Tips to Sell Crafts Online

Before you get started deciding where you will be selling your crafts, there are a number of steps that you need you need to take to maximize your chances of success. Taking time to plan your online business will make it easier down the road as you move forward with your plans.

Get yourself a three-ring binder and start setting up your notes and information in dividers that will help you plan and make notes

Commit To Your Goals

Every successful online seller has decided their goals and committed to them. These goals need to be reviewed and revised perhaps as you go along but stated from day one! They should be written on the first page on your notebook.

Your goals should be clear and reachable within a time period that you have selected. Start with goals that can be achieved and work forward with your plans.

Research Your Product

You have a craft in mind that you have made in the past with success and would like to market it online. That's great! Especially if it's something new it has a new twist.

Look for similar products on the internet in the same category as the one you are planning to sell Take time to research the types of products available, what their reviews were like, what the quality of the craft was like, what was the average price range for the craft and how was the postage handled.

Look for crafts on places like Etsy, Ebay and Amazon. Keep a notebook with all the information in it so that you can refer to it later.

Research Local, State And Federal Laws

There are a few things that you may need to set up for your online craft business. Some of that depends on if you have a separate store of your own or work on a platform.

You will want to research laws regarding doing business. You will need to make a few simple decisions and create some paperwork to legally set yourself up. There are publications and information at the IRS website as well as your local and state government websites as well.

You will want to understand the steps that you need to take to get off on the right step leally from day one.

Research Wholesale And Other Suppliers

You want to make as much profit as possible for the effort that you will be putting into your crafts. Make a list of all the supplies that you will need to create them. Then take time to find the best prices for your supplies.

Deciding Your Brand

Even if you only have one craft to sell, it is important right from the beginning to set yourself up as a unique brand to set yourself aside from all the others with similar products.

You will want to have a name for your business. If at all possible, try to use the craft name within the title of your business. So, for example if you were selling leather crafts, you might name your business Donna Smith Leatherworks. Keeping your craft within the name of your business makes it clear exactly what your specialty is. And in the long run will actually help you gain more traffic when you get online.

You can select a tag line or motto as well to create and build trust in your business.

Making A Budget-Committing Financial Resources

Another thing to consider is where the financial resources for your online craft business will come from. You will need some finances to get your business off the ground. You will have a better idea about what these costs will be when you do your other reasearch.

• Supplies to create your crafts
• Packaging and shipping costs
• Fees and charges for your online store or website

Being a successful professional crafter takes some creativity, talent and lots of work. But, you can also make a profit and be successful if you take the time to learn the tricks of the trade. These sources will help you make the most of your time and efforts

The first thing that you will need to consider is that you will need a really good camera to take pictures of your items to their best advantage. You will need to understand how to take good pictures and to display your items for your photographs.

The next thing to consider is your time balance. Before you can consider selling online , you have to have an inventory to sell. So you need to make a business plan deciding what and how much you are going to have available to sell. Are you going to sell seasonal items or items that you can sell throughout the year? How much time you have available to keep up your inventory will determine how successful you will be on an online store.

Understanding pricing is important too. If you price your item too high, you may not sell your inventory. Price too low and you simply won't make any money at all. Before you start your online store , look at other similar items and see what the market is pricing these items at

Before you actually open your online craft store, there are a couple of things to consider.

Your Product

You need to do a bit of research before you open your online store. Think about the crafts and products that you want to sell online. Understanding the market will help you determine the possibility of the success of your store.

Check out the possible competitors of your crafts. What do they offer? How do they market their crafts? How much do they sell themselves?

It is easy to do this by just using your browser. Just type in the product or craft that you are interested in researching

Where Will You Sell Your Crafts

The next step is to decide where you are going to sell your crafts. There are a few options for you to consider.

Online Stores

This is probably the first thing that people think about when they consider selling crafts online. There are lots of options when it comes to creating an online store. The main advantage of this type of selling is that these types of websites help you create a specific store brand. Generally, they have lower selling fees.They also give you more control over the factuality and design

There will be fees to set up and maintain this type of site. You are responsible to set up and drive traffic to these types of ecommerce stores.

