Nazar Korchomnyi — engineer-designer who specializes in creating decor for children’s rooms and wedding events. His wooden products are successfully sold on Amazon and Etsy. One of his two shops, namely FunnyPlay, has almost reached sixty thousand sales. However, the man does not intend to stop there; new interesting projects and even more satisfied customers are ahead.
How it all started
Nazar graduated from the National Aviation University. During summer holidays, he constantly looked for jobs at enterprises to hone his skills. After his fourth year, he got a job with a man who was also a graduate of NAU.
“Yuriy Ivanovich repaired automotive turbines. I, on the other hand, obtained a technical specialization, more precisely aviation, but I was still very interested in observing the repair process. It didn’t matter that they were automotive turbines — all turbines work on similar principles. When I decided to organize my own production, Yuriy Ivanovich helped me a lot with that. I was young, lacked experience, so he guided me in every way. He still shares his knowledge with me. Moreover, it so happened that our productions are now located on the same territory.”
Before starting his own business, Nazar worked in several companies. There he was engaged in the development of various products, machines, and equipment. The work was mainly related to metal. The man was not satisfied with that.
“I’ve always wanted to find an activity related to woodworking. Since childhood, I liked working with wood, feeling its texture under my fingers. Add to that the possibility of designing, and this activity would turn into a dream job. That’s how I came up with the idea of creating wooden 3D puzzles. However, this project didn’t succeed in Ukraine. I started looking for new ideas that would be interesting and useful. Once I bought a model Ugears (a wooden constructor for self-assembly of models according to instructions without glue or special tools — ed.) as a gift for my nephew. We assembled it together. I liked the concept so much that I became passionate about designing something similar, based on my own experience and preferences.”
Etsy Shop
Nazar shared his idea with his sister. She readily supported her brother’s initiative, eventually becoming a full partner.
“I was involved in organizing production, and my sister handled logistics and prepared layouts. Later, we started looking for other employees. It so happened that another sister joined us. As a result, we formed a small family business.”
Currently, twenty people work at Nazar’s production. Two employees form the design department. There is a customer service manager, as well as a person responsible for logistics. There is also a production manager.
The manufacturing process itself is also well-structured. There are separate workshops for cutting, gluing, and painting products. All stages of production are carried out in one place, so goods don’t have to be transported outside the enterprise and entrusted to other craftsmen. Moreover, most operations are automated.
“Our main equipment consists of CNC laser machines used for cutting plywood. Since I have design experience in machine projects, I want to expand my business in the future by creating a line responsible for manufacturing similar equipment. Many buy such machines from China. However, it takes a lot of time for logistics companies to deliver them to Ukraine. Also, the quality of these machines is quite mediocre. So we thought and started developing our own machine project. We are currently assembling it. I believe in a few months we will launch mass production. This way, we will not only meet our own equipment needs, especially during peak seasons when demand is high, but also supply the Ukrainian market with high-quality domestic products.”
In addition, the production has its own photo zone. Initially, the team used the services of photo studios, but it turned out that competitors could gain access to the photos taken. Finally, after discussion, it was decided to invest in a custom photo zone, creating it exactly as the owners envisioned.
“Our concept is as follows: if we work for a foreign customer, we need to adapt our models to their decor. Therefore, we designed our photo zone to replicate typical conditions for Western audiences. The buyer wants to see how our model will look in their room. We give them that opportunity.”
Besides high-quality photos, which are an integral part of a good product presentation, the right advertising strategy plays a crucial role.
“Firstly, we always perform SEO analysis. We use internal advertising. We apply discount systems. Usually, advertising doesn’t work instantly. So, our strategy in this matter is long-term advertising. It starts paying off after two to three weeks. Listings rise higher and higher. Invested money turns into profit — 30% converts to 70%. Nothing works without advertising.”
According to Nazar, it’s very important to interest the buyer. This is the foundation of marketing. It’s essential to keep this in mind and optimize each listing accordingly.
“On listings, we indicate prices with discounts. When a buyer is interested and visits the product page, their attention is focused on the item itself. It’s crucial that the product has photos that showcase it as best as possible. Buyers don’t always read descriptions. But a high-quality photo, well-designed listing, infographics, well-described variations, and personalization immediately catch the buyer’s eye. It’s also important to have good reviews on the product. For example, we try to maintain our product quality constantly, so we have many positive reviews.”
Of course, there are occasional problems at work — the product didn’t arrive on time, or it was damaged during transportation — but good communication with clients helps avoid conflicts.
“Our customer service manager always finds common ground with each client. When a product breaks, we offer a replacement, send a new product at our expense. As they say, the truth is always on the customer’s side. We often offer discounts and give gifts. Small pleasures work for our reputation. As a result, people write in reviews that we have very good support and a great approach to clients. Sometimes we encounter problematic customers. Not many, but we still try to avoid them. The majority of people are reasonable, and it’s possible to discuss and positively resolve any issues.”
Currently, Nazar’s first shop, FunnyPlay, has almost reached sixty thousand sales on Etsy. The other, NaKsWood, is actively growing, selling not only on Etsy but also conquering Amazon.
“The main drawback of Amazon is that it freezes money for too long. When you start working, initial payouts only come after 2–2.5 months from the first sales. During this time, the money accumulates on the account. Amazon allocates 28 days for delivery, plus another seven days for the product to reach the buyer. Total is about 1.5 months. Also, Amazon immediately deducts its commissions. So, you need to prepare thoroughly for working on this platform, have a reserve of funds for production and shipping. And, of course, patience — without patience, there will be no results.”
Additionally, it’s now very difficult to open new accounts on Amazon: many verifications, blockages. For successful activity, reviews are essential. Without them, sales go very badly. Once the first reviews appear, sales significantly increase.
“On the positive side, I can say that you can develop a listing very well on Amazon. Advertising also works well, although it’s more expensive than on Etsy. There is also a bonus system that increases sales even better than advertising. Plus, because Amazon is very complex and everyone fears it, there is less competition on it. I lost quite a bit when I first entered Amazon. For example, before the war, we opened a shop there. Everything was fine, but then the war started, many orders couldn’t be shipped on time, cancellations happened, and people left bad reviews that immediately affected our rating.”
After February 24
When the war started, Nazar completely stopped the production located in Kyiv. He had an acquaintance in Lviv who owned a workshop with several machines. After consulting with the team and agreeing with the acquaintance, it was decided to move to Lviv and continue working there.
“At the beginning of the war, we had about a thousand orders. Of course, that’s a lot. We contacted all clients, who, luckily, agreed to wait. Initially, after moving, we worked on the machines we had. Later, we decided to relocate all production along with our equipment. We rented a workshop, set up the equipment, and resumed production. Within two months, we fulfilled all the orders accumulated before the war started.”
When life in Kyiv began to stabilize, the team returned to the capital. This happened in the middle of summer. Moving was difficult — try assembling equipment, transporting it, and installing it — twice. But everything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. By the time they returned, the new, larger premises planned for the pre-war period was already fully erected and ready for operation.
Western Bid
Nazar has been using Western Bid’s services since the beginning of his business. Initially, they shipped only three to four parcels a day. The ready orders fit into one package. Over time, the number of parcels increased so much that now a truck is needed for transportation.
“Western Bid has a very good approach to clients, good prices for services and delivery. The personal account on the website is also very convenient. Functionally, it can be called the best of all options I’ve worked with. I am grateful to Western Bid for both the service and the team, making it easy to find common ground on any issue.”