Sell ​​handmade items online. Where to sell knitted products? Handmade stores in your city

• Choosing a niche for creativity
• Where to sell handicrafts

Handmade has become very popular in the last decade. Handmade products made in a single copy are in demand among buyers and cost much more than standard factory items. Let's look at where to sell handmade products, what handmade stores are, and what are the features of this type of income.

Which woman has not come up with a special product that you can make with your own hands? Almost all of us have ever made or dreamed of making ourselves a hairpin, jewelry or piece of clothing. Some knit blouses and scarves, some sew toys or make dolls, some come up with jewelry - from clay, leather, felt.
Only for most women this activity remains a hobby, while some seriously think about monetization. You can earn no less from handmade goods than from a regular office job.

There are more and more professionals in this field. And this is quite understandable.

Advantages of making money on handmade goods:

• doing what you love is more effective than working at a job you don't like
• complete creative freedom
• no bosses.
• you can work from home - it’s convenient and you don’t have to waste time on transportation
• the opportunity to independently choose how much time to work and how much to rest and create a suitable individual work schedule.

There are few disadvantages, and the main one is doubt: will I be able to sell my products?

The demand for hand-made products was, is and will always be. Things made in a factory and by hand differ from each other in about the same way as soup from a neighboring canteen and mother’s signature borscht. The only question is the quality of the finished “product”. How good is he?

You can start looking for an answer to this question with your acquaintances and friends - ask them to evaluate your masterpieces honestly, without discounting friendship. And if, having met you, your friends sincerely admire your new blouse or jewelry, and children jump up to the ceiling with joy after receiving a toy you made as a gift - then you definitely need to sell it!

Choosing a niche for creativity

Just a few years ago, the choice of a “creative path” was small. Most often it was about knitting, jewelry making, beadwork, wooden or forged products. Recently, the range has grown so much that it is even difficult to classify it. In order not to get confused, most often for classification they take such a convenient sign as the material with which the master works. It can be fabric or paper, stone or glass, thread or plastic, as well as the most unexpected materials such as nylon stockings, garbage bags or eggshells.

In addition, many names of new types of creativity are borrowed from other languages, and you won’t immediately understand what we’re talking about. For example, do you know what yarnbombing and kinusaig are? Carving and felting?

It definitely makes sense to study all the available types of hand-made creativity in order to decide what your soul is most drawn to. After all, there is no way without a soul in such a delicate matter. It is this that will make your products not only unique, but also attractive to other people.

Or maybe, after studying techniques from different directions, you will come up with your own, completely new idea. After all, life does not stand still. Sometimes she returns to old and long-forgotten technologies. And sometimes he takes a sharp turn forward, to completely new creative heights. Someone always comes up with something unusual. And you can become such an innovator.

Having decided on the type of creativity, you need to decide to whom you address your masterpieces. There are craftswomen who are excellent at making, for example, children's toys. This is their personality, filled with truly maternal love for children. Others are close to the leather and metal attributes of youth parties. The third is exquisite jewelry for infernal women. There are many options. Look for what is closest to you. Most likely, your future buyer is a person similar to you in age, gender, and hobbies. Although this is not at all necessary, and you just need to understand the interests and needs of your customers.

Now the only natural step left is to find out where to get these clients and how to actually sell your products to them.

Sale of handmade knitted products

There are a great variety of items that can be crocheted or knitted. From understandable hats and scarves to incomprehensible “mermaid tails”, from lace wedding dresses to simple nose warmers.

Undoubtedly, at first you tried to knit something “for yourself”. They redid it, improved it, “brought it to mind”... If in the end you liked it yourself - great! If others like it - great, you can accept orders. Let there be very few of them at first, the main thing is that they exist! Firstly, you receive moral satisfaction plus confirmation that people need your skills, and secondly, you immediately begin photographing products, collecting a catalog of products. It is advisable to always have these photographs with you in case you meet another potential client. You can download them to your phone, or you can print them out and carry around a small but neatly made photo album with images of the best examples of your creativity.

Where to sell handicrafts

It is logical to post these same photographs on all available Internet resources. These can be specialized sites (there is high traffic, but there is also a lot of competition), on a personal site (here you will be happily alone, but you will have to work on traffic). An important element of Internet marketing is social networks. Register with everyone you know! Especially those that are specific to your business. For example, Instagram is focused on photography. In our case, this is just perfect! Although VK, FB, and OK will do.

Pay attention to your account. Remove cats from your profile picture and trash from your wall. Put a decent photo of yourself on your avatar, and publish mostly posts related to your activities on the wall. Sometimes personal ones are possible, but this is optional.

In addition to your personal page, create a group on a social network and give it a suitable name. Invite friends, advertise your creativity, organize promotions and competitions.

If your “knitted thing” serves as part of your clothing or image, find a model that will decorate the composition. A beautiful, slender girl will make any – even the best – of your work more attractive.

And, of course, a good description of your proposal is necessary. Don’t think that if you post a photo of a knitted hat/dress/toy, everything will immediately become clear to the client without words! No. Words are needed, preferably of two types. First, they should be purely descriptive - material, dimensions, some characteristics. And then - emotional. This scarf is so thick that it will not let in the cold even in the most severe frost. And this blouse is so thin that it will highlight the beauty of your figure without showing anything unnecessary! A romantic name won’t be out of place (just don’t overdo it with romance). Just a shawl is one thing. And the shawl with the name “Morning of Aphrodite” is completely different.