Online Marketplace

Online marketplaces have been very popular when it comes to selling crafts. Think of places like Etsy, Ebay or Amazon.

In these locations you can expect a lot of traffic who more than not are likely to be looking to buy. It is simple and easy to set up your store. Many of these sites re free to set up. However, there are fees for each and every sale.

Social Media

Channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest all now allowing businesses to sell directly to customers, without them even having to leave the platform. You can sell directly to customers who are on these sites socializing. They have lower fees than any other marketplaces. However, you do not have much control over the design and functions of the marketplace. There will be a fee per sale.

Using the right e commerce platform for your online craft store that could make or break your success.

Here are the things that you should consider before you decide what ecommerce platform to use:

1. A responsive format-A lot of business is done on mobile devices. This means the site is user friendly on different devices and screen sizes, whether customers view it on a desktop, smartphone, or tablet. iPads, etc.) The site that you decide on needs to be responsive to all formats.
2. Easy navigation-Your website should enable customers to find your products easily and quickly.

As you plan to build your online craft store there are some critical things taht should be on your mind

Trust

One of the first goals that you should have as an online craft seller is to build trust between you and your potential customers.

You need to make them feel that they can trust you and your brand, the quality of your products, or your commitment to making customers happy. before they actually purchase from you. They need to feel confident about all of these things before they make a purchase.

Contact Information

Your customers need to feel that they are buying from a real person. Contact information makes them feel more comfortable. You should Include an email and, if possible, a phone number and a mailing address. Most people will not buy a website without this basic information.

A Return Policy

A return policy not only makes it easier for folks to return items that do not satisfy their needs, but actually increases sales.They get a sense of trust and confidence in the fact that they can return items if they need to.

Naturally, making a decision where to sell your crafts is a huge decision. There are a few things to consider as you are comparing and deciding which one is right for you.

Here are a few things to help you get through the decision process:

1. Does the site fit into the market where you are looking to sell? Look at the selling sites, especially in the area where your products would fall. Is the site user friendly? Is the site popular?
2. Do they actually sell products or are they just sitting there occupying space? Look at the sellers in your niche and see what their sales are doing. What kind of marketing and promotion do they do?
3. What is the platforms terms and conditions? Be sure that you are comfortable with these terms before you join. Things like refunds, shipping and how you can quit the platform if necessary are all important
4. What are the fees ? Can you meet the obligations of these fees on a regular basis? Are the fees fair? Are there yearly fees or monthly?
5. Who handles the stock and shipping? Be sure that you are prepared to handle those obligations if it is on your end
6. When and how do you get paid? You need to understand how the flow of money will affect your daily business activities

