I have found a new craft site for buying and selling crafts. The administrators are a lovely couple, Andrew and Kimberley. There is a warm, cozy community feeling there, like here at ThriftyFun. There is almost immediate help with technical issues. I have had to ask for help several times, being a not too savvy old person. You'll find a forum board for discussions.
I'd love for all of you to have a look since there are many talented crafters here. In this day of internet, sharing this would be a fine addition to your "favorites" list.
This page contains the following solutions.
To start up selling online, an easy option is to chose a site to post on that already sells. Google the craft your planning to sell and see what sites sell things similar to them. This means people already see and visit these sites for that area of interest.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I know nothing about online webpages, etc. How can I set up my own business to sell my handmade recycled crocheted rag rugs. I know what I want to name it. I have 20 made already. Please tell me where to begin and the cheapest route. 
Thank you.
This is wonderful and I'll try to help you out. I'll list some sites that you can check out. Some are free and others charge a fee. I wish you all the luck in your adventure.
Aftcra - this site encourages crafters to sell their crafts online.
Articents - here you can sell handmade and vintage items online.
BigCommerce - if you have your own name and want to set up your own online store this is one site you can check out. They have options to help you out and teach you how to make your store and how to sell your work.
eBay - you can always go there and put your work on eBay to sell. You'll need to set up your online store through the platform.
Bonanza - this is yet another great platform that is similar to eBay where you can sell your crafts there.
Cratejoy - I like this platform it helps you to sell your crafts worldwide.
Etsy - many people find this site a good way to sell their crafts. It is like eBay and you can creae your store and sell here.
This is only a few of the ones that I like and they are a good start for you to check out.
Your work is lovely!!! I am a sucker for a crochet rug! A crochet anything just about.
So my response is coming from my personal experience...please take it for what it is worth. This is my story which maybe can help you.
Several years ago, I approached my Small Business Development Center about selling my pieces (I make OOAK crochet blankets) online.
The first step they had me take was to look at sold prices on places like eBay and Etsy for comparable to what I make.
Your items (and mine) sell (sold prices) not asking prices) for under $30 (on average). I was shocked as I put more than $30 in materials into a piece, not to mention the time spent. I was crushed. Now I was looking at this as a business...not a hobby, so maybe the rest of my story will not be helpful. If you are going down the hobby path, poehere gave you some good suggestions.
But there is money to be made at what you do and you do not have to be crushed as I was.
My counselor does not let people get crushed. They tell offer solutions and suggestions!!!
They had a bunch of suggestions that included starting small and developing sales in an person venue where I could develop relationships with people so they could connect me to my craft...like at craft shows.
Then once I mastered that, move on to sell in local stores that specialize in OOAK and handmade, and then develop my own website and Shopify account which I could promote on my social media (Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest).
I started to go down that path and realized that it was not right for me, but it is right for a lot of people and they are VERY successful at it. I still make my blankets but now it is just for family and friends, but that is just what works for me.
There is success to be had!! Case in point, a year ago September I went to a SBDC conference specifically for craftswomen (I still dream of going back down that path so that is why I go to any and all related conferences).
Each and every gal there was making money (some a full time living) from their pieces because they worked with the SBDC and made it work!
They were inspiring. Now if you are a gentleman, I am sure there are conferences for both men and women--I just happened to attend one that was very specific for women entrepreneurs.
So my point to my story is to be successful at selling your pieces it will help you to have an SBDC working with you.
They can help you find your supplies at wholesale, they can help you develop the confidence to sell your pieces (they will teach you to do things like an elevator pitch and how to find your target audience.
If you decide to sell online, they have counselors to help you get this set up and marketed correctly.
There was one gal at the conference I went to sells OOAK quilts that are truly amazing--the SBDC helped her set up a Shopify account and she sells so many of her quilts that she had to get help doing the backings. I mean WOW!!! I was so amazed!
Another gal didn't get started in her crafting business until she retired in her late 60s. She said she could barely Google before she went to the SBDC and now she has staff helping her sell her paintings.
I can offer you some tips to help you build a social media presence if you want to go this way. I am happy to share what I learned!
You can do it!!! Blessings and all good wishes for your success!!!
Lets not forget Etsy and Ebay! Its easy and has lots of veiwers and online sales!
I would sell on Etsy. You will reach a large audience.
Most popular handmade items to sell on is Etsy. You could also try to sell on Mercari.
Try Etsy or put it on your Facebook Marketplace (for local sales, no shipping). Be sure to take clear pictures and provide a detailed description for your buyer. Good luck!
