Where to Sell Your Crafts Online
Selling Your Crafts Online
So you like to make crafts right? Now, how do you turn turn your projects into profits without opening a store and or setting up a booth? Sell your crafts online.
There are several sites available online that are user friendly and have the ability to bring lots of traffic to your crafts online. If you are more computer savvy then most than you can create your own website and fully customize it to meet your needs and advertise online to get your website out there in front of thousands of viewers.
The key to setting up a site to sell your crafts online is to insure you have the best knowledge of which sites do the best. Do your background work and insure that it is a reputable site. You will also want to set up a PayPal account as that is the most preferred way to pay. PayPal offers your and your customers identity protection when completing transactions.
Sell Your Crafts Online With Etsy
Selling Your Crafts Online
Etsy has become an online craft sensation over the last few years. Etsy allows you to quickly and easily post your crafts for sale on their website using pre-made templates. If you can post pictures and type your own description then you can use Etsy with no problem.
One of the greatest thing about Etsy is that all their products are handmade with the exception of the products being sold wholesale craft supplies. You can find signs, clothes, jewelry, home décor, plants and even jellies and jams on Etsy. With hundreds of thousands items on hand at any given time, Etsy is raking in traffic to help their clients sell their crafts.
More Tips for Selling Your Crafts
The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line shows you how to sell your crafts at markets, stores, online, and just about anywhere you can think of. Great book for someone who is wanting to turn their crafting into a full time or part time business.
Sell Your Crafts Online with eBay
Another Online Craft Store Option
With millions of items to choose from on eBay there is no surprise to see thousands of hand crafted items. You can sell your own items on eBay by creating an eBay and a PayPal account and setting up shop. With eBay you have to ways to sell your items. You can post items 'for sale' at a specified price in your store or you can list them as an auction. You can choose the amount the auction starts at to insure you at least break even. Anything over that is a profit and sometimes certain items can go well over the price it costs to make it. Especially when you have a few highly interested people fighting over the item.
Sell Your Crafts on Facebook
Facebook is a great place to get your name out there. I have noticed recently that a lot of crafters are building pages for their craft businesses and adding hundreds if not thousands of friends to their page. These crafters post their products, sales and any events they have going on. Visitors can view there items and comment on which ones they like and would like to purchase. Purchases are then completed through PayPal or prearranged payment methods.
Here are a few ideas of Facebook pages selling crafts:
Do You Sell Your Crafts Online?
Amazon.. Another Great Place to Sell Your Crafts Online
With millions of daily users it's no wonder that Amazon has quickly grown to an online selling frenzy. You can sell your hand crafted items online with an Amazon account. Like eBay, Amazon offers a huge assortment of products including handcrafted items. These items are listed for thousands of daily viewers to find when searching for the type of item you have listed. In addition to visiting Amazon directly, Amazon has several affiliate programs that allow other website users to paste modules and widgets on their websites listing products for sale by Amazon that relate to their website.
Examples of Crafts Listed on Amazon
Here are a few of the crafts listed on Amazon. As mentioned above other people can link to your products and show them on their website which can drive traffic to your crafts and increase sales. Browse through the items to get an idea of the set up and how easy it would be for someone to view your products even on another site that is not related to Amazon.
In addition to selling your crafts online with Amazon you can also find some great craft supplies and hard to find prints and designs.
Create Your Own Site
If you would rather fly solo and not use one of the more popular sites such as Etsy, eBay or Amazon you can always create your own website. Check with your local computer experts or online for companies that build websites and host domains. Be prepared to pay a pretty penny for a full service, custom website. Some crafters start out with one of the above mentioned sites and work their way up to having their own site.
Keep Your Crafts Organized
Keep your work space tidy and your craft supplies organized with these handy craft organizers.
Finally a small compact carrying case. The Craft Locker is stylish and extremely functional for the crafter on the go. Royal purple with Avocado Stitching, 10-1/4-inch by 5-1/2-inch by 5-1/2-inch.