Sale of handmade wood products

Handmade wood products also remain relevant. How many artificial alloys have been invented, but natural wood is still in price. Moreover, products made from it can be either very tiny (toys, jewelry) or large (stairs to private houses).

Main groups of wood products:

• furniture (stools, chairs, tables)
• children's games and toys
• decorations and small home furnishings (panels, carvings, key holders, wooden sculptures)

Methods of selling wood products depend on their specifics. Any handmade wooden items can be sold online, but for toys you need to create a group aimed at young parents and conduct an advertising campaign for them. Wooden interior items are mainly of interest to women aged 25 to 50 who are organizing a house or apartment, and wooden furniture is of interest to men and women who are moving to a new home.

You can sell products offline through stores in your city. To do this you will have to register as an individual entrepreneur.

Handmade leather goods: how and where to sell them

Another “ever fashionable” natural material is leather. Jewelry, bags, wardrobe items - they always look expensive and stylish. In addition, leather is distinguished by reliability and wear resistance.

Main groups of leather products:

• accessories (bracelets, beads)
• watch straps
• trouser belts
• wallets and bags
• cloth

Leather is purchased from factories in Russia or abroad. Different leathers are suitable for different types of products. The craftsman must understand the characteristics of the material and be able to choose the appropriate leather.

The easiest way is to start trading leather goods through friends, and then via the Internet, by creating a VKontakte group and an Instagram account. You will have to invest money in promotion, but in the first stages you can get by with very small expenses of a few thousand rubles. We'll talk more about selling handmade products on the Internet below.

Handmade wallets, bags, and bracelets are in demand: people take them for themselves and for gifts. If you make bags, then target a female audience; all other products are well suited for both men and women. The competition in this niche is not too high, so there are good opportunities for making money.

Another promising idea: buy watches (only the movement with the dial, without the belt) directly from the factory or from wholesalers, make belts for these watches and sell them at a large markup.

The advantage of leather is that you can emboss words on it - for example, the name of the birthday person or wishes to him.

You can also offer your leather goods in stores in your city, but the Internet is a more promising platform for sale.

Sale of handmade cards

And if you add a custom postcard to a designer leather product and congratulate the hero of the day/birthday, then you will definitely be remembered as an original and interesting person. Especially if part of the gift is the work of your own hands. You can learn more about making money on postcardsread here.

Selling handmade products online

You might be interested in: Growing mushrooms is a profitable home business!

If you are ready to put your work up for sale, then the first thing that will help you, of course, is the Internet. Everything that is said above in this article (in relation to knitting) also applies to other types of creativity.

The main methods of implementation on the Internet:

• specialized sites. Pros: You don’t have to do the selling yourself. Disadvantages - you need to pay the store for intermediary services, there is a lot of competition.
• personal website or blog. Pros - it will be only your resource, which no one will block or close. Cons - own websites work well only for well-promoted professionals who have clients.
• social networks with properly designed accounts and groups. The most accessible platform for sales is social networks, especially VKontakte and Instagram. Here you can create pages for your online store, add photos and attract customers. It’s easier to do this on social networks than on your own resource.

Just don't stop under any circumstances. Do this work constantly - add new photos and descriptions to them, tell stories about the topic, publish reviews, offer unusual ideas...

Tips for selling handmade items online:

1. Fast start. Don't skimp at the start. It’s difficult to promote a new group without any investment. Even with a small budget, spend at least 3-5 thousand rubles to get the first 100-1000 subscribers.
2. Guarantees. If the products may break/deteriorate, you must provide customers with a guarantee of free repair or replacement of the product.
3. Reviews. Be sure to collect feedback from your customers. The bigger, the better. Reviews are your best advertisement. Thanks to them, new customers will be able to trust you.
4. Payment. Payment for hand-made work should be decent and at the same time not too high. Analyze competitors, their prices and methods of work. Basically, hand-made artists work on an advance payment basis.
5. Delivery. Consider which regions and under what conditions you will deliver goods.
6. Raffles and prizes. Another popular way of promotion is to announce a drawing with a prize for your product.

Remember that first you work for a name and create your brand, then the brand will work for you. Don't chase super-high profits right away. Meet customers halfway if possible.

Shops selling handicrafts on the Internet

There are platforms on the Internet through which you can sell handmade products. The working conditions are different - in some places you need to buy a club card, in others you have to pay a percentage of sales.

Arts and crafts fairlivemaster is the largest platform for selling handmade goods in Russia. It is possible to post 3 works for free, then you need to buy a club card.

hand-made.ru– a popular platform for selling handmade goods. To sell, you need to register and create a store.

in-dee.ru– a platform without a subscription fee for opening a showroom. VK has its own proposal.

selio.ru– convenient free service. It is possible to design your own banner.

handmade-online.ru– a platform aimed at Moscow residents. The product for sale is transferred to the manager, who resolves all issues.

Foreign platforms for selling handicrafts

You can sell your goods not only in Russia, but all over the world. Foreigners are often attracted by Russian prices, even taking into account the cost of delivery, because in the West, hand-made goods are very expensive. Main sites:

etsy.com– a popular foreign platform. A bank card must be linked. There are banner placement options.

artfire.com– a platform with a well-growing audience. They charge a subscription fee.

spinbo.ru- is positioned as an international and multi-currency project. There is a website in Russian and English. There are opportunities for online promotion.

