Where to start selling online? (Etsy? etc.)

I've looked into selling crafts on Etsy, too. They have a lot of rules and I've struggled to figure out how tough they are at enforcing them. For example, I make themed pillowcases. But Etsy won't allow you to sell anything with an image on it that you don't have the rights to. So, if it has Mickey Mouse on the fabric, I can't sell it without the consent of Disney, which isn't happening. So, I decided just to start my own website and sell from there. Sadly, it doesn't get the same traffic as Etsy (obviously). Have you looked into opening a business account on Facebook? It's free. I did that too and it's given me a bit of traffic to my website. Just a thought.

Hi
Etsy is a craft based eBay type of site . They clam to have strong ethical base and it is growing in popularity. You could also list things on eBay . From a traders point of view , eBay can be a profitable and reliable platform .eBay will promote your products and get you on the first page of google searches . They also have millions of people signed up and looking to buy stuff .Making your own web site can be interesting and rewarding , but there are over 5 billion sites on the Internet and to bring customers to yours is not cheap or easy . You can also list things on Amazon , but for some reason, I don't understand , some products do well , but some don't . Also to create a listing on Amazon , if your items are original you will need to, is a pain .

What kind of crafts? There is a market on eBay for some stuff. A quick search for OOAK, which means one of a kind, currently brings up 96,174 listings. They have the bigger market but Etsy has a decent one from what I understand. EBay can drive you nuts with all their nickel and dime-ing and currently they cater to buyers at the expense of sellers, making you pay for returns, including shipping whether you want to or not. But overall no one has the same buyer base and I've only had a couple of problems with buyers. I sell board games and collectibles.

I thought I'd revive this thread

I make and sell crafts (jewelry, hair accessories, magnets, home decor, toys etc.). I do my selling at flea markets, farmers markets and craft shows. Even that has its challenges. In my case I don't always make enough money to cover the fees for setting up a booth (some charge $50 dollars or more so I can't even consider those). So far this year I've mainly stuck with free events, but they don't always draw a lot of people. Another problem for me is that I can't do them alone. One reason is that I don't drive another is that it's a lot of work setting up all of the tables and merchandise (it usually takes about 2 hours to set up and then again to pack everything back up). My mom does the sales with me, but they usually take place on Saturdays and she's often scheduled to work unless she asks for time off and she has to ask for it a few weeks in advance. I haven't even scheduled an event for the Christmas holiday season yet.

I haven't had any luck with selling online. I tried to create a business Facebook page and before I could even make a post they blocked my account. I was given all of these steps I'd have to go through or my account would be permanently disabled. I didn't even bother. Instead I created a free wix website (I've actually been quite surprised by how much you can do with the free version, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link to mine here), but I have yet to get any traffic to it. I had hoped to start getting some business cards circulating, but out of the 4 events I've done this year I was only able to have them out once because of wind. I also created a twitter page, but besides a few 'likes' it seems to have gone unnoticed.

I had hoped to make crafting more than a hobby. At this rate I need to slow down on the creating because I've run out of table space at the sales and storage space for my finished products and supplies

I would start with the ebay probably. Otherwise you can always create your own website and start selling there.
How to write decent texts you can find out here now and for the other question you might have, you might use help from the members of this forum. Everyone is really great here and trying to help all the time.

The benefit of Etsy is discoverability. I can google "werewolf patches" or "letter from your favorite Wuthering Heights character" and I'll probably find it, since it's searching thousands of accounts. Etsy USED to mean something, but now it's just another marketplace. Lots of mass-produced stuff from China, and lots of plagiarism. I know artists whose art was stolen and ended upon one of those anime poster accounts. And in the...shall we say, silicone sculpture department, the vast majority of those companies are small operations and are handmade products. But Chinese companies steal the designs and sell it as their own, with much worse (and body unsafe) materials. But that also means their prices are much less, which draws in a lot of sales. Etsy's fees are also really high.

Most artists that I personally know are using Shopify or Bigcartel or something like that to sell. But these artists already have really big Twitter/Instagram/art site followings, so they can tweet a link of their store opening and get tons of traffic. They don't have to worry about being discovered by random people on Etsy to keep the lights on. But also they go to conventions and vend there, and those cost a lot more than $50 (when you take into account the hotel room and etc). They also are creating content for a very specific, niche market/fandom and have unique styles that people really like.

