Featured Seller - Sugarcube Design

Your first name, and your store name?

Corinne from Sugarcube Design

What part of the world are from?

New York City

What does customer service mean to you?
I think communication is so important. Having great items listed in your shop and shipping out orders on time is essential, but I find that the things buyers appreciate the most are the little extras like a message to let them know their package is on its way or a personal note tucked in with their purchase.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

I had one woman that I did a custom order for a while back that was just wonderful to work with. We had a great time designing everything just the way she wanted it, and it all came together so nicely in the end.

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

If I don't absolutely love a design, if it isn't something that would catch my eye, I won't list it. Everything I have in my shop is something I'm very enthusiastic about. And I think my enthusiasm for my shop shines through to my customers. It's contagious!

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

I think everything I've done in the past, from my web design experience to my self-employment as a freelance illustrator to working for someone else in an office setting have all contributed to what I do today. They've all contributed a different set of skills, none of which I could do without today.

What is your goal for the next year?

My goal for the next year or so is to start using some of my current designs, as well as creating some new ones, on a wider variety of goods. I would like to begin screenprinting my designs onto things such as linens, pillow covers, and tees and maybe even open a second shop to showcase them all.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

When things are busy, it's easy to get caught up in the business aspect of things like shipping and listing items. So when things are slow, I take use that time as an opportunity to create and try out the new designs that have been bouncing around in my head for a while.

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?

I'm always looking for new ways to attract new clients, and I'm especially happy to try out any new geeky thing that comes along to facilitate that. Things like blogs, Twitter, Flickr are all great things to take advantage of. Of course, you can't discount basic things like handing out your business card to everyone you meet, or ensuring that your first-time customers enjoy the experience so much that they return again and again.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

It's really simple, but great photos and clear descriptions are essential. If you don't have a great storefront, people are going to move on to the next shop without even taking a good look around.

Do you have a current promotion or contest you'd like to share with our readers?

Yes! Right now, I have a great new line of cd sleeves that I'm very excited about. To promote them, I'll be sending a free set of matching mini-notepads with each set of cd sleeves purchased.


Thanks Corinne for being our featured seller!

Please visit Sugarcube Design at http://sugarcubedesign.etsy.com

Featured Seller - Living Glass Art

Your first name, and your store name?

Anna Varney livingglassart

What part of the world are from?

Tennessee, USA between Nashville and Memphis

What does customer service mean to you?

Everything, really. My joy is creating and I'm thrilled to be able to share my joy with my customers. When it comes to custom designs for a client, I will work with them until a design is to their liking even if it means weeks of discussion and design approval. I work alone so that means I am the designer, the producer and packaging engineer. Since glass is a fragile item, I take great care in packaging to assure the item arrives at its destination undamaged.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

There have been so many. Most recently, I created a piece, a stained glass cat face ornament, for a client of her cat who was very ill. She received the piece and the very same day her cat passed away. The piece, she says, warms her heart to see everyday and has eased in her pain since she misses her cat so much.

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

All of my works are original in design. I take great care in selecting quality materials. If they don't meet my standards I won't use them. I like to think that I'm creating unique works that make people say, "Wow".

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

Life experiences. As far as my craft is concerned, I'm basically self taught. I took one 8 hour class and set out on my own. I've held a number of different positions in a variety of fields and I guess I've learned a little bit from all of them.

What is your goal for the next year?

To develop new and exciting designs and to work on my organization skills.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

My desire to create is so strong I suppose its self motivating.

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?

Not as much as I need to at the moment. I need to investigate different options for advertisement.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

Create something that you love. If you don't love what you do don't expect anyone else to love it either.

Thank you Anna! Your beautiful stained glass artwork blew us away. Such stunning colours and interesting designs that would suit many homes, at very reasonable prices. One of our favorite pieces is showcased above, called Aqua Blue Hanging Stained Glass Panel with Glass Bevels, available for $100 USD.

Check out Living Glass Art for a beautiful variety of stained glass art.

Featured Seller - twobadbananas

Your first name, and your store name?

My name is Cat, and my shop name is twobadbananas.etsy.com.

What part of the world are from?

I'm from York, a beautiful historic city in England.

What does customer service mean to you?

