Creative Income

The blog dedicated to all things crafty business!

How to Turn Your Hobby Into Income

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So you are a crafty gal (or guy) and you’ve been creating the things you love to make Your friends don’t want them any more as gifts, your house has more than it can hold, and your family cringes every time you hand them a wrapped package.  You don’t want to stop making anything and you aren’t quite sure you are ready for a full-on business just yet. So what are you supposed to do with all of the gorgeous things you make?

Here are four ways you can turn your hobby into extra income:

  1. Sell online –  One of the easiest ways to sell your handmade goods (and maybe the one that requires the least amount of commitment) is through an online shop. Of course, the best known online marketplace is Etsy but there are other venues available too such as ArtFire and iCraft.  Another version of selling online that takes more work and commitment is to build a shop on a self hosted website. There  are several websites that can help you with this such as Shopify, Big Commerce and Squarespace.
    1. Here are some things to consider before setting up an online shop:
      1. Research various handmade marketplaces online and list yours likes and dislikes for each. This will help you decide which site will best fit your needs.
      2. Think ahead. You may not be ready to run a full-time handmade business now, but plan your shop as if you will.
      3. Is what you make unique enough and of high enough quality to make this sellable? Online venues are easy to set up and offer ready-made traffic. It’s easy for everyone else to set up a shop, too. Keep in mind that you won’t likely be the only person there making an item.
  2. Sell your items wholesale -This means selling your items to a brick and mortar store. The store will often buy multiples of your products at a reduced price (so they can mark them up and sell them for a profit). In order to make this work for your bottom line, you really have to know how much it costs you to make your items and how much time you have involved in them so you can set your prices. Marketing your items to wholesale clients isn’t for the shy or faint of heart – you have to be willing to walk into a shop and pitch your items – but if you like making a LOT of the things you make it may be the right path for you.
  3. Sell via consignment – Selling your items via consignment is a little like wholesale in that you will have to approach a consignment shop to carry your products. Instead of buying them outright, they will carry your items and then take a percentage if/when the items sell. Selling items via consignment might be a good step to take prior to wholesaling your items. You can work on building your fan base or clientele without the huge production concerns of selling wholesale. Just be sure to do your research and check references for the shop you are considering consigning with.
  4. Craft Fairs – Craft fairs might be up there (at least on commitment level) with selling online. Of course they are a lot of work to get enough product – unless you already have quite a stash built up, and to set up and tear down but you can pick and choose which shows to attend (most require an application process) which allows for some flexibility. Again, you’ll want to do your research to find out which shows do well and which might fit in with what you make.

There are lots of posts here on Creative Income that will give you lots more in-depth information about all of these selling venues. You might enjoy selling your items so much that you decide to turn it into a regular gig!

By: Vicki O’Dell, The Creative Goddess

Learn more about Vicki!

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