So, for you Loves to Laugh:

• What are you making that is truly unique? Is it an art style? The sourcing of materials? What is the thing that is going to make people buy stuff from you instead of someone else?
• Who is your target market? Where do they shop? What is their price range?
• Where are these people online? And what are these places norms and conventions for advertising? How can you work within that?
• Whose your competition?

I go to the Berkeley farmer's market a lot, and there's a place called Frog Hollow Farms. They specialize in organic fruit, mostly stone fruits, which not a lot of other vendors sell (they mostly have not-tree stuff). Plus, they make jams and jellies and baked goods. There's 2-4 places that sell bread on any given weekend, but Frog Hollow is the only one with fruit turnovers, since they're the only ones that also make fruit. They sell at a lot of other farmer's markets, too, like the one at the ferry building in SF. They're gonna sell anywhere people are willing to pay a decent amount of money for organic, locally-grown fruit. Which is why they aren't selling their product to Safeway or Walmart lol They do sell online, but I'm unsure how they're advertising that. Maybe on Instagram? I'm not on there

ChaseJxyz said:

So, for you Loves to Laugh:

• What are you making that is truly unique? Is it an art style? The sourcing of materials? What is the thing that is going to make people buy stuff from you instead of someone else?
• Who is your target market? Where do they shop? What is their price range?
• Where are these people online? And what are these places norms and conventions for advertising? How can you work within that?
• Whose your competition?

Click to expand...

I make such a wide range of items so really it's people buy if they like what they see. When it comes to selling at events I think that kind of works against me because the tables are crowded and there is so much to look at, but I don't do enough events to focus on just certain items for each event (I only was able to do 4 events this whole year). My target audience is mainly people who like hand made crafty items who enjoy browsing craft shows so my competition is mainly other crafters. I would like for my hair accessories to be seen by people who are looking to accessorize for weddings or other special occasions. I don't think I sell anything that's over $30 and some children's jewelry is as cheap as 75 cents. I've been trying to use various hash tags on twitter, but it hasn't worked for me. Like I said, I have a website; I just need to find a way to get some traffic to it.

Loves To Laugh said:

I thought I'd revive this thread

I make and sell crafts (jewelry, hair accessories, magnets, home decor, toys etc.). I do my selling at flea markets, farmers markets and craft shows. Even that has its challenges. In my case I don't always make enough money to cover the fees for setting up a booth (some charge $50 dollars or more so I can't even consider those). So far this year I've mainly stuck with free events, but they don't always draw a lot of people. Another problem for me is that I can't do them alone. One reason is that I don't drive another is that it's a lot of work setting up all of the tables and merchandise (it usually takes about 2 hours to set up and then again to pack everything back up). My mom does the sales with me, but they usually take place on Saturdays and she's often scheduled to work unless she asks for time off and she has to ask for it a few weeks in advance. I haven't even scheduled an event for the Christmas holiday season yet.

I haven't had any luck with selling online. I tried to create a business Facebook page and before I could even make a post they blocked my account. I was given all of these steps I'd have to go through or my account would be permanently disabled. I didn't even bother. Instead I created a free wix website (I've actually been quite surprised by how much you can do with the free version, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link to mine here), but I have yet to get any traffic to it. I had hoped to start getting some business cards circulating, but out of the 4 events I've done this year I was only able to have them out once because of wind. I also created a twitter page, but besides a few 'likes' it seems to have gone unnoticed.

I had hoped to make crafting more than a hobby. At this rate I need to slow down on the creating because I've run out of table space at the sales and storage space for my finished products and supplies

Click to expand...

FWIW:
I am a shopper, not a seller. but I know something about behind-the-scenes stuff.

If only my dad was still alive, he'd work out your packing/unpacking routine for you. (He did flea-markets for years, not your kind of thing, he sold 'vintage' and oddments rather than hand-crafted. He thought it was the wrong place to sell his stuff (fancy woodwork). But he sold oddments like mad. Very organized. Wrap delicate stuff carefully, if it's sturdy metal stuff, a single layer of newspaper to stop grinds and scratches is good enough.)
Oh, and do you talk to people? Friendly chat seems to really work. Form a bondlet with the customer.

