Hello all! Welcome to my second Etsy Seller Spotlight! My goal in these interviews are to focus on sellers with which I shop regularly or just plain want to know more about! So, this week's interview focuses on the latter and I would like for everyone to get to know Etsy seller Lulu's shop DippyLulu .
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Your name, age, where your from, etc?
My name is LuLu, I'm 37 and originally from London, UK but have lived in VT since 2004. I collected a couple of degrees in graphic design and typography at the London College of Printing and Norwich School of Art which led me to become obsessed with typography. I’ve been working ever since (16 years) as a freelance art editor for large publishing houses in London (Penguin, BBC, Dorling Kindersley, Harper Collins, Scholastic). It's a tough telecommute because of the time difference, but I love it.
Q: Your products are so much fun and so unique to anything on Etsy. So, when did you first decide to start you amazing Business? What was the very first product you created?
I was a buyer on Etsy for a long while and then suddenly thought well, I could do some of this selling type stuff. It was as simple as that. I'm paid to come up with ideas for my job so it wasn't hard to drift off and think of ideas for an Etsy shop. I was a collector of ACEO's and so my first products were ACEO's, two of which sold within 20 minutes of listing. At that point I was hooked! The idea of Farty products came to me because we have matches all over the house for *ahem* a certain purpose. I’m so obsessed with farts that I have extended my line to include Stinky Lites, Lady Lites, Veggie Lites (coming soon!) and a Deluxe Fart Kit (and if you believe that explanation, I have a sub-prime mortgage to sell you).
Q: Where do you get some of your ideas for your products? Do you create most of your products for yourself or friends first, then sell them to others?
Ideas come into my head while I'm doing other things, and then I file them in the back for a while. Most ideas never come out to fruition and it's only when I feel really confident that an item will be popular that I am ready to make it. Most of my products are fart related so there's little to explain how I came up with those. The Birthday Lites were torturing me for at least a couple of months before I could let them out and create them. I had been working with matchboxes and wondered what other things I could make with them, especially the empty ones. I had seen some little candle holders in a store and something struck me that they could be joined together somehow. They are an acquired taste, but I love them, and so do my buyers! 
Q: You always have really unique products as I mentioned above. What is your favorite item to make and what is your most popular item with your customers?
I'm only ever happy with a steel rule and scalpel in my hands. That sounds dangerous, but it's not, honest. I love making the Birthday Lites as there are so many little components to cut and stick together. It's nice to think they're specifically bought to give as a little gift. The most popular item with customers has to be Farty Lites. I think I made over 400 boxes over last holiday season. It was a busy and crazy time!
Q: What is next on your list to create?
I have a few ideas brewing. As I strive to be a bit different, it's nothing that I can reveal at this point I'm afraid!
Q: Where else do you sell your products?
Etsy is the only outlet at the moment.
Q: Whats your personal favorite aspect of owning an Etsy shop?
Getting paid for making silly stuff and having fun doing it.
Q: Where do you see your business in a year?
Hopefully still selling, lots of new items in my shop, and an extremely large Paypal balance.
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Lulu has been generous enough to offer all my blog readers a special discount in her shop! See below for more info!
Discount: 20% off all orders over $15 (excluding shipping) up until end of June '08 with code "Gabrielsaunt".
Visit Dippylulu's shop
6 Comments:
great feature! Such a quirky shop.
-pam
great interview!
nice feature!!!
Thanks very much for the feature! :)
What a totally cool shop! I wish her products were around back when I used to live at home with my brother! Maybe I should get some for his wife LOL :o)
Wonderful interview :)
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