If you sell your Arts and Crafts...

[MyKingdomforaNameChange]

Where do you sell, and how do you advertise?

I sell on Etsy, and have a Facebook page. I post on Instagram and Pintrest. Going to do a Craft Fair soon but there are only 4 a year near me.

What other ways are there to get my items out there? Not keen on Ebay due to the changes that are coming. Amazon Handmade looks interesting but complicated.

What else can I do? Any tips or tricks I am missing?

Thanks :)

[triballeader]

I work part time as a semi-professional fine artist. Long hours and not one to do if you need a regular and reliable income.

For now I am only have a low profile and only accept commissions via my FB page and that works out at 2-3 who go on to actually commission per month. Most of what I do is via word of mouth recommendations. It has taken quite a while to build that kind of reputation though. I suspect what I do is very different to producing craft items.
I did look at Etsy and the like but I work long enough hours as it is without wanting to give a middleman a cut. Once I have moved later this year I hope to launch a artist website so I can deal with potential clients directly. I have decided to insist folk use pay-pal to pay and must agree and cover the cost of Special Delivery [tracked and signed for post] before any work is sent on. I exercise my legal copyright on the work I produce. I may also post on the gallery of the artists society I now belong with. I will not be framing as that makes for a lot more more work for me, more cost in materials and extra cost to post. I would rather be painting than framing. I no longer send my work outside of the UK as I have had a lot of fun with the costs and insurance of sending art abroad.

[governess]

with regards to what software to use - then Ecwids //www.ecwids.co.uk - so easy, no tech knowledge required or updating software etc. You create your shop, you can then install the shop anywhere - copy / paste the 5 lines of text - and when displayed in a browser - you shop appears - as if by magic.

BUT - here is the killer bit, it is the #1 facebook ecommerce app. Create your page in facebook - then click the install and your done.
You can then directly from within facebook - people never have to leave their facebook session. The icing on the cake - is that with FB advertising you can directly geo profile people. EG women in London that like sewing, men in the UK that like Arsenal football club etc.

Any queries - PM me here, I have tried all the various other options including etsy. The only thing etsy has going for it is that fellow crafters use it, but it's stupidly long winded and frustrating

[speakout]

I sell on ebay and Amazon ( main site not handmade).
I sell 1000 items a month.

Need to get my own web site, but too busy to find the time!