Comments on: Selling crafts for a living? http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2 Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:32:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Tori http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2/comment-page-1#comment-1020 Tori Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:32:59 +0000 http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2#comment-1020 Figure out how many items you can make per month, how much it costs to make each, how much profit you can make from each item and then how many you can actually sell every month to determine if you can make a living from your crafts. Usually there just aren't enough hours in the day to both make enough items to sell and still have the time to do what it takes to market and sell them. Most people can't make a living from crafting. The majority who sell crafts are either retired with a pension and/or social security that pays for most of their living expenses or those who have a spouse or S/O who supports them. The rest have a job and just do crafts as a hobby to make a few extra dollars per month. Most crafters make a few hundred dollars per month (at most) and not enough to support themselves. It is sometimes more efficient and profitable to spend all of you time marketing and selling products that someone else has made since you don't make any money from making products - you only make money from sellling products. To market and sell your photos, you might want to take a look at Cafe Press or Zazzle.<br><b>References : </b><br>http://www.cafepress.com http://www.zazzle.com Figure out how many items you can make per month, how much it costs to make each, how much profit you can make from each item and then how many you can actually sell every month to determine if you can make a living from your crafts.

Usually there just aren’t enough hours in the day to both make enough items to sell and still have the time to do what it takes to market and sell them.

Most people can’t make a living from crafting. The majority who sell crafts are either retired with a pension and/or social security that pays for most of their living expenses or those who have a spouse or S/O who supports them. The rest have a job and just do crafts as a hobby to make a few extra dollars per month. Most crafters make a few hundred dollars per month (at most) and not enough to support themselves.

It is sometimes more efficient and profitable to spend all of you time marketing and selling products that someone else has made since you don’t make any money from making products – you only make money from sellling products.

To market and sell your photos, you might want to take a look at Cafe Press or Zazzle.
References :
http://www.cafepress.com
http://www.zazzle.com

]]> By: Fiber Mojo http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2/comment-page-1#comment-1019 Fiber Mojo Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:44:59 +0000 http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2#comment-1019 Wow! You have so many craft talents to choose from. If you're like me, it's because you get bored doing one thing for any period of time. I would suggest one way to monetize all your different crafts is to select a theme and use that to make a variety of crafts. For example, a garden theme. You could macrame plant hangers with your recycled beads and plastic bottle rings, make mosaic garden stepping stones or herb planters, visit different botanical or local gardens and take print worthy pictures Selecting a theme makes it easier to target your market. Folks who love to garden look for all kinds of items that relate to their hobby. Then go to local farmer's markets, garden centers, or garden clubs and show them your stuff. Now you've connected your crafts to you market. That's how you can make consistent money. Hope that makes sense!<br><b>References : </b><br> Wow! You have so many craft talents to choose from. If you’re like me, it’s because you get bored doing one thing for any period of time. I would suggest one way to monetize all your different crafts is to select a theme and use that to make a variety of crafts. For example, a garden theme. You could macrame plant hangers with your recycled beads and plastic bottle rings, make mosaic garden stepping stones or herb planters, visit different botanical or local gardens and take print worthy pictures

Selecting a theme makes it easier to target your market. Folks who love to garden look for all kinds of items that relate to their hobby. Then go to local farmer’s markets, garden centers, or garden clubs and show them your stuff. Now you’ve connected your crafts to you market. That’s how you can make consistent money.

Hope that makes sense!
References :

]]> By: Dave http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2/comment-page-1#comment-1018 Dave Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:32:59 +0000 http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2#comment-1018 I agree that Etsy is a good place to start selling arts and crafts. There's a built-in market and Etsy takes the hassle out of establishing an online storefront. Unfortunately, Etsy has gotten so big, sellers cannot rely on generic site traffic to make a living. Many sellers credit their participation in the Etsy forums for boosting their sales. That said, establishing a local, word-of-mouth following does wonders too. Don't neglect local craft fairs, farmer's markets and even local art galleries. Once you get some sales, and possibly regular clients, you can point them and their friends to your professional Etsy storefront. For specific directions for selling on Etsy, read the article below.<br><b>References : </b><br>"Work From Home Online: How to Sell Arts and Crafts on Esty.com" http://smallhomebusiness.suite101.com/article.cfm/work-from-home-online--how-to-sell-arts-and-crafts-on-etsycom I agree that Etsy is a good place to start selling arts and crafts. There’s a built-in market and Etsy takes the hassle out of establishing an online storefront. Unfortunately, Etsy has gotten so big, sellers cannot rely on generic site traffic to make a living. Many sellers credit their participation in the Etsy forums for boosting their sales.

That said, establishing a local, word-of-mouth following does wonders too. Don’t neglect local craft fairs, farmer’s markets and even local art galleries. Once you get some sales, and possibly regular clients, you can point them and their friends to your professional Etsy storefront.

For specific directions for selling on Etsy, read the article below.
References :
"Work From Home Online: How to Sell Arts and Crafts on Esty.com"
http://smallhomebusiness.suite101.com/article.cfm/work-from-home-online–how-to-sell-arts-and-crafts-on-etsycom

]]> By: Crystal Parrett http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2/comment-page-1#comment-1017 Crystal Parrett Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:07:59 +0000 http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2#comment-1017 For your crafts, there are people making money doing this, but there is also a lot of competition. I would start by looking at etsy.com, getting your products on there. The people I see having a lot of success selling their crafts are really using Facebook and Twitter to network and promote their products, so you might want to research how to use social networking to promote your business. You'll also probably want to create a website where people can see your products and get to know more about you. And you'll have to figure out how people will pay you for the items and how you'll ship them out. As for the photography, check out istockphoto.com. They purchase photos, and if you go to their website, you can see what's required to submit your photos to them. Good luck to you. Crystal Parrett http://myworkathomelife.com<br><b>References : </b><br> For your crafts, there are people making money doing this, but there is also a lot of competition. I would start by looking at etsy.com, getting your products on there. The people I see having a lot of success selling their crafts are really using Facebook and Twitter to network and promote their products, so you might want to research how to use social networking to promote your business.
You’ll also probably want to create a website where people can see your products and get to know more about you. And you’ll have to figure out how people will pay you for the items and how you’ll ship them out.
As for the photography, check out istockphoto.com. They purchase photos, and if you go to their website, you can see what’s required to submit your photos to them.

Good luck to you.

Crystal Parrett
http://myworkathomelife.com
References :

]]> By: justwondering http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2/comment-page-1#comment-1016 justwondering Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:40:59 +0000 http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2#comment-1016 You have to have a market for your products. Look around at your local craft fairs and see what sells. Crocheted poodles to cover a roll of toilet paper were once the rage. Sock monkeys were also. Your chance of generating interest in either product is slim so stick to what is popular in your area. Plan ahead and make holiday items for a fair in the future.<br><b>References : </b><br> You have to have a market for your products. Look around at your local craft fairs and see what sells. Crocheted poodles to cover a roll of toilet paper were once the rage. Sock monkeys were also. Your chance of generating interest in either product is slim so stick to what is popular in your area. Plan ahead and make holiday items for a fair in the future.
References :

]]> By: I Have A dream http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2/comment-page-1#comment-1015 I Have A dream Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:02:59 +0000 http://www.secretwishjar.com/crafts-cross-stitch/selling-crafts-for-a-living-2#comment-1015 u can do it !<br><b>References : </b><br> u can do it !
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