Why I started my Etsy shop: Stories from the Buffalo Etsy Team

More than ever Etsy is connecting with individuals who want to sell their handmade and vintage items.  The Buffalo Etsy Team has seen a growth in members and with that a lot of new sellers want to know - how did you get started and why? So we asked some team members and here are their stories.

Jessie of Pigknit sells illustrated prints, clip art and other printables, and she's been selling on Etsy since 2012.

"I sell illustrated prints on Etsy. Years ago I opened an Etsy shop and listed a few items. I didn't know what I was doing, my listings were terrible, and after the unsold items expired I let my shop sit empty for years. It wasn't until a friend expressed interest in a series of alphabet prints I had designed that I decided to try listing them on my old shop. This time, with experience working in branding and marketing from my day job, I took Etsy more seriously and it paid off. I made my first sale within 2 days, and Etsy has since become a much bigger part of my life than I had ever anticipated."

Erica of PECollectibles and a team leader is a collector who sells vintage pieces ranging from jewelry to historic photos to books. She's been selling on Etsy since 2011.

"I am a vintage seller and have always had a passion for preserving history especially in Buffalo. This passion probably comes from my family who taught me about antiques and history beginning as a child. After having little financial success at flea markets and other selling venues, a friend suggested I sell on Etsy. Once I made my first sale I knew I could grow this into a nice part time business and it has been very enjoyable for me."

KitchStudios began in 2010.  Erin is a designer and screen printer who sells kitchen and home accessories including tea towels, table runners and other retro and vintage themed decor.

"My husband and I got started screen printing when we were both in touring bands and wanted to make our own merchandise. When I had my daughter, I let my recording contract run out and became a stay at home mom, while my husband ran our shop out of the Larkin building downtown.  When I found Etsy, I fell head over heels in love with their mission about hand made goods and decided to give it a go as a work from home mom. I started small with two tea towel designs and have grown every year since!"

Karin of KarinLorenc makes stoneware pottery coffee mugs, bowls, and serving pieces in bright modern colors.  She's been selling her pieces on Etsy since 2008.

"I've always loved working with clay. I started making pottery in my home after finding a rustic old kick wheel at a garage sale. I'm a minimalist so I couldn't keep everything for myself. I found Etsy almost 9 years ago, and I've been selling my mugs and bowls here ever since."

Jessica makes women's accessories including unique silk flower hair clips, bobby pins, earrings and necklaces. She opened her shop, Fast|crawl, in 2011.

"Mine is a story akin to the chicken and the egg; which came first? I don't remember if I had the idea for flower hair clips first or the materials, but at some point in 2011, I found myself in possession of two 100 gallon totes full of silk flowers, and Fast|crawl was born. I had found Etsy in 2008 through...StumbleUpon? Word of mouth? Sheer happenstance? and was hooked - I knew I had a ready made market, but didn't know where to begin. Four years later I'm still finding things to tweak, though my focus has shifted and I'm finding more business success. There would be no Fast|crawl if it weren't for the platform Etsy has provided."

Dan sells a wide range of handmade pieces including Concrete Decor, Original Art, Limited Edition Art & Photography Prints, Art Cards Editions and Originals (ACEOs), Jewelry and more.  He began his shop, DanDoroArtAndDesign, in 2009.

"I opened my Etsy Shop so that I could share my creative work online with a diverse array of people. My hope was to have others send feedback via conversations, favorites and purchases to learn what products of mine proved to have value in the eyes of others. Those hopes have been realized many times over and I am so grateful for having Etsy as a creative outlet. Much of my work includes rustic handcrafted concrete decor, paintings and illustrations."

Nicole of mealymonster makes creepy, strange, weird, and odd art dolls and creatures (as she describes them) using polymer clay and acrylic paint.  She started her Etsy shop in 2008.

"I put my artistic side on hold for a very long time in order to start a family. I found eEtsy back in 2008. I was looking for a place to reconnect with my artistic side and a creative community to share this journey with. Etsy fit the bill. Etsy inspired me to make art again and also offered a place to share and sell the art I was making."

Mary is a Buffalo Etsy Team leader who has been selling handmade wine charms in her shop, CharmedByWine, since 2011.

"I found Etsy in 2010 when I started planning my 2012 wedding. We didn't really have a wedding theme other than our black/ivory/burgundy colors, and that my family is Italian and naturally goes overboard with food and wine -- so we did end up incorporating some wine/vineyard aspects into our day. I found a really neat wine crate on Etsy to use as a card box, and I wanted to do wine charms as our favors -- but I hated all the designs I was finding! The charms themselves were made from weaker wire that bends out of shape easily, and a lot of the designs made it possible for beads to fall off the charm. To make it worse, nothing really reflected US as a couple. So, I designed and made my own!

1000+ wine charms and 3 months later, my fingers hurt and I had watched the entire Harry Potter series twice. I had leftover materials, and just started messing around with different designs other than the 6 I kept repeating for our guests. My "Vibrant Vino" wine charms were the first set I made for Charmed By Wine (which is why it is my profile photo!). Scared that wine charms would slowly take over my house, I officially opened my shop in November 2012. I love finding interesting beads and coming up with new designs, but my favorite part is helping people create something fun and unique for a gift or special event."

