I need some ideas
By darcmay
@darcmay (36)
United States
June 25, 2009 12:13pm CST
I have lotion bars, that are hand made and organic but I don't know how to get started when it comes to selling them. I've tried craigslist in my area but no one really seems interested. They're not expensive, I'm actually selling them really cheap but still...no one is buying them. Is there something else I can do to really get my product out there? I know Etsy is an option but it requires a credit card to sign up and I'd rather not do that right now.
3 responses
@creationsbyrobin (3071)
• United States
26 Jun 09
You only need a Paypal account to sell on Etsy (you can now pay your Etsy fees via Paypal or by checking acct)
I think Etsy gives you the best chance of reaching a public that seeks to buy quality handmade items. Other than that, you can try craft shows.
One thing to remember, if you are selling your items to inexpensively, people may shy away from the items because they'll question the value and quality of the bars. Set the price at what they are worth and you'll find that people will have more faith in your creations.
@creationsbyrobin (3071)
• United States
26 Jun 09
I think I used my debit card to sign up for my Etsy shop. But since Etsy allows fee payments via Paypal, that is how I pay every month.
The big thing to remember when choosing between eBay and Etsy is the fees. On eBay, your listing lasts up to 10 days. If your item costs more than 99 cents, the listing fee is 35 cents. You receive one free picture for your listing.
On Etsy, your listing is only 20 cents, no matter if your item is listed for $1 or for $1,000. Your listing stays active on Etsy for 4 months and you get to include as many as 5 images of your item! Unlike Ebay and their auction type listing (Buy-It-Now listings have more added fees on ebay, by the way)on Etsy you name your price for the item and they even provide forums where you can promote your items...at least 50% of my sales have come from promoting in the Promotions forum.
Other Etsy benefits are... there are many "classes" for new members on the site (all free of course) These classes or sessions are done live with groups of members and they are done by either experienced Etsy sellers or members of Etsy's administration. It's like a live video conference...you see the Etsy member, they take questions live, check out new sellers shops and offer positive, constructive suggestions on how to make the most out of your shop!
Where else could you open up an online shop, list 5 items at the price you want to sell it for and have those items in your shop for up to 4 months? Add in that you can promote your creations practically 24 hours a day (the only time Etsy is closed is for site maintenance)to people that are there looking to buy handmade items! And the total cost to you for the shop, and 5 listings...$1.00!
@photobug (157)
• United States
11 Jul 09
I would try Etsy over eBay because people who use the Etsy site are looking for handmade items. If Etsy doesn't accept Paypal, you might want to reconsider using your credit card. You'd only be charged the small listing fee, and then when your product sells, you can pay those fees right away. It's really hard to make money without investing a little of your own money - after all, you're making these lotion bars out of your own money without already having them sold.
I agree that you have to price your lotion bars at a reasonable price, but if they're too cheap people may wonder if you know what you're doing. You must write a description of the bars, how you make them, what ingredients you use, and why someone would want to buy them. Have a couple of friends read over the description and help you make it interesting and grammatically correct. If you don't sound professional, I doubt you'll have much business.
You must include good quality photograph. The bars must look attractive, be correctly lit, and in focus. Look at websites that sell skin and beauty products and see how they photograph their products and how they describe them. And when your bars sell, make sure they are packaged nicely.
It's great to try free sites like Craig's list, but if you're serious about selling these bars to make money, I'd try Etsy or set up at a Farmer's Market, craft show, or try taking them to specialty stores to sell them on commission.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
28 Jun 09
I didn't check on where you live but have you ever thought about contacting a local Boutique or Gift Shop in your area? Try all of them around you. You can always try to make up a little gift basket too, something small, add a few flowers, ribbons, with your bars inside looking pretty. This way you can try to sell them single or multiples in a basket. You can always try to offer a bar to the locals for free and let them try it out for themselves first. Then check back in a couple of days and take it from there. You got to start somewhere, right?
Sometimes they will buy them from you for re-sale, or sometimes they'll take them on consignment.
Ebay can get quite expensive if you don't have a product the buyers want and competition is immense. I'm a dealer and I have trouble in these economic times.
There is another place you might want to check out which I think is sort of new and very inexpensive. I have NO AFFILIATION to this site. It's called.....www.artfire.com.....maybe this will help you. I don't know if you need a credit card with this one either, not sure.
