Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Said Kabbouch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Said, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My name is Said Kabbouch. I’m from Morocco, an African country known for the hospitality of its people and the handicraft women and men who do create valuable things (home decor rugs for instance) with their own hands without using any machines.

When the coronavirus showed up, it affected my work as a meat seller in my small beautiful town OUED ZEM, and at the same time, increased the e-commerce movement in the world.

The idea of selling handmade rugs came to my mind and it was like a revelation.

I started my online shop on Etsy and the first sale came quickly, I had between 20 to 35 days to make the rug and ship it, bought some wool from the weekly market, give to a relative and then she made a handsome cute rug. I then shipped it, and the client was super happy

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As I mentioned before, I entered the field of e-commerce during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our business focuses on handcrafting Moroccan rugs using natural materials.

We started working on the “Etsey” platform gradually. At the beginning, we were making the rugs and were concerned about the market. Would they sell? Would we have enough time to make the rugs for our customers?

We got our first and second sales, and after that, we expanded our team from 2 to 5 workers to fulfill orders on time without delays. With each sale, we became capable of producing a considerable number of handmade Moroccan rugs in record time.

For our customers, we made sure to address all their inquiries and concerns regarding our handmade products: the materials used (natural and suitable for weaving), the possibility of creating custom rugs (we indeed offer this service). Our aim was not only to sell our products but also to learn about the cultures of different peoples, exchange opinions, listen to our customers, and, of course, work towards satisfying them.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.

There are several reasons why I decided to sell handmade products, particularly carpets, on the Etsy platform:

1. The platform attracts a vast number of visitors on a daily basis.
2. It offers user-friendly features, making it easy for sellers like me to navigate.
3. Etsy has a global presence and is known for its reliability.
4. I have no complaints about the platform whatsoever. In terms of expenses, I consider them to be fair, consistent, and applicable universally.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

The women who weave the carpets are my partners, as they possess artistic talent, display great diligence, and contribute to their families’ well-being. I’m happy when I see weavers are well paid for all the hard work they do. I was happy, so happy when the weaver I work with organized the wedding of her daughter from the money she collected by weaving rugs. Yeah, that made me extra happy.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/greenmain
• Instagram: @said.kabb
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082275754721&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Twitter: @kabbouchS