Seller Handbook

It all started with a pixie cut gone wrong. Looking for a remedy, Krista Komis followed a wild hair into the world of wigs. For the entirety of the bad hair year following that disastrous cut, she wore a wig as a fast and easy way to change her look.

She quickly took to the wig medium, bringing to it a depth of experience from cutting, dyeing and styling her own hair. In August 2010, Krista and her mother, Sandy, opened their shop, Miss Violet Lace, selling wigs, hair products and jewelry. To this day, Krista continues to wear wigs and clip-in extensions as a part of her daily personal style. “I'm a bit of a hair chameleon,” she shares. “To avoid damaging my own hair, it's convenient and fun to have so many different options for length, style and color with wigs.”

Krista is the face of Miss Violet Lace, modeling the wigs in a way that untangles the story of possibility — be it for costume, play or a quick remedy for a hair disaster.

“I expected a slow start, so I was unprepared when there was such high demand for my products,” Krista says. Just six months after opening their shop, the pair quit their jobs in the quality assurance department of a seed company to run the business full time from their Minnesota home. Here, Krista talks about how she actualized her dream career.

How did you become an expert in wigs and styling?

The first and most important step was having the determination to make my dream a reality.  I firmly believe in a hands-on approach — taking a risk by trying something different, discovering what works, what doesn’t and brainstorming ways to improve. I learned by taking wigs apart, studying the construction and design and thinking of new ways to reinvent them. The one thing I am most proud of is that I am entirely self-taught in everything I create.

How do you and your mother share the workload? What’s your advice for going into business with a family member?

We work on all of our products as a team, and take on other tasks individually. I photograph, list our wigs and answer emails. Sandy works on other aspects of the business, including shipping and listing.

My advice for others considering going into business with a family member is to think about how compatible you are with one another. Can you communicate openly? How do you each work under pressure and handle difficult situations? When you work with family, make sure there is separation from your business and home life. You’ll be working together all day, so think about how that will affect your relationship. Sharing a business can bring you closer, but it can also cause friction if there isn’t open communication.

How do you manage custom orders?

While we enjoy working on custom orders and making someone’s vision become a reality, there are limits to what we are capable of creating. I am always open and honest with our customers. If a request is out of my skill range or not possible due to the construction, I will decline the order. It can be hard to say no, but I will never agree to something that I cannot fulfill to the best of my abilities.

How do you plan and prep for seasonal sales spikes?

We experience increased sales from mid-September through late January. Wigs remain our top-selling item, so this is our main focus. In 2012 we started working on new wigs in July, but realized it was not enough time to build up our inventory. This year, we started in March, and now know that as soon as our busy season is over, we need to begin preparing for the following year.

What’s your advice for holding a sale?

Everyone loves a good sale, but it’s important not to mark prices too low. Sales can be a great promotional tool for us. During our slower period, we hold a different special each week. This gives customers something to look forward to, and keeps them coming back to our shop. Each time someone visits your shop, it’s an opportunity for a sale.

What are your tips for effective product photography?

If possible, invest in a good camera. While this isn’t something that everyone can do, there are ways to improve photography:

• Indirect, bright light is best. We do outdoor photography on overcast days for a change of scenery.

• Find what works for you. Props can be fun to incorporate into a shot, as long as it doesn’t distract from what you’re selling.

How do you create a cohesive shop with a diversity of products?

While we were mainly a hair shop in our first year, we’re branching out into more of a beauty shop. We considered opening a new shop to sell our other products, but decided that carrying these items gives us an edge.

It can be helpful to visualize your customer. What they might do for a living? What is their personal style? We can see our customers wanting a unique jewelry piece along with their hair extensions or wig, for example. Since we combine shipping on multiple items, it’s convenient and cost-effective for customers to purchase several things at once.

What’s the most rewarding part of running your own business?

While we work much more than we did at our day jobs, it often doesn’t feel like work because we are so passionate about what we do. Having a flexible schedule has been a big benefit for us, but above all, the most rewarding part of running our own business is hearing from our customers. Knowing that a product we poured time and care into brings joy to someone else — that’s what selling on Etsy truly means to us, and it is something that we are blessed to be able to do each and every day.

Can you pinpoint an experience that sparked your Etsy shop? Share your tale in the comments.