To the subject at hand:
Business cards - put 'em in a clear container, preferably with a lid - a small Tupperware, or, a glass or hard plastic box. The lid doesn't have to be clear, because it has a sign on it: Business cards, free, take one. Only use the lid if the wind is picking up.

I buy OOAK on Etsy, mainly. If you browse around the stuff you are interested in, you can tell what's as much copies as originals, just in volume. There is some remarkable work out there in so many categories.
E-Bay is my go-to for manufactured stuff, especially in odd categories or older stuff.
Older books: AbeBooks.com, a gathering place for a vast range of smaller booksellers.
Amazon: commercial. mass-market only, it wouldn't occur to me to look for handmade there.

Also, before you go to on-line selling, get cheap postal scales and a rate chart.
You want to know what stuff isn't worth mailing and should just be tableware.
If a 75 cent kid's item costs a dollar in postage and wrapping, maybe better to keep it for 'live' events, or only sell it in bulk?

frimble3 said:

FWIW:
I am a shopper, not a seller. but I know something about behind-the-scenes stuff.

If only my dad was still alive, he'd work out your packing/unpacking routine for you. (He did flea-markets for years, not your kind of thing, he sold 'vintage' and oddments rather than hand-crafted. He thought it was the wrong place to sell his stuff (fancy woodwork). But he sold oddments like mad. Very organized. Wrap delicate stuff carefully, if it's sturdy metal stuff, a single layer of newspaper to stop grinds and scratches is good enough.)
Oh, and do you talk to people? Friendly chat seems to really work. Form a bondlet with the customer.

To the subject at hand:
Business cards - put 'em in a clear container, preferably with a lid - a small Tupperware, or, a glass or hard plastic box. The lid doesn't have to be clear, because it has a sign on it: Business cards, free, take one. Only use the lid if the wind is picking up.

I buy OOAK on Etsy, mainly. If you browse around the stuff you are interested in, you can tell what's as much copies as originals, just in volume. There is some remarkable work out there in so many categories.
E-Bay is my go-to for manufactured stuff, especially in odd categories or older stuff.
Older books: AbeBooks.com, a gathering place for a vast range of smaller booksellers.
Amazon: commercial. mass-market only, it wouldn't occur to me to look for handmade there.

Also, before you go to on-line selling, get cheap postal scales and a rate chart.
You want to know what stuff isn't worth mailing and should just be tableware.
If a 75 cent kid's item costs a dollar in postage and wrapping, maybe better to keep it for 'live' events, or only sell it in bulk?

Click to expand...

When it comes to talking to customers, I'm very shy so I just let customers browse quietly, but will answer any questions they may have. I think this was the first year I've had business cards available. I'll have to consider the covered container for solving the wind issue. I actually bought a postal scale back when I first started crafting again. I haven't yet needed it so I haven't even pulled it out of the box I actually haven't put my jewelry on my website yet. I had been focused on the stuff that was easier to photograph and like you said the stuff that is more worth shipping. I've become quite discouraged so I haven't bothered with adding anything to my website in awhile. I was planning on putting some of the kid's jewelry on there. I have some bracelets that range from $2.00 to $3.75 that sell quite well. I figure if people were to order them online they would do it because they were ordering enough to make the shipping worth it. I have other small items that there are so many different styles of that they only go out at events. With my website I had hoped that it would also allow people to see more of what I have available that they may not have noticed at an event (I list my events on my website so people know where to find me).
Thanks for your ideas!!

Loves to Laugh,

I've had a small business online making doll clothes, so still crafty but different customer base. However, there are also techniques I see other people do and could work for you.

As for online advertising, I'd suggest not using Twitter especially if you haven't seen any user engagement (like, retweets, comments). I would suggest trying Facebook again. If you're having problems making a business page, do you feel comfortable using your real name to advertise?

If so, I suggest joining your local "buy, sell, trade" groups on Facebook and put up sales posts for your crafts. You may also get attention putting up sales post on the general marketplace as well. There are also worldwide crafting groups that may not be for selling per se, but where you can show off a new piece - this in turn may bring interested customers to message you asking for a link where to buy online.

Definitely keep your website. If you are on Etsy, keep that as well. Put as many items up for sale as you can on both Etsy and your website. Other online avenues you can try would be Mercari. They are like Ebay, but I see more crafters there. I've also read about crafters trying Poshmark for handmade jewelry however I've never tried it.

