Saturday, February 22, 2014

Classy Sustainability, honoring Earth Day 2014, continues with Mary and her shop MaryTraveler.Etsy.com.  Mary's shop is devoted to glass and full of wonderful treasures.  I am a happy customer of Mary's.  In fact, while researching the article I found yet another glass piece from Marytraveler.etsy.com that is headed towards Texas right now.  

This gorgeous piece is available for $18 plus shipping.  Listing link is below the photo and Mary's story follows.  
https://www.etsy.com/listing/174342447/vintage-blue-moon-star-glass-flared?ref=shop_home_feat_4

Q. What prompted you to become an Etsy seller?
A. I had a really good experience connecting museums and collectors with items from a family members estate. It gave me a feel for how to ship items and a taste of the joy people have when they find that special something. Around that same time I found Etsy when looking for depression glass and after about a year thought maybe I should start a shop to connect others with items I have. I decided to open the shop for my birthday last year as a fun challenge for the next year. 

Q. You've been on Etsy less than a year. How would you describe your success so far? 

A. Things are going just right. I have a full-time job and 9 year old. A few sales a week on average is easy to keep up with. Our family looks at MaryTraveler as a bonus. It is an opportunity to teach my son about business, as I work in the non-profit sector. Plus we have fun by finding new items or using Pindex to mark all the places we shipped to. 


The first items I bought from marytraveler.etsy.com were a set of Avon Cape Cod bowls that are lovely accent pieces to my bone china which has a small blue and red flower pattern around the rim.  This coffee and creamer set - also Avon Cape Cod is $12 plus shipping.  The listing link is below the photo.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/173980262/vintage-avon-red-glass-sugar-creamer?ref=shop_home_active_8&ga_search_query=cape%2Bcod

Q. What made you decide to focus on glass? 
A. Glass is the thread of things I love. I have not seen a 60's glass Jeanie bottle I did not want to put in my carry-on to bring home from a trip. My dad is from Indiana and we had great pieces of Indiana Glass around our home as a kid. As a result, I collect and have plenty of extras and an eye for what is older plus lots of identification books. 

Q. How do you connect selling vintage glass with sustainability or going green?

A. I look at it as an opportunity to support reusing what we have. Much of what I list was made in the United States over the past 100 years. It is still here and beautiful. I think a blue glass ball jar is a better pencil holder than anything you could buy new. I think an old glass pyrex measuring cup is better than plastic. 

marytraveler.etsy.com has over 200 glass items for sale today, like this Westmorland Beaded Covered dish with Lid.  Yours for $16 plus shipping 
https://www.etsy.com/listing/158374367/vintage-1960s-westmoreland-beaded-grape?ref=shop_home_active_7
 As of Feb 21, 2014, this shop has sold over 60 items, which is incredible for a shop open only 7 months, and has many rave reviews.  

Q. What advice would you give someone who wants to start an Etsy shop?

A. Starting the actual shop is not too hard, but I would say study the shops you like. Really think about what you like and how you will get more of that to list. Consider each listing the opportunity to inform as well as sell. Set gradual goals for example getting to 20 items listed, then 50. Join a team, the Etsy Pickers and Sellers Team discussions have helped me a lot.

Thanks to Mary for sharing her insights and allowing a peak into marytraveler.etsy.com. 

2 comments:

  1. Julie, these interviews are great! Very well-written, informative, and a pleasure to read. Looking forward to the next one!

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    1. thanks Michelle and thanks for commenting. The next one features another Epsteam member, Katy, from SueEllensFlair. I hope to have it ready in the next couple of days

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