Foreign platforms give artists the opportunity to reach the international level and sell their works at very reasonable prices.

Online gift shops

In addition to your own groups and stores selling handmade goods on the Internet, you can find groups of handmade gifts and offer your products to them.

The advantages of such groups are a wide variety of products. Often buyers are looking for a beautiful gift, but don’t know what exactly they want. For this reason, such buyers will not look for gifts specifically in your group (leather, knitting, etc.), but after seeing photos of your products in the virtual gift store, they will want to buy them.

Handmade stores in your city

You can also successfully sell your products off the Internet. In every more or less large city there are shops that sell only hand-made goods. Agree with the owner of the establishment and start testing what is sold and how.

Most stores will not accept goods without an individual entrepreneur and a contract. Most often, such stores work for sales, that is, you receive money only for the goods actually sold.

Fair selling handicrafts

Find out about various Fairs held in your city and be sure to take part in them. Such events are regularly organized in major cities. Information can be found on the Internet, on city portals. At such fairs, a huge number of citizens will see you: old connections will be revived, new ones will appear. This is a good opportunity to introduce yourself in your hometown.

Handmade can become not only a hobby, but also a source of high, stable income. Do what you love, improve your skills, get promoted and get decent pay for your handmade products.

Are you doing what you love at home, but don’t yet know if you can make money from knitting? Or do you have a store on Esti, but sales are not going well? I think now is the time to get inspired by ideas that other sellers have already implemented.

Explanation of the article

In this article I have collected 100 ideas for knitting products. All of them are sold on Etsy and find their buyer (this is if you are wondering where you can sell handmade knitted items online).

There are obvious items on the list, for example, clothing. But there are also a lot of completely unexpected ones. At least I myself was often surprised when I found this or that product on Etsy.

For each type of product, I wrote down the level of competition and the average cost of the product, which the website helped me determine. Competition, in this case, is the number of listings offered by an Etsy search for the search phrase found.

I would like to note that many products can be described with different phrases. And therefore the number of “competitors” will also change and differ from my figures.

The average cost of goods is influenced by a large number of schemes/patterns, which cost 3-5 dollars, and finished goods can be valued at several tens or even hundreds of dollars.

What is the difference between crochet and knit

There are two types of requests in the selection of products: crochet and knit. The first option is crochet. The second is knitting. Both these and other products sell well on Etsy.

The selection most often shows the most popular knitting option for these products (based on the frequency of requests for the search phrase on Google).

How much can you earn selling knitted goods?

Let's look at a few successful Etsy shops and try to figure out how much they make from their knitted items.

VendulkaM is a store from the Czech Republic that sells knitted patterns/patterns. About 200 sales per month with an average price of goods of about 5.5 dollars. That's $1,100 a month.

BUBUCrochet is a store from Bulgaria. About 100 sales per month at an average price of about $20. In total, the store owner earns about $2,000 a month from knitting.

ReddApple is a store from Turkey. About 20-25 sales per month with an average price of goods of about $30 bring the store owner approximately $650-700 monthly.

Plexida is a store from Greece. About 20 sales per month. The goods are quite expensive, for example, $120, but there are also $40. If you imagine that the average price for a knitted item is about $60-70, then the profit per month is $1,200.

Already from the examples of these 4 stores, it is clear that with the help of Etsy you can earn large amounts of money by knitting at home (crochet and knitting), $500 per month or more. For Russia, for example, this is about 30,000 rubles. And for Ukraine - 13,000 hryvnia. And this is more than the average salary in most non-capital regions.

The main thing is to choose the direction of the goods. Let's see what they sell and how they make money on Etsy.

Don't have an Etsy store yet?

Get started with this site by reading the Etsy Seller's Handbook. Enter your email address - and within 30 seconds you will receive an introductory fragment of the book by email.

Cloth

1. Hats

Probably the most popular type of yarn products on Etsy.

Hats are sold in a variety of options: women's, men's, children's, babies, holiday, funny, with cartoon and movie characters.

Competition - 150,000 products. The average cost is $27.

2. Headbands

A small branch from the topic of hats. Competition for knitted headbands is much lower than for hats.

Competition - 25,000 products. The average cost is $17.

3. Gloves/mittens/mittens

Don’t think that mittens are worn only in cold countries, like Russia, Ukraine, etc.

Fingerless mittens/gloves are also very popular on Etsy.

Competition - 23,000 products. The average price is about $27.

4. Scarf

Scarves, like hats, are extremely popular on Etsy. In addition, scarves can be not only warm, but also decorative.

Competition - 100,000 products. The average cost is $40.

5. Snood

A scarf-tube or a scarf-collar - snood is not losing popularity.

Competition - 6,000 products. The average cost is $37.

6. Shawl

This knitted scarf can warm you up not only on winter evenings, but also in unpredictable summer weather.

Competition - 30,000 products. The average cost is $77.

7. Socks

Despite the fact that socks are both clothing and shoes, this accessory is worn by everyone - both big and small, both women and men.

Competition - 30,000 products. The average cost is $30.

8. Knee socks

But knee socks, compared to socks, are predominantly a female wardrobe attribute. Although in the modern world one cannot be so sure and exclude men from the number of owners of this item of clothing.

Competition - 2,000 products. The average cost is $45.

