Selling Your Crafts - Both Online and Offline

Online venues provide a really great way to reach customers all over the world. You will no doubt be aware of the popular websites like Etsy, Artfire and eBay are great tools that help to reach your targeted customers. Before you decide to take the plunge into selling your crafts, you need to take the time to do some research. Have the the following questions in mind as you consider how you might go about selling your creations:

* Do I have a product or products that people will want to buy? This is the most important question you have to ask yourself. If there is no target market for your products, you will have a hard time selling your creations and not because your items are not nice, but they may not be in demand.

* Who and where are my potential target market? This is a continuation of the question above because you need to know who to advertise to and how to successfully draw your target market to your items. It would be a waste of time trying to sell baby clothes, for example, to those who do not have children.

* What should I charge for my creations? Pricing is an important strategy. All too often, people undercharge for their creations forgetting to take into consideration the time and materials that go into a product. Make sure you account for both the cost of the materials as well as the time and effort you put forth to create your goods. Also be sure not to overcharge. You may find that your items do not sell because they are over priced.

* Where will I sell my items? Online websites are plentiful when it comes to selling handmade goods. There are websites such as Etsy and Artfire who only allow the sales of handmade goods, along with supplies. EBay is also another popular venue to sell handmade goods. Be aware though, that you will be competing with the other goods that are not handmade and may be cheaper. A good description of the item and its benefits is always a good idea.

If you choose to sell locally, try finding a store that will sell your items on consignment or sign up to exhibit at a local craft show. Both will be good for exposure. If you choose to go the consignment route, be sure to get all terms in writing. Otherwise you run the risk of having your items kept and not paid for.

It is more than possible nowadays to make some spending money selling your crafts. Be sure to do your research and follow through your plan by keeping the above questions in mind. Once you have your plan in mind, go ahead and take the plunge. But remember, like anything else, you will get in return what you put forth so make it worth your while.

Attending and participating in craft shows and fairs can run into a good amount of money. Not only do you have to make the crafts you plan to sell, you also have to have tables, ways to display your crafts, possibly a tent if the shows/fairs are outdoors, and the money to participate. By the time you've spent all that money, you may be lucky to make a profit or even break even.

Selling crafts online can be a much better option. Not only do you have less overhead, you can actually sell craft items online at any time of the day or night, even while you sleep. Selling online also enables you to reach a much larger clientele than what would possibly attend a craft show during a weekend.

It's a great idea to have a large amount of crafts pre-made before trying to sell them online. This will help ensure that you have enough for everyone who is interested and are able to give those purchasing your crafts some choices. Know ahead of time what your cost is to produce the crafts to ensure you make a profit on each item sold.

Start out by finding a way to accept payments. One of the easiest ways to accept payments from anyone is with a PayPal account. You don't have to pay to set up an account but they will charge you a small fee for each transaction. After you've been selling your items for a while successfully and profitably, you may want to consider a merchant account but it does have its limitations.

Next you'll want to think about where you'll sell your crafts online. Most people think of eBay, but that's not the only option. Other auction sites specialize in home-made items, such as Etsy.com. Both eBay and Etsy are free to set up an account but you'll have to pay a transaction fee for each item listed and sold. Free options include eCrater and Love.li. Whichever website you choose, include photos of your items to help potential customers see what you have for sale.

Depending upon your skill on a computer, you may want to set up your own crafting website. The process includes buying a domain name, finding hosting, and designing a website. If that seems too ambitious to begin with, continue to sell on Etsy or eBay while you do research and learn about websites.

Don't forget to let others know about your crafts. You can do this by joining crafting forums, mentioning items you have for sale on either auction website or by printing out business cards with your craft website address on it.

Offer to give away some of your craft items on a blog you admire. Giving away a few items may seem counter-productive, but it will give people a reason to visit your website or your current auctions.

Using these tips on how to sell your crafts online, you could be well on your way to a new career. Most people selling craft items online start out small. Best of luck in your endeavor!

Depending upon how far you're willing to travel, you could probably find a craft show nearly every weekend. Perhaps you've thought about selling some of the crafts you enjoy making. Read on to find out more.

Before you decide to do your first craft show it's important to learn about them. One of the best ways is to attend as many as you can. Pay attention to what types of crafts are being sold and which crafts are selling well by watching what people are carrying. Then take time to chat with several vendors. Most will be willing to talk with you if they aren't inundated with people at their booth.

You'll want to do some research into the craft show you're considering. Find out what type of crafts are typically sold. Are there other vendors who will sell the same thing you make? Will the craft show be indoors or outdoors? These are all questions you'll want to consider along with the cost, how big an area you will have, and if there is a similar vendor whether they will be set up close to you.

Obviously having a good selection of crafts for people to choose from is important. Plan to take more than you think you will need just in case your crafts sell like gang busters. This will keep you from selling out and sitting at the booth with nothing to show. Of course, depending upon what your craft is, you may also want to keep some items set aside and take special orders for those.

Since you're considering selling items at a crafts show, it's a pretty good bet you already have a good number of items to sell. If your craft making does not need special equipment, be sure to take more supplies with you so you can make more during a lull in traffic. This will also ensure you have more of your crafts if they start running low.

How do you know what will sell? That's a tough question to answer. Make items which you enjoy making and which people show an interest in. Ask friends and family for their honest opinions about your crafts. You can also ask them what would make the items better.

Find craft shows by looking in newspapers or on bulletin boards at local libraries, grocery stores, or recreation centers. Calling the local Chamber of Commerce or craft stores is another option. There are also a number of websites such as festivalnet.com and craftmasternews.com which list crafts fairs and festivals all across the country.

After you've made umpteen million (maybe that's a slight exaggeration) of your craft, you'll want to price them so they sell but still give you a profit. Consider the cost of your materials, how long it took you to make them, and overheads. This is your wholesale amount. Double this amount to reach your retail cost, which is what you'll charge. By doubling your wholesale cost, you give yourself a little wiggle room if the show you're at has several vendors with similar items.

There's so much to know about setting up at a craft show and this article barely scratches the surface. Your best source of information is other crafters who have made the craft show circuit in your area. Most crafters are eager to share their knowledge and will be able to guide you in your desire to sell your crafts.