It can be rough getting attention online. You have to continue to advertise on different platforms (Facebook, Mercari, etc). In person sales, in most cases, should be your most profitable.

Loves To Laugh said:

When it comes to talking to customers, I'm very shy so I just let customers browse quietly, but will answer any questions they may have. I think this was the first year I've had business cards available. I'll have to consider the covered container for solving the wind issue. I actually bought a postal scale back when I first started crafting again. I haven't yet needed it so I haven't even pulled it out of the box I actually haven't put my jewelry on my website yet. I had been focused on the stuff that was easier to photograph and like you said the stuff that is more worth shipping. I've become quite discouraged so I haven't bothered with adding anything to my website in awhile. I was planning on putting some of the kid's jewelry on there. I have some bracelets that range from $2.00 to $3.75 that sell quite well. I figure if people were to order them online they would do it because they were ordering enough to make the shipping worth it. I have other small items that there are so many different styles of that they only go out at events. With my website I had hoped that it would also allow people to see more of what I have available that they may not have noticed at an event (I list my events on my website so people know where to find me).
Thanks for your ideas!!

Click to expand...

Add/change stuff on your website periodically! If people think they've seen everything available, they stop looking. And getting them looking is the key to getting them to buy!
Even if it's just a few items, no need to play 'one and done' by dumping everything at once. Call it 'What's New Wednesday' or something, and stick up a couple of items, at least. Pique their interest.
And, unless you have multiples, if you sell something, take it down or mark it 'sold'. This avoids disappointment for the potential buyer. (Unless something is a perennial favourite and you've always got it.) Also, it encourages people to snap things up if they see that it might vanish.

And, even if, or especially if, you're shy - at least let people know that it's all your own work, that you are the hands in 'handmade'. Let them know that you're not just tending the stall, or buying the stuff from some sweatshop.

Maryn said:

This is veering away a bit but worth mentioning. I have an adult daughter with social anxiety disorder, big-time. She's found that among the most useful coping skills is being an actor in the role of a lifetime--her own lifetime, in which she plays a character just like herself only with little anxiety about social interaction.

I can tell when she's doing it, but her own father can't. If you can play that role with a customer who approaches you at a craft selling event, the chances for a sale go up, even if all you say is, "Hello. Nice scarf! Let me know if you have any questions." And because customers come, look around, and leave, you can practice over and over.

Maryn, hoping it gets you more sales

Click to expand...

Yes! No need to be a pushy salesperson, just let them know it's you, and you're there to help them.

c.m.n. said:

Loves to Laugh,

I've had a small business online making doll clothes, so still crafty but different customer base. However, there are also techniques I see other people do and could work for you.

As for online advertising, I'd suggest not using Twitter especially if you haven't seen any user engagement (like, retweets, comments). I would suggest trying Facebook again. If you're having problems making a business page, do you feel comfortable using your real name to advertise?

If so, I suggest joining your local "buy, sell, trade" groups on Facebook and put up sales posts for your crafts. You may also get attention putting up sales post on the general marketplace as well. There are also worldwide crafting groups that may not be for selling per se, but where you can show off a new piece - this in turn may bring interested customers to message you asking for a link where to buy online.

Definitely keep your website. If you are on Etsy, keep that as well. Put as many items up for sale as you can on both Etsy and your website. Other online avenues you can try would be Mercari. They are like Ebay, but I see more crafters there. I've also read about crafters trying Poshmark for handmade jewelry however I've never tried it.

It can be rough getting attention online. You have to continue to advertise on different platforms (Facebook, Mercari, etc). In person sales, in most cases, should be your most profitable.

Click to expand...

Regarding Facebook, I didn't really want to use my real name especially since I have been using a business name. Does Facebook allow you to have very many followers when it's not a business or fan page? My website has a lot on it and I will be adding more. I've avoided Etsy because of the fees. I will look into Mercari. I wish I had more opportunities for the in person sales. Right now booth fees are a problem for me and my mom's unpredictable work schedule (since we do the events together).

Thanks for your reply

frimble3 said:

Add/change stuff on your website periodically! If people think they've seen everything available, they stop looking. And getting them looking is the key to getting them to buy!
Even if it's just a few items, no need to play 'one and done' by dumping everything at once. Call it 'What's New Wednesday' or something, and stick up a couple of items, at least. Pique their interest.
And, unless you have multiples, if you sell something, take it down or mark it 'sold'. This avoids disappointment for the potential buyer. (Unless something is a perennial favourite and you've always got it.) Also, it encourages people to snap things up if they see that it might vanish.