9. House slippers

House slippers can be an ideal gift for any occasion, don’t you agree?

Competition - 10,000 products. The average cost is $28.

10. Dresses

Competition - 45,000 products. The average cost is $125.

11. Wedding dresses

Competition - 2,500 products. The average cost is $270.

12. Pants

Did you know that leggings, leggings and pants can be not only knitted, but also knitted?

Competition - 15,500 products. The average cost is $37.

13. Swimwear/bikinis

Despite the fact that knitted swimsuits have proven themselves for a very long time, it is still not often possible to meet girls in this “outfit” on the beach.

Competition - 15,000 products. The average cost of a set is $50-60.

14. Sweatshirts

Competition - 22,000 products. The average cost is $60.

15. Skirts

Competition - 13,000 products. The average cost is $65.

16. Vests

Competition - 13,000 products. The average cost is $50.

17. Cardigan

Warm, large and cozy, a cardigan differs from a poncho in its design, although their purpose is approximately the same.

Competition - 40,000 products. The average cost is $125.

18. Poncho

Competition - 11,000 products. The average cost is $80.

19. Shorts

Knitted shorts can be either warm for autumn or winter. And openwork - for the summer, crocheted, for example.

Competition - 18,000 products. The average cost is $37.

20. T-shirts

Competition - 8,000 products. The average cost is $37.

21. Crop tops

Competition - 5,000 products. The average cost is $32.

22. Underwear

No, no, not a swimsuit, but underwear.

Competition - 4,000 products. The average cost is $30.

23. Tunic

Option for the beach or for hot summer walks.

Competition - 9,000 products. The average cost is $75.

24. Booties

Competition - 14,000 products. The average cost is $18.

25. Diaper panties

I thought for a long time about what to call this type of product. Either a cover or clothes for diapers. In the end I settled on this option.

Competition - 3,000 products. The average cost is $23.

26. Kippah/yarmulke

Traditional Jewish men's headdress.

Competition - 300 products. The average cost is $22.

27. Collar

Competition - 10,000 products. The average cost is $22.

28. Boot tops

Roughly speaking, a cuff that is worn on the legs.

Competition - 4,500 products. The average cost is $18.

Accessories

29. Bags

Large and small, over the shoulder and purses.

Competition - 19,000 products. The average cost is $50.

30. Backpacks

Competition - 1,300 products. The average cost is $45.

31. Yoga Mat Bag

Considering that yoga accessories are now more popular than ever, I think a mat cover will be very popular.

Competition - 160 products. The average cost is $30.

32. Wallet

Competition - 7,500 products. The average cost is $15.

33. Jewelry (earrings, bracelets, necklaces)

Competition - 110,000 products. The average cost is $35.

34. Tie

Yes, yes, who would have thought that they even knit ties!

Competition - 9,000 products. The average cost is $20.

35. Bow tie

Competition - 2,500 products. The average cost is $13.

36. Belts

Competition - 3,000 products. The average cost is $20.

37.

Competition - 2,200 products. The average cost is $16.

Things for the home

38. Blankets

Competition - 30,000 products. The average cost is $96.

39. Blankets for child car seats/chairs

40. Carpets/rugs

Competition - 3,700 products. The average cost is $100.

41. Mug holders

Competition - 2,200 products. The average cost is $11.

42. Clothes for the teapot/teapot

Competition - 3,500 products. The average cost is $22.

43. Hot pads/potholders

Competition - 800 products. The average cost is $13.

44. Napkins/plate coasters

Competition - 350 products. The average cost is $22.

45. Cosmetic bags

Competition - 3,000 products. The average cost is $25.

46. ​​Covers for chair legs

Competition - 60 products. The average cost is $13.

47. Ottomans

Competition - 800 products. The average cost is $95.

48. Pillowcases

Competition - 800 products. The average cost is $45.

49. Kitchen towels

Competition - 5,000 products. The average cost is $11.

50. Napkin holder

Competition - 200 products. The average cost is $13.

51. Afghan blankets

Competition - 9,500 products. The average cost is $90.

52. Curtains

Competition - 2,500 products. The average cost is $60.

53. Toilet cover

Competition - 200 products. The average cost is $16.

Decor

54. Paintings

Competition - 3,300 products. The average cost is $55.

55. Wall decor

Competition - 5,500 products. The average cost is $40.

56.

Competition - 6,000 products. The average cost is $16.

57. Garlands

Competition - 3,200 products. The average cost is $20.

58. Lamps

Competition - 800 products. The average cost is $40.

59. Mandalas

Competition - 3,000 products. The average cost is $35.

60. Portraits

Competition - 500 products. The average cost is $100.

61. Dream catchers

Competition - 3,000 products. The average cost is $40.

Miscellaneous

62. Hair clips

Competition - 6,300 products. The average cost is $10.

63. Soft toys

Competition - 96,000 products. The average cost is $22.

64. Rattles

Competition - 3,500 products. The average cost is $18.

65. Beard

Competition - 400 products. The average cost is $24.

66. Dolls

Competition - 31,000 products. The average cost is $28.

67. Clothes for dogs

Competition - 2,000 products. The average cost is $22.

68.

Competition - 360 products. The average cost is $20.

69.

Competition - 900 products. The average cost is $43.

70. Bookmarks

Competition - 2,600 products. The average cost is $7.

71. Mermaid tail

Competition - 700 products. The average cost is $43.

