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Original poster

Does anyone run a craft based business from home cakes/gift hampers

137 replies

bigeyes · 09/02/2009 13:40

I have toyed with the idea of doing bits and bobs to work from home to top up my part time income from two days work. I dont need to but feel I 'want something' for me. I have considered:

Making and selling cakes - you are allowed to do this on an occasional basis from home via carboots

Selling stuff on ebay - gifts watever I get from wholesale section and breaking it down

Preparing gift hampers and selling them on line and to local area.

I know its tough time and I have a business bakground so know basis of whats involved in setting up for Tax etc but what are your thoughts?

Does anyone do any of the above?

OP posts:

Eddas · 24/02/2009 21:15

glad it was helpful maple

bigeyes, i've had business cards etc from vistaprint, recommended by a few people on here. They print a line on the back of the cards(an advert for them really) if you get the free ones, not top quality but plenty good enough for me! You can also upgrade them by paying a bit for them, go have a look at their website, they do other free stuff too. I suppose they hope you'll buy more things and upgrade to the more expensive versions of things. They also take a while to come to you with the cheapest postage(a few weeks) but that wasn't an issue for me, i'm all about the money

MaplePecanPlait · 24/02/2009 22:56

funnily enough my sister had some cards delivered today from Vistaprint. She got the idea from someone else who had them done and they too had the vistaprint freebie bit on the back.

Sister thought this was a bit so had hers printed double sided and slightly changed the print on the reverse. I am afraid I tend to agree with her and it looks a little more like you care and you have forked out for 'proper' cards. She also got some cards made up as fridge magnets and other larger magnets with a calendar on to give to clients. She is selling gardening services.

I was advised by Bus Link to try and brand myself but that is because I want to appeal to a top end kind of market. So need to print on thicker paper, get a bit of a corporate looking brand etc. I've got a friend who does all that sort of logo design, website and correspondance design so have asked him to quote me for some work. Feel a bit like I am diving in at the deep end but feel that the returns could be good if I market myself in the right places.

Eyes - I made some notes to take with me but didn't get them out in the end as it was much easier to chat. Advisor was very friendly and easy going. I did ask them when making the appt whether I would get a view on the viability of my idea and they assured me I would. However the advisor said at the start that they couldn't advise on this as the viability was down to me.....can see the logic I suppose.

MaplePecanPlait · 25/02/2009 12:11

Eyes - how did it go? You all fired up now?

bigcometobedeyes · 26/02/2009 11:13

Hi sorry I didnt post yesterday - I was very tired and had people on the phone!

The advisor said it was a good idea - simple and gifts generally are always in demand. I did take what I thought was quite a basic business plan but no real finance figures in it and she said it was more or less done.

I need to do a CV and a Cashflow forecast for her. She said I could look up grant from Walsall but it seemed quite strict the criteria and that there would be new grants released in April.

After talking about the various bits she said I should just do it now (already registered with HMRC etc) I told I felt apprehensive about ordering first proper stock and she said I should just do it - start off on just a small product range and focus it local, aiming for Mother day!

Today I need to:

CV
Cashflow Forecast
Post off bank stuff

Cost and place first adverts
Cost products and order first stock

Now I can justify buying lots of nice important officey looking things!

P.S. I made a sneaky stock purchase on Credit Card on Ebay last night!

Have you looked at your 'branding' Maple

bigcometobedeyes · 26/02/2009 11:14

LOL Maple I just had an image of some hot and sweaty mean looking man (your DH) standing over a figure getting ready to 'brand' you LOL please ignore my vivid imagination it can be silly!

MaplePecanPlait · 26/02/2009 11:29

Big Eyes - you are away! I am very impressed with you and all the progress you have made. Really nice to have seen it all from the start and you must feel so pleased with yourself! Please let me know how I can order a hamper for my mother, I want to be one of your first customers!

You're an inspiration......cheesy, but really!

I still need to speak to mates husband on branding. Haven't got hold of him yet and don't know well enough to pester IYKWIM! Need to be braver....

bigcometobedeyes · 26/02/2009 12:51

Oh thanks for the compliments Maple, what support you offer! shall have to get pics to form advert together soon.

On your branding thing - this is a bit like shopping for housey decor scheme things I think. Look through websites and magazines and cut n paste anything you like the look of that conveys the image you are promoting. Then at least you have a starting to point to talk about when you speak to designers/printers.

Since posting earlier I havn't done anything! cept make soup and pancake and watch TV - afternoon I must get busy!

bettythebuilder · 26/02/2009 15:01

hello everyone, I've just found this thread and have enjoyed reading through.

I started my business 3 years ago- I sell my own designed products which are in the card/gift/baby markets.

for those looking for gift etc suppliers, I can recommend thewholesaler.co.uk because it's free to browse (suppliers pay to list) and second trade fair recommendations. There are lots throughout the year, around the country eg Harrogate nursery fair , home and gift and Spring fair and Autumn fair at the NEC.

