Cherie is a newcomer to ETTEAM, but has been on Etsy for a while, as we shall see:
Cats or dogs?
Cats. I love their independence. My kids would love a dog, but I don't need another "best friend."
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Star Trek, the meerkats of course.
LOL how kind!
Fruit or chocolate?
Chocolate, what are you nuts?
Favourite colour?
Red
Favourite meal?
Something, anything made by my mom.
City break or weekend in the country?
My favorite city break involved a visit to Cartier in Manhatten. My favorite week in the country involved kayaks on the Sea of Cortez. The Cote d'Azur is a fun combination of the two, and I would absolutely love to go back there.
What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop (or shops) Do you sell anywhere else?
Someone referred me to Etsy a couple of years ago, and I thought it looked really homemade, but not as in my mother's cooking homemade, more like people with unlicensed hot glue guns. Last year I checked it out again and was really impressed with how far they had come in their presentation.
Until I got on board with Etsy, I had been selling my finished items through a rep in Los Angeles and on my own stand alone website. I decided that the traditional marketing approach was too slow and not profitable enough for me. I was marketing the items I had designed two years before when I really wanted to move on to my next idea. Etsy allows me to keep up with my new ideas.
I sell my patterns also on a site that specializes in patterns and that has been great too.
What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?
I love the duffle bags. I will be using mine everyday this Summer at the beach and traveling from here to Seattle. I also love the great fabrics that my customers have picked for their duffles. I just sent off a delicious pink one the other day.
What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt (about Etsy) so far?
Photography online is everything! 80% of people don't really read descriptions, they rely on our photos. Putting the work into more and better photos will pay off in the long run. I am still working on that.
If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?
Since life is a journey, I just keep moving and that question does not compute for me.
How do you see your store developing?
If I ever get caught up on orders, I will have more inventory of in-stock items, but I kind of hope that will never happen because made to order is so fun and it is Etsy's greatest selling point, I think.
What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?
Sewing a made to order compact travel changing pad bag in a fabric I never would have chosen, and it is gorgeous.
What’s your top marketing tip for today?
Read Etsy's blog, the storque. It will fill you in on their merchandising plan and offer contests to help you grow your customer base. When you post comments there, be thoughtful and positive. You never know who is reading and when you might be discovered!
So true! Thanks Cherie - as always, here are the links:
studiocherie.blogspot.com
StudioCherie.etsy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiocherie/
5 comments:
Great interview! The slip covers are fabulous, and of course so are the bags. Cherie gave some great advice too.. think I'll go look at the Storque now.
So enjoyed reading about StudioCherie, always nice to get more upclose and personal via Nifty interviews. Bright and positive outlook with wonderful items.
Great interview! I always wished I had learned how to sew but I know I will never have the time. I love Cherie's work!
Another great interview, Heather!
It's so nice to learn a little bit about the person behind the shop.
Cherie's work is gorgeous!
love your interviews. really like that little change purse. great job.
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