Today is my 2 year anniversary selling on Etsy. My It’s Still Life shop went live on July 12, 2011. I remember how scared I was to start selling online. The most intimidating aspect was the shipping. Some day I will do a post on how I ship. I have found it easier than I ever imagined it would be.
I have had a wonderful time selling in my shop. In those 2 years I have had 399 sales. Many of my customers communicate very little with me. They purchase an item. I send them a note to thank them and let them know when I will be shipping the product. Sometimes I don’t hear from them again. Sometimes I receive feedback through the formal Etsy system. So far it all has been good feedback.
Some awesome feedback I received just this year:
“Thanks Karen. The casserole arrived in perfect condition, as was to be expected with your excellent packaging. Its gorgeous, and I’m looking forward to using it. Thanks.”
“Great item, great seller! Shipped super fast. Would definitely buy from again in the future!”
“Fast shipping, suitcases as described, and the seller was really helpful and nice. Can’t recommend enough!”
“Lovely and attentive shop owner–great product.”
Yes, those kind of comments really can make my day, and on my down days can get me motivated to get listing.
However, sometimes a customer will communicate with me as to why they made the purchase. For example these brass pigs.
I listed the pigs on May 22, and they sold on June 3. The customer left me this note on the order. “I am going to use these in my wedding on June 16th, if you can send them out ASAP I would really appreciate it. Thanks.” Brass pigs in a wedding….hmm I wish I could see that wedding. Of course I rushed them out my door. Believe it or not the post office messed up. But the customer communicated with me about it. It all ended up working out. He left me this feedback, “Above and beyond. Karen helped me get through a mess up by the post office so I could get my brass pigs I ordered form her in time for my wedding. The best customer service I have ever received. Thanks!!” Wow, made my week.
After the wedding I received this note from my wonderful customer. “The pigs turned out great. I took them to a silver-smith and had them turned into our wedding cake knives (it’s a long story).” Don’t you just love that. I love that my customer told me what happened to those pigs and how they were used. He even sent me a photo of them. I asked if I could show you the photo, but never got permission, so I am not adding that photo. I would love to know the whole story, but this just “tickles me pink”. Ha. Really I love hearing how the vintage items I rescue are being used.
Selling on Etsy is a lot of work. The time it takes to find the items, clean them, take photos of them, research the item, write a description, estimate postage, mail the package and keep track of the information for tax purposes can really add up. However, it fits well with my life as a stay at home Mom and homeschooler. I love the “rush of remembering” when I find items I had when I was a kid. I love that items are being saved, reused, recycled, enjoyed. I really enjoy the people I am able to “meet” at my shop.
So if you have even considered selling items, vintage or hand-crafted, check out Etsy. It has been an awesome place to sell.
Today I am celebrating and thinking of all the happy things over the past 2 years. If you sell online, I would love to hear how you have enjoyed it? If you don’t sell, but think you might enjoy it, why not? What are you waiting for?
It's Still Life 
What a great post! I just started selling on etsy, and have just had one sale so far, but a very nice transaction. I sell quite a bit on ebay, and I have had some wonderful feedback and personal notes from there as well. I especially love selling vintage and/or foreign children’s books, and the buyers of those are always so appreciative and often send me very personal notes about how they remember these books from their childhoods and have been looking for them for such long times, often now to share with children and grandchildren. It makes me so happy beyond just getting paid 🙂
Thank you. I am so glad you have ventured into Etsy. It is an awesome selling community. Don’t you just love the feedback. I agree it is that more than the money that makes my day. I am trying hard to send informative and appreciative feedback when I purchase items as well.
Great post- I really enjoyed reading this. I’ve been thinking of starting an Etsy shop, and this is very encouraging:)
I say “go for it”. It will be a great experience for you, and before you know you it, you will be looking back thinking where did the time go. Why did I hesitate. Enjoy and if I can be of any help, just let me know.
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