Most experienced online sellers recommend starting to sell handcrafts on one of the big sites like etsy or Ebay or Bonanza, then later, after you develop a large following, setting up an independent site. Yes, you can make more money on each sale with your own personal online store but it is an enormous challenge to attract enough visitors and potential customers to your site to make a lot of sales.
If, however, you’re determined to set up an independent store check out Shopify.com, Bigcommerce.com, or Volusion.com. These three specialize in low-cost, turnkey e-commerce sites. They are easy-peasy to set up, no programming knowledge required. All you have to do is upload your photos and write a description. There are other sites, such as Weebly or Wix, that offer e-commerce, too. These days even WordPress.org has e-commerce sites.
What to say and show about your handcrafts
So here is how to get started: Before you list even one item you should comparison shop for similar items. Notice the styles, the sizes offered, the prices, the quality of the goods and any shipping charges. Then, take a careful look at their photos and the descriptions. This is your competition.
Your description should be very detailed including size or exact measurements, weight or washing instructions, if applicable, materials used, and color or colors available. You should also note if an item can be special ordered in a different color or size and how long it will take for a special order to be delivered.
It is always sad to see a handmade item listed for sale online with a murky, slightly out of focus photograph. So be sure to post only excellent, well-lighted photos of the items from all angles, especially from the front and the back. Show close-ups of all details. You want your customers to be happy, not disappointed, and eager to tell their friends about you and to order more. These days you can purchase a table-top photo studio for very little on Amazon. It gives you all the equipment to create professional quality images with your smart phone.
Promoting your handcrafted items online
Because the internet is so enormous now, becoming visible to potential customers is a major challenge. Obviously you are going to tell everyone you know that you have set up an online store to sell your handcrafts. Post your business card on local billboard. Hand your business card to everyone you know. To this promotional effort you should add tweeting on Twitter.com or posting on Instagram.com to attract more potential customers to your online shop. Do this at least once every day. You can also find people on the Fiverr.com site who will promote your new shop for $5 and $10.
Very important: keep an email list of every single customer so you can contact them with special offers or new product introductions. These people are going to be your best customers and repeat buyers. And they will recommend your handcrafts to their friends and family.
Good luck!
Work from Home Jobs for retirees start here
Visit my author’s site to see books I have published
