If you want to learn how to make money selling crafts you are in the right place. Let’s go over crafts that sell well, where to sell them, and how you can turn your hobby into a side hustle.
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Part of learning how to make money selling crafts is finding crafts that sell well. You may choose to focus on holiday crafts to sell, or focus specifically on crafts to make and sell for money.
How to make money selling crafts:
First up, you have to learn where to sell crafts. Part of money-making craft endeavors is finding places to sell your products.
Like any business, you will need to know your market in order to figure out pricing and delivery options. You should always do some research before you begin posting your own items so you can gauge not only public interest but also appropriate pricing.
Etsy
Etsy is a great choice for listing crafts you can sell. They allow you to list everything from digital goods like files and images to hand made and vintage physical items that you will then mail out to your clients.
Etsy does take fees from your final sales price as well as fees for listings. Take that into consideration when you are pricing your crafts to make and sell.
Facebook Marketplace
Do you prefer to meet people in person to delivery your goods? You can use Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Groups as a way to list your items.
This is a great place to get started with sales. It allows you to see crafts that sell well, and you can do so with very little risk since there’s no fees for using this service.
Ebay & Amazon Handmade
If you want to reach an even larger market you can use Ebay or Amazon Handmade to list your items. They each have their own restrictions and fees for listings and sales, but they offer you a large audience.
Depending on the type of crafts you sell, may find that Ebay or Amazon are a more appropriate place for you to sell. This is compared to Etsy, which is dedicated specifically to handmade and vintage items.
Shopify
Shopify is another online marketplace that allows you to list crafts to make and sell for money. With Shopify, you need an online place to sell your goods, so you would set up your own website/shop. This may be a good option if you can drive your own audience and sales to your site.
Again, there are fees associated with listings and with sales, so you will need to work that into your sales price as you proceed.
In Person
We can’t forget that a lot of people make a lot of money selling crafts in person. Use your current network. Reach out to friends, relatives, clients in other business endeavors, etc. Make use of those connections to see not only what kinds of crafts to make and sell, but to make sales.
Word of mouth is a powerful tool for many. Particularly with holiday crafts you make and sell, your local network will be a big help! You can sell crafts in person at local craft fairs and fundraising events.
Typically you pay a fee for your “booth” space and then you get to keep the profits from any sales that you make. Preparing for these kinds of events can be tricky, so be sure to review all the details before agreeing to participate. Craft shows can be a nice way to make a good bit of money in one day or over a weekend.
What kinds of crafts to make and sell for money:
There’s no limit to the kind of crafts you can sell. Head out to any craft show or vendor event and you’ll see that the crafts available are as unique as the individuals selling them!
It’s been my experience that holiday crafts do well pretty consistently. People are going to want something that is good value, is pleasing to look at, and potentially offers them a service (i.e. a useful item in their home).
If you are making holiday crafts to sell, you need to be prepared in advance. You will need to work months ahead of the sales season. In my area, the winter holiday craft shows start as early as late September/early October.
This way, when those holidays roll around, people can enjoy their purchased handmade crafts. You wouldn’t want to buy something and then have to wait an entire year to display it, right?
Another good bet for crafts that sell well is personalized items. This can be anything from custom quilts to monogrammed shirts, bags, tumblers, and wall hangings. People LOVE to think that they are getting something totally unique. What is more unique than having your name or your family name displayed on a piece of art for your walls or your belongings.
Make some initial items to give as gifts so you can photograph those to use in your display models. It’s a great way to build a following, too! That time and materials are an investment in your business that will help you earn money making crafts in the long run.
Crafts that make money…How to get paid:
There are a few ways to get paid when you learn how to make money selling crafts. You can use classic methods like PayPal or CashApp. These are trusted and you can get a card swiper (for free) to use with your smart phone. They take a fee for this service but if you are doing vendor fairs or craft shows it’s a good thing to have.
If you are start to make money with crafts that sell well you’ve probably accepted cash, that’s good too! Keep in mind that with a service like PayPal, CashApp or Venmo, you will have access to records showing you how much you’ve made, paid in fees, and more. That is super helpful come tax time!
Do you have to pay taxes on crafts that make money?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you should be paying taxes on any of your side hustles. There are rules and regulations that you need to follow if your crafting is no longer a hobby but more of a business.
Just keep good records. Even a simple spreadsheet with dates and amounts will work, so that you can claim those funds at the end of the year.
Once you learn how to make money selling crafts, you’ll want to stay organized so you don’t end up with fees or fines. Working with an agent to create an LLC and file taxes can also help.
How do I know which crafts sell well?
While I’d never recommend you copy what someone else is doing, that’s not right or smart for a lot of reasons, you can research on your platform of choice (Facebook, Etsy, Shopify, etc.) to see what is popular. This will give you a good indication as to the type of things people are buying.
When considering how to make money selling crafts, think about custom jewelry, handmade home decor, craft projects, and even printables. If you are interested in a category and like to make projects that fit into a specific niche, chances are you’ll find something that people really like and are willing to buy.
Finally, how do I know how much to charge?
This is a big one, I saved the best for last. You should always calculate your cost, including your time spent, along with materials, when you are pricing your items. Keep in mind that you need to account for shipping and packaging costs, fees associated with your listing site or payment platform, and any costs you had for set up.
Once you have that all figured out, you’ll know how much it is costing you to create your items. That should always be your base price. You can increase it to match demand and make a profit. You may want to do that slowly, over time, as you build a sales base, so as not to overcharge.
That is not to say you should undersell your work, just be willing to start out slowly and as your process evolves and your products become even better, they’ll be worth more!
This is all part of the process of learning how to make money selling crafts. Try not to take it all on in one day, it can be overwhelming but it’s worth the investment if this is something you really love to do.
Looking for other crafting and DIY content?
We’ve got you covered if you are looking for more DIY and crafting content. There’s a lot of fun holiday crafts you can check out like these fireworks made from pool noodles. These Valentine’s Day crafts are inexpensive just like these Dollar Tree craft projects.
You can see all of the DIY and Crafting content I’ve shared in one spot.