Featured Seller - Laura Doll Boutique

What part of the world are you in?

I live in beautiful Morgan Hill, California. We are 2 hours south of San Fransisco and only 45 minutes from Sillicon Valley.

What does customer service mean to you?

Customer services means making it easy to buy from my shop! I start with good pictures of the product so they know just what they are getting. I try to be accurate with size and colour. Once the buyer makes their purchase then i get the item made, packaged safely, and shipping out right away! If a customer has questions about colours or a custom item, I do my best to offer clear helpful anwsers, so they can make the best desision about what bows to buy.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

My aunt ordered 40 sets of hair bows for my cousin's dance team. It was one of my more complex styles and they took over two weeks to complete! They were christmas presents so in Jan. I got an email from her saying they were a HUGE hit and all the girls loved them. That made it all worthwhile.

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

I try to play around with different styles and colour combinations. I want to be the bow shop that has the hard to find colours, sizes, and styles.

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

I have learned a lot from my start on Etsy.com. I am getting much better at communicating with customers, and promoting my shop. The harder i work, the more fun it becomes!

Do you have any formal training in your craft?

I do not. My friend makes hair bows and one day I asked her to teach me. She is actually the one who gave me the link to Etsy.com! Once she showed me basic designs, I bought ribbon and started work!

What is your goal for the next year?

One sale or more per day. I currently have one sale or so each week and am slowly working my way up! I would also like to add more non bow hair accessories to my shop.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

There are always ups and downs. I can get lazy about promoting my shop so a drop in sales keeps me working! I know that is ALWAYS picks up again.

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

I try to get my name out on Etsy.com by posting in the forums and in treasuries. I also have a link to my shop in my email signature, so LOTS of people see it that way.
I do get a few sales by work of mouth 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?

Everyone says this... Have good pictures!! and make sure you keep up with your shop.
List new items often, and promote promote promote!

Admin Comment: Thanks so much Laura for participating in our blog and letting us show off your beautiful bows! These remind me of the bows and clips my mother used to make me when I was little that would colour coordinate with my outfits. These bows are a great accessory for the little princess in your life.
Do you have a little girl at home who loves all things pretty? Pick her up a special little gift for no reason at all! These beautiful bows are available for only $1.75-$3.50 / pair.
Check out LauraDollBoutqies shop, located at http://lauradollboutique.etsy.com

Featured Seller - SweetRoxs

What part of the world are you in?
California, USA

What does customer service mean to you?
It means treating the customer well. Delivering a great product at a great price as fast as possible - even that isn't enough. Good customer service involves acknowledging the sale, keeping the customer updated on the status, being available for questions and custom orders, and having your well packaged item delivered on time.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?
My most memorable experience was the first custom order. It was wonderful to be asked to make a custom item. After some nervousness about having it meet their expectations, it was great to hear it that it fit well and they were happy.

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?
Although it is hard to distinguish yourself from so many jewelry sellers, Roxy's designs are unique and mostly specialize in earrings. Of course, beside jewelry SweetRoxs also sells knitted items. Lully's knitted items are sweet with the wrist warmers being a popular item.

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?
Lully has been knitting for most of her life. She can follow a pattern or follow her own ideas to create a new item. After being frustrated at not finding jewelry that fits her personality, Roxy began learning to make jewelry. She has read instructions, watched videos, and experimented on friends and family. Being willing to try something new or just play with a new idea leads to what will bring you success.

Do you have any formal training in your craft?
We do not. Learning the craft from friends and family has been very rewarding.

What is your goal for the next year?
SweetRoxs' goal for 2009 is to reach out to more people interested in handmade items, while still being able to keep it personal and fun.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?
Slow sales are a motivation in themselves to find ways to reach customers. The time can be used to find more outlets or create new items.

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage re-occurring business? SweetRoxs encourages re-occurring business by making items well and treating the customer even better. We've been fortunate to receive great feedback. Being a fairly new seller, it has been fun finding so many ways to reach new clients - online, charity auctions, word of mouth, even an ad on Roxy's car has gotten people asking about SweetRoxs.

If you could share one piece of advice with someone who is considering opening their own store of handmade items, what would it be?
My advice would be to make something that you really put your heart into. It will show in your work.

Thanks so much Susan for the interview, We love your cozy fingerless gloves!

Visit her store for more beautiful creations ranging from knitwear to jewelry to accessories, SweetRoxs.etsy.com

Featured Seller - Gastu

What part of the world are you in?
I'm in Iceland.