If you're new or want to start an Etsy shop, let us know. Looking for more work from Buffalo Etsy Team members? Visit the team's Buffalove Etsy page and the team's Facebook page.

Buffalo Etsy Team Interview: Jessica from FastCrawl

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN BLOOM
Jessica opened her Etsy shop, Fast Crawl, in October 2011. Her plans and creations have evolved since she was first interviewed in May 2013, so it was time to catch up! You can read that interview here: http://buffaloetsyteam.blogspot.com/2013/05/monday-interview-with-jessica-from.html

You’ve recently made big changes to your original your business plan. Where did the new direction come from? Do you work with a mentor? 

>>> I did make some big [and a little scary] changes! I think the problem was that originally I didn’t have a business plan — I was just sort of winging it. The idea for a change came when I realized my style and pricing were in competition with discount stores like Wal-mart and Claire’s. I needed a new clientele — one that would appreciate the handmade and unique pieces I was making. I didn’t quite know how to go about doing that until I got in touch with Elizabeth from Southern Carnival - https://www.etsy.com/shop/SouthernCarnival who graciously gave me all of the direction I needed. She’s been a fabulous mentor and cheerleader for many, many months, though she’d hate that I called her that!

Tell us about your new line: How are your new products different from your earlier products? Will your jewelry line be continued?

>>> The idea behind my new products is more or less the same, but the execution is different. My biggest goals are to create consistency and quality while being unique and paying myself for my time. I have slightly shied away from “one of a kind” pieces in order to focus on items I can make in multiples. Eventually I want to be able to produce large quantities of most of my clips. I am focusing more on bridal hair pieces, bridesmaid sets, and formal clips, though many of the items are versatile enough you can wear them every day. Styles range from very ornate and decorative to simple and understated. There’s a little something for everyone. I am using this transition period to eliminate the jewelry completely — my passion lies in silks.

You had a recent buying trip to New York City. How did you find/choose your supplier? 

>>> My ‘mentor’ Elizabeth found my new supplier for me, and I feel like I owe her my first-born child as payment. Finding a US-based source for my business was extremely important to me. With so much of the manufacturing businesses moving overseas [especially in fashion], supporting locally made businesses and nurturing business relationships is increasingly important.

In January of this year, I went to NYC to source a custom silk flower factory. M&S Schmalberg Custom Fabric Flowers is the last remaining silk flower factory in NYC, the largest in North America, and they do everything out of a space that is only slightly larger than my apartment. They are a family owned business that has been operating in the Fashion District for almost 100 years. You can supply any fabric in the world to them [I’ve seen flowers made out of python skin, velvet, hand dyed silk, and even a Burberry scarf!], choose any die cut flower shape, and any mold to add texture, and they will make it for you. The possibilities are limitless. They will provide leaves and petals, or create an entire flower to your specifications. I chose the former, though they have plenty of ready-made flowers stacked in boxes if I ever want to go shopping!

My favorite part of the trip was being offered the same flowers that were made for one of Oscar de la Renta’s runway shows. How could I turn that offer down? I turned a trio of 3 velvet roses into a delicate hair comb, and now have bragging rights that my flowers were made for my favorite fashion designer.

 Who is the FastCrawl customer?

>>> The Fast|crawl customer is youthful at heart, while drawn to unique details. Many of my pieces have a touch of whimsy in them that speaks to first time brides, debutantes, and anyone with a soft, vintage, and romantic side.

 

Has your marketing approach changed with the new line?

>>> Marketing is tough no matter what your product and who your clientele are! I am currently working with another local designer, and dear friend, Alexandra Farrington, of www.AlexandraFarrington.com to develop a website, and I am trying to be more cognizant of my social media presence. I’m on Instagram and Facebook, and am hoping to get started with a twitter account soon. I’ve built wholesale pricing into my pricing model, so I’m going to start looking into to get into some local boutiques by the end of the summer.  Having local support is going to be key in growing my “hair flower empire.”

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve received?

>>> Not to be afraid of raising my prices!  I have a notebook where I write all of my prices — I know exactly how much money each rhinestone costs, each bobby pin, each hair clip, and each flower petal. I’m not only the workhorse who puts it all together, but I’m also the designer, photographer, editor, writer, etc. I’ve come up with a pricing plan and follow it rigorously, so I make sure I’m not coming up with arbitrary prices, and am actually making money instead of losing it!

Are your products available locally, and if so, where?

>>> Not yet, but I’ve had a few offers. I’m still working on getting my product line back where it should be before I start selling offline.

 

Lastly, and just for fun: If FastCrawl could have any celebrity spokesmodel, who would it be?

>>> I’ve always thought that Rachel McAdams is the perfect blend of Grace Kelly’s vintage elegance and romanticism. A little flower tucked behind her ear, or pinned at the base of a formal updo would be just perfect. So if anyone knows how to get a hold of her…you send her my way!

On Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FastCrawl

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FastCrawl

On Instagram: http://pinsta.me/fastcrawl 

Many thanks to Nicole Johnson of Mealy Monster for initiating the original Buffalo Etsy Team interviews!

Until I ask questions again, this is Carla from 716 Buffalos wishing you a happy summer and loads of Buffalove!