How to Sell Handmade Crafts

Crafters sell in museum, hospital and corporate gift shops, as well as online and at craft fairs.

"Get Paid to Knit." That sounds like a dream job to some people. Actually, it is quite easy and possible to sell your home-knit products for a price that is deserving of all the time and love you put into them. You soon realize that there are plenty of options for you to sell your handmade crafts, from online stores to local farmers' markets.

Things You'll Need

• Merchandise
• Shipping boxes
• Tape
• Packing material

Instructions

1. Sell your crafts online. Sign up with a website that sells handmade goods and fill out the registration form. Registration is usually free. Photograph your items and write accurate descriptions of each. Websites vary, but most require you to upload a tite, description, photo, price, and shipping and handling fee for each item. Decide on a preferred payment method when you register. Also. create and upload keywords relating to your items so buyers can easily search for and find them.

2. Make a list of upcoming craft fairs. Check the "fairs" and "upcoming events" sections of your community newspapers, flyers and farmers' market bulletins for craft fair notices. Craft fair organizers sometimes look for sellers through media announcements.

3. Consider selling your items in gift and consignment shops. Make a list of shops to visit or call. Ask shop proprietors whether they accept handmade items and if they require a sales commission.

Tips & Warnings

• Church fairs; university campuses; and corporate, museum, hospital and airport gift shops are places to sell your handmade items. Other venues are florist and beauty shops, cookware stores and campgrounds.

• Keep plenty of shipping materials on hand. Once an online purchase is made, you must carefully pack and ship the item to the buyer. Place breakable goods inside sturdy boxes heavily lined with such packing materials as styrofoam "peanuts" or bubble wrap. Use the appropriate size box or container for shipping.

• Craft fairs require more inventory than online marketplaces. Make enough items to reasonably fill a booth, especially for two- or three-day events.

• Gift and consignment shops typically sell on commission, which reduces your earnings, so price your items with that in mind.

• Vendor websites typically have "one size fits all" pages for sellers to display their items and don't allow you to customize your pages.

• Item descriptions must be accurate and therefore satisfy customers' expectations. Online marketplaces often allow buyers to rate sellers and post those ratings on their sites. Dissatisfied customers can lower your ratings and future sales.

References

• "Entrepreneur"; How to Sell at Craft Fairs and Shows; Rosalind Resnick
• Craft Marketer; Where to sell crafts? Consider these often overlooked alternative markets...; James Dillehay