Q&A What was your first moment of success?
Hello everyone and welcome back.
Today's question takes us back in time to around 2021 and 2022. When did I have my first moment of success?
It started by making a pair of earrings with some little red and white mushroom beads, I didn't know it at the time but that would be around the same time that the Cottage Core trend and aesthetic would be taking off.
I was selling on Etsy as The Craftsmen Guild at the time, and when I look back on my statistics today I see when it started. In September of 2021 I made just over $130 with Etsy, October it climbed up $340, November even more at $740. November and December were very close in income, $730.
In 2021 I sold a total of 98 pairs of my mini red mushroom earrings, which brought me $680. In 2022 the Cottage Core trend continued and I brought in 225 orders with just under $1,800.
I was so extremely proud and thankful for the luck I had received in the form of being on top of a trend without really knowing what was going on at the time. I will never forget the time I spent making all those earrings, how sore my thumbs got, how often I walked to the mail box and post office in town to buy more stamps.
My biggest regret at the time was that I didn't ship internationally, and I felt bad about charging for shipping.
I was young and didn't really understand that it was necessary to be able to ship to the largest audience possible, and charging for shipping is normal.
I've come to realize that over the years I shouldn't have listened to the Etsy suggestion for sellers. They suggest free shipping as a way to reel in buyers, which can help.
But I've noticed that some smaller shops will bite the bullet and take on the price of shipping themselves, some will put the cost of shipping in the listing itself. However those listings tend to receive messages and comments about over-charging for their product. So it's a double-edged sword in a way. Have a free shipping that hurts me as a seller, or have a free shipping that makes it so I don't move any product. Which is a big reason why I had enough of Etsy's suggestions all together and figured out how to open my shop to international buyers and how to charge for shipping.
Getting back on track, those little mushrooms were and still are some of my favorite pieces in my shop. They are lightweight, adorable and still one of my go to fun earrings for an everyday look.
They are also nickel free, since I have a sensitivity to most costume jewelry that you get from kids stores.
During the time that they were my top selling item in my Etsy shop was some of the best time for my business. Like I said they were by far my best seller when it came to my online portion, however I was lucky to sell a pair when I was at in person vendor events and markets.
My scrunchies were always by far my best sellers there, so from the income that came through weekly from the earrings online, and the weekend income that came from vending that was my best time. That was my first moment of success and I can thank a very unlikely little fugus for it.
Wishing you all well and I can't wait to hear what your first moment of success was for your small business. Also if you're someone who's ordered a pair of those mini mushrooms let me know too!
Until next time,
Sabrina
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