4 Years on ETSY…and people still say the word wrong

So April 19, 2010 Marks the 4 year anniversary of me being on Etsy.

If you don't know what etsy is? Let me introduce you….Etsy is said like "Betsy" without the "B" ETSY is a place to buy and sell all handmade goods…. Or In the beginning days of etsy, no one I told could understand the concept…so I would say "Etsy it was like ebay but for handmade items"…and people would say Ohh I get it. But Etsy is so much more… Warning!!! Etsy can cause a shopping addiction.

Now Back to the BabyPop Etsy Beginning..

5+ years ago After the birth of my second, I left my "fancy"(I use that term loosely) apparel job with Mitchell and Ness. My Husband and I struggled with the loss of my paycheck ,so I c ould stay home with my preemie daughter and my 4 year old son. I started sewing since that is what I know. In 2001 I purchased the name babypop.com hopping some day I would own a business by that name…so in 2005 when I was home it was the perfect time to start my entrepreneurial plan. With my husbands support, I sold at craft show and on feebay… getting lost in the shuffle of 10's of thousands of sellers.

Then during my "get out of the house for sanity time" … aka weekly knit group, my friend Diane of KnittingZeal told me about this place I should sell on ETSY. Diane was the only person I knew who blogged, so she was my authority on everything web related.. Diane said "Etsy only started a few months prior but it is a handmade site, like e- - y but for handmade". Diane when on to say she purchased some handmade knitting items, and thought my items would work there. That night I went home and signed right up. Then I waited and waited . In my BabyPop Etsy shop listed knitted bags , purses , my teepees, ipod holders, dresses, and my capes. I also listed a sewing pattern. My 1^st sale on etsy was for a sewing pattern 4 months after list my 1^st item … a sewing pattern shipping to Canada. I shipped my 1^st item and sent it of… It never arrived to the customer. The client was not happy, she did tell me that mail system in Canada was bad … so I gave her a full refund, also sadden by the lack of sales, I waited for sales. I was the only person selling capes so they have to sell Right?…still I waited and sold at craft shows. My point new etsy Sellers don't get discouraged it will happen.

Then 2 months later, Sept 06 later I had my 1^st cape sale on etsy. October 2 more superhero capes, November I sold 11 babypop capes….and it grew. I sold my 1^st teepee to Etsyian Erin of Oneluckybaby. She was great Erin taught me to include thank you note with every purchase and let people know how to leave feedback. Erin said since Etsy (besty ww/o B) was so new it was , customers did not know how to leave feedback. I did what oneluckybaby said and my feedback / sales grew.

By January I added my first adult gloves. My broken heart gloves. Then I added pacman gloves… I was then contacted by etsy my pacman gloves were chosen by "Dazed and Confused" a glossy British magazine to represent etsy in there best of web award…Then being picked as Etsy Featured seller and Wining the Judges award from cookie mag. Good Morning America was because I connected with a etsy babypop customer who was in Public relations,  she thought BabyPop is a good story for GMA,  so because I sold on etsy they added me to the article. The more I embraced the etsy culture, the more the I got back in return.   So newbie Etsians enter contests and make connections with sellers and customers. 


I enjoy the chat rooms, making connects and friends. I have also spent time in the forums comment on peoples post. I try to read everything that etsy provides and learn, then help teach others, because we are all a community. I became part of etsy unofficial mentor list, I hope those I have helped have grow, because I have learned from helping them. It takes a village to Raise and Etsyian myself included.

Etsy has been very good to me over the years and I am happy to be associated with them and the etsy community.

So … Dear Etsy creators and employees, have changed my life, allowed me to be home with my children, and build a super business that makes others smile. I want to say thank you to etsy for supporting me as an entrepreneurial and giving me to have an venue to sell my product. Hope the future of Etsy is bight wonderful. Thank You!


 
That being said I would Like to offer Free Shipping on any BabyPop Custom Superhero Cape from 4/19-4/21/2010 when purchased on etsy please type code "4YEARSETSY" in the notes to the seller when you check out.