Vera Chernyak is an entrepreneur whose goal is to introduce the world to Ukrainian culture. Her shops on Etsy offer a wide selection of national products: from traditional clothing to various gifts. Created by artisans with many years of experience, these goods not only showcase the uniqueness of our art but also tell stories from different corners of Ukraine.

Shop on Etsy

To start her own business, Vera was inspired by e-commerce expert Oleksandr Radich. This happened seven years ago, at a Kyiv conference at KPI, where speakers shared their sales experience. The event motivated the entrepreneur so much that she subscribed to Oleksandr’s Facebook page and regularly listened to his webinars about how to sell properly, how to better present products on Etsy. Later, the company’s Western Bid YouTube channel was added to her watchlist, where marketer Mariya Kaganovich shares tips, techniques, and strategies that contribute to the growth of a successful online store.

“Each subsequent video inspired me more and more to find my own business. I tried myself in different directions. Analyzing which products attract customers, which category they belong to, and what keywords they search for. I eventually understood that I should focus on what I like and what I can sell. If you love what you sell, you will definitely find the right keywords, understand which customers need this product, and ultimately sell it.”

Now Vera sells Ukrainian gifts, mainly clothing: dresses and embroidered shirts. She does not distract herself with other products, convinced that at this stage it is very important to show the world as much of Ukraine’s unique beauty as possible.

After February 24

The first days of the war were very difficult for Vera. The store continued to operate because there was demand for goods. However, production located in several different cities came to a halt. The brand did not have a large enough stock of finished products. Moreover, no one understood how to ship orders — logistics companies stopped working, as did most other companies.

“We were saved by the idea to change the shipping terms in the store to a wider range — 2-8 weeks. I thought that during this time, maybe the situation would change. I wrote each customer a letter explaining that due to the war in Ukraine, we could send the product as soon as it became possible. Most agreed to wait, assured us it was not a problem for them. Many expressed words of support, and after receiving their orders, left positive reviews on the website, although we didn’t ask for it.”

Soon after the full-scale invasion, the Etsy marketplace announced a few days holiday for Ukrainian entrepreneurs, but if desired, the active status could be manually restored. Vera took advantage of this opportunity, ensuring good sales, as demand for Ukrainian products increased exponentially.

“The biggest problem at that time was to restore the entire sewing and embroidery cycle. We had issues with people — some of our artisans moved to other cities or went abroad. The situation with fabrics and threads was no better because logistics of material delivery was disrupted. With purchased fabrics, it was easier, but new supplies, especially linen, caused delays in production several times.”

The first weeks Vera spent with her family at her sister’s near Lviv. As soon as the situation stabilized somewhat, her husband returned to Kyiv. He was engaged in packing and shipping parcels, while Vera, remaining in Western Ukraine, prepared tracking numbers for each order.

“We created a group where we exchanged information about what to send and with which tracking number. We came up with different tricks to make the work easier and faster, so that clients wouldn’t wait too long for their orders.”

Stories that fill life with meaning

Working with clothing, especially embroidery, requires a personal approach to each customer. People are different. They have not only unique tastes but also body parameters: height, chest, waist, and hip measurements. Getting all the necessary information can only be achieved through dialogue, so communication with customers is a top priority for the store.

“We spend time with each customer, clearly ask for parameters, fully describe the pattern on the clothing they like, tell where the pattern comes from, what it means. The most interesting thing is that when choosing a pattern and asking us about details, people often recall that their grandmother, for example, lived in Western Ukraine. Sometimes, a customer comes to us asking about embroidered shirts from a specific region, such as Borzhivska, and requests advice on which pattern to choose, or which fabric.”

After years of work and more than nine thousand sales, Vera has hundreds of touching stories. They are shared by Ukrainians who moved abroad long ago. For some, the items purchased in the store bring coziness and memories of home, while for others, even at a distance, they allow feeling like part of Ukraine.

“Recently, a woman wrote to me; she saw a tablecloth with a viburnum pattern and remembered her brother, who is no longer alive. It turned out her brother loved viburnum very much; its bushes grew all over his yard. So, in memory of her brother, the woman wanted to buy that tablecloth and some napkins from us. Once, they even sent us a photo of a girl in our dress with a flag and a wreath, with the caption ‘little Ukrainian.’ In moments like these, you realize that your work is not in vain. It inspires us to keep going.”

Usually, to make clients even happier, Vera adds gifts to parcels that carry additional Ukrainian significance. For example, for women, she places a scarf or a badge of the Ukrainian flag. She also sends many postcards featuring images of Kyiv and picturesque corners of Ukraine.

Western Bid

Vera is very satisfied with her partnership with Western Bid. Unlike other companies, Western Bid is reliable and charges low commissions. Parcels reach clients very quickly, and all operations can be tracked in the entrepreneur’s personal account.

Vera also appreciates that the call center specialists always listen and help, especially if an urgent problem needs to be solved.

“Western Bid has a very responsive and competent team. All employees, both in Ukraine and abroad, are pleasant to communicate with. The Kyiv office is truly exclusive. I can go to them with any questions I have. If I ask them to send a package as quickly as possible because I promised a customer, they always comply. With other companies that work online, there’s often no contact numbers or offices. Western Bid is quite the opposite. Working with them is a pleasure because clients are their highest priority. That’s why I trust them 100%.”

Conclusion about Western Bid’s role

Vera Chernyak’s experience confirms that Western Bid is a “living” partner with a human face for Ukrainian exporters:

• Accessibility and personal contact: An office in Kyiv and the ability to communicate directly provide entrepreneurs with a sense of security and support.
• Empathy and flexibility: The team’s willingness to assist in urgent situations (fast shipping upon promise) helps maintain high customer loyalty.
• Logistics transparency: Convenient tracking cabinet and fast delivery make international trade predictable even in difficult times.