72.

Competition - 120 products. The average cost is $9.

73. Flowers

Competition - 96,000 products. The average cost is $25.

74. Bouquets

Competition - 1,500 products. The average cost is $35.

75. Letters

Competition - 600 products. The average cost is $12.

76. Names

Competition - 1,800 products. The average cost is $28.

Greetings! Today I want to raise the issue sales of handicrafts, which interests many needlewomen. How to offer your handmade products for sale? Or more precisely, how to sell them online?

I don’t set myself the goal of giving specific answers, because the topic is voluminous. I will try to present my personal vision of what can be done to make sales “take off.” Essentially, this will be a generalized answer to various questions that I periodically receive in personal messages from those who do needlework and are thinking about ways to implement it.

Today we will talk about online sales. They have some features. Selling through online resources is more difficult and requires considerable skills from the needlewoman. And both psychological and practical.

There is no strict sequence in the presentation. If you have any questions, ask in the comments, we’ll figure it out together.

For details about the ways in which you can sell on the Internet, please read the article.

One of the first places is, of course, occupied by the Fair of Masters (YM). This is a well-known Russian portal where you can sell only handicrafts. I'll start with him.

The first is adding new works

People often ask how to exhibit products at the Fair, is there any sequence, what quantity is best to start with, how to pay for the Club Card, how much does it cost, etc. I answered these questions in detail in a special section dedicated to this topic.

Reference

I'll add one important aspect. When you start exhibiting your works in YAM, place them on the shelves one at a time, i.e. not all in bulk, but for example, one per day. What does this give?

When we add a new work, it is visible on the main page in the section to which it belongs. Let’s say scarves are in the “Accessories” section.

Every minute dozens of products are exhibited in the same category. And people, as a rule, look only at the first, or at best, the first two or three pages. Therefore, if you publish all your products at once, one by one, within a few hours, they will be visible to potential buyers for a short time. Because after a short time they will move down and then “go away” to the next pages. And their place will be taken by new works by other craftswomen.

When I opened the store, I didn’t know these useful “little things”. Gradually I processed the photographs as best I could and thought through the texts. In the fall I noticed that there are significantly more views and purchases after you display the product. Those. Around November, when the store was 100 full and I stopped adding items to the shelves daily, traffic in the store dropped dramatically. Fortunately, at this time we were already actively selling our knitted hats in other ways, so psychologically it did not “hit” too much. But I remember this unpleasant moment. Therefore, I started with this.

Do you understand what we're talking about? It’s better not to try to fill the store at once, but to add one product every day. Thus, constantly remaining in sight of site visitors, increasing the likelihood of views and purchases/orders of your handicrafts.

Then, over a certain period of time, buyers will come to you. And, even if they don’t buy it right away, they will know about you as a master. Let's look at this in more detail below.

Second - recognition

Another point that a beginner has to overcome is the psychological barrier of buyers. After all, we ourselves unconsciously trust more what seems familiar to us. For example, if we hear a persistent advertisement, then we are internally ready to purchase the product offered.

And in online sales, there is already a reasonable fear among buyers of not falling into a trap and giving away money irrevocably.

Therefore, I tried to post my works wherever possible - on my pages on social networks, in the photo gallery of the business card site on the Subscribe platform, on forums, etc.

Now, in those cases when I feel the buyer’s doubt, I write that it is enough to type my first and last name on the Internet, you will immediately see complete information about me.

And you can see that I am a very real person, with my own world of acquaintances and friends.

Which many people know, and which will not disappear with your money, but will fulfill the order in good faith, with high quality and on time, i.e. I diligently strive for recognition of myself and my products. I will return to this issue below.

And now I want to add a few words about how to make yourself recognizable on YAM. I usually recommend filling out all sections in the store, including information about yourself, purchase/sale rules, payment forms, etc.

. Let's put ourselves in the shoes of a potential buyer.

A person sees a product, is ready to buy, comes to the master’s page, and goes to “Profile”. And here - not a single word is written about who this person is, why he took up handicrafts, where he lives, etc. Sighing, he goes to the “Rules” section - and it’s quiet here, no conditions, no information on how to pay, what payment methods are accepted . He returns to the work page, and again sees only a meager short text.

Of course, if the buyer is very persistent, stubborn, stubborn, if she really liked your model, she will contact you personally, ask a lot of questions, extract from you all the information she needs, and buy what she wants.

But we must take into account that the Internet develops certain habits in us. Many people find it easier to quickly switch to another store rather than wait for a response. Moreover, there is a huge selection at YaMasters.

Third - seasonality of sales

Another important point of sales is their seasonality. Keep in mind that sales have been active since the fall. Of course, I didn’t do any special research, didn’t find out what it was connected with, etc. I just took note.

Therefore, if you opened your store, for example, in May, and there are no customers at all, although you have completed all the settings, and beautifully processed the photos, and described everything in detail to yourself, do not rush to blame yourself and your work.

The reason may be completely banal - you opened at a time when many (and maybe all) are experiencing an objective decline in sales. It's summer, people are on vacation, busy with a well-deserved rest (happy...). The next point smoothly “follows” from this situation.

Fourth - sell wherever you can

Returning to the topic of “12 ways of selling”, I want to say that sometimes you can sell regardless of the season, recognition, etc. things. Don’t get hung up on one sales platform, like the Fair.

