Etsy/Folksy etc - Anyone 'made it' selling online?

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

I am after some inspiration, and perhaps a virtual kick, to start selling my wares online. I currently have a facebook selling page, and I am doing pretty well on there, making about £50 a week after all costs considered. I have a wordpress web page thing, but that's really just been somewhere for me to post my designs and I've not really done much with it.

I would really like to set up a real website, sell on Etsy, Folksy, and the like, and hopefully attend some craft fairs next year (my cousin did one recently and took some of my things and sold a fair amount of them!)

But, and theres always a but, apart from being a wimp about the whole thing, I doubt I could sell at the current prices I am with the extra costs of selling properly involved, and then what about the people who use me already, they wouldn't be willing to pay more because I have 'expanded' would they. And what I do isn't particularly unique... I don't think anything is though these days.. and people are buying from me currently... oh bugger! See! I talk myself round in circles all day!

Has anyone gone from selling successfully to friends and family to selling on the web / general public and it working out?

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

Selling on the web....you need to really bash away at your social media. Facebook and Pinterest and a blog. They really bring people to you.

[amsingleagain]

My friend did this after becoming a single mum and needing to support her family. Check out her Facebook page. Dotty Red, and Dotty Red shop. She also does a blog. She is however up working into the small hours of most nights!! Am sure she would be happy to give you some pointers if you asked.
Good luck x

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

The constant internet presence is what is putting me off a little (and failing ). I will look her up, thank you Amsingle :)

I like the idea of renting some space... is it as simple as asking retailers or is there a site where these things are advertised - showing my total lack of knowledge!

Thank you for your replies :)

[Ditsy4]

My daughter has started selling on etsy and sold a print the first week.

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

Quick update, I set up a shop - but haven't got around to filling it yet, I read the advice on pinterest to make sure my photography is smoking hot - which it isn't, so will be doing some mock ups next week and getting some decent shots to go.

Ditsy that is really encouraging, and just the sort of kick I need too!

Needascarf - yes, this is something I have been meaning to do for a while, and I really need to stop procrastinating so thank you for that virtual kick also!

DH is going to go around the local florists and crafty shops to see if they would be interested in some on sale or return... (I do not have the confidence to do this myself, but he has the skin of a rhino so all good!)

I have also set up on fiverr... I have read some conflicting reports, but my Dsis has a few ghost writing gigs on there and does fairly well out of it so thought I would give it a go, first sale today, only set up yesterday!

Perhaps it is possible... certainly feel better about taking the plunge even if it goes no where - the constant what if feeling about it all has gone, now its succeed or fail, which is a better feeling, oddly!

[amsingleagain]

Well done, and good luck x