How to sell handmade crafts online
Your first step is to decide what to sell. Of course, this should be determined by your expertise, passion and resources. Invest the time to research your niche and find any gaps in the market. That said, there are a few homemade product types that sell particularly well.
Which crafts sell well?
- Handmade jewellery: necklaces, earrings, rings and charm bracelets are always in demand as they form the perfect present and special occasion signifier.
- One-of-a-kind prints: art prints sell particularly well already but you could take this one step further by making them customizable. For instance, you could turn photos of customers' pets, families or homes into wall art.
- Candles and reed diffusers: these also make for the perfect present and there’s a lucrative market for home fragrance.
- Clothing or furniture upcycling: transform second-hand pieces into something entirely new, or at least more modernised. This is both profitable and sustainable.
- Soaps, bathbombs, body scrubs with natural ingredients appeal to a large market. Just look at the success of Lush’s handmade cosmetics.
Where can you sell handmade items online?
There are plenty of online platforms that’ll allow you to sell from home. The answer just depends on your business's unique needs. You can find our in-depth guide to different platforms here. But for now, we’ve put together a quick roundup of platforms you can mix and match:
- Etsy has been an obvious choice for years. It’s designed for selling crafts and has a large pre-established audience. But with rising seller fees, you may be looking for other channels to add to your business plan.
- Redbubble is for art prints only and will take care of the printing and shipping for you.
- Amazon Handmade has attractively low fees but you may have ethical reservations about partnering with Amazon.
- Facebook Marketplace is good for local selling but not suited to high volume listings.
- Syncio Marketplace is a directory of over 2000 quality brands and retailers – a large portion of which are committed to handcrafted items. You can connect to cross-sell on each other’s storefronts (but more on that later).
- Your own website on a platform like Squarespace, Shopify or WooCommerce. This gives you unlimited customization and control. You will need a solid marketing strategy though to direct traffic to your site.
How can you make your online store run smoothly?
To ensure your store runs efficiently, there are a few processes you can put in place. Automate the logistics early so you can focus on the creative making part.
Do your research
Do your research before committing to material suppliers, warehouses and shipping companies. Then build solid relationships with these businesses as they will directly impact your store’s success. If your store is growing, you could even look into a fulfillment partner who will handle shipping for you.
Package preciously
For handmade items, especially delicate pottery or jewellery, it’s particularly important that you package mindfully. Make sure products are wrapped snugly in enough protective material. Investigate shipping insurance options too. Shoppers will also appreciate it if you go the extra mile to package with beautiful tissue paper, a handwritten note or brand sticker.
Manage your inventory like a pro
Say goodbye to manually juggling spreadsheets after every sale. Apps like Syncio will automatically update stock across your site and any connected retailer’s site after each sale. This will avoid inventory errors like stockouts or overselling and give you precious time back. It’s free to try and could save your store profit and customers.
How can you market your handmade products?
Harness the power of social media
Post behind-the-scenes videos of your process. People love timelapses of painting, crochet, sewing – just about anything creative. These posts grab peoples’ attention as they scroll and make them feel invested in the process behind the product. Crafts are huge on TikTok. Crochet videos alone have amassed around 15 billion views.
Boost brand awareness with in-person events
By attending in-person arts and crafts fairs, you’ll market your brand through word-of-mouth and start building a community. Depending on your craft, you could even run a workshop to market your brand. For instance, you could run a candle making class where your fragrance products are also available to buy afterwards.
Partner up to grow together
A cross-store partnership will allow you to borrow each other’s strengths and leverage each other’s audiences. This is how the smartest sellers are growing without spending a cent on ads.
For your store, this collaboration could look like:
- partnering with a retailer who specializes in a curated selection of handcrafted products
- bundling your products with another handmade seller’s items for an exclusive deal
- co-creating new products with another store and blending your art styles and expertise
Our ultimate hack for selling handmade products
By using Syncio Marketplace you can discover potential partner stores who will help grow your store. Whether you sell products on their storefront or team up to create something new, you’ll gain instant access to new audiences and expand your small business’s reach overnight.
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