You've seen those big sellers on Etsy who seem to be making sales left and right. You have to wonder how they've made it to where they are: can they actually be FOR REAL? What's their recipe for success? And just how do they do it?

How did you first hear about Etsy, and what made you decide to open a shop on the site?
Last February, Jamie, my sister-in-law, came for a visit. She saw I was making all sorts of sewn things and told me that I needed to set up a shop on Etsy. As soon as she left, I looked into it, took her advice and immediately set up my shop. The past year I’ve been trying to return the favor and she’s now finally set up her shop — pghtravelagency.etsy.com.

What do you think your key to success for selling on Etsy has been?
Fundamentally, the most important thing is a well designed and well made product. The process of making each bag individually by hand myself has allowed me to engage in a continual process of development. It's exciting for me to look at some of the first bags I made and see where I am now. I’ve received some great emails from people telling me how they’ve followed Moop from its inception, watched all of the variations of the bags, the improvement in craft, the progression of photos and our story through the Moop blog. I love that many of my customers have taken the same interest in Moop that I have.

It is very important to have clear and accurate descriptions (give as much information as possible in each listing) and VERY good photos! Correspondence with the customer is very important — I want to bring my customers into the process. Consider all of the things that go into making your products when you are pricing and remember that what you are doing is unique and has value.

For example, when I am pricing my products it is necessary for me to consider all of the countless hours spent sourcing material and supplies, answering emails, doing the bookkeeping, designing new products, advertising and marketing, cleaning the studio, packaging the orders, maintaining and buying tools and equipment, paying the rent and utilities of the studio, etc... On top of this, as a small designer/producer, you aren’t able to buy materials in quantities large enough to get the wholesale prices that the large manufacturer gets and production is centered around your own individual labor, not that of an unfairly treated labor force. It is important to educate consumers to what this process really involves — shopping on Etsy is about celebrating handmade and supporting those who have taken the time to hone their skills and invest in themselves. There’s an authenticity that you find in many shops on Etsy. Be original, love what you do and take good photographs!!!

What are the best and most effective ways you have promoted your shop?
I think there are two ways to promote your shop. The first more obvious way is to place advertisements. I have run successful ads for my shop on a few of my favorite blogs. I find this to be an appropriate and fitting way to spread the word about Moop. The ads give a bit of revenue to those who write the blogs and make it possible for them to be able to devote more time to what they do. This is a great way use the internet to build and support communities who share similar interests in independent design, independent business and handmade.

The second and less obvious way is to place as much focus as possible on the quality of the products you are making and selling and on their online representation. These things coupled together will be noticed. Customers will tell their friends, buy gifts for family, make postings on their blogs, etc... Viral marketing can be the best marketing. I also write a blog about my own daily goings on and have used it as a way to chronicle the building of Moop into what it is now. This has been an effective way to bring people into my process.

How do you handle such a large volume of sales in your shop? What systems have you created to manage the orders?
The managing of orders takes a huge amount of time and organization. With every order received, the customer and sales information is entered into Quickbooks. From there I generate reports that let me know the number and type of bags that I need to make. I generally begin my week with one of these reports and plan accordingly. I find it very helpful to organize the workload into categories. For example, I usually spend a lot of Monday cutting fabric for the bags that need to be sewn during the week. Tuesday through Thursday have become very solid sewing days. A lot of my packaging and shipping (I’ve been using Endicia to do this) happens on Friday. Weekends are used for various things, such as working on new designs, corresponding with my customers, researching fabric and hardware suppliers, tying up loose ends and finishing things that I couldn’t complete during the week, etc... I’ve found that it is very important to plan to allocate time for the unexpected — there are many variables that are beyond your control and things will always come up. On top of all of that, it's important to find some time for yourself, which is necessary to avoid burn out!

Are your orders mostly from repeat buyers or new buyers? What do you do to gain repeat buyers?
The majority are new buyers. But, there are several people out there who own every style of bag I have made. I love to think of little Moop collections all over the world. Selling a bag to a repeat buyer is one of the most gratifying experiences because it means that their previous experience was positive enough for them to want to purchase again!

How do you stay motivated? Does it come naturally?
Motivation is easy when you know what you want to be doing and what you do not want to be doing. I get to work on my own terms, doing something I love, putting to use everything I’ve learned over the years. Every job I’ve had has come back in some useful way since I started Moop. I hated working in an office, but I do a lot of office work now. It’s a completely different feeling when it’s directly related to your own livelihood. I work all the time, and I’ve never loved it more. That’s not to say I don’t have motivation issues upon occasion (I’m not a robot). If I’m having a hard time getting started it’s usually a sign of not taking enough time for myself. One of the great things about working for myself is having the flexibility to take an extra half hour with my cup of coffee in the morning, if I need to.

Do you "Etsy" full time or do you have another job too?
Yes, I run Moop full time (times 5)! I started Moop on Etsy and over the course of the year my business has grown substantially. Etsy has provided an amazing place for me to figure out what Moop is and will be. I was able to quit my job last October and it was the best feeling in the world! I have never worked harder on anything. It really is a 7 day a week operation.

What is your favorite current Etsy Feature?
The bulk shipping adjustment button. I recently switched all of my international shipping rates to provide better, more reliable shipping and I did it all in just a few clicks. I was pleasantly surprised to see that feature had been added.

What features do you use most on Etsy?
The green “add to cart” button. I have a problem visiting Vegan Honey’s shop...those fauxstess twinkies are a seriously good indulgence.

What goals do you have for your Etsy shop one year from now?
I’m working towards expanding my market and want to offer a wider range of bags and materials. I also hope to get to the point where I can begin to offer wholesale. I regularly receive requests and would love to be able to add that in. But, there are only so many bags I can sew....so for now, direct sale only.

What piece of advice would you give to a new seller on Etsy who might be feeling discouraged? Do you have a quick tip or trick that you have learned over time you would be willing to share?
It takes time and patience to build up a customer base. Do what you do and do it better than anyone else. Don’t spend too much time focusing on what other shops are doing, your time is better spent improving what you already make. There is room for improvement in everything! Post items often, take good photographs and have clear descriptions. If you want to have a successful Etsy shop, then put your energy into making your Etsy shop. Nothing does itself.

Anything else you want to add?
P.S. There will be plenty of time for sleeping when you’re old.
P.P.S. Thank you to everyone who has supported us in making Moop what it has become!

Read our previous Etsy Success Stories. See some of Moop's top picks on Etsy in the gallery below: