No interest in my handmade crayon tote bags on Marketplace

[Helensalsa]

Hi everyone,
I'm hoping for a bit of advice from fellow parents. 😊
I've recently started making handmade Disney-themed children's crayon tote bags and have listed them on Facebook Marketplace, but unfortunately I haven't had any enquiries yet.
I'd really appreciate some honest feedback from a parent's point of view. Is there anything that would make you more likely to buy one? Is it the photos, the description, the price, or is it just not something you'd look for on Marketplace?
I genuinely believe the quality and price are good, but I'd love to know what I could improve. I've shared them on a few Strood Facebook groups too, but still haven't had any messages or comments. Similar products seem to sell well in shops like Argos, so I'm wondering what I'm missing.
Any constructive advice would be hugely appreciated.
Thank you, Hels ❤️

I know several people who sell crafts, mainly by paying for a table at school & church fetes and similar venues.

The best selling items are usually seasonal items e.g. fabric placemats made with Christmas, Easter or Halloween fabric, small seasonal decorations, jewellery, wax melts and small bags & purses, personalised keyrings etc

It's very difficult to price such items as the cost of materials and the amount of work that goes into making items usually means that the price is too high as mass produced items can be made very cheaply

One of my friends made items that were photographed in craft books & magazines but the pay certainly didn't cover the amount of work that she put in. She did it because she liked making crafts and enjoyed trying new things

Another friend knits items for display in a yarn shop - again the pay doesn't cover the hours she spends knitting the items

My advice would be to try and make a range of items and sell them at fetes or similar venues just to test the market ~ you will build up experience of what people are interested in and how much they will pay

Hope this helps and good luck with your crafting

Do you have permission to sell a Disney themed bag? Also, I don't see the point of the bag? Nor do I see a price, which matters a lot.

I was coming on to say something like this would work much better.

I cant find the OPs bags on the Marketplace but someone else is doing very similar ones for £4. Looking at your dice bags as well, I think your idea is good but marketing is strange. You have bags with skulls etc which are geared towards boys (as shown by the toys on your photos) yet the bags you sell them in have a pretty pink bow on them

OP - maybe you shouldn't be sharing a photo of your child's face on Mumsnet??

Have you thought about more of a fold up bag that has a space for a pad of paper one side and pens the other. I made one years ago for my daughters, using a free template I found online, and they are very practical for on the go, I did a5 size but a4 could work so a standard sized colouring book would fit.

The product doesn't make sense, its not practical and it doesn't look refined enough. My children wouldn't want the product and its also not taste so I'm confused by who the target audience is as it doesn't seem attractive to children or parent.

Sorry OP, that looks like an accident waiting to happen. Kids will end up tripping up like kids do and end up with half a dozen colouring pencils embedded in their stomach.

Also, as this is for a child, do you have the appropriate UK safety certificates otherwise it won't just be Disney suing you....

I wouldn't buy that the pens would be falling out everywhere. Have you thought about childrens aprons, I bought a lovely cute handmade apron at a craft stall, I think these things sell better in person at fayres and craft events, Christmas bazaars etc.

You need to sort out copyright re DIsney as well - generally a. fabrics for personal use b. DIsney hound and pursue damages from even the smallest trader.

If you want to make things you need to ensure you own the pattern or there is a free for commercial use on it, if you want to do fairs you need to test the product if it is intended as a creative play "toy" to CE standards (there are no exceptions to this) you also need to ensure that the patterned fabrics are also free for commercial use as well. Lots to look into there

Is this your child? It’s really not advisable to post her image online.

Lovely but not very practical and I’m sure reselling anything Disney would be copyright infringement?

I’ve seen those on Pinterest as cheap DIY Projects for kids to do . You can also buy better versions in PoundStretcher for less than £2 that normally come with a set of colouring pencils and a sketchbook. You can also roll them up into a pencil case type thing.

Nobody is going to buy a less practical, lower quality and more expensive version from Facebook.

OP Firstly you clearly have some skills, but it is clear you have not really researched this product and failed to realise it has no real tangible purpose or practical use.

Also remember, you are up against the likes of major supermarkets, The Works, Hobbycraft etc who all create fun and affordable kids stationery.

The pencil roll shared above is a practical and safer option, maybe you could make a giant version that incorporates a colouring book (both pens and paperwork on the inside) which then has a wide strap a. bit like. rolled up travel yoga mat?

Agree with all previous posters, Disney is a no go.
Facebook is the last place I would seek this type of item, maybe Etsy or similar or set-up your own website, but something like this cannot realistically be limited to just Strood.

With no pun intended, return to the drawing board on the actual product, how it is to be used and photograph it in use. Get professional photographs, maybe send these onto some local art clubs that sell sessions in blocks of 6 or 12 and offer an introductory deal to them per child they enrol. That could get you some initial custom and interest along with valuable feedback. I am sorry I have to agree that using your own child in this way on social media I just nuts, a really bad idea.

I am sorry that your dream here has not quite materialised as you had hoped, but am sure with some revisions and absorption of real feedback you could adapt this into something better marketable and more practical for parents to actually be interested enough to buy into. You have a real creative talent, but obviously need to equal thiss with some business approach if this type of thing is to net you any real profits. Best of luck x

It's never a good idea to post a child's photo online. Paedophiles are using AI to create sexual images of children.
Children cannot consent to their image being forever online.

This post has the child's photo, the area where she lives, presumably her mother's name is OPs username, etc.

Agreeing with others here, I don't see the point of this bag. It looks too big for a child and like the pens would just fall out!

Not only will they prosecute but I’ve seen stories about crafters having their craft stash confiscated and destroyed (with court orders). I used to be very active on crafting sites years ago and it happened fairly often. Apparently they trawl the internet looking for infringements.

I don’t understand its use but also why are the handles so badly sewn on the outside like that? If I was interested I’d be put off by the way it’s been sewn and assume it’s very amateur. I’d do a course or something and raise your skills before trying to sell things.

I’d get the photo of your child off the internet for a start sorry. Not good having public pics out there

My honest feedback is it’s far too big and I don’t see the point of the pen holder bit.

Why not try making peg bags, they are something people use and nice ones can be given as presents. Try selling on Etsy, its easy to do.

It’s something I’d make with my children for the fun of making it, but it probably wouldn’t get used and I definitely wouldn’t actually pay someone else for one.

It's a pointless product, I can't see a practical use for it.

A standard pencil case makes much more sense and I can buy one of those from home bargains for probably much, much less than you're selling this for. And I'd want it to be waterproof I.e stain resistant and easy to clean.

If I wanted to spend more that a few pounds my child would probably want smiggle or the like.

Do you offer delivery? I wouldn't go out of my way to collect either, I don't have the time for that. It would need to be really special to go and collect from someone's house. I would not buy from marketplace, that's for second hand toys and furniture mainly.

It looks very homemade too, which puts me off. I.e. is it safe.

And get your child off the internet, they can't consent to that and you have no idea where that image could end up shame on Mumsnet for allowing it.

Disney are quite hot on copyright infringement OP; you need to be licensed to use Disney fabric.

this sort of thing would be a better idea.

https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/how-to_kids_art_apron_from_a_d/