Etsy?

[Lil'Crocheter]

I was thinking about selling some crocheted and sewed things on etsy for a profit. Would you guys recommend it? Thanks in advance!

[Amy]

Please remember that Crochetville's guidelines only allow for discussion about selling finished items if you are: 1) using patterns of your own design; 2) using patterns that specifically grant permission to sell the finished items; or 3) have received permission from the designer/publisher to sell the finished items. In the case of #3, when discussing those particular patterns, please include a disclaimer that you have received written permission to sell your finished items.

 

As far as selling finished crocheted items on etsy, it can be very difficult to charge a price that will adequately compensate you for the time and materials invested in making the item. If you have something very unique to offer, you may be able to find a market for it, with customers who will pay you a decent hourly rate once you factor all your time in. Don't forget, there's not just the time spent crocheting: there's the time spent photographing the item, listing it, answering potential customer questions, shipping it out, handling all the paperwork, and so on. You have to factor all that into your pricing formula, too.

 

It's much easier to make a profit sewing, since you don't have the time investment of creating your fabric: it's already been made for you.

[annmcc1976]

adding to what amy has said,

 

You will need to find something that others do not offer, and offer a varity of things to see what sells and what don't. it's realy hit and miss. but its realy trial and error. that is what im discovering..

 

Etsy will may not make you enough to support yourslf on.. I only do it to make a little extra money for more craft suplies. it's meerly fun money for me.

 

also Go thru the Alchamy's look to see if you can make something from the list of people who are requesting things. this is a way to get your name out. It's what i do..

 

rite now i have 3 orders for items. but they are things i can have done in less then a day.. but i do search the Alm. page often and put in bids. and Hope i am selected.

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

I agree you have to really sell things for cheap to sell at all on Etsy. I make lots of toys because I love to so if I'm going to make them anyway it doesn't really matter how much I sell them for.Also you have to relist often which comes out of your profit it's not going to make you much $. Mostly for me it's just a little play money to buy things for my other hobby bjd doll collecting or birthdays etc...

[Lil'Crocheter]

Thanks for the help!

[RoseRed]

I was thinking about selling some crocheted and sewed things on etsy for a profit. Would you guys recommend it? Thanks in advance!

 

No, not really. It really is a lot of work and you need to post patterns or finished products and the very least ever other day if not every day to keep your name at the top.

 

You also need to keep creating things. Once everyone who is going to purchase an item or pattern has - they need something new.

 

I think my most productive month (and this was during a time that I was doing this way more than full time trying to get it started) I made a whole whopping $12 that month.

 

It's fun. Def give it a try. If you sell 1 item then all the fees and costs are made. It's cheap to sell there.

 

Good luck with it.

[Amy]

I agree you have to really sell things for cheap to sell at all on Etsy. I make lots of toys because I love to so if I'm going to make them anyway it doesn't really matter how much I sell them for.

 

I just want to break in to forestall any potential issues here before they get started. There are many crafters who use Etsy in a similar manner as above, as a way to make a little money. They aren't trying to run an actual profitable business. They're going to be crocheting things anyway, just because they like to crochet. If they can't use everything they make themselves, they may decide to sell things on Etsy. Since they aren't trying to make a profit, they may set prices low enough just to recover the cost of their materials so they can afford to go out and buy more materials for a new project once they are paid.

 

This is more "hobbyist" use of Etsy instead of real "business" use.

 

On the other hand, there are those crafters who are trying to use Etsy to run a profitable business. Understandably, these people don't like it when other Etsy users price their items very low, because it makes it very difficult for them to sell their items at a price point that will be profitable for them.

 

Currently, I don't believe Etsy has any guidelines/rules about how you must price your products. (But I don't go to Etsy that often, so please correct me if I'm wrong about this.) Since neither group is breaking any Etsy rules, both of these groups are free to use Etsy however they wish.

 

Understandably, the business-users often don't like what the hobbyist-users are doing. The hobbyist-users often don't understand why the business-users get upset with them. I don't want this thread to degenerate into an ugly argument between these two sides.

 

You're free to discuss the issues, and the pros and cons of each pricing methodology, as long as it is done in a manner that is respectful of everyone involved. Please remember that no one is deliberately trying to harm or injure another group; they're just doing what works best for them in their personal situation. Unless Etsy were to put changes in place, then it's okay under Etsy policies for them to do whatever they wish.