• Aftcra (US handmade only)-Charges 7% at sale. Listing items for 6 months. Free site set up
• Amazon Handmade- By invitation only. Amazon handmade is a popular marketplace for crafters to sell their handmade crafts. Getting onto the platform is a competitive process. Artisans have to submit an application that will be screened to ensure the quality of the products they will bring to the platform. You must pay commission fees much higher than other handmade platforms – a 15% "referral fee" per transaction. Amazon does not charge a shop or listing fee. You must apply Fees are easy to calculate once your application is accepted. No set up fee, no monthly fee, 15% transaction fee at sale.
• Artfire- ArtFire is a community of "independent shop owners offering unique handcrafted items''. You can sell anything from jewelry to furniture and more.20 monthly is the most popular choice, but there are other choices. No set up fees, no listing fee. 4.5% transaction fee at sale.
• Artful Home-Set-up fee $300. No monthly fee or listing fees. 50% sales transaction. This listing is for home decor and apparel.
• Big Cartel-gives you the tools to manage your own online store. It is a website builder created with artists and handmade business owners in mind. $9.99 per month, depending on how many listings you have. No other fees.
• Bonanza- is a boutique selling site that claims to offer a real “Artisan Experience.” You’ll find everything from children’s clothing and crafts to musical instruments and toys One click set up. 3.5% transaction fee. No other charges.
• Craft Is Art- gives you the tools to sell your crafts online. You create your own store and have the ability to accept credit cards. No set up fee. There is a $0.15 (Your first 100 listings are free.). There is also a 5.5% transaction fee. There is no monthly fee, but if you want to go premium there are additional fees.
• EBay-You can buy – and sell – just about anything on eBay. It is an online auction website and, depending on the item; you can list some items for free. Other items require a listing fee, and there are some extra fees payable, depending on the items' final price.
• E Crater-No fees accept a 2.9% transaction fee.
• ETSY-Potential of reaching 30 million global buyers. 20 cents per item per month or until it sells. 3.5 % at time of sale. No membership fees. You can set up a storefront with lots of features. PayPal is genera But the downside is that there are many Etsy users, which makes the market competitive form of payment. You receive a monthly invoice. Must pay by credit card.
• Facebook Marketplace- Facebook Marketplace is great for selling your crafts locally. You can easily reach people in your location, and the proximity of delivery cuts down (or eliminates) shipping fees, which may be attractive to potential buyers. It is also free to use.
• Folksy-This is a listing for the United Kingdom. No monthly fees or set up fees are involved. The listing fee is £0.15. Transaction fee is 15%
• GLC Craft Mall-Lets you sell anything handmade. You are solely responsible for your store and GLC Craft Mall does not get involved with sales, shipping, returns, or refunds. No set up or listing fee. $4.50 (More, if you have more than 300 listings.). Transaction fee is 5%.
• Handmade Artists -$5/month ($50 per year) is a site created by crafters for crafters. It lets you create an online shop and then all your products are automatically added to the Google shopping tab.
• Handmade Catalog-has different membership tiers. When you go up to the Standard or Professional tiers, you get to list items on the main page of the site, which brings you more traffic. 4.95 (There are membership tiers.). Transaction fee is 15%. No set up fee is involved.
• Hyena Cart-Promotes eco-friendly and child friendly products. Cost Of $5 / per month-but you can omit payment for a month if you have nothing to sell or take time off. Normally charges $10 set up fee.
• I Craft Gifts- only allows you to sell original, handmade products, and they’re pretty picky about it$25 dollar set up fee-$5/month level (1-50 items), $10/month (1-100 items), $15/month (unlimited items. Collect all money via PayPal
• Luulla-is mostly dedicated to clothing and jewelry, but you’ll find some amazing handmade items on the site. There is no monthly fee, but you can purchase additional features. $0.20 (First 100 listings free.) for listing fees. No set up fee. There is a transaction fee of 5%
• Meyla Marketplace-lets you open a store to sell your crafts that is integrated with PayPal and social media. No monthly fees, listing fees or set up fees. There is a 2.75% transaction fee.
• Misi- is a UK-based marketplace where you can sell clothing, jewelry, toys, and anything handmade. No monthly or set up fees. The listing fee is £0.20 and the transaction fee is 3%
• Shop Handmade-Not as much traffic as other sites. Free to use-great place for those just starting out. No billing-runs on contributions. Uses PayPal for transactions and payments
• Shopify-Has templates to set up your store. They have a lot or resources to help you get started from the first step to making your sales. There is a free 14 day trial and then you select the plan that is right for your store.
• ToSouk-is a completely free social marketplace to sell your crafts online in the UK. There are categories for clothing, paper goods, crochet, candles, ceramics, toys, and more. No fees at all.
• Unisquare- is an online auction site similar to eBay, but there are no fees of any kind. You can open your own store and list unlimited items for free with built-in statistics and online payment services. However, Unisquare sells a lot more than handmade crafts.

Disclaimer

I have not personally tried all these websites to sell crafts, so I do not endorse one over another. This list is meant to be a directory of alternatives to Etsy. Also, the prices were last updated in October 2019 and I cannot be held responsible for any changes. Please check the current fee structure of the seller website you choose before signing up.

