boards, but I'm afraid that these stocks are slowly running out.  As most buyers on Etsy value high quality, uniqueness, and great customer service, I made sure that my customers had other wonderful items from our history available in my shop 🙂 As I said, because I sell mostly unique products, only one of which is available, I don't have a best selling listing, but me & my customers. I love them all 🙂 For an example I admire:

Large Round Charcuterie Board
Rustic Bread Board w/ French Wine Label 

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 waited approximately 4 months for the first sale. I can tell that I almost gave up, but the deep desire for this work, to which I was dedicated, drove me forward to believe that sooner or later I too would succeed. There is also the sincere and constant support of my husband, who has always believed in me and my obvious mission. 

I believe that customers come to my shop because of the visually expressed quality of the items and their rarity. The two together are a magic recipe for item appeal. I also believe that the desire to earn money alone is never enough for success. Someone could easily copy and paste almost any shop, but that's not a recipe for success. Buyers can sense the passion hidden in the items and also see if that passion is missing.

Customers also keep coming back because of the good customer service. Specifically, the sales process is not completed with the purchase alone; until the customer is really satisfied with the item received, our work is not done.

Managing  WoodHistory

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?

As my range of items and the number of sales slowly increased, I was no longer able to do everything by myself. This is where my husband came to the rescue; as he does not have such a strong passion for this work, he just faithfully obeys my instructions to achieve the desired effects of his work 🙂. I would never have been able to achieve these results on my own, because it is necessary to arrange the time we have at our disposal for everything - family, friends, home and other things that give us meaning in life. When my husband saw that my love for vintage and antiques was so strong that I would not give up, he came to help, and today we are a fluent and synchronized team. 

I educate myself by reading professional literature, online articles, taking courses, and utilizing modern technology - all of which are necessary for maintaining a high level of service. As I am a well-organized person and dedicated to the shop with my heart, it is not difficult to keep commitments by fulfilling orders and handling shipping.

The future of  WoodHistory

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

I wish my shop to gain an even better reputation, to have an even better and more selected range of items that would satisfy the most demanding buyers of antiques. There is still a long way to go, but believe me, I won't give up 🙂

Advice for new sellers

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

The most important thing is that you know deep down what kind of work makes you happy. It will not work without an inner desire; as you know, we all have all the knowledge at our disposal, but not all of us are the best cooks, drivers, have all the knowledge at our disposal, but not all of us are the best cooks, drivers, seamstresses, or carpenters. Those who are the best have heart in their work.
Trust yourself that you have chosen the right path, and ask your loved ones to support you for at least a short period of time so that you can determine whether you made the right decision.
Be inspired by those who are better than you; find only inspiration from them and do not copy them; this path does not lead to success.
I wish everyone to identify with their shop and discover that part of themselves that will fulfill them for the rest of their lives 🙂