What does customer service mean to you?
Customer service is one of the most important thing if you want to be good seller. It's all about happy customer, and that's in priority for me to make them happy. Than you will also find out that more and more people are buying from you just because of what they heard from their friends ..

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?
I've just started Etsy business, but I've being running leather craft storein Reykjavík cityfor about year now and I have few memorable customers.
For example one that was sadly quite drunk (I'm in downtown) and he hadhis backpackwith him,all of a sudden he had emptied the bag and showedme purse that he had in the bottom. He told me to keep it because it wasso beautiful that I had to sew one like that my self! I told him that I wasn'ta "copycat" and than he mentioned that I shouldn't act like I was "inventingthe wheel" in the handbag business.....Luckily he haven't been at my storesince that day.

What sets you apart from other sellers who are selling similar items?
All or most of my items includes fish skin leather, that is very unique leatherthat is made here in Iceland.

How did you learn the skills that make you successful today?
It took few years until I was satisfied. I have been learning through theInternet and with books. Today I run courses sewing leather handbags.And in the last months about 130 women have already learned how to sewtheir very own bag.

Do you have any formal training in your craft?
No - not yet. I learned building engineering, but decided not to work asengineering when I finished. I think I have found what I like to day in myday job - and as my hobby...

What is your goal for the next year?
I am hoping that my design only (with great help from Etsy) can be my onlyday job. Now I have to put all my hours in showing the world how great thefish skin is.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?
That my hearts are racing.. My family and friends.Then I also use the time to make treasury or promoting in the Forums,and they motivate me by telling me what they feel about my products.

What do you do to attract new clients and encourage repeat business?
I send personal message(convo) to all my customers, i also sendhandwrittenthank you note sometimes with more than one business cardalong. I have decided to send gifts along with some of the orders. Whowill get it is just decided by what mood I'm in that minute..Giving doesalways makes me feel so good!
I spend all my hours talking about Gastu and Etsy, I show it off on my Facebook profile, and than I have sent letter to all the media here inIceland hoping that they are interested.

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

You have to do what you feel like, don't hesitate if you think that's the right thing to do.I would say jump for it and welcome aboard.
**We were looking through Gastu's store and we noticed a similarity in the items we clicked on,the shipping was $0! We love little perks like free shipping!
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us!
Visit GASTU at http://gastu.etsy.com/!

40’S/50’S/60’s…Age has no boundaries when it comes to Style and Color!

“Gold hoops and pearl stud earrings are what women my age wear.”
Have you ever said those words to someone, even though you were not convinced that it was true? I know I have. Well guess what ladies, we’re missing something. Age is not defined by anything other than how we feel within ourselves. Try one pair of lovely, colorful, sexy or fun earrings, and wait for the reactions. It will surprise you and lift your spirits when comments such as “fantastic earrings, I love the color” or “what’s different about you today, there’s real life in your eyes, what are you hiding?”

Take the challenge, and you’ll see the results from making small changes to your wardrobe and accessories. And a word of caution...once you try beautiful, colorful accessories, it may become addictive! Check out the many wonderful Jewelry Designers in the Etsy community for the Bling and Sparkle that will lift your spirits, add the pizzazz you’ve been looking for that suits your budget! There are no age boundaries when it comes to wearing something exciting that brings out your colorful and creative personality.

Go ahead and bring out that inner Spark~!!!

Cate

Featured Seller lamiadesigns

lamiadesigns

What part of the world are you in?

North Carolina

What does customer service mean to you?

Customer service is number one to my business and building a business. I strive to please the customer in any way.

What is your most memorable experience with a customer?

My most memorable experience with a customer is of one while working in a corporate retail store as a manager, a frequent customer came in and said I always made her day and brought a lot to her visit.

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

I feel like all my items are one of a kind and I go above and beyond to please the customers. I always strive to leave a little goody or free gift in their package and if they are not pleased I will do anything to make it 100% wonderful.


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

I learned most of what I know from my mother and also being educated in design in College.


Do you have any formal training in your craft?

No formal training but have studied and done a lot of research as well as bought professional machines to help me present a high end professional product.


What is your goal for the next year?

I hope to have my website fully functional, loaded with product and making sales consistently.

What keeps you motivated when sales are slow?

I just keep creating. I have to do a lot of creating to keep my creative juices flowing it keeps me positive.


What do you do to attract new clients and encourage
re-occurring business?

Top notch customer service and wonderfully displayed product.


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

Always follow your creative heart. If you are passionate about it and feel you want to do it as a career- GO FOR IT!

Thanks for the interview Stephanie! All the best to you in 2009!

To check out her products, please visit http://www.lamiadesigns.etsy.com/