When you run your own internet crafts business, you get all the benefits of being your own boss while profiting from a hobby you enjoy.  But naturally, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. Many artisans struggle for success in their home businesses, and listed below are a few helpful tips to aid you in running a profitable internet crafts business.

Selling Your Handmade Crafts, Where to Begin

There are a few ways you can go about selling your artwork online.  Your first option is to buy a URL and publish your own webpage. However, there are a few drawbacks to this choice. If you don’t know much about graphic design or webpage layout, setting up your own webpage can be challenging.  Furthermore, when you open your own URL, you have a Google page rank of 0, making it rather hard for craft buyers to find your webpage. Lastly, your new craft store is completely unknown to the public, so shoppers have no reason to trust your items or services.  Internet scams are everywhere, and customers have become wary of unfamiliar businesses.

If you don’t want to make your own site, you can always register on an internet trading website, such as eBay or Esty. These sites have a high page rank and offer security to buyers. However, both of these webpages charge a listing fee and take a portion of your profits, so there’s risk in listing on them. Many artisans who are just getting started in their internet businesses have a hard time selling right off the bat, and  you still have to pay site fees to both of these webpages regardless of if your products sell.

However, there are free listing sites which allow crafters to sell their handmade goods completely free of charge. With ArtFire.com, basic members pay no fees to list their handmade goods, and receive 100% of the revenue they earn in sales. This is probably the most risk-free choice to sell your handmade items online, and serious artisans should look into it.

How Much Should You Charge for Your Handmade Goods?

Since you’re selling your own artwork, the pricing of your products is completely up to you.   Realistically, low priced goods sell faster, but don’t price your goods too low—they’re your handmade crafts, after all. When pricing, think about the time you invested on that item, the cost of the materials used, and how the product would appear to an everyday internet costumer. If you’re having trouble picking the right price, try browsing similar goods listed online. If you’re having problems selling your crafts, you can always lower the price or put your products on sale.

Promoting your Craft Shop

One of the most important elements to selling online is getting your handmade goods noticed by the internet community. There’s a lot of competition in the craft marketplace, and you want your products to stand out from the rest.  Get the message out there; let people know you’re selling your handmade goods. Try listing your shop URL on any other sites or blogs you might manage as well in your email signature. There are dozens of places where you can add a link to your artisan shop, all you have to do is look!

Good luck artisans, and happy crafting!

-Sara

Check out the ArtFire Craft Marketplace and support the Handmade Movement!