HP3 does work experience as a trainee Lock Keeper ...... it doesn't really work outBut along similar lines, I'm looking for advice from some of you blogging shop keepers (do you see what I did there? Clever, huh?). Having been inspired by some of the home-made goodies I've bought recently, my mind has been wandering.
If someone was maybe possibly considering - at some point in the future - selling their ..... oh I don't know, let's say ..... monkey related products ..... what would be the best way to go about it?
Etsy? A shop on their blog? Ebay?
If anyone could give me any advice I'd be grateful ..... maybe along the lines of "Don't do it, it's never worth the stress and hassle", but even better would be "Do it - you'll be a millionaire by the end of the month!".
Some of the things rattling round my head currently are :-
PayPal ..... good or bad?
How do you put a price on your creations ..... hand-crafted goods take so much time and effort but that can't be reflected in the price .... can it?
Can my monkees really take over the world (mwah ha ha ha!) or should I just let them take over the house?
Any thoughts or advice would be gratefully accepted either in my comments or by email to monkeemaker@yahoo.co.uk but in the meantime, I'll leave you with this thought ......
Handbag sized monkey, anyone?
14 comments:
Don't know about blog shops (my blog never made it past two postings (too many lanky monkeys to knit!). Paypal always scares me but ninety gaziliion internetters probably are not wrong. Etsy is so vast that finding things is pretty random similar eBay (but my sister tells me I am really a luddite). However.....
setting up someway of selling your simian sidekicks sounds super (got to love a good bit of alliteration, huh!)
Good luck with whatever you choose, I'll be sure to follow.
Thanks trashalou .... now I'm intrigued and will have to google your two posts!
And all that alliteration so early in the morning? (here anyway - I'm impressed!)
trashalou put it perfectly - you should definitely market those mischeivous monkeys. I'm undecided on etsy - works well for some but the conversion to dollars scrambles my brain! I like listing things on my own blog but then things can get complicated there too. Paypal isn't the only way to get payment from overseas buyers but it is the most popular - I've not had any problems yet (touch wood). Anyway, the world is ready and waiting for those monkeys so whatever you decide you definitely should sell some!
I'm afraid I have no useful advice for you, being somewhat inadequate in such technological / entrepreneurial matters.
BUT, I would like to say - yay! to the idea of a monkey-related products shop :o) And I can offer my services as a potential customer if that would be of use?
VC x
I am all for turning craft into cash to fund more crafting/bananas/rain forest or whatever, so go for it. I'm also a Luddite when it comes to Pay Pal et al (plain and simple rhyme from me, non of the clever big word stuff...LOL)The only word of caution I can offer is that you check that your version of the simian is sufficiently different from the Sirdar version for them not to harrass you on a copyright issue.
I have been away and just caught up with your blog, Laugh...you split my sides, especially the waxing shots!!!
I would love you to sell your monkey goodies, I do not have a paypal account, I knew someone that had a real bad experience with it that put me off giving someone all my bank details!!! So this means I often just have to dream about the goodies I want as I can not buy them with out paypal...just a though that might or might not help...
Suzie
I don't have a shop but I spend lots of money at them...
1. Etsy good, Ebay bad. (I just never even look at Ebay anymore.)
2. Paypal is evil. Way too easy for me to spend my money. In fact, I only seem to be able to resist buying if I have to go get my actual credit card for the transaction. Obviously, if you open a store, you MUST us Paypal.
3. Blog shops? As long as they take Paypal, they work for me. :)
On the blog. On the blog. And give me first refusal! My 3 little bunnies need a primate in the stash basket. When will you start? Tomorrow? And I don't care how I pay - cheque, paypal, bananas, gold bullion....
I was a seller on Ebay for many years and while it's great for some things, handcrafted goods don't seem to do as well. Etsy is much better and while I still don't sell that much, I think it's cheaper to list on Etsy.
Someone gave me a good bit of advice for Etsy--don't wait until you have a load of stuff and put it up at once, instead list something new one day at a time. That way you are constantly rotating through the new items featured on the front page.
Paypal--I have had a merchant account with paypal for I think 8 years now and never had a problem. I think it increases your business because people can pay so quickly, also gets the impulse buyers
Cost--a quick easy rule is triple the cost of materials. Now, if you got a real bargain on supplies, that can be difficult, but it gives a good starting point. I find it difficult to put a value on my time, especially because I often work while watching television, or sitting on the porch while the kids play, or while my husband is driving. One thing I do find a bit difficult with pricing handcrafted goods--people who don't make their own things often don't understand how much it actually costs to make something. They don't realize how long it takes to knit a sweater, or how much good wool costs. They just know they could get one cheaper at Target. The people who do appreciate and understand the cost are the ones who are creating their own stuff, so they can just make it themselves, haha.
Still, it doesn't cost that much to list on Etsy, and it's easy to use--put some up and see how it goes! This is a good time, people are already thinking about Christmas shopping.
Yay to monkey sales! Can I have the handbag too - gorgeous! I use Paypal and it seems okay so far - but way to easy to spend money on crafty goods!
I don't have sell on Etsy, but Lordy, do I buy. And buy. And buy. And then I buy a little bit more. LET ME SHOW YOU MY STITCH MARKER COLLECTION!!!
I've been using Paypal for far too long and have never had any problems with them. Also, their head office is located directly across the street from where I work. If they give you any guff let me know and I'll go over and beat them into submission with a monkee.
Oh and Michaela doesn't really want right of first refusal, she was only kidding. Such a kidder, that Michaela. Give right of first refusal to ME.
Never sold anything on Etsy but bought quite some things there.
What I like about Etsy is that you can find really georgeous handmade stuff there AND pay with PayPal. So easy !
So if you need a testbuyer or so, don't hesitate to ask me for help.
Now look here April, I got in first... I bagsied first choice. Mine. All mine!
Your monkees are very cute and I long to know if you spell them that way because of the band.
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