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SELLING YOUR CRAFTS ONLINE
Sell your handmade crafts and artwork worldwide on the Web!
Do you sell your own handmade crafts or artwork? There’s a whole world of customers beyond what you find at crafts shows and malls. For the first time in history, there’s a great way to reach them: the Internet! In Selling Your Crafts Online, Michael Miller guides you step by step through succeeding in the world’s biggest online crafts marketplaces and attracting new customers where millions of them already hang out. Miller offers crafts-specific tips and advice on everything from creating listings to getting a fair price, processing payments to providing outstanding service. No matter what you make or where you already sell it, you can earn a better living if you also sell online. This guide will help you get started, get successful, and stay successful!
-- Create a quick “mini” business plan that improves your chances of success
-- Discover what sells best online–and what doesn’t
-- Predict your costs, see what competitors are doing, and set your best price
-- Write compelling listings and take great photos, even if you’re not a professional writer or photographer
-- Create an attractive online presence on Etsy, eBay, and other sites
-- Discover and compare growing online marketplaces you never knew existed
-- Decide whether it makes sense to create your own craft-selling website
-- Set yourself up to accept credit cards, PayPal, or other payment services
-- Pack, seal, and ship your merchandise safely without overspending
-- Answer questions, handle complaints, and offer guarantees
-- Track your inventory
-- Promote your business on Pinterest and beyond
-- Measure your success and learn from experience
Taking Powerful Pictures to Sell Your Arts and Crafts Online
Introduction
Part I: Getting Ready to Sell
Chapter 1 Planning for Success
So You Want to Sell Your Crafts Online
What Sells Online–and What Doesn’t
Crafts You Probably Shouldn’t Sell Online
What Types of Crafts Do Sell Well Online?
Why Planning Is a Good Idea
What a Business Plan Does for You
Things You Need to Plan
How Much Planning Do You Need to Do?
The Occasional Seller
The Growing Seller
The Full-Time Seller
Putting Together a No-Frills Business Plan
Before You Plan: Think Things Through
Parts of a Successful Business Plan
Talking Through Your Plan
Writing the Plan
You’ve Planned the Plan: Now What?
Chapter 2 Setting the Right Price
Researching the Market
Calculating Your Costs
Calculating Materials Costs
Calculating Labor Costs
Calculating Selling Fees
Calculating Packaging Costs
Calculating the Selling Price
Why 4 x Costs Works
Fine-Tuning Your Selling Price
Calculating Profit
Understanding Gross and Net
Are You Making Money?
Considering Wholesale Pricing
Chapter 3 Putting Together a Successful Listing
Writing an Attention-Grabbing Title
Creating a Searchable Title
Making Your Title POP
Watch the Length
Creating a Descriptive Description
Include All the Details
Prioritize Your Information
Stress Benefits, Not Features
Use Power Words–But Avoid Superlatives
Add Your Personal Style
Don’t Forget the Pictures!
Chapter 4 Taking Powerful Pictures
What You Need to Take Effective Product Photos
Choosing the Right Digital Camera
Going Steady with a Tripod
Enhancing Your Photos with Auxiliary Lighting
Keeping It Plain with Photo Backgrounds
Considering a Light Tent for Smaller Items
Fixing the Flaws with Photo Editing Software
How to Take Great Product Photos
Working with Lighting
Tips for Improv