I'd go with Etsy -- they have great tools for making your store shine :)
I have tried Etsy and Ebay with no luck. I have made sales by posting my items on local online yardsale sites and Marketplace on Facebook. Best of all, no fees! You can choose meet buyers at a mutually agreeable location, or pick up at your home. Please be safe either way.
I have tried Etsy and Ebay with no luck. I have made sales by posting my items on local online yardsale sites and Marketplace on Facebook. Best of all, no fees! You can choose meet buyers at a mutually agreeable location, or pick up at your home. Please be safe either way.
Does anyone want to sell their craft items? Please let me know of other craft related places where you can sell or buy craft items.
By Gina Rahman from Manchester, UK
Does anyone sell homemade items online? If so, I need some advice from you. I need to supplement my low income and want to sell online, but don't know how to go about it. Is there a book for beginners or just some advice you can give me as to the cheapest way to get started? I don't have any money to invest in the business. Do I have to sign up for a domain name, or website creation? Does that come free with sites like Etsy? I am in the dark here. Any help would be appreciated.
By Connie J.
There is a website called etsy.com that people use to sell their craft items. Go there and see what you can find out. You can also advertise your items locally. Just be sure that what you make is something that others want and that it is priced right. Also when I see a homemade item that I like I figure out how I can make it for my own use, for about half the price that it is marked.
I have sold on ebay for over 10 years (though not regularly) and etsy (although I have bought more on etsy than I have sold). Etsy and eBay provide you the "website". (You can of course, go pay for and make your own website, but my advice is to start on some of these pre-made websites initially to learn the ropes and see if your items will sell.) Etsy: You pay them to list items (it is cheap, last I knew it was 20 cents an item), and when it sells they take a small percentage (a very fair percentage) of the sale.
It is easy to list things, the pictures are a bit trickier, but they make that fairly easy also. The items also are searchable on the web, which can draw outside traffic. To join etsy, you sign up and provide credit card and then list your items. Joining is free (eBay also). If you don't know much about making your own page on Etsy, you can buy "banners" from other sellers fairly inexpensively. (eBay also) Etsy is easy, pleasant and a wonderful site, both in terms of selling and buying.
On Etsy pictures are very important, so aim to have the best pictures possible. Go on there and study it a few days before you start, is my advice (and what I did years ago)...(study the rules, see what people are selling, etc). Likewise on Ebay. Crafts on Ebay do sell, but in my opinion, it's not the best forum for crafts since ebay specializes more in "new items" (originally it was a site to sell collectables and you still can, but they have gotten radically away from their original format).
Ebay's listing fees are much more expensive (50 cents per item, last I knew) and their end of sale cut is hovering around ten percent and you pay fees to PayPal (which they own) when people pay with credit / debit cards and last I knew that is the only way you can pay on eBay now, whereas on Etsy other methods of payment are accepted. The costs really add up, when you have several items that don't sell.
Also, the great advantage of Etsy over eBay (besides the fact that Etsy's forum is crafts) is the items stay on Etsy 2 or 3 months, and you have about a week on eBay. Study other people's rules before you start and develop some of your own (your refund policy, policy on mailing times, etc.) Rules might seem "funny" but there are reasons for them.
A fair amount of buyers (about 1 in 10 try this) are dishonest and will say they didn't "get something" (or it's broken)...in the mail, when in fact, they did and want you to refund their money and they get something free (Lost in the mail is fairly rare).
Either do confirmation tracking on your items or have a policy regarding this (Ebay has a "not allowed" policy on this. eBay also favors the buyer, no longer allowing for negative feedback by the seller, which is very unfair.)
Answer all emails, be nice to everyone, follow up on everything and be on the ball @ all times. Pack your items well if they are breakable. Insure very expensive / breakable items. Have an attitude of fairness and treat this like a job. Hope this helps.
Anybody can tell you a lot about this, but honestly, just get out there and do it and you will get the hang of it quickly. Both ebay and etsy make listing items very simple. Also, there are tons of other websites for selling. I haven't tried many of them, so don't consider myself too knowledgeable on them, but if you really want to be successful, spread your work out among several sites and get your own website eventually.
People do make and sell "how to do" books on ebay and etsy, just to let you know, I don't know how useful they are. I think some people just make up these booklets without necessarily having sold anything much other than the booklets :).
A couple of more things. Don't hold me to the fees, etc. for eBay, etsy. I basically sell mostly at Christmas and things change in the meantime :). Also, get to know your automated mailing machine @ the post office. This is a wonderful way to mail things, since you can go there at odd times of day or night and mail things. Much better than standing in lines! Study the postal stuff also as you get started (usps.com).