Well, I want anyone who buys anything from me to be as excited and happy about it as I am (which is pretty excited!). I want to be helpful and friendly throughout a transaction, and I want them to know how pleased it makes me that they like something I've made enough to spend money on it. I always add a handwritten thank you and a little extra something to my parcels.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

Definitely Mary, who runs her own jewellery shop (heatbreakjewelry.etsy.com). I met her through etsy, purchased items from her, and her from me. She is so friendly and such fun to talk with, I had a great time preparing her order for her, and I was so thrilled when she left her feedback saying how much she loved her jewellery. She told me she changed her shirt as soon as the parcel arrived so she could wear my necklace, and that she cut the stickers off the parcel and saved them. Making Mary happy made me so happy, I was grinning all day!

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

When you read my listings I try to make my items as interesting and personable as I can. I'll tell you what music I was listening to, or what tv programme I had on in the background as I made each particular item, and even sometimes what snack I had in the middle of my crafty session! As for my fruit and vegetable characters, I've given them all names and personalities, a task I enjoyed a little bit too much, I think. I'm a geek at heart!

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

As a very strange child! I played with Sylvanian Families, but it worried me a lot that there wasn't really enough food to go round a village full of woodland creatures (as I said, strange child!). My Mum bought me fimo so I could make food for them and I never looked back. I took a break from creating anything at all whilst I was at University as my time was taken up with being in Pantomimes, running the Archaeology Society, oh, yeah, and my degree ;) Now I work full time in a shop, so I think that also helps me when it comes to knowing what designs will sell, and how to communicate with my customers.

What is your goal for the next year?

Next year? I'd like to be completely free of my student debt, and have saved up enough money to learn to drive. Then I can start going to craft shows and displaying there. As regards my etsy shop, it'd be nice to make 100 sales. That'd be a cool landmark :)

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

As I'm new to etsy so my sales haven't really taken off yet. I'm still excited when I can tell people have viewed my items! But I take great heart from real life reactions people have to my jewellery when I'm wearing it. It reassures me that there is a market for the things I make. I just remind myself that selling online is a different kettle of fish to selling in a shop, and that things will pick up for me.

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?

This is like my secondary hobby at the moment! Well, I'm being featured in this blog, and in a giveaway on another blog soon. I've made a facebook fanpage (tinyurl.com/twobadbananas) and when I hit 50 members I'm going to start running promotions just for my fans.

I've just started using twitter (twitter.com/twobadbananas) although I am wary of being a spammer so I'm pretty easygoing with it. I also have a blog (twobadbananas.blogspot.com), and a webpage (twobadbananas.com), both aimed at making me more recognisable.

I'm also in the process of running an ad on Craftcult, and I sell in a bricks and mortar shop, and am hoping to expand to one or two other shops soon. I've had business cards printed which I give out to people who I chat with when they admire my jewellery, which I try to wear nearly every day.

This is the hardest part for me, wearing jewellery I've made over things I own, as I'm a bit of a jewellery fiend! Also, I pop a card and a home-made twobadbananas badge in with all the goodies I send out to my customers, so hopefully they can help spread the word for me.

Lastly, I make my friends and family a lot of jewellery, because they promote for me without even knowing they are doing it half the time! I'm hoping that my excitingly decorated parcels, extra goodies and unusual designs, combined with my friendly attitude, will foster repeat sales for me.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

Be prepared for a lot of hard work! I thought I went in prepared, and I am still shocked by how much of my free time promoting takes up. I think I spend more time online nowadays than I do creating jewellery, which is sad, but necessary. But it's worth it. It's an amazing feeling when someone buys something you've made. Go for it!:)

Do you have a current promotion or contest you'd like to share with our readers?

Yes! Readers of this blog who purchase any item from me are eligible for free postage when they mention "I Made That Blog" in the Notes to Seller box. Just convo me to sort it out.

Thank you Cat! Your shop is so cute and fun! We've chosen our favorite piece from your shop to showcase on our blog, the Babooshka, Babooshka Necklace, available for only $11 USD!

Please check out twobadbananas for other terrific cutesy finds to add to your accessory collection!

Featured Seller - RosaleenDhu Designs

For your shopping pleasure, we are happy to introduce...

