Anyone run an Etsy shop?

chelseajeanene

Ive really been wanting to for quite some time now. Especially since I'll be staying home when my baby boy gets here. I personally don't know anyone who runs their own, so is there anyone on here who does? Who could give me any advice and answer any question I have. Please let me know! Thanks in advance!

caitiebirdie

I do but I haven't had any success with it. It's really hard to network with it. If you already have a successful business it might be easier to transition but I have found it to be kind of useless. Sorry to be a downer!

WDDCH

I did for six years but I stopped this past December.

Before you start a business get legit. Look up local laws, file with your state to collect sales tax, get your fictitious name registered (can do online) and get a Federal ID Number (FEIN).

chelseajeanene

@WDDCH while you were doing it did you make any worth while profit?

megastar007

Lurking from August, but I do  It takes a lot of time, but I'm so thankful to be able to stay home with my son and soon to be daughter.  If I were just doing Etsy alone, it wouldn't be so bad, but I'm also in a masters program for speech language pathology right now, so things are a little crazy  What would you be selling in your shop?

chelseajeanene

@megastar007 wow! You go girl! I'm very crafty, I made every detail of my wedding by hand and I've had people ask me where I bought the things I've made, so I figure if they look that good then maybe I should try and sell them? I also paint, I make children's clothes. I wanna focus on children's clothes because that's what I've really been into lately. Here are some of them I've made for my little guy on the way

megastar007

Very cute!  I know that jewelry and knitted/crocheted shops are difficult to start up because there are so many, but I don't think there's a huge issue with kid's clothes.  I do invites/party decorations and other paper goods... I think that I was pretty lucky with the success of my shop.  I don't make tons of money, but I make enough to pay for our groceries, health insurance and any other little spending money that I want to use.  I say go for it... it's only $.20 to list an item and then Etsy takes 3.5% of the purchase price once it's sold.  Good descriptions, pics and tag words are really helpful and there are several teams that will review them for you

chelseajeanene

Thank you so much!! I'm definetly very interested, just have to finished researching it all! Someone told me that in NJ where I am that I'll need a business license, so I need to find out for shre

v1wwo

I use to when etsy was a cool small website. Then it turned in to a social space like facebook that you had to kiss other vendors asses in order to be liked. It became too much trouble. I don't know how it is now.
But I do buy things from there all the time.
Good luck out there.

WDDCH

chelseajeanene said:

@WDDCH while you were doing it did you make any worth while profit?

Yes but only after the initial first two years. Personalized items and supplies tend to make the most profit on Etsy.

bouncypigeon

I've had an etsy shop for about 6 months and started making an average of about $300 a week after the first month. It's been great and I'm happy to have something I can keep up while staying at home with the baby. I'd be happy to answer questions. Some things that I've done that I think have really helped is having very high quality photography, and good tags so lots of people are finding me. And a product that people really like, of course. My shop is called TheBouncyPigeon.

chelseajeanene

@bouncypigeon omg I just looked at your shop and your mobiles are ADORABLE! Congratulations on your success with it! Did you need to get a business license legally for tax purposes? I really really wanna start a shop but I just second guess myself, I know I could do it but I don't want it to fail

PregNancyClark

@bouncypigeon I just liked your Facebook! Your work is so adorable and it seems like a fun life! Very cool

hummingbird1013

Yes! I opened mine as a fun side project about a year and a half ago and now I'm almost to 3,000 sales! I definitely didn't expect it to take off as much as it has. Thanks to my shop, I'm financially able to take a one-year leave from my job next school year when baby's here (I'm an elementary school teacher). My shop is called BellaGreyVintage & I design Eco-friendly home decor.

I filed with my state to collect sales tax and use outright's online bookkeeping software to keep track of all expenses. I also hired an accountant this year to do our taxes, as I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything! I agree that it's scary to get started, but it's worth a try!

WDDCH

I used Outright as well but it also goes by GoDaddy Bookkeeping. It links to your PayPal, Etsy, etc.

Go for it @chelseajeanene. The things worth doing are often scary at first. Better to try and fail than to never try.

rholbrook7

I don't have a clue about etsy shops, but just wanted to say if you started selling those cute onesies you make, I'd buy them all.

chelseajeanene

@rholbrook7 Omg!! Thank you thank you!!! That makes me feel SO good!!!

caityrose

I have one! I think I'd have more success shipping from the USA (Hopefully in my near future). It is fun though, but hard work to start up. There's a lot you need to set in place just to be able to compete and be legitimate. When I get back to the states I also have to look into local laws and such but in the meantime I only make enough for it to really be considered a hobby (basically just funds itself). My shop is Milk and Bones. 

bouncypigeon

@chelseajeanene Thank you so much!! You should definitely do it, it really isn't much of a commitment if it doesn't work out! I am getting my business license right now but I didn't wait for that before I started, because I wanted to see if it was going to be something I could really make money with first. Besides the business license you'll just want to get a sellers permit so you pay sales tax. But I say don't worry about that stuff before you start, just give it a shot!

bouncypigeon

@PregNancyClark Aw, thanks!!

chelseajeanene

@bouncypigeon okay awesome! Thank you! I'm kind of thinking I should wait until after the first 6 weeks the baby is here to really start it up though, I feel I won't be able to keep up with it during that time. But you're making me so excited to finally do it!

amanda1nc

@caityrose  I love your shop as well!  I love the bibs that you make.

bouncypigeon

@chelseajeanene Yeah, now might be a good time to just start building your inventory And maybe work out your photography set up. I spent a few weeks just making stuff before i put my shop up. Good luck!!