I updated my spreadsheets Thursday night before I went to bed. February has been my most successful month so far since I opened CandiMakerStickers in January 2023. I had 3 larger orders (10, 13, and 25 stickers in the orders) and that really helped boost my revenue for February 2024 by more than $100 compared to my second most successful month in December 2023. According to my Profit/Loss Statement, December 2023 was actually the month with the highest profit (only $4 more than February 2024) but that's because I had 3x more expenses in February after restocking my glossy vinyl sticker paper, laminating sheets, magnetic sheets, and a few other office supplies.
For February 2024, I had the largest number of orders in one month (53 on Etsy and 7 on eBay) AND the largest number of orders in one week (21 from February 25-29). And since it's the last week of February which ended on Thursday, that doesn't even count the 5 orders I got yesterday and 3 so far for today!
- Opened 01/13/2023 -
50 sales: 4/5/23 (82 days)
100 sales: 6/10/23 (66 days)
150 sales: 7/13/23 (33 days)
200 sales: 8/20/23 (38 days)
250 sales: 9/30/23 (41 days)
300 sales: 10/29/23 (29 days)
350 sales: 11/17/23 (19 days)
400 sales: 12/10/23 (23 days)
- Ended 2023 with 442 sales -
450 sales: 1/5/24 (26 days)
500 sales: 2/14/24 (40 days)
550 sales: 3/1/24 (16 days)
So it took me 82 days to get my first 50 sales and only 16 days to get my last 50 sales. :) I'd say that's definitely progress!
I also added magnets to my CMS Etsy shop in February. I had someone send me a message on 2/1/24 asking if I make any of my stickers as magnets. I'd been thinking for awhile about offering magnets, but I wasn't sure how I was going to list them (if they'd be a separate listing or just a variation of my current listings) so her message pushed me to make that decision. :) I decided to add magnets as a variation instead of making a separate listing. That meant changing about 250 listings to add the variation...but it was worth it. :) I've already sold 10 magnets (not including the first custom order).
And this week I added a fun new product: door sign stickers and magnets! I made a new listing for custom logo image magnets in 6 different sizes and printed my own logo for my size comparison photos. I decided I was going to put the largest size on our car, but wasn't ready to go outside yet so I just slapped it on our front door until I felt like going out to the car. That's when I got the idea for door signs. :) I've been thinking about buying a "No Soliciting" sign to hang on the door, but then realized I could just make my own and put it on a magnet! I'm also including a sticker variation for anyone who would like one but doesn't have a steel door. I'm really excited about them. :) I decided to put matte laminate on them so that the sun won't glare so much...since they'll be placed outside. I already had some Oraguard 215 matte laminate because I'd bought some hoping I could print on the matte laminate to make window stickers, but it didn't work. So...now I have a different use for it. :)
I decided at the end of last year that I was going to save weekends for "me" time and try not to work. It's actually kinda difficult for me to do...because I always have a million things running through my mind that I want to do with my business from new products and designs to updating my packaging and refining my listings...stuff like that. But I'm trying to take some time to relax. A lot of times it ends up just being one day instead of both but...baby steps. ;)