Selling handmades online Archives

Etsy isn’tÂ the only way to sell. Are you surprised to hear me say that? Let me be more specific: If you need to pay off debt, save money or simply earn quick cash, Etsy isn’t the best way to sell your handmade products. Don’t get me wrong– Etsy is a fairly good online venue, but these days it isn’t the only one.Â It certainly isn’t a fastÂ way to earn money; with 1.6 million sellers, it is a challenge to get your product seen at all.

For most people, Etsy is a slow-growth, long-term business investment. If you are looking to supplement your income now–this month, next month, or even this year–Etsy is not the place to do it. There are really very few people that hit the top of the income curve on Etsy within a year. It takes time to learn the ropes for selling on Etsy.

Alternative Methods of Selling

Personally, if I were uncertain about selling anything I created, I would pick another venue first.

There are other (less expensive) ways to advertise and sell your handmades online. In the beginning, all sales depend on how many people you knowÂ and how much they shop. This is your “natural market,” and it’s your best first place to start.

If you are already active on one or more social media platforms, this is where you should take your first marketing steps. When I started my online shop, they were not as well known–or even around–so you’ve actually got it easier than I did. Let’s take a look at some of the obvious places, and remember: no one platform is the only way to sell. Find what works best for you.

Facebook Sales

Selling via Facebook is quite easy to do. If you’ve had an account for any length of time, you’ve already created your natural market–your ready-made customer base:Â friends and family. It is inexpensive–okay, it’s actually free–to start your own Facebook business page and share it with your friends. While Facebook does offer ads and the ability to “boost” posts for a fee, it isn’t required. The more people interact with your page, the more it will appear in their news feed. The more people “like” and “share” your posts and page, the more new views you’ll have, and this will bring you more customers.

Pinterest Sales

Pinterest is still a fairly new venue–about which I’m still learning–but there are many people using it successfully to sell their handmade items. You will need to set up a Pinterest account, which is free to do, and then it’s a matter of “creating pins” as a way to advertise and link back to your website. Like Facebook, the best place to start is by getting your friends and family to “follow” you.

All the details and “how-to’s” can be found on Pinterest, as well as by searching online.Â Here are a few links that may be of help as you set up your shop on Pinterest:

Instagram Sales

This is another venue that I’m really new to, so I’m still in the exploring stages myself. It is also free, but you’ll need a smartphone to use Instagram. Like Pinterest, the potential for sales is on the rise with Instagram. I see many people selling headbands for babies, doll clothing, and jewelry here.

Like other social media outlets, your single best bet for making extra money quickly with your handmades is, quite simply (you know where this is going, right?), your friends and family.

Here are a few links that may be of help as you set up your shop on Instagram:

Not the Only Way to Sell

Each of the above social media platformsÂ has unique features when it comes to selling handmades. Whichever you choose, remember that clear, attractive photos are the key to getting the attention of your buyers. Learn about each platform. Try them out. And then decide for yourself which you will use. Don’t let anyone tell you there is only one way to sell online — I’ve just shown you there are multiple ways!

Now, go out there and get your business set up on social media–you can do it!Â Have fun with it! If you have any questions about starting a business selling handmades, leave a comment below, or on any of my social media pages. (Feel free to share your social media pages with me as well!)

Talk to you later,

Karen

Are you thinking about ways to sell your handmades now that you have 100Â crochet dishcloths whipped up, and you’ve already given two to everyone you know? Are you thinking about possibly starting an Etsy shop?

There are options other than Etsy or craft shows for selling your handcrafted items which work easier and more efficiently.

Deciding to Sell Your Handmades

When I decided to start selling my handmades, I opened an Etsy shop. My husband was in the process of changing jobs, and I thought selling handmades would be a good way to supplement our income. I designed a cup cozy and started creating a bunch out of stash fabric– I simply used whatever supplies I had on hand as a way to make a profit.

My first year was dismal as far as sales; I didn’t sell a single thing. However, keep in mind that:

The shop opened in November
I had five items
I had no idea what I was doing

Unfortunately, the next year wasn’t much better.Â I made $79.50 for the whole year! I will admit that:

My photos were AWFUL! Just horrible.
My listings weren’t much better
My promoting was just BAD

An income of $79.50 for the year is not going to pay my bills. I had to either get better or quit. I chose to get better, and I slowly improved over time.

Consider All Your Alternatives

When I started selling on Etsy in 2008, there weren’t as many other online sales venues. Etsy wasn’t nearly as big as it is now, and it was mostly Mom and Pop shops (not individual sellers). Pinterest and Instagram were just ideas in someone’s head at the time, and selling on Facebook and Twitter was almost non-existent.

As you consider today’s options for ways to sell your handmades, ask yourself these important questions:

Is it worth the cost to pay Etsy 3% of every sale you make?
Do you want to be one of the 1.6 million sellers on Etsy?
Why give Etsy any of your hard earned money when you can use other venues for free?

If you are set on selling your handmades online, either on Etsy or another venue, then it’s time to start thinking of some basic business decisions, such as:

Imagine the worse case scenarios when it comes to buying/selling online and figure out how you will handle each of them. Write your answers out and keep them somewhere safe so you will have them if you run into any of the scenarios.
What will your return policy be? Make sure you put this in writing. You will need it at some point.
Wrap an item for shipping and weigh it. Put this info in writing for easy reference.
Research shipping costs and decide how you will handle long distance returns. (See #2.)
Figure out average shipping costs to various locations in the USA so you can set your shipping prices accordingly. Do you want to ship to Alaska and Hawaii as well? What about other countries? (If not, include this info in your shipping policies.)
Think about custom orders. Are you going to accept them? Will there be special charges for them?

Keep all this info in a safe place. This is part of your business plan. As you make more business decisions (such as how to market your handmades), you will want to keep all of this info together in a place where you can find it easily.

Creating a Business

If, after answeringÂ all these questions, you still desire to sell your handmades, then it’s time to get serious– get some business cards made.Â Business cards are a great way to create a business identity. Tuck one or two into each and every item you sell, hand them out to friends and give one to anyone you speak with who asks for your contact info (doctors, sales clerks, local craft shops, etc). Include a photo of an item that represents your business on the front of the card to boost your identity as a serious business owner.

Take good care of your printer, or buy a sturdy one. It will become a good friend to you as you print out receipts, business cards, invoices, and shipping labels.

Make sure you set up your finances correctly, too:

Write a budget. (And stick to it!)
OpenÂ a business checking account. (Never mix business and personal funds.)
Keep track of your expenses. (For tax purposes.)
Get a sales tax permit for your state if you sell to your local friends. (The IRS will find you sooner or later if you don’t.)
Stay out of debt. (If you don’t have funds in your account then don’t buy anything–it’s not a good deal if you don’t have the cash.)

My final piece of advice when you are ready to sell your handmades is simple: have fun, be enthusiastic, and don’t worry. If you take care to make quality items and treat your customers and other sellers well, you will succeed. You may need to make adjustments here and there, but everyone (from Wal-mart on down to the neighbor’s garage sale) does that.

Have you started to sell your handmades yet? Are you still thinking about it? Which social media or other venue have you found to be the most profitable? Leave a comment and let me know!