Be active, try to show your products wherever you can.

For example, make collections at the Fair. Organize sweepstakes or competitions in Liru. Offer descriptions or MKs on your social network pages. In general, attract attention to yourself. Remember how we already talked about recognition above? This is what we're talking about.

It sounds trivial, but it is simple activity that gives good results over time. Let's say this summer we had orders for cotton hats, although I assumed that there would be complete silence in terms of orders. And now orders often come from completely different places - they write on social networks, in private messages.

Fifth - different product descriptions

But, very soon I realized that the best result comes if you write, focusing directly on the platform where the work is exhibited.

• Let’s say that in the YAM Shop, most often I describe in great detail the product/product offered, sometimes with a short excursion into history (where the leggings come from, or what the name “mitts” means, etc.). I always write about the quality of the threads: is it not prickly, how does it hold up in washing, that the hat or scarf won’t stretch.
• Now I try to write on Avito briefly, simply, clearly, without any lyrical “deviations”: what kind of product is it, what is it made of, what kind of discount might there be, when can I call, etc.
• On social networks (in groups for selling handicrafts, in my album) I generally stopped providing additional links to the store, writing in detail about quality, etc. I only post photos. Those who like it ask in the comments, and more often in DMs. That is, I didn’t notice any progression in sales from the fact that I spent a lot of time on detailed descriptions.

Sixth - tag your work, or once again about brand promotion

I made it a rule to make a transparent inscription on each photo of my work. On each! No matter where I display it. For the inscription I use the store’s email address, my nickname (Vagasa) or first/last name.

Why am I doing this? Any image is indexed by a search robot, as is the entire page with the product. And it will appear on the Internet, anywhere. Below is a photo of some of the photographs of my knitted items, which can be found in a Google search engine. In the first months there were only 4-5 of them.

As a result, you may be contacted with an order/purchase even when you have sold these works for a long time.

This is why online sales are profitable: all you need to do is design a photo of your product and a page with it well once, and the project is “launched”, time is on your side.

For those who have difficulty processing photographs of works, I have made a separate section with lessons about this: , .

In addition, Yam has a special function where when adding an image you can check the box next to “Add watermark”.

Seventh - patience

The “big secret” to successful sales is that it takes a lot of patience.

After all, we do not have the financial opportunity to promote a super-advertising campaign that will immediately inform the world about the emergence of a new cool handicraft master. This means you have to work and wait patiently for the first sales to come.

• Patiently negotiate with the buyer, answer questions, sometimes “extract” information from “guerrilla” buyers about when they will be able to make payment, why they stopped communicating, whether they have changed their mind about placing an order, etc.
• Calmly wait for the answer about receiving the product. Don't be offended if a person doesn't want to leave a review for a purchase.
• Persevere in the difficult work of processing photographs and writing announcements.
• React with restraint to unceremoniously aggressive attacks from those who have never even held knitting needles in their hands, but “know” exactly what your designer model should look like))

And much more. Just remember that this is a natural, transitional period from inability to mastery, from timidity and fear to confidence and success!

And then everything will definitely work out. And sales will be great, and there will be no end to orders/purchases. You just have to wait a little, working, working, working...

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In conclusion, I want to return to where I started.

Sales, even the sale of factory products, is a difficult thing in itself. It is no coincidence that such huge sums are spent on advertising, etc. Just imagine how many people of different professions are involved in the same process: sellers (consultants), advertisers, owners of (private) companies or production managers, loaders, etc. And everyone of them receives a salary (or profit) for performing only his duties.

We, needlewomen, have to combine almost a dozen professions. Many of whom have to learn on the go, in the process, on their own, using online lessons. And, in addition,

Osinka is the largest handicraft resource on the Runet. We owe this, first of all, to the huge number of wonderful masters who have gathered on our forum. We are very proud of our masters and would really like, in turn, to be useful to them - not only as a club where you can communicate with colleagues and like-minded people; but also as a platform where you can put up your wonderful works for sale.

For this purpose, we have created a section where each master can start his own personal topic, offer his services or put up his original works for sale. We provide artists with this opportunity completely free of charge - there is no need to pay anything, regardless of the number of works exhibited or sold, or the time of existence of the author's theme, or anything else.

To help artists who offer their work for sale on our forum, we have prepared some useful tips. These recommendations are based on experience with many large and small resources where you can buy handmade products. as well as through surveys of a certain group of people who have experience purchasing handmade products on the Internet.

Photo

Product photo is the most important factor, which determines whether a potential buyer will like the item or whether anyone will want to buy it at all. It is clear that it is better to be healthy but rich than poor but sick - ideally it would be good for the photos to be professional. But in reality, not every master has the opportunity to take studio photos of his work using the services of professional models and a photographer. It's OK! Believe me, you can take quite convincing photos yourself - you just need to take a number of points into account.

We cannot influence how the user’s monitor is configured, what color rendering it has, brightness, etc. But we can ensure that the photo conveys the color and texture of the product as close to the truth as possible - for this it is better to photograph the thing in daylight rather than in artificial light; outdoors, not indoors; without using flash.

When it comes to clothes, of course, they look best on a model. Surely there will be a nice person in your circle - a friend, sister, daughter, husband, brother... - who will be happy to serve as your model if for some reason you cannot demonstrate your creation on yourself. Things look very good on a mannequin too.