Yes, Etsy is my choice of online venues. Other venues have not held the mark like Etsy, but it is a lot of work, an investment in time and listing fees, plus Etsy takes a cut when you sell.
I think you would be better off checking out online surveys. They pay and if you did this every day it could supplement your income. Clark howard.com and kim komando.com both have great suggestions on their websites for what online jobs work and which to stay away from. If you are a supply seller or vintage seller you might give Etsy.com a go.
Supplies sell really well on Etsy. I hope you find what you are looking for. The handmade movement is taking a firm hold on the online market right now.
I am interested in selling my craft items. May I know on which sites I can sell them? Also, I am interested to take class for doll making and craft class for children and ladies (i.e) who want some knowledge of arts items and tanjore paintings and all type of paintings. Can you please give me an idea?
By kavi from Chennai
artfire.com
bigcartel.com
Here's a list of places to sell your crafts online:
www.winterberryoriginals.com/
I would like to sell my windows online. Should I create a store or website? Please let me know how to go about it.
By mags57
I have seen people have a page on Face Book to sell their crafts. You could give that a try.
Etsy is a good place to get started selling crafts online, they have a very user-friendly set-up and they don't charge a lot for the exposure to customers.
Good luck, I hope you sell tonnes of your windows:)
Why not load a photo of each with a freebie listing in Craigs' List or Kjiji? Find out what your buying attraction is before paying to sell.
Do you need a business license to sell items on sites like ECrater.com, ArtFire.com, etc?
By AliM from Dallas, TX
Never heard of those sites. I would think in their info pages they would mention if a license is necessary. If they are like eBay then I would say no. But their website should have an area listing all requirements you have to meet as a seller.
I don't know about the sites you mentioned, but for Etsy, Made It Myself or eBay, you will not need a license at this time. That could change anytime though.
Good Luck with your crafting business.
ww
A business license? Or a resale tax #? If a resale tax #, then check with your state. My state is Texas and require such to report taxes.
Online would be the best place for your state to find you doing business without one if they require it.
I have the worlds largest tuna fish, hand crafted using gathered sticks and tree bark. Where can I post it and where can I sell it? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.
By blogtwistmystick
Etsy.com would be good bet - it's supported by and for crafters and artisans.
I decorated about 20 wine bottles and have given them to people as gifts. I enjoy doing it so much that I have more decorated bottles than people to give them to. I thought of flea markets, or eBay? Is there any advice on where to sell it?
Perhaps a wine shop would sell your bottles. They would make a great display in their window to attract customers. They would probably sell nicely at a consignment shop, as well.
What is the best way to sell on-line? How do I make pictures look good on line? I make silk arrangements, but have no luck in selling them.
By Cindy from Middletown, DE
Hi Cindy. I don't have the technical expertise to answer your first question (how to sell online) but I do suggest that you use several "Could be used for . . . " references in your description of each item. This helps the consumer imagine how he/she could use the product.
I can, however, offer a few suggestions for your second question (how to make the pictures look good).
1. Make sure to use a solid color (no prints or patterns), neutral back drop, as busy or loud backgrounds might detract from the arrangement.
2. Make sure the background color contrasts with the particular arrangement, as a low contrast background will wash out the object. (For example, if there are a lot of white flowers, you don't want a white background, maybe a dark taupe or sky blue.)
3. Don't clutter up the picture with unnecessary objects, but do use a reference item if the product is an unusual size. (For example, if the item is a large table top centerpiece, use a single wine glass or water pitcher in the shot but avoid showing an entire dinner setting. Again, this will keep the focus on the product.)
4. Practice good lighting techniques when you photograph the products for posting. (Google or Bing searches on "photography lighting" or "lighting for photography" if you need help brushing up on these skills.)
5. Use a good camera. You don't need a high quality photographer's camera for "internet only postings" but you do need one with an adequate pixel count for high quality web images. Generally speaking the higher the pixel count, the better the image quality of the photo: However, the internet is not designed to use the full pixel capacity of high quality photography so you just need a good "internet posting" camera.
I wish I could explain this camera pixel thing better but the only reason I know this much is because I know someone in the industry. If you are in doubt of your camera quality, and don't know someone in the industry, I'd start by visiting camera shops (without your wallet) and ask a lot of questions.
Best of luck in your venture!
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
What is the best way to sell silk flora arrangements on-line? I've tried eBay, artfire, and esty with no luck.
Where can I sell my crafts online besides Etsy, and eBay?
Does any one have any ideas or suggestions about how to sell my crafts online? I don't want to use eBay.
