I need your suggestions how to find a market for my crafts.
By ThePTCDiary
@ThePTCDiary (94)
United States
April 5, 2011 9:31pm CST
I am into jewelry making using glass beads, semi-precious stones and gold wires. This is just a hobby but since I have made more than 200 pieces, I would like to sell them to make money. Can you suggest a way of finding customers that might be interested to buy them? Can you give me tips how to find a local seller as well? Your tips and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
P.S. Ebay has too much fees and my handmade jewelry do not cost that much so please suggest something else. Thank you.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@speedytypist (571)
• United States
6 Apr 11
Hi,
Try Etsy, it is a website specially made for hand made crafts. It is spreading and many handicrafter already it from it. Locally? maybe you can post your item in your facebook account to let your friends know that you are selling it. Hope it helps..Thanks. God bless...Oppsss..maybe you can make a blog for your store and link it to your etsy account.....
1 person likes this
@Robswife2006 (1208)
• United States
6 Apr 11
I dabble in crafts myself from time to time, but I'm not really all that into it as most people are...BUT my cousin is & she makes a lot of money with her crafts by selling them on a website called Etsy. She said that it's the best website that she's found for selling her crafts. She loves this site & claims that it is much cheaper selling her crafts on there rather then Ebay which is a lot more expensive. Be sure to check out the site for yourself. Hope that helps you out some.
@marie2052 (3691)
• United States
5 Jul 11
Try Etsy that is a major marketplace for crafters.
Personally I use ebay. Since they allow us to put our first 50 items up for free, I never put much on them as I want them sold so I can make more so Ebay does not make much off me.
I do not use Ebay or Paypal to ship through
I let everyone know ON MY EBAY page that I go on Mondays to ship and I go to the Post office and do a Confirmation card on all buyers so I know they got it.
I make one of a kind craft too and can't afford to make another if a person says they never got it.
My shipping doing it myself and staying within an orderly fashion stating I only ship on Mondays Unless they contact me and need it ASAP (for a gift)
I like ETSY but there are more people that look at Ebay than there. And I think some of the ETSY sellers are quite pricey.
Another place you might try is Yardsellr on Facebook.
I wrote them and discussed things with them, my girlfriend even put items up on there for free but she did not sell anything.
So I have been full circle and always come back to Ebay. Just take the steps to not be charged so much
Depending on craft shows most of them you have to have a certain setup whether indoors or outdoors.
Then you have to pay the fees, and at the end of the show at least when I did them an IRS person come around to collect the taxes before you left the show.
I owned my own business for 25 years in ceramics so I learned a lot wholesaling and retailing.
I can no longer do it due to spinal desinegration so now two or three times a year I do Counted Cross Stitch Cards.
They sell pretty well considering I don't ask an arm or leg for them.
Another possibility is not knowing where you live, if you have an area that has gift shops you might try either asking them to buy your product outright (just remember you are selling them wholesale)and they will double the price of what you get to make money off the item themselves.
Or you can ask them if you can consign your items for them to try.
If so do a product list you have for yourself and make a copy for the store so they know how much you want for the item, and always make an item number for each item you leave with the shop.
When you make money most shops will give you a check the end of the month.
If someone steals something of yours the shop will not be liable for the product.
Or none ever has that I consigned with.
Hope this helps get you started
IF you need more information, send me a message. I will help in any way I can to get you started. Information that is not selling the product LOL.
GOOD LUCK!