I am actually a qualified Fashion Designer, pattern maker, tailor and industrial seamstress. I have designed and made many garments over the years, including wedding dresses, formal wear, usually by request only. I have worked for actual well known Australian Designers and have won fashion design awards. I've been sewing for over 20 years and I first had my own dressmaking business at 19. I am also have a degree in Computer Science so being online and messing about on a computer is natural to me.
When I discovered Etsy about 2 years ago it was not that appealing to me but it has come a long way. I've recently had the time to contemplate and get back to more full time sewing activities and I finally opened an Etsy account with no idea where I wanted to take it. It hits you like a fever though and now I am determined to make some success out of it. I've studied what Etsy is all about and what works for whom and what I can expect.
My shop has not been open long at all and what is there now is mainly for play. I plan to change it over and over again and reach out to as many people as I can in order to make it work. I've seen the success stories on here and they are a sign of what determination to succeed is. There is also a great community and great support and may talented artists.
I've had scrap booking online selling business on Ebay and my own website www.couturebynatalia.com. What I like about Etsy is that it's driven by customers. A lot of the stories I have read are all about tailoring your talent for what customers admire most about handmade and therefore what they are willing to buy.
I knew a fair bit about marketing before but Etsy is at the top of that game too. If you can sell on here you can sell anywhere. The quality of display and photography and imaginative titles and descriptions which draw you in are just some of the great things I've learned about.
You are essentially publishing your own magazine not to mention the business side. You see what works, what doesn't, what the value of things are and where good business sense can take you. And it's very affordable for all artists. I plan to be on here for a while now I know how far it can go. One of my passions is couture and I plan to explore that. You can't beat it for making you feel fabulous no matter who you are.
Nat.
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