Lid/tray and base each have separate access. Comfortably fits on top of Super Satchel Cube. Each has 2 side bins with both fixed and removable dividers. Top tray of box has removable dividers. Base is one compartment. All boxes in the Super Satchel Series are molded in acid free polypropylene. All "Standard Depth", "Slim" and "Double Deep" models are stackable.
Build your own customized storage system. Whatever your craft of choice with Lockables Organizers you can keep everything neat and tidy and right at hand when you need it. Just choose your storage case and individual organizers based on your specific organizing needs. The patented lockbar system of the organizers allows you to open one bin at a time so there is no bin spillage or migration. Perfect for brads; beads; buttons; sequins; needles; pins; embellishments and more. This package contains one large storage case (9-1/2-inch by 9-1/2-inch by 3-inch) with label window on the spine; a triple snap closure; eight 7-compartment Lockables Organizers; and a purple faux suede cover. Imported.
Stack-On's Small dividers create the ability to organize more parts and items in their Parts Storage Organizers. These dividers allow you to split drawers and increase your storage and organization capabilities. These dividers fit all Stack-On storage cabinets with small size drawers. The clear color allows for increased visibility of contents. A must have with any of the Stack-On plastic drawer organizers.
Take Quality Pictures to Increase Online Sales
The only view of your craft 'store' that online customers have is through your photos. Be sure to use quality photos and multiple photos when possibles. The more photos available to view the front, back and sides, the more the customer can see about your product and be more comfortable knowing that they are getting what they expect.
It doesn't require a hired photographer to take a great picture to post online. Just insure that you pictures are well lit, taken in a clean and tidy area and are large enough to view important details of the products.
What Sites Do You Sell Your Crafts On?
Amazon Associate Disclosure
Stephanie Manning is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Do you currently sell your crafts online? Which online site have you had the best luck with? What type of craft do you sell?
Where Do You Sell Your Crafts Online?
I have a suggestion. It would be more convenient for any future readers if you posted the most recent comments first..... Most people who read comments want the most recent ones first.
Handmadeartists.com is a great place to sell. I love the homey, family type atmosphere coupled with the professional attitude of the admin.
@perren-01: sorry, but can you explain what GLC is? I am not familiar with that acronym. thanks!!
I crochet sashay scarves and sell them on eBay and have had no luck. Has anyone had luck selling sashay scarves and were.
Im trying to post an item on Amazon.com that I've made, and it won't let me get past the UPC number part. If I make my own product, and don't have a UPC number, who do I seel on Amazon.com? Does anyone here know?
I have 2 etsy stores, a bonanza shop and I also sell on ebay..I do pretty well plus I write for amazon and smashwords! love the lens!
My best sales are at craft fairs I have an recently opened Etsy & Folksy stores with plenty of views yet no sales, I will have a look at Amazon & Zibbet thanks for the tips,
I have an ETSY store, zibbet and handmadeartists.com That one is really nice.... has a homey welcoming feel to it and the admin and sellers are very nice and helpful.
Almost everybody knows about etsy and zibbet. I recommend having a look at handmadeartists.com You won't disappear .... each person who has a store there is welcomed and made to feel very important. Typical crafter behavior.
I read somewhere recently that Etsy has 800,000 stores in there mall, I think that it would be very hard to compete in that market. I think that the smaller malls like the GLC Craft Mall would be a lot easier to compete in. The GLC Mall rotates the newest 100 products on there home page so all you have to do to stay on the home page is add new product. They also have a store Directory link on the home page which makes it easier for customers to find your shop.
Great lens with some good tips!
You can find a blog post with an extensive list of places to market your crafts online here:
I recently started selling hand built cajon drums on amazon, ebay, etsy, craigslist and my own site! I'm having a really hard time drawing in viewers though. I suppose that will just take time. Any advice for me?
The GLC Arts and Crafts Mall they still are offering a Free Store.
@Laine09: Try Googling "freelancing greeting cards". Though I haven't tried it, Blue Mountain Arts is supposed to be a great website that will pay you for your submissions if they think they'll be successful. You should give them a go! And thanks to everyone on this blog--great article and suggestions! I found this page through Pinterest!!! :D
I have sold on ebay, but recently discovered Webstore. I'm working on getting things set up there.
go to www.goods4all.com and sell your products
I've sold several things through Etsy. I've not had any luck with ebay or storeenvy. I've recently attempted selling via a facebook page....but have not made any sells that way.