And, even if, or especially if, you're shy - at least let people know that it's all your own work, that you are the hands in 'handmade'. Let them know that you're not just tending the stall, or buying the stuff from some sweatshop.

Click to expand...

I do add things to my website occasionally, but I need to find a way to alert people to the fact that new items (or more items that had already existed) have been added. I could make a separate section with a name such as the one you suggested. I do mark things 'sold' since there are multiple items in a picture. Depending on the type of item, some things I usually make in threes.

At events people often comment on how much stuff we have and how much work must have went into it. My mom is usually the one to speak up and tell them that she only made a small portion of it and that the rest has been made by me.

Thanks again for your comments.

Maryn said:

This is veering away a bit but worth mentioning. I have an adult daughter with social anxiety disorder, big-time. She's found that among the most useful coping skills is being an actor in the role of a lifetime--her own lifetime, in which she plays a character just like herself only with little anxiety about social interaction.

I can tell when she's doing it, but her own father can't. If you can play that role with a customer who approaches you at a craft selling event, the chances for a sale go up, even if all you say is, "Hello. Nice scarf! Let me know if you have any questions." And because customers come, look around, and leave, you can practice over and over.

Maryn, hoping it gets you more sales

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice!

Loves To Laugh said:

I do add things to my website occasionally, but I need to find a way to alert people to the fact that new items (or more items that had already existed) have been added. I could make a separate section with a name such as the one you suggested. I do mark things 'sold' since there are multiple items in a picture. Depending on the type of item, some things I usually make in threes.

At events people often comment on how much stuff we have and how much work must have went into it. My mom is usually the one to speak up and tell them that she only made a small portion of it and that the rest has been made by me.

Thanks again for your comments.

Click to expand...

If your mother is a talker, let her bear the brunt of it, as long as she isn't making stuff up or 'embellishing' what she's saying. If she's proud of you and your work, let her show it.
Also, what are you doing while you're at the show? Just waiting for customers? Maybe take some small handwork project, to keep you occupied when things are slow:
1. If you're busy, you not worrying.
2. People actually making stuff fascinates people. Don't know why, but it draws people in. Some of it is fact that most people don't make much on their own these days, and part of it is the desire to bug people who are quietly minding their own business.
And, it proves that your stuff is handmade. By your hands. And, listen to your mother talking to people if you have the time. Listen to what works, what appeals, what attracts the customers.

Unimportant said:

. And many people will be drawn in to watch, and then perhaps buy -- I know I find it utterly riveting to watch somebody creating crafts and artwork (because I'm all thumbs, can't draw a stick figure, can't sew on a button, and have no mind's eye).

Click to expand...

This, exactly, so much this. This has a real appeal to a lot of people, sort of a substitute for actually doing the work themselves: wondrous, magical, wizardly work.
Okay, probably overstating it, but when was the last time you saw anyone wearing or using something they made themselves? Or even know a craft skill? They watch the You-tube videos, they may buy the materials, but they never make the jump to actually doing.
And their kids, having no example to follow, will end up much the same, unless the Force is with them.

frimble3 said:

If your mother is a talker, let her bear the brunt of it, as long as she isn't making stuff up or 'embellishing' what she's saying. If she's proud of you and your work, let her show it.
Also, what are you doing while you're at the show? Just waiting for customers? Maybe take some small handwork project, to keep you occupied when things are slow:
1. If you're busy, you not worrying.
2. People actually making stuff fascinates people. Don't know why, but it draws people in. Some of it is fact that most people don't make much on their own these days, and part of it is the desire to bug people who are quietly minding their own business.
And, it proves that your stuff is handmade. By your hands. And, listen to your mother talking to people if you have the time. Listen to what works, what appeals, what attracts the customers.

Click to expand...

Sometimes once the booth is set up I price some new items that I didn't get around to doing before the event. By the time I finish that I'm ready to relax a bit (just setting up is a lot of work). During the longer events I eventually get out a word search puzzle book I don't really have the space to work on a project comfortably and most of what I make consists of glue and/or paint, so it can get messy.