Getting on the mailing list for appropriate trade mags is also a good way to find suppliers and get lots of other info. Mags such as Gifts Today, Greetings Today, Gift Focus. It's usually free to subscribe, and there are trade mags for most sectors, not just gifts/baby (those are just the ones I'm most familiar with )

bigcometobedeyes · 26/02/2009 17:02

Thanks bettythebuilder

Would any of your products be suitable for 'you've had a baby' gift basket that I could retail?

bettythebuilder · 27/02/2009 22:10

yes, bigcometobedeyes, I think the Baby Feed Wheel would be perfect for a 'you've had a baby' basket (yes, I know, I would say that, wouldn't I )
But seriously, it's a card that's also useful for new parents as it helps keep track of baby's feed times, so would be something pretty and practical for a basket. All my cards are in cello wrappers, which I could leave unsealed if you want to offer a personalisation service and fill out the 'to' and 'from' on the back for your customers.
I'd be more than happy to send you details of trade price etc

bigcometobedeyes · 28/02/2009 09:59

Thanks betty - I have been on your website and submitted a request.

How did you set up your website and does it take much to maintain. I'll be honest I have been recommeded a guy at work by another collegue and he says he can do it for £250, plus £5.00 per month maintenance including updates - this seems cheap but he has already sent me a mock up this morning which I think looks ok.

Do you have a merchant account for processing payments?

bettythebuilder · 28/02/2009 17:10

Thanks for your enquiry, I have replied (at least I hope it's you, I've signed myself betty! )

I originally has a website designed by a local designer- he cost double what you've been quoted 3 years ago but the huge problem was that I couldn't make any alterations at all without going through him, and he charged me every time (eg a tenner to add a stockists details!). It also cost a fair whack when I developed the baby medicine wheel, and wanted to add that product onto the site.

So, in the meantime dh taught himself how to write a website, and the site you see now has been scripted entirely by him It's great to be able to change anything I like at anytime, add testimonials as they are sent in, etc, so I'd say that's an important consideration- I learned the expensive way!

On the shop part of the site I take paypal and nochex payments, there are no upfront charges with those, just fees per transaction.

I do have a paypal pro account (£20 a month) that enables me to use my laptop as a virtual terminal, so I can take credit card payments over the phone- this could be good if you want to take phone orders, I find it really useful esp. for taking trade payments. I did get a 3 month free trial of it, if that's on offer again you could try it to see if it's worth the money for you.

bettythebuilder · 28/02/2009 17:13

had, not has

bigcometobedeyes · 28/02/2009 18:54

Twas me betty, just picked up your mail - I think they are great - Ive costed one into my baskets - I am waiting for my Abbey acc to be up and running, I want everything to go through there from now on so you will be hearing from e soon I hope!

On the website thing - I thought this about the updates so I will have to negotiate this, I have told him that there would be regular updates with the seasonal nature of my gifts. I dont blame you for being so proud of DH I cos I know my DH has written a website for the band he used to be in but I know he is far too busy to do one for me and I dont think he could do all the ordering and paypl stuff anyway!

I have looked at Paypal - do you think the virtual terminal would work at craft fairs I could have my laptop and mobile broadband to allow it to be used in this way? I hope to do some and want to accept cards, I dont know how the stall holders have their terminals and I dont want the hassel of merchant account (or cost!)

I shall have to look into nochex too - thanks for this.

You know all your legal stuff like terms and conditions (some sites seem to go to town on this stuff) did you use a solicitor?

I wasn't planning on using an accountant or solicitor.

Thanks Betty for all your help. x

bettythebuilder · 28/02/2009 20:09

phew, glad it was you, or I'd have just introduced myself as betty to someone else

for the terms, I didn't use a solicitor, it was a combination of business link and distance selling regulationswebsite.

(When I started I was a sole trader and did the accounts myself with dh's help, I only got an accountant last year when I turned the company into a limited co. and we still do the 'book keeping' stuff ourselves)

the virtual terminal should work well at craft fairs with mobile broadband, or as an alternative a few small businesses I know have joined the federation of small businesses to take advantage of their mobile chip and pin offer. (not sure if you need a merchant account for that, though.)

bigcometobedeyes · 28/02/2009 20:12

I must say the advice on here has been invaluable. Thanks Betty and to all previous posters.

I have a very large spreadsheet set up ready to tackle tomorrow - I keep getting side tracked by looking at gifts for every occasion in stead of just keeping it simple. I must focus.

bigcometobedeyes · 03/03/2009 13:40

bump any further up dates ladies?

I am stuck on cashflow forecast - trouble doing costings and predicting sales!

bettythebuilder · 03/03/2009 23:12

just thinking, bigcometobedeyes, if your dh could write a website, could he use something like romancart (www.romancart.com) to integrate a shopping basket?

bigcometobedeyes · 04/03/2009 10:09

thanks i'm going to have to pick my moment - unless i learn - i'll have a look at this!

bigcometobedeyes · 05/03/2009 13:34

I am stuggling to get cashflow done.

How are you getting on with your branding/stationary Maple?

bigcometobedeyes · 11/03/2009 22:13

Also if anyone still checking this thread - has anyone had experience of AZTEC events craft fairs?

bettythebuilder · 12/03/2009 13:32

I'm still lurking!
No experience of Aztec fairs, but I can recommend www.stallfinder.com which has details of lots of fairs, events etc big and little around the UK.

bigcometobedeyes · 12/03/2009 18:19

Oh thanks, dont know what has happend to everyone else.

I am still sourcing suppliers. I have just had my bank account stuff through today, and trade show passes yesterday (cant wait!)

But generally still struggling with Cashflow and polishing up my intial Business Plan (mainly finance section)

Did you do any market research Betty?

What's everyone else upto?