RosaleenDhu Designs

http://rosaleendhu.etsy.com/

What part of the world are from?

Right between Los Angeles and Disneyland!

What does customer service mean to you?

Customer service means remembering that customers are people too, and not just potential sources of income. From brainstorming to shipping, I want to try to think of what will make my customers the most happy while still maintaining reasonable business practices.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

I think my most memorable customer with this shop was the lovely woman at the table next to me at my last convention. When I was setting up, she asked to see one of my scarves, and ended up being my first sale of the show. And over the next three days, I think she bought 4 or 5 more! And her friends bought another three! Fellow sellers are NOT competition. They're potential customers. ;)

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

Honestly, my items are pretty unique. There are some sellers out there who have animal scarves, but none of them do the neckwarmers that are my bestsellers, and the animal style is pretty different from my long ones.

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

I learned sewing through osmosis. My mother used to make all of my dresses for church and picture days, and I can remember making a doll quilt when I was about 5. I learned to be fearless about crafting in Girl Scouts, and that's also where I learned a lot about sales. By the time I got to high school, I couldn't rely on just being really cute to sell cookies. Being in retail for nearly ten years taught me a lot about the importance of presentation and customer service.

What is your goal for the next year?

I've got two big ones! The first one is to be more organized with my paperwork and record keeping. Taxes were not fun at all, and I want to make that whole process less painful. The second one is to come up with a product line that's a either less seasonal or more Summer-y.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

I've got some pretty big shows I do spread out over the year. If etsy is slow, I can focus on preparing for those. If I don't feel like I need to work on show-prep, I use the slow time to develop new designs or learn something new.

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?

I probably don't do as much to attract clients as I should. I renew or list items at least a few times a week. I post in the forums on etsy. I'm part of the California Crafters Club of Etsy Team. I have a blog. I have a DeviantArt account. I wear my own product when the weather allows.

I don't really do anything specificly to attract return business. I just do my best to offer quality product and excellent service, and I think that goes a long way. Most of my return customers mention being really pleased with the quality of my sewing. I do include a handwritten thank you in every package, and I like including small gifts as well.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

No matter how carefully you calculate things, a successful shop will take over far more of your life and your house than you expect. It's not a bad thing, but be ready for it, and start planning the excuses you'll need to give the rest of your household now.

Thanks Máire! Check out RosaleenDhu Designs at http://rosaleendhu.etsy.com.

Prices range from $20-35 USD

Running A Contest? Want Extra Exposure?

Are you running a contest? Would you like some extra exposure? We'd be happy to feature your contest!

If you are currently holding a contest and would like some exposure, simply send us a photo of the prize up for grabs, the retail price, and any rules that apply. We will gladly list the link to your website where contestants can enter.

If you'd like us to host a contest for you on our blog, we can do that as well. Simply give us all the info (price, rules, retail price, link to your store) we will draw a name from all contestants who enter. You will be responsible for contacting the winner and making any arrangements for them to receive their prize.

Please contact us by emailing: imadethat@hotmail.com if you'd like to work with us on a contest.

Featured Seller - Flapper Doodle

What part of the world are you in?

New Jersey

What does customer service mean to you?

Customer Service is very important to me. I try to include a little free gift with each order, along with a handwritten, personalized thank you note. Every time I get an order, my heart just lights up with joy, knowing that somebody out there likes my art enough to pay for it! So when I pack their order, I want to try my best to let them know how much their order really means to me.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

A really nice woman who knew me from my outdoor art shows wanted to purchase some prints from my etsy store-- but had never used etsy or paypal before. Rather than taking me up on my money order/check offer, she was determined to learn how to do the transaction on the internet. I sent her step by step instructions, and stayed online near my computer while she proceeded through the checkout and registration process in case she needed help. She was so incredibly excited when she made it through! She said I helped her finally make it into the 21st century. I was so proud of her!

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

I think that my illustrations are unique from others because of their style and subject matter. I don't know how many other people have drawn 1920's flappers playing hula hoop!

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

I'm self taught, so lots of trial and error! (oftentimes more error than trial..)

What is your goal for the next year?