Shopify only provides you with e-commerce tools to create your online store. Shopify can be an alternative to your own website as you can build your storefront using the e-commerce tools available, including a custom domain name.

Shopify has gained speed for online craft sellers. They have a nice free support system that will help you get your online business going. There is a large number of resources that are available with your subscription. Podcasts, blogs, information and tools are there to help you enrich your business

Free Tools

There is a whole section of free tools to help you develop your online business. It is an amazing group of tools that include logo maker, slogan maker, business card maker and more.

Business Courses

Shopify also has a group of business courses that will help you develop your business.

Subscriptions:

Basic Subscription

The Basic subscription is $29. /Month. Credit card rates are 2.9% + 30¢ USD online2.7% + 0¢ USD in person.

You get basic reports, 2 staff accounts, up to 4 inventory locations, up to 77% shipping discount

Shopify Subscription

Shopify subscription is $79/Month. Credit card rates are 2.6% + 30¢ USD online2.5% + 0¢ USD in person

You also get professional reports, 5 staff accounts, up to 5 inventory locations, and up to 88% shipping discount

Advanced Subscription

This subscription is $299/Month. Credit card rates are 2.4% + 30¢ USD online2.4% + 0¢ USD in person.

In this subscription you get a custom report builder, 15 staff accounts, up to 8 inventory locations, up to 88% shipping discount

Before you sign up for a Shopify account, here is what you need to know:

Paypal Express, Apple Pay, Goggle Pay and Meta Pay can be used for transactions

Before you launch your product or products online there are a few things to consider. After all, if you want to be successful, you have to take it step by step.

I suggest that you test the water by starting with one single item and move forward. If your item is a success, you will need to decide if you have enough supply to keep up with your orders.

Move slowly unless you have a large amount of money to invest in a regular online store and the inventory it will need.

1. Decide on a name for your store and /or company. Branding is important. Look for domain names that might be available so that you can carry your name through on a blog or a Facebook page.
2. Have a separate checking account for your craft business-online or otherwise. You don't have to have a business account, but you should open a checking account separate from your household accounts. It makes it easier to keep track of your profits and expenditures
3. Have a Paypal account- Lots of online store platforms use Paypal. It's free to use, but there are very small fees when moving money around
4. Look into and decide what tax status you will be using for your online business. It might not matter at first if you are just selling one item here or there, but if you have an online store , you will need to decide the tax laws in your state or country and how they will apply to you
5. Have a system to keep your receipts for any costs and sales that you make. It can be a simple profit and loss sheets or an excel spreadsheet, but keep your records right from day one. It makes filing taxes easier
6. Decide how you are going to package your craft items. You will want repeat sales, so make a plan as to how your goods will be packaged to your customers. You can male your own labels, info sheets and business cards, especially at the beginning.
7. Decide if your sales will be in the US or will you sell outside of the US. On several sights you may have to be able to calculate the shipping rates for outside of the US or your country of origin.

So, the one question that you have to ask yourself, is how much you are willing to put into selling your crafts online. Because there are always fees and budgets to be listed on most platforms (the place where you are selling your products) The bigger the platform, the higher the fee, but the more likelihood that you are going to make sales.

Some platforms charge a monthly fee to list your products and often they offer you your own free store where you have all your goods. Others charge you on the sale, and some charge you on both ends. So, it is important to understand the fees and charges associated to each sale, Fees can run from $15 per month and up depending on the features that you want for your listings and stores. It's important to understand that unless you have a good inventory, a storefront is going to be costly.

One of the best free marketing tools you can use is product reviews. Amazon has perfected this idea as a science.

Good reviews build trust for your brand and your products. They will actually build sales for your line. As the saying goes, the more the merrier. So not asking for reviews is a missed opportunity for potential future sales.

Even negative reviews can be a positive tool in your business. Once you have addressed an issue, people will see your integrity. That will build trust for your business. A negative review also gives you the opportunity to improve your products!

Share your comments, ideas, thoughts and experiences