The Everything Guide to Selling Arts & Crafts Online: How to sell on Etsy, eBay, your storefront, and everywhere else online

349 Pages·2013·11 MB·English

by  Kim Solga

THE
GUIDE TO
SELLING
ARTS & CRAFTS
ONLINE
How to sell on Etsy, eBay, your storefront, and everywhere else online
Kim Solga
Avon, Massachusetts
To Steve for his support, ideas, and dining room table space.
Contents
The Top 10 Habits of Successful Online Entrepreneurs
Introduction
The Possibilities
Seller Success Stories
Selling Online: Is It Right for You?
Using Your Skills
Developing Your Product Line
Successful Online Arts and Crafts
Your Primary Product
The More (Products) the Merrier
Market Research: What Do the People Want?
Words of Wisdom
The Bottom Line
Setting Up Your Workspace
Studio Space and More
A Place to Do Your Artwork
An Office Space for Your Computer and Files
Ideas for an Amazing Office Space
Your Photography Studio
Safe, Secure Storage
Taking Your Work Seriously
What to Do First
Legal Matters
Registering Your Business
Protecting Your Intellectual Property
Working Out of Your Home
Accounting Lets You Follow the Money
Inventory
Take Yourself Seriously!
Writing a Great Business Plan
Do You Need to Write a Business Plan?
Parts of a Business Plan
Market Analysis
Organization and Management
Your Twelve Monthly Landmarks
Which Online Shop Is Right for You?
An Overview of Online Services
Marketplace Sites for Art and Handmade Goods
Auction Sites
Products on Demand
Your Own Website
One Site or Many?
Etsy
Facts about Etsy
Features of Etsy
Opening a Shop on Etsy
Setting Your Payment Gateway
Your Shop
A Few Final Startup Steps
Running Your Etsy Shop
Words of Wisdom
ArtFire
Selling on ArtFire
Opening an ArtFire Shop
Words of Wisdom
Is ArtFire Right for You?
Auction Sites
eBay
Words of Wisdom
Is eBay Right for You?
Tophatter
To Auction or Not to Auction?
Products on Demand
Products on Demand: An Overview
Words of Wisdom
Prints on Demand
Books on Demand
Your Own Website
Why Have a Website at All?
What to Look for in a Website System
Your Domain Name
Hosting Space
Learning WordPress
Customizing WordPress
The Elements of Your WordPress Website
Selling Your Products
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Words of Wisdom
Beyond WordPress
Writing for the Internet
Write Text That People Can Read at a Glance
Product Descriptions
Words of Wisdom
Good Internet Writing Uses Power Keywords
Writing Your Own Profile
More Internet Writing Tips
Effective Online Photography
What Makes Great Product Photography?
Learn to Take Good Photos
Editing Those Photos
Words of Wisdom
Pricing to Make a Profit
The Formula
The Formula in Action
Why Wholesale and Retail?
Tweaking the Figures
Successful Online Marketing
Target Your Efforts
Branding Yourself and Your Work
Develop a Marketing Plan
Sales, Coupons, and Giveaways
Advertising on Other Sites
Offer an E-Newsletter
Videos
Social Media Marketing
Facebook
Facebook Tips
Twitter
Pinterest
Words of Wisdom
Blogging
Even More Social Media!
Your 40-Minute Social Scene
Customer Service
Quick Response Time
Handling Problems
Boxes, Labels, and Packaging
Shipping Services
Words of Wisdom
Learning as You Go
The Seven Steps to Creative Problem Solving
Learning as You Grow Your Business
Outsource
Your Go-To Learning Resources
Your Startup Checklist
Begin with Your Artwork!
Know Your Competition and Customers
Take a Simple Survey
Set Yourself Up for Success
Last but Not Least
Appendix: Resources
Screenshots and photographs provided by:
Denise Ackerman, The Knotty Needle Deborah Babcock, Blue Sky Pottery
Brandon Bird, Artwork by Brandon Bird Sarah Crawford, Renewed Upon a
Dream (www.Etsy.com/shop/RenewedUponaDream) Jeanne Fry, Conscious Art
Studios Alyssa Gillooley, Clay de Lys
Elizabeth Hildreth, Mad Scientist Designs Jenny Hoople, Jenny Hoople
Authentic Arts Julie Lyderson-Jackson, Spool + Sparrow Carol Jenkins, Carol
Jenkins Art Heather Jessica, Papertique
David Joaquin, Twohawk Studio
Niccy Jordan, Scrapunzel, Photography by Nick Lawrence Kevin McCorkle,
Palletso
Ashley Pasquan, Adam Rabbit
Kathleen Selvaggio, In Vintage Heaven Amilia Smith, Holdman Studios
Lauri Sturdivant, Lauri Sturdivant, Artist Tana Taylor, Prairie Primitives Folk
Art Christina Winstanley, Jackdaw