 

As more and more hobbyists make use of Etsy in this manner, we may find that more and more people who are trying to operate a profitable business leave Etsy for other venues.

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

I have low sales in my finished item shop I don't sell lots and lots of things because I really don't like to sell for such low prices.That being said if I kept everything I made I'd have a house full of toys So why not sell some. The truth is most people do sell crocheted items at lower prices on Etsy. There are some that put huge prices on things but they're usually big names who get a lot of word of mouth sales.I've never had anyone say anything to me negative about my low prices.On the other hand I've had people buy a pattern thinking it's the finished item for $4 and no shipping Yeh right

[Amy]

The truth is most people do sell crocheted items at lower prices on Etsy. There are some that put huge prices on things but they're usually big names who get a lot of word of mouth sales.I've never had anyone say anything to me negative about my low prices.

 

I'm glad that's been your experience! However, I've seen some knock-down drag-out fights on other sites with people-who-price-low vs. people-who-price-higher. I just don't want that to happen here.

 

Personally, I wish everybody could price their finished items so they could make a decent hourly rate for all the time they have invested in the items they make. I wish there was a large enough market for finished high-quality items just full of people willing and able to pay those prices.

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

I've had things sit in my shop forever with a higher price and eventually I have to mark them down. I do the best with custom orders some people get that it's all handmade 1 stitch at a time but others wants discount toy prices It stinks I wish it were different. Again though I'm selling toys and I know there are some that sell toys for less than me. I can think of one seller in particular that sells a lot at very low prices.As for afghans and such I have no clue what those sell for

[Lynn]

I agree - Selling on Etsy is fun but as others do, I sell because I would be overrun with little crocheted things if I didn't do SOMETHING! lol I have sold some things on Etsy that I thought would NEVER sell and other things that I'm sure will sell immediately sit there forever! Etsy is a hobby and I get enough sales to support my habit - buying more patterns and yarn! lol:hook

[gatesmarch]

Yeah I used to sell also and trade...

It is alot of work..

It is fun..

I priced things with a range of prices.

You can make up some bussiness cards to put out locally and add to the item,Hand made ones are nice.

Create a blog,add your site to facebook..

Marketing is key...

Just a few pointers...

[thepunkrockinchick]

If it were me, depending on your speed, I would sell sewn items. I can sew a lot quicker than I can crochet. My sewing skills are fairly limited though, so I don't even try going that route. People want to buy something that they either cannot make or do not have time to make, so keep that in mind.

 

I've seen some of the more established sellers sell their items for pretty high, but it's usually those who have written a really unique pattern or use skilled embroidery and seem as though they don't really want to do it, but if you're willing to pay the price...

[thepunkrockinchick]

adding to what amy has said,

 

You will need to find something that others do not offer, and offer a varity of things to see what sells and what don't. it's realy hit and miss. but its realy trial and error. that is what im discovering..

 

Etsy will may not make you enough to support yourslf on.. I only do it to make a little extra money for more craft suplies. it's meerly fun money for me.

 

also Go thru the Alchamy's look to see if you can make something from the list of people who are requesting things. this is a way to get your name out. It's what i do..

 

rite now i have 3 orders for items. but they are things i can have done in less then a day.. but i do search the Alm. page often and put in bids. and Hope i am selected.

 

I just looked at the alchemy page on Etsy and searched for crochet. Some of the prices people wanna pay! Some don't even cover supplies. I don't mean to sound rude, but wow. Amy is right, things like prices could start a war.

[s24cooper]

I sell on etsy and I find it tiresome and kinda makes you think your stuff is crappy. It can be a deterent for designers who are looking for some kind of start up. If you just want to play with the idea I'd say go for it but don't expect anything to happen quickly.

[RoseRed]

The best advice I have is to start a blog. The more followers you have the more sales you'll make.

 

I've neglected mine for months now and I let all the items in my Etsy store expire. It just wasn't fun anymore. I'll get back to it eventually. Probably.

 

I'm still coming up with lots of new stuff. I'm just tired of writing patterns. At some point I really should get back to posting pics too.

 

I think at this point - you're better off going with Ravely. I think a lot of people are just tired of etsy. I haven't - I have all my pics on photobucket and Rav uses flicker. Too many pics to move.

 

Just because something doesn't sell doesn't mean you're a crappy designer. You just need to advertise and get the items out there so people can see them.