An object photographed on a hanger or simply laid out on a sofa obviously loses - unless, of course, it is a shawl or scarf, for which the fit, cut lines, etc. do not matter. In the most extreme case, of course, you can photograph the unfolded item - but then you need to pay close attention to the background and surroundings. For example, an item whose background is a motley bedspread or carpet is lost, its color and texture are obscured by the motley background.

In addition to the photo showing the general appearance of the product, it is very useful to take several close-up photos showing texture of the product, technological components - seams, fasteners, loops... maybe even the wrong side. Remember what we look for when we look at an item in a real store! All this is of interest to the online buyer.

When photographing jewelry, a handbag, or some other accessory, it is very important to be able to make it clear true size of the object. All these questions, again, are removed if there is a photo of the model - a brooch on the lapel of a jacket, earrings in her ears, a ring on her finger, a handbag in her hands or on her shoulder.

However, there are ways to solve this problem without involving a model - for example, if next to the product for scale There will be some thing lying around, the size of which is clear to everyone. And it’s better if it’s not a matchbox! A beautiful apple, a few candies in gold wrappers, an elegant tube of lipstick - you can create an endless number of wonderful compositions in accordance with the individual image of your item.

Introducing a accessory or piece of furniture, there is no way we can get by with just one frame. First, it is necessary to present the general appearance of the product. Secondly, a close-up that allows you to see the texture of the thing. Thirdly, if our object is functional - it has fasteners, locks, fastenings, etc. - it’s better to show all this large too.

For example, the general appearance of a knitted handbag can be absolutely charming - but a person who is interested in it will definitely have a question - what is inside it?.. what is the lining, how is it sewn, are there pockets and compartments?.. is it deformed? this handbag, having lost all its beauty, when it contains a mobile phone, wallet and keys?.. Don’t leave a potential buyer in the dark! Show him your product from all sides, in all its details and in all its glory.

NB! At the end of the topic you will find educational examples of photographs, which we conventionally called. This series of photographs was made specifically for this publication based on the most unsuccessful photo presentations of author's works on the Internet.

Price

Another key point. Of course, each master determines the price of his product himself! Authors who already have experience selling successfully online probably don't need advice on this topic.
And for those just starting out on this path, it might be helpful to know that many of the people we surveyed definitely said they preferred immediately see the price of the product. Indeed, in a regular store we see the price right away. Some also said that they simply would not contact the artist to find out the price, even if they really liked the item itself, but would prefer to look for something else where the price would be announced right away. But there are also potential buyers who express their willingness to discuss the price with the author if they really like the product.

Determine and set an adequate price, which would satisfy the author and not scare away the buyer, is not at all easy, especially when it comes to handmade, unique products, often made using proprietary technologies and in a single copy or limited edition. We have several topics on our forum dedicated to this issue - perhaps they will help you decide.

In any case, you should not set a price that is obviously low - people have the idea that an original work, by definition, cannot be too cheap, and too low does not encourage them to buy, but, on the contrary, arouses suspicion - This means something This is not right... there's something wrong here! And on the Internet, when the buyer does not hold this thing in his hands and, accordingly, does not have the opportunity to directly verify that everything is in order, he will most likely simply leave this page.

At the same time, there is also an upper threshold - you should not set the price too high, citing the uniqueness of the author's work. Don't forget that today's buyer is spoiled for choice. The logo or name of a famous designer, even if there is a clear Chinese accent in it, can influence a potential buyer’s decision not in favor of the designer’s product, especially if the price shocks him. Equal respect for yourself, your work and the potential buyer will help you make the right decision and set a truly adequate price.

Description

No matter how good the photo of your product is, be sure to accompany it with at least a short description. Remember, before we buy a thing in a real store, we will definitely ask to see it, take it out of the window, hold it in our hands, try how it feels to the touch... this is what largely determines our decision. This is precisely the opportunity that potential buyers of your original work on the Internet are deprived of.

It is in our power to partially compensate for this damage with the help of informative description, indicating as specifically as possible the dimensions of the item... the composition of the yarn or fabric... describing the individual characteristics - for example, the yarn in a knitted product is very delicate to the touch... or, on the contrary, it is a little itchy - the product is not intended to be worn on a naked body... designer earrings, despite their size is rather large, very light, like all products made from polymer clay... etc.

As you know, talented people are talented in everything! All masters are, by definition, creative people, so sometimes they accompany their work with real poetic works. It is quite possible that one of the potential buyers will be interested in the creative process, the rich inner world of the author and his literary work! But, since our main task is to sell a handmade product, we should not forget that most potential buyers just want to buy it. Agree, few of us would like it if in a real store, along with the product that interested us, we had to listen to the poetic exercises of the person on the other side of the counter! It is likely that this could simply scare us away, force us to go somewhere else - fortunately, now we have a choice.

Of course, an original, unique product also requires an original presentation! For example, most people like it when an author’s work has a name - not just a knitted handbag, but a knitted handbag “Lilac Fog”, etc. Since this object exists in the world in a single copy, it is unique - it is logical for it to have its own name. For a potential buyer, this enhances the pleasant feeling that he can become the owner of a completely unique designer item, with his own individual face and character.

In order for your original work to please its owner for a long time, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises and disappointments, do not be lazy to provide it with such recommendations. What seems quite obvious to you may not even occur to the buyer - as a result of improper washing, a knitted product may shrink or lose shape, etc.

