So let me say this up front - those that sell their handmade goods full time and make a living at it are my HEROS. I would love to make a business out of my hobby, but I have dabbled enough to know it's a lot of hard work. For now keeping things at a hobby level is best for me. But what to do with the things I have made, and how to make room for new projects? I needed to find a way to post things for sale online in a way that wouldn't cost me more than the materials involved. When I first started out I tried Etsy, but never got many sales there. It takes constant re-listing, a solid customer base, and lost of promotion, which I couldn't quite get my arms around.
My friend Sandi suggested Indie Made, which has no listing fees but instead has a monthly fee. I like how one place can be a gallery, blogging platform and store front, but I didn't want to leave behind my trusted Blogger. It's where I started and where I am super comfortable. Plus, the time management issue I have meant that I paid for 6 months of Indie Made before I even listed 1 item.
So now I am trying Square. It's the same Square as the point of sale (POS) credit card readers, and I have found them to be a straight forward and reliable company. It costs nothing to open your store and list items, and listings are indefinite. They take a percentage of sales, and the money is in your account in about a day. Right now I am posting necklaces made with (mostly) my own beads on stretchy rubber cords. My plan is to give 100% of sales to my daughters school - seems like a win win for a part time entrepreneur. You can find my store HERE, or click on the picture below:
