Craft Selling for Profit - Helpful Resources

A Beginner's Guide to Craft Selling

I have, recently, taken up stained glass painting.

I have painted numerous vases and candy/candle holders to sell.

I have yet to set up to sell them at a craft show, but hope to, in the near future. Would you suggest starting out by selling to the public, like through craft shows and as my business grows, possibly advertise via my own website?

Deborah

You don’t mention whether you have done any market research yet. However you decide to launch your products commercially, you must start with researching your market. That will not only tell you whether your product will sell but also at what price and, perhaps most importantly, whether that price will yield you an adequate profit.

Check out similar products in stores, catalogs and on the Internet. Craft selling may not seem like it, but it is marketing plain and simple and should be approached the same way any store does.

Show your products to friends and ask what they would expect to pay for them in a store. You’re not trying to sell to them (though that might actually happen - and wouldn’t that be a nice surprise as well as confirmation of your product’s commercial appeal!).

What you really want from friends is their honest feedback, even criticism.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you find that your market research actually pulls you into the right entry market for you.

For more detail on how to proceed, please read the For Profit articles on this website.

You will find a lot of information on craft selling and on starting and running a home business.

Please let me know how you do. Perhaps you can be one of our featured crafter’s success stories.

Good Luck.