Hey, everyone! Exciting news! As the title of this post says, as of this morning, I am now the proud owner of my very own Etsy shop! *throws confetti and lets out a nervous scream*
It’s called The FoppishFox (a name I’m pretty proud of, I must admit ^_^). And before you ask, yes, it is named after Lysander. XD You may notice that the icon matches my site icon as well. I really want people to associate Lysander’s silhouette with my author/brand image (even if they don’t know who it is) and hopefully having an Etsy store will help with that. I mean, Lyse’s profile is pretty recognizable, don’t you think? 😛
What do I sell? Just stickers, for now. I really love collecting and displaying stickers, and it recently occurred to me that it might be fun to try my hand at making some as well. And somehow…making stickers turned into selling them? =P Idk. I don’t know how long this will last, but I thought it would be a fun experiment in the meantime, if only to give me a better understanding of how to manage branding and sales and all that for the future.
Right now, I have seven different sticker designs available, with more coming soon. Every sticker was designed and printed personally by me. (It’s been…quite a frustrating week as I attempt to negotiate with my printer for suitable prints. *unhinged smile* I also cut all my stickers by hand, which has been far more exhausting than I was anticipating, so there may be a Cricut in my future if this venture is successful.)
As for marketing, I’m really just going to be advertising my products on my website, so please feel free to spread the word about my shop to anyone you think might be interested in my products! I’d be really grateful! I’m not on social media and don’t have any plans to be soon. (If I ever do join a social platform, it’ll probably be Instagram or Twitter, but honestly, social media stresses me out, so I’m putting it off as long as I can. XD)
Overall, this is pretty new territory for me, and I’m both excited and terrified. XD To anyone out there who has experience with running an Etsy shop, I’d be grateful for any tips and tricks you have to offer! I’d also love to hear any ideas for more sticker designs if y’all can think of anything! If I use your idea, I’ll be sure to credit you in the listing description. 🙂
Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to check out TheFoppishFox on Etsy! ❤
(P.S., Do any of y’all own a Cricut? What all can it do? Is it easy to use? Would you recommend it for sticker-making?)
Havalah Ruth Peirce 
I have the cricut machine and love it and you will too. Saves time and gives you that professional look. Good luck on your new adventure
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Your Etsy store is the cutest! And I adore the name! Lysander…🥰
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yay oh my goodness! time to go order something…
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Aw that’s nice of you! Seriously no pressure tho 😊
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Yay! Congrats on the Etsy shop, Havalah. You’re in for a lot of fun. (I’m only half-kidding.) 😉 Ugh, cutting stickers by hand sounds like a lot of work! I hope you find a less time-consuming way to do stuff… I love the name and the logo! They’re both quite unique! 🙂
As far as tips are concerned: one thing I’ve heard is quite important is that you use all thirteen tags for your listings. Apparently, it increases the listing’s findability and whatnot. Also, good photography is important. I don’t have to worry about it ’cause my products are digital, so I actually don’t know much about product photography. But, Etsy has posted its own comprehensive guide to the whole thing: https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/the-ultimate-guide-to-product/143986679284 Hopefully you’ll find some helpful tips on there. 🙂
One other thing that I hear a lot about but I haven’t had to worry about myself since I don’t do physical products: apparently, marking your listings as “free shipping” makes your listing more favorable in the eyes of the Etsy algorithm. “As of July 30, 2019, items that ship for free and shops that offer free shipping on orders $35 or more to US shoppers will be prioritized in US search to help US shoppers to find more items that ship free within the US.” https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360024198553-How-to-Offer-a-Free-Shipping-Guarantee?segment=selling
Okay, this really is the last thing: from what I’ve heard, a listing title should be relatively concise and clear. “The Green Ember Jewel Rabbit Paw Sticker Decal”, I think, does a good job of being both, although I go one step further with my own products just so things are cut and dry. But different things work for different people, apparently. 🙂
Best of luck!
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I found out recently that Etsy suspended my account because I’m a minor in violation of its policy. I thought I’d complied with the policy—and Etsy had no problem with for 1.5 years, but apparently I didn’t quite. So I figure I’ll let myself be suspended until I turn 18 in two months… That way, I can create a few new products in the interim and not have to pay for listing renewals. Jfyi, in case you were wondering why me and Heartlight mysteriously disappeared.
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Thank you!! I hope it goes well…ish. XD I’m not really sure what to expect other than what I know from my mom running an eBay store.
I was hoping you’d give me some tips, knowing you’ve got some experience under your belt! Thanks for all that info! I’ll take a look at the links you sent me and keep the rest in mind. And that’s really interesting about the free shipping thing. Doesn’t seem fair. >_o
Ugh, how annoying!! I’m really sorry about that. I hope you’re able to use the interim to your benefit! Can’t wait to see the new prints you come up with! 🙂
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