Payment and delivery methods

The Internet is a territory that knows no state borders or distances. This, of course, is very pleasant, as it significantly expands the audience of potential buyers! But in reality, no one abolished borders, distances, or different currencies. So that all this does not become an annoying obstacle to the sale of an original product, does not lead to mutual disappointment and does not leave a negative impression, it is enough to think through once and clearly state the terms of payment and delivery methods that you can offer to your buyer.

There are many payment methods:

• C.O.D
• Transfer money to a bank account
• Payment using electronic payment systems
• Making a payment to your mobile phone
• Transfer money by mail
• Cash payment upon delivery of the product

Which one to choose is up to you, it depends on many factors - are you ready to send your work to other cities and countries or are you limited to your locality; how much does your product cost? how convenient it is for shipping, etc. Consider these options in advance, find out about them in detail.

For example, when receiving a parcel by cash on delivery, your buyer will pay not only the cost of the product, but also the cost of postal services - the amount of this amount will depend on the distance and type of postal item, but in any case the amount will be quite significant. When transferring money to your account, the buyer will also be charged a certain amount for banking services. This amount is a certain percentage of the transferred amount, so the more expensive your work, the more the buyer will pay extra.

As a rule, a potential buyer does not object to this, the main thing is that the news that in fact he will have to pay not the amount he expected, but more, does not take him by surprise! Do not be lazy to make detailed inquiries at the post office, bank branch, etc., in order to clearly and clearly explain to the buyer the payment methods and all the conditions in advance.

Gather information about how much effort it will take for you to ship the product to another country. In some countries, parcels are accepted at every post office, but sometimes you will have to go to the central or international post office. Evaluate the time required and whether it is appropriate for your specific situation.

In any case, the general opinion of those surveyed is that any delivery and payment methods themselves, including overhead postal or bank charges, do not cause rejection and do not force one to refuse a purchase. The main thing is that the buyer does not have to think about it himself, and that he is fully aware of all the conditions in advance.

Presentation of your creativity and communication with customers

Presenting your creativity in its entirety significantly increases the master’s rating. If a potential buyer has the opportunity to see not only the work that is directly put up for sale, but also all the other works of the author... to get a general idea of ​​the individual style and handwriting... to get to know the artist personally... this undoubtedly contributes to sales.

At the same time, clutter up with informal communication, an archive of works, etc. It’s still not advisable to have your own theme in the section - such a theme works most effectively as a showcase if it directly displays the author’s products offered for sale.

Nowadays, many artists maintain their own blogs, have personal websites, home pages or galleries on photo hosting sites. In our own topic offering services or selling products, we provide the opportunity to provide a link to your resource. And there, in turn, you can place a link to the author’s topic.

Communication with the buyer is an important part of the sales process. Thanks to the right tone of communication, an interested user may become your buyer; and a person who once bought your designer product will become a regular customer and a good friend. The value of an author’s product lies precisely in its uniqueness, in the fact that it retains the warmth of the master’s hands, his kind view of the world, his creative individuality! The friendly and trusting communication that arises between the master and the buyer of his work corresponds to this perfectly.

Marketing gurus say that the main profit comes from regular customers. Therefore, it is in our interests to do everything so that, once having purchased your designer product, the buyer wants to return to you, i.e. moved into the same category of regular customers. Of course, the main role in this is played by the quality of your product and its reasonable price, but the correct presentation of your craft and well-built relationships with the buyer are also of great importance.

“Where to sell knitted products?” - a question that worries many knitters! It's no secret that many would like to make money from their favorite hobby, rather than go to a hated job in order to provide for themselves and their family!

This article is dedicated to those who know how to make unique and original products with their own hands, in which we recall and systematize point by point the main possible places for selling handmade goods. Let's get started!

Option 1: Selling works among friends and acquaintances. The simplest and most common method, which has only one but... For their acquaintances and friends, many knitters set low prices for their work - these are friends, how can you sell them at high prices!? Appreciate your work, dear knitters!

Option 2: The same sales among acquaintances and friends, but using the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki. Register, create a group about knitting, add as many participants as possible and post photos of your work with a description, price and order conditions.

Option 3: You can submit your works for sale to handmade stores. These stores work on the commission principle: you sign an agreement, leave your products and after a couple of weeks you collect the money;)

Option 4: Selling your products through fairs. There are two types of fairs: online and in the real world! If fairs in real life can be problematic, in the sense that you need to set aside time, pay a lot of money for the table, and besides, you need to be able to sell, which not everyone can do! With craftsmen's fairs on the Internet, everything is a little simpler: most often the account is free, or, as in the case of the most popular Masters' Fair, it is inexpensive. You post photos of your work with a description and conditions of work and wait for sales, of course, at the same time replenishing your assortment)

Option 5: There are also many message boards on the Internet where you can advertise knitting to order with your contact information or, again, post photos of finished work.

Option 6: Auctions are the same bulletin boards, but with their own rules. Upload photos of the finished work and carefully monitor the progress of the auction. Never put up the same lot at several auctions - you may lose your reputation))

Option 7: And finally! Knitters and webmasters have the opportunity to sell their products through their own online store. For example, WordPress has special plugins for creating online stores - cheap and convenient, considering that WordPress is a completely free platform!

Let’s sum it up: “water doesn’t flow under a lying stone,” or in other words, you can always find options, if you have the desire!