I'd love to spend more time painting and drawing, and I would love it I had enough etsy sales that I could cut back on the number of outdoor art fairs I have to do.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

The art. If you concentrate on sales alone, it's really easy to get depressed, and second guess your artwork. Just ignore the sales, and keep going. Having a cute, affectionate cat to comfort you when sales are slow helps, too!

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?
I have a blog (http://www.flapperdoodle.blogspot.com), post my images on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/kategabrielle), and constantly renew my items on etsy. I've also started a new advertising campaign called "Six Degrees of Flapper Doodle." In each order I send out, I include a little packet that includes Six Degrees instructions & a sheet with 6 lines on it. Each time a customer gets six friends to sign up for my mailing list or blog, they get a free mini print! Word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

Have a very unique, well crafted product, and take good pictures. If you are selling original 2D artwork, have good high quality scans or photos taken in natural sunlight with no timestamp.

*SPECIAL OFFER FOR OUR BLOG READERS*

Enter code MINIFLAPPER in the checkout, and get a free mini print of your choice with any purchase of an 8" x 10" print. Please indicate with mini print you'd like.

Thanks for sharing your artwork with us Kate! We've never seen artwork like yours before and it is quite interesting. Black and White prints are so popular and classic, coupled with a lovely vintage spirit, we have no doubt your prints will sell very well!

Visit Flapper Doodle at http://flapperdoodle.etsy.com

Featured Seller - Jewelry of Lav

What part of the world are you in?

Sunny Shining Singapore, (at least for most of the year)

What does customer service mean to you?

It means taking time to understand my customer's needs and requirements and using 101% of my creativity, energy and time to meet their needs and requirements. It also means becoming friends with my customers & be their approachable jewelry designer.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

There are too many to be mentioned. In fact, many left wonderful and encouraging comments and praises of my jewelry after their purchases. Some even send me Christmas gifts and encouraging cards when I was feeling down due to personal reasons.

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

I guess it would be my after sale service. I love to give my earlier collections new lease of life, even if they have been subjected to years of wear and tear. As long as my customers send me a note or email to request for such a service, I would gladly provide, with no service charge required. Customers need only pay for new parts used.

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

Actually, a lot of things I learned are from trial and error. I make PLENTY of mistakes and also learn from them.

What is your goal for the next year?

My goal is for Jewelry of Lav to continue its steady grow in its online and offline presence. More specifically, as my customers are mainly from Asia, I hope to bring Jewelry of Lav beyond Asia to the different corners of the world.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

Firstly, it's my passion for making things beautiful, and in this case, my jewelry beautiful and unique. I'm inspired a lot by beautiful things. So, the more I look at my jewelry and my lovely supplies, the more motivated I become in creating pretty jewelry pieces that tell beautiful stories. Secondly, my customers' feedback and praises of my jewelry keep me motivated. Well, I keep a list of all the lovely positive comments from all my customers and would look at the list to give myself reasons to push on, especially in the current time of economic crisis. Lastly, it would be my children. In order to stay at home to take care of them, I know I have to make my business successful, at least successful enough to allow me to not have a full time work outside home. :)

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?

I offer various promotions, discounts and offers and most important great service and after sale service.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

Find out more from accomplished ones and understand the time, financial resources and commitment needed, to assess if this business is truly for you. If possible, learn from a good teacher to avoid making unnecessary mistakes and to jump start your business. Most importantly, believe in yourself, and believe in miracles!

*SPECIAL OFFER FOR OUR BLOG READERS - JEWELRY OF LAV*
Mystery gift for buyers who spend a minimum of $50 USD and mention this blog!

Terrific interview Lav, thank you for taking the time to speak with us and share your beautiful collection with our readers. We just love the bursting colours and beautiful selection of pieces on your website. Please check out http://jewelryoflav.com/ for more unique jewelry pieces.

Featured Seller - Handmade Wood Gifts

What part of the world are you in?

We are located in South East Michigan.

What does customer service mean to you?

