Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Arts and crafts

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Original poster

NEW SITE FOR CRAFTERS

31 replies

loopyredangel · 31/07/2007 11:17

If you are a crafty mum working from home and could not afford your own website, would you use a site that offered you pages to sell your products, show your logo, give background history on you and what you do?

How much would you be willing to pay per item to post your listing, or would you prefer to pay a one off fee?

You would have your own link to your part of the site also, and people can pay online using debit and credit cards. I am in the planning stages of putting something together. Let me know your views and thoughts please x

OP posts:
Niecie · 31/07/2007 13:06

Sounds like a lovely idea - like one of those craft centres where lots of craftspeople take a unit each, thereby attracting lots of custom.

I currently use ebay to sell quilting stuff, material mostly and also I am branching into a bit of jewellery. However, the draw back of ebay is that there is so much on there now that your stuff gets a bit lost.

I think maybe a joining fee to set up everything up initially. Maybe like ebay a small fee to list stuff and then another one if it is sold.

There is a lot to think about though isn't there as to be sucessful it would have to come quite high up on a google listing. Would you do joint advertising in craft magazines? Would that be part of the fee?

I don't think it is very expensive to get up a website, is it, it is the setting up of the pages and that sort of thing that is difficult. I wouldn't have a website as I don't have enough to make it worthwhile and also I am not sure how to do it so maybe that should be your slant - providing the expertise.

Great idea though - I am surprised it hasn't been done. Isn't that always the way though - people often think the best idea have already been done and that is why they don't do anything about them.

MaryAnnSingleton · 31/07/2007 13:08

mmm, might be interested in nthis loopy
one off fee would be better,i think !

FillydoraTonks · 31/07/2007 15:54

yes, but how is it not etsy? it sounds just like etsy!

Pruners · 31/07/2007 16:09

Message withdrawn

FillydoraTonks · 31/07/2007 16:13

but british people buy and sell on there.

have bought off there lots, seriously nice baby stuff, and will sell when I get ar$e into gear...

Whizzz · 31/07/2007 16:13

i think the key thing would be advertising to ensure the site got hits. Setting up a website is fairly easy if you have the software - getting people to look at it & buy stuff is the hard thing.
Paying a one off fee sounds ok - but how about paying a fee per month / quarter ?
Also the site would have to be easy for users to add new stuff, swap stuff about etc

Also would all users need to be registered as businesses with the taxman ??

Tillyboo · 31/07/2007 16:15

Isn't Etsy based in the US ? or am I thinking of something else ?

Sounds like a good idea to me as long as it doesn't get saturated with lots of similar things being sold & showcased etc.

I think having a select pool of crafters selling a wide variety of things would be popular.

I've been looking into a website myself and I've been quoted anywhere between £4,000 - £6,000 for a good website that has payment facilities and also making sure that 'Googling' brings up the website.

lucykate · 31/07/2007 16:44

etsy is US based but is used by crafters all over the world. my latest purchase came from new zealand. etsy is very user friendly, it would be hard, but not imposible, to compete.

Pruners · 31/07/2007 16:47

Message withdrawn

lucykate · 31/07/2007 16:52

everyone on etsy will ship to all over the world, but obviously if you are in the uk and buying from the uk, the postage will be cheaper. from new zealand to took 9 days to get here.

Pruners · 31/07/2007 16:54

Message withdrawn

FillydoraTonks · 31/07/2007 19:24

oh pruni etsy is fabulous

am directing all friends and family to etsy for baby shower type purchases.

Also you can always find uk sellers if it matters to you.

But the OTHER thing is that the exchange rate is so good atm that it really makes sense to buy US stuff.

(am unsure if that is ethical or not...I think its ok because of, well, America and Bush and so forth)

Original poster
loopyredangel · 31/07/2007 21:35

Thanjjs for all your input so far, alot of points to consider without giving too much away, we don't want to saturate the viewer with too much, so intend to be quite selective when it comes to users signing up, and plan to gear the site towards gifts for babies and gifts.
Plan to advertise in national parent and child magazines and craft magazines.
The site will be very easy to use for the user.
Whizz, not sure about the taxman, think it would be upto the individual.
Fillydory - I hadn't heard of etsy and will check them out - I am sure there is room for competition though.

OP posts:
Original poster
loopyredangel · 31/07/2007 21:36

Hope you will all pay a visit when everything is set up!

OP posts:
MaryAnnSingleton · 31/07/2007 21:51

can you let us all know loopy?

Original poster
loopyredangel · 31/07/2007 22:37

will do, it will be a while but we'll have to have a virtual grand opening, with virtual champagne!

OP posts:
FillydoraTonks · 01/08/2007 07:45

you DO need to look at etsy though. It is the big, known place. I do think that to set up in competition to them would be like a site setting up in competition to MN, or ebay, or something. Also they are actually linked to (I think even part of) craftster , the BIG modern crafting site.

So you'd need to differentiate yourself.

the etsy baby category is HUGE

I think there is a way to buy only from the UK. tbh I've never used it. The exchange rate is so good atm. also, most of these items are so light and cheap to post that they come by airmail in a few days anyway.

Am NOT trying to put you off. I am sure that if you market it right there is a way to do this. But I think you need to be thoroughly aware of etsy, its your big competition.

purplemonkeydishwasher · 01/08/2007 08:11

I like the idea of being able to pay online using debit or credit cards. that could be part of the fee. You take the payment then give the artist a cut.

Whizzz · 01/08/2007 12:24

ooo hw come I've totally missed Craftster ! Off to investigate !

Original poster
loopyredangel · 01/08/2007 18:24

Thanks Filly for the info, and I know you are not trying to put me off, but to be honest I am not planning to be a huge competitor of etsy, I did have a look and thought there was just too much on there, gorgeous though the stuff was. I plan to keep the ship a little tighter and more exclusive, not having too much of the same thing, plus just gearing towards the baby and child market, with a separate for craft gifts for new mums and dads.

OP posts:
Original poster
loopyredangel · 01/08/2007 18:26

104,396, thats alot of crafters too much to look at! Craftster site!

OP posts:
Original poster
loopyredangel · 01/08/2007 18:28

20774 items on the baby section of etsy - that's alot of browsing.

OP posts:
Dingle · 01/08/2007 20:47

I think it's a great idea- good luck with it.

For the likes of someone like me, I would love to push myself into making money from my crafts rather than just spend on more supplies and earn my local charity group a few pennies, but I simply haven't the time to build a customer base, do any marketing or build a website, so I just plod along making cards for myself and very occasionally a few friends.

I do occasionally sell a few bits and bobs on Ebay to feed my crafty stash fund but it is so flooded with papercrafts.

Gingermonkey · 02/08/2007 08:07

loopy - you just need to be specific with what you want on etsy. I have a shop on there and I am doing ok so far (only started in the last couple of weeks). But I would love to be part of yours when you get set up. this is my shop. Would my horses be welcome?

Etsy is cheap, it costs 20cents to list an item, that's a flat rate with photos etc (up to 5 I think). It then charges you a final fee for items sold (I get charged 65cents for an $18 item). It is also incredibly easy to list on there, which is great. And there is a community feel to it, in the forums and with other sellers. People are very friendly and help each other out with advice etc. It's a great place to get ideas from and then you could pick out the best parts and go from there.
Good luck

FillydoraTonks · 02/08/2007 20:29

oh no, etsy is great, you just need to search

are you basically looking to have an online shop, selling on commission?

Swipe left for the next trending thread