Do you have strong DIY expertise? Can you repurpose old clothes or convert some out-of-date items around the house into decorative items? Perhaps you have fine arts skills to make amazing art out of plastic and other craft supplies?

Many crafters produce amazing handmade items but do not know how to build a small business or even get their crafts to the handmade marketplace. If you want to sell your crafts, read on to learn how to start making a profit by selling your crafts online.

What Is Craft Making?

Craft making is categorized as any object that crafters produce and is usually handmade.

Some say that craft making is an expensive hobby, but you can make a lot of money in the handmade business industry if you have the talent, interest, and knowledge.

You could say all handmade goods are a great example of craft making. In reality, anything can be a handcrafted product. Common examples include beaded jewelry, recycled jewelry made of unconventional materials like seashells or copper, paper flowers, hand-knitted scarves, handmade cards, and even home décor items like candle holders, paper portraits, and so on. If it is a handmade item, it is a craft.

Craft making is a skill that is learned and honed over time, but it is a skill worth having. The craft business boasts a huge market as handmade products are in demand as an alternative to conventional decorative and handy objects.

How to Sell Your Crafts Online

Turning a passion into a hobby can be fun, but you won't make a profit unless you are willing to put in the hard yards. Here are some ideas of how and where to sell your crafts online.

  • Build a brand. As a new seller, the first step to build your brand is by connecting to a platform. By focusing on your brand image, you can showcase your style and what makes you unique. It also provides a platform for your customer base and potential customers to connect with you and share your work with others.
  • Choose a craft marketplace carefully. There are many options available where you can sell your handmade products. It is important to choose an online craft store that caters to your kind of craft. Find niche craft stores to sell on, if possible, instead of generic ones. In any case, your choice of a marketplace should be determined by the quality of buyers that visit the site, the fees you have to pay for product listing and commissions, shipping arrangements, and how quickly you receive your money after-sales.
  • Write stunning product listings. If you want to boost sales on sales crafts sites, devote time to write carefully worded listings. Include the keywords and search terms your customers will use when writing the item name and description.
  • Take high-quality product photos. Ensure to get high-resolution photos of your handmade products. Ensure your photos are shot at good angles and with proper lighting. Remember that potential customers won't have a chance to feel the crafts you sell online, so you need to convince them of the quality via photos.
  • Share your goods on social media. A key part of selling crafts online is consistent marketing. Social media marketing is a great way to showcase your goods. Don't be ashamed or afraid to post your products on social media profiles. It is free advertising, after all. Keep an active feed on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, etc., and remember to drive traffic to your online store via links and promotions.
  • Ask for reviews. Ask previous buyers to send you their reviews of your products. Positive reviews are great for convincing potential customers who might be unsure about the quality of your work. You can use any negative feedback from customers to improve your product. Either way, ensure you get those reviews.
  • Own a website. Having your own website is a great way to control the sale and marketing of your handmade items. The webshop is built and maintained by you, giving you absolute control when selling your products online. It is also a key part of building a brand.
  • Blog about your crafts. If you own a website, then you must have a blog. Blogging is a key strategy business owners use to attract traffic to their websites. Consider deploying SEO to make your blog stand out in search engines. As for topics, you could blog about your work processes, challenges or just educate your customers on your craft.
  • Drive organic traffic to your online shop. If you have an online shop, that's great, but the products in it will not sell themselves. You have to drive traffic to the shop. Attending craft fairs and craft shows is a great way to let people know you sell crafts online because you can direct people to your online shop.

Where are the Best Places to Sell Your Crafts Online?

  • Own website: Setting up your own website and integrating a payment platform like Paypal is simple. The advantage of selling your crafts on your own website or online shop is that you don't have to deal with retailers or customers directly. You also don't have to compete with other vendors, unlike when selling your goods on other marketplaces. Visitors to your website have only your products to choose from, and that can boost your online sales opportunities.
  • Etsy: Etsy is probably the biggest marketplace dedicated to unique, handcrafted, custom-made, and vintage items. It has a reputation for its ease-of-use, and it has a large ready-made market. For any crafter, it is great to become an Etsy seller or have an Etsy shop. But the downside is that there are many Etsy users, which makes the market competitive.
  • eBay: You can buy – and sell – just about anything on eBay. It is an online auction website and, depending on the item; you can list some items for free. Other items require a listing fee, and there are some extra fees payable, depending on the items' final price.
  • Facebook Marketplace: Facebook Marketplace is great for selling your crafts locally. You can easily reach people in your location, and the proximity of delivery cuts down (or eliminates) shipping fees, which may be attractive to potential buyers. It is also free to use.
  • ArtFire: ArtFire is a community of "independent shop owners offering unique handcrafted items''. You can sell anything from jewelry to furniture and more.
  • Amazon Handmade: Amazon handmade is a popular marketplace for crafters to sell their handmade crafts. Getting onto the platform is a competitive process. Artisans have to submit an application that will be screened to ensure the quality of the products they will bring to the platform. You must pay commission fees much higher than other handmade platforms – a 15% "referral fee" per transaction. Amazon does not charge a shop or listing fee.
  • Shopify: Unlike eBay and Etsy, which are marketplaces to buy and sell, Shopify only provides you with e-commerce tools to create your online store. Shopify can be an alternative to your own website as you can build your storefront using the e-commerce tools available, including a custom domain name.
  • iCraftGifts: This platform only deals in new handmade products, offers handmade jewelry, home décor accessories, and hand-knitted items, and has been around for the last 12 years. There is also an active and engaged community to walk with you through your journey of making and selling crafts online.
  • Aftcra: Aftcra is an online marketplace that allows you to set up a shop. Aftcra is very clear about what products are allowed on the platform: original handmade items, recycled products, prints, photographs, digital prints, and screen-printed goods. Vintage goods, manufactured products, and products not handcrafted in the USA are prohibited.

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Notice to the Reader

The content within this article is meant to be used as general guidelines and may not apply to your specific situation. Always consult with a professional Business or Sales Consultant to ensure you arrive at a good strategy to sell your craft.