Making sure that the customer is happy with what they receive. We are always prompt with email communication and love to provide customers with their specific custom request. It doesn’t matter if the customer is spending $20 or $200 on a pen, it is important to us that they enjoy it and find that it is worth its value. The same goes for any of the other Hand Made Wood Gifts that we offer.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

Probably the most memorable moment was when we got our first custom request for a very expensive puzzle pen. A Puzzle Pen starts off as a hand full of jig saw puzzle pieces made out of a variety of exotic woods that gets assembled and glued together before being turning into a pen. It is a very labor intensive process, and pricey, but the final result is very stunning. This is the most expensive pen that we have sold to date, and it reaffirmed for us that there are people that will pay for the quality and uniqueness of Hand Made Wood Gifts. Hopefully we will be able to build many more memorable moments in the future!

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?

I would say our attention to quality. I take my time on each pen, and use a durable finish, not a quick friction wax like some other turners do. I started using that method and over time I noticed that the pen I used daily was starting to look worn. I did not want my customers to have that same experience, so now I spend longer working on a pen to ensure each one has a finish on it that gives it durability, shine, and protects the wood.

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?

Woodworking, in some form or another, goes back 3 generations in my family, so I have always been familiar with it. My personal passion for wood working came from watching David Marks on his show “WoodWorks” on the DIY Network. I began to do more work with wood and started reading wood working forums. These forums can be a wealth of knowledge regarding design and technique input.

What is your goal for the next year?

Our goal is to always be growing. In the spirit of Dave Ramsey we are growing without debt. If that takes longer, then that is ok. We would rather worry about quality products and not treat our customers like dollar signs. We plan on adding more wine stoppers, salt and pepper mills, as well as some other items like exotic wood boxes and crosses.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

Fortunately, sales are not what motivates us! They are a by product of the passion that we have and what we love to do. However, sales are important because they allow us to add new items and more product lines, therefore allowing us to offer more to our customers. The more sales we have the faster we will grow. Being in business with my wife, and the constant love and encouragement I get from her, doesn’t hurt either!

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?

We are always looking for new ways to promote our business. Word of mouth has proven to be the best method so far. We try to get our website name out there on various blogs and forums. While we signed up at Esty a while ago, we just got our shop going and are actively viewing the Alchemy section to suggest our products to people looking for wood gifts. Maybe in the future we will go to art shows and things like that. When people can feel and see the actual product they are much more impressed.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?

Make sure that you love and believe in what you make and sell, and don’t shortchange yourself on what you think your items are worth. You aren’t a mass producer of cheap junk; you are a creator of unique, individual items.

**SPECIAL OFFER FOR BLOG READERS**
If you send Derek at Handmade Wood Gifts an email about this feature, he will happily give you 15% off your order that you place in the months of June/ July 2009!
sales@handmadewoodgifts.com

Handmade Wood Gifts offers a lovely variety of items from the handcrafted pen you see above to: wine stoppers, pill cases, keychains, customizable desk sets with features likes name plates, mounted pen, business card slot and clock.

A terrific selection of wood is available to create your custom piece, including: Blood Wood, Bubinga, Cherry, Cocobolo, Leopard Wood, Mahogony, Maple/ Spalted Maple, Red Oak, Padauk, Purple Heart, East Indian Rose Wood, Wenge, & Zebra Wood.

ADMIN COMMENT: My fav is the Zebra Wood!

What caught our attention about Handmade Wood Gifts, other than the beautiful craftsmanship of their handmade pieces, was the fact that Derek and his wife run this wonderful family business! They have the opportunity to work with their siblings as well, which would be a terrific blessing. We are quite envious! Thank you so much Derek for sharing your talents with us, we wish you much success.

Please visit their Websites/ Online Stores, located at: http://handmadewoodgifts.com and http://handmadewoodgifts.etsy.com

CONTEST WINNER FRANNIE K!

Congrats to our May contest winner, Frannie K!

We decided the best way to introduce new product to our customers, is to give them a whole whack of them for free!

Here is how it works...

For every item you purchase at Not Bees...BEADS! you will receive one entry into our monthly contest. At the end of the month, we put all the names in a hat and draw a winner! The winner will receive a selection of gemstones, beads and findings for free!

This giveaway helps us promote new merchandise and allows you, the buyer, to give us your thoughts on, in many cases new items that are not even for sale yet on our website!

So check out our online jewelry supply store, Not Bees...BEADS! at www.notbees.com

We also invite Frannie K to review her free goodies right here, on our blog!

Congrats again to Frannie K!