The GLC Arts and Crafts Mall is another online mall where crafters can sell their handmade goods. They still have a free store where crafters can list up to 12 items completely free of any charges. There are also 3 other store levels to suit your budget.
I currently sell on Etsy but have done well on eBay as well; best place depends on what you are selling as well.
You can just sell your stuff on your business' facebook page
I don't sell online yet but I will be come this Spring. So excited to open shop.
I sell on etsy, artfire and still struggling, just started another shop on Luulla it's looking good
Thanks for sharing this great information and these tips on Selling Your Crafts Online, itâs very helpful! I learned a lot from this.
You can see your products at Shagunartsandcrafts.com
I do sell crafts online through my own website called Crafted Elegance. This site is designed to help market and sell handicrafts made by chronically ill and physically impaired individuals and we sell a variety of products. Come by and check us out!
@gold3: How did you promote your own site? I have a beautiful website, but can't seem to get the word out, even though I've been passing out my business cards every chance I get. I would appreciate any advice.
@Scarlettohairy: True! very competitive! so hard to sell. just lately that i got sales
Etsy does not bring a lot of sales for me. I am seeing Bonanza ranking real well since the last Google update. Though, I haven't capitalized on it myself. I sell from my own site quite well.
I currently sell my original paintings on ETSY but looking to add another site or two.
- AUTHOR
@Gypzeerose: Thanks Bloomingrose. I am honored!
Back to bless this great lens. I was reviewing my own lens - Squidoo Lenses I wish I'd written and I realize somehow I had not done that. It is a very helpful lens - and this info is pertinent to so many struggling entrepreneur.
I try to sell handmade jewellery, I have tried a bunch of sites plus made my own free web site on webs.com, most of what I have sold is face to face with some business coming in from group pages on facebook like moms buy sell and trade. I will look into amazon thank you.
I do well with face-to-face sales.
Online: Etsy (no sales in almost a year), my own web site (no sales ever) formerly ebay, (sales dried up) I haven't tried too many other marketplaces since I have a limited number of items right now and don't want to spread them too thin.
I'm looking at Amazon. I didn't know they did this! Thanks for the tip.
great tips! i've been selling on etsy for about a year now and love the sense of community that you find there. and i love the book handmade marketplace, great recommendation :]
Etsy has become SO competitive. I sell mostly vintage items on there lately.
I sell on Etsy, but still struggling. There are a number of craft sites, but I wonder how far they reach for customers.
There are a whole host of sites similar to Etsy - ArtFire, Folksy to name two of the top of my head. Once you get into it, they are easy to find online & find one that suits you & your craft. For Uk readers, there's also UKHandMade - a craft magazine & whole website just for Brit designers, run by ladies who started on Etsy.
Good Lens and information; I'm starting to get back into it. BTW, you said people are selling on FaceBook, how are they accepting payment? I'm only seeing 3rd party shopping cart options.
I am looking into selling things on Etsy that I will be making in my metal foundry I am building! Come and check out my Lens on it if you would like! I am making a blog on my casting for a school project and update it frequently, come and check it out! It could use a little publicity. :) Great job on the Lens Btw!
I have sold a few things on Etsy and on another site called AOK Corral. Now that I've been laid off, I'm seriously thinking of Etsy again. I have a store on Bonanza but do not have any homemade items on it, yet. Great Lens
Knowing where to sell online is a major step towards monetizing a talent or a hobby. Ebay and Amazon are real good places to sell at.
Thank you for making this lens. I knew about Etsy and eBay (and also ArtFire) but I didn't know you could sell on Amazon or even Facebook.
I make handmade greeting cards, but don't have an outlet yet!
Awesome...I think my mom would love this...definitely going to forward it to her =) Thanks!
Nice review of places to sell your craft online. I'm a crochet and needlework crafter and have had an Etsy Shop for 4 years. I also occasionally sell my handmade items on eBay.
Excellent tips! Thanks for sharing.
Good suggestions here :)
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