How to Sell Art & Craft Online: Navigating the Digital Marketplace.

How to Sell Art & Craft Online: Navigating the Digital Marketplace. post thumbnail image

In recent years, the rise of e-commerce has opened up new avenues for artisans and crafters to share their creations with a global audience. Selling crafts online can be both a fulfilling and profitable endeavor, but it comes with its own set of challenges and intricacies. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just starting, these professional tips can help you maximize your online business potential.

1. Choose the Right Platform

Selecting the ideal platform for your crafts can make a significant difference in your online sales success. Here are some popular options to consider:

Amazon Handmade: Leveraging Amazon’s massive customer base, this option allows you to reach a wider audience.

Shopify: Perfect for those looking to create a dedicated online store, Shopify offers customization options and an extensive range of apps.

Etsy: This platform is specifically tailored for handmade and vintage items, making it a popular choice for crafters.

Ebay: Depending on the type of craft products you supply you may be able to find ideal customers on Ebay.

ArtCraftr: Find customers and like minded sellers on ArtCraftr. You are able to create a shop and use ArtCraftr checkout system or you can just opt to share your products on Art craftr destasher blog timeline for free. Reaching your ideal customers.

Social Media: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook not only allow you to showcase your work but also facilitate direct selling through features like Shops.

When selecting a platform, consider your target audience, the fees involved, and the ease of use.

2. Showcase Your Products Professionally

The presentation of your crafts is crucial in attracting customers. Here are key strategies to ensure your products stand out:

High-Quality Images: Use well-lit, high-resolution images that showcase your crafts from multiple angles. Consider including lifestyle images where your products are used.

Compelling Descriptions: Write detailed descriptions that highlight the unique features and benefits of your crafts. Include information about materials, sizes, and care instructions.

Branding Consistency: Develop a recognizable brand that reflects your crafts’ aesthetic. This includes your logo, color palette, and overall design of your online shop.

A strong visual and textual representation will enhance customer trust and increase the likelihood of sales.

3. Leverage Social Media Marketing

With millions of users, social media offers a powerful platform for promoting your crafts. Here are some effective practices:

Engagement: Regularly interact with your followers by responding to comments and messages. Share behind-the-scenes content, and polls, and ask for feedback to foster community.

Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with influencers who align with your brand can provide exposure to new audiences. Make sure to choose influencers whose followers match your target demographic.

Hashtag Strategy: Use relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts. Aim for a mix of popular and niche hashtags to broaden your reach.

Developing a robust social media presence can significantly enhance your brand awareness and customer engagement.

4. Optimize for Search Engines

Understanding Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will help your products rank higher in search results, visibility is key for online sales. Here’s how to optimize your listings:

Keyword Research: Identify keywords that potential customers might use to search for your products. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest.

Title and Description Optimization: Integrate relevant keywords naturally into your product titles and descriptions while ensuring they remain clear and informative.

Alt Text for Images: Use descriptive alt text for your images to improve their visibility in image search results.

An effective SEO strategy can drive traffic to your shop and increase potential sales.

5. Focus on Customer Service and Feedback

Providing outstanding customer service is vital for building a loyal customer base. Here are some practices to enhance customer satisfaction:

Timely Responses: Aim to respond to customer inquiries quickly. Prompt communication can often make the difference between a sale and a lost opportunity.

Personal Touch: Consider including handwritten notes or small freebies with purchases to create a memorable experience for customers.

Encourage Reviews: After a transaction, kindly request customers to leave reviews. Positive feedback not only boosts your credibility but also helps refine your product offerings based on constructive criticism.

Ultimately, outstanding customer service can lead to repeat sales and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Conclusion

Selling crafts online offers a wealth of opportunities for genuine artisans to reach a broader market. By choosing the right platform, presenting your products professionally, leveraging social media, optimizing for search engines, and providing exceptional customer service, you can build a successful online craft business. As you navigate this journey, remember that each challenge presents a learning opportunity, and continuous adaptation will be key to your long-term success. Embrace the exciting world of online selling, and let your creativity shine in the digital marketplace.

Related Destash

How to increase etsy shop traffic?How to increase etsy shop traffic?

The second most important aspect of your Etsy shop is to get visitors.

Let’s face it, if you have a shop running in the town and no one comes into your shop, because you either close the doors, you don’t have any doors or your shop is simply not easily accessed by customers/ potential customers (Visitors), then you’ll have no one to sell your products. Hence you may never make a penny in that shop even if it is there forever.

The trick to getting visitors into your Etsy shop is to advertise your shop/ products.
Think of your Etsy shop like an actual building. Think of your door/s as the actual links to your Etsy shop and products. In order to get visitors into your doors, you must first have products which in this case are your listings.

You must find a way to have enough people see your doors in order for persons who need/want your products to by chance or intentionally see your shop and stop by to either investigate and/or do business. Now imagine the Internet as the virtual streets which your shop is located on, of which social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) Are now like hot spots where lots a people hangout to gossip, chat, share information, you name it.

You will want to go to those hot spots to show and tell people about your products strategically in order for them to come into your shop to either investigate and/or do business. The beauty of a virtual store (Etsy shop), as opposed to an actual store, is that your doors are portable and always open, well of course if you pay your bills and relevant dues they should be long enough.

Your best bet for social advertisements these days are Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter & Google. Ensure you create accounts on all major social media platforms and share links to your shop and products as aften as possible to get noticed. That is just a basic run through of getting web traffic.
We will create a different post regarding social media optimization and management, Search engine optimization (SEO) for an even more effective store and traffic.

Leave your questions and comments below.

How to Crochet?How to Crochet?

Having a hobby which is a viable skill these days can be fun and profitable. Learning how to Crochet actually benefits you in more ways than one, in fact, it is a great stress reliever. Here is a basic outline of learning how to Crochet.
Firstly you must ensure you have the basic requirements to start your first crochet project.

Basic things needed:


slip knot
Step 1: Hold a crochet hook in the preferred hand and make a slip knot on the hook.

slip knot 2
Step 2: Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with the hook.

one chain stitch
Step 3: Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto the hook. This makes one chain stitch.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 in sequence 28 more times. You should have 29 chain stitches and one loop will remain on hook.

chain
Step 4: Skip the first chain stitch.

first row
Step 5: Insert hook into the center of the next chain stitch. Draw yarn through the chain stitch and up onto the hook. There are now 2 loops on hook.

one single crochet stitch
Step 6: Bring yarn over hook from back to front, and draw it through both loops on hook. One loop remains on the hook, and you have just made one single crochet stitch.
Repeat Steps 5 and 6 in each of the remaining 27 chains — be sure to work in the very last chain. You have now completed one row of single crochet. Measure your work; it should be about 7″ wide. If it is too wide, try again with fewer beginning chains. If it is too narrow, try again with more beginning chains.

end of row
Step 7: At the end of the row, make one chain stitch, then turn the work counter-clockwise, leaving the hook in the chain.
Now you can begin another row, working into the stitches of the previous row.

turn for next row
Step 8: Make one single crochet stitch in the first stitch and in each remaining stitch of the previous row. Be sure to work into the last stitch. Chain 1, turn.
work to the last stitch
Repeat Step 8 until the block measures 9″ long.

Finishing: Cut the yarn from the skein, leaving a 6″ end. Draw the hook straight up, bringing the yarn through the remaining loop on the hook.
leave 6 in. tail

Thread yarn into yarn needle and weave back and forth through stitches to secure.
Hope this guide was helpful.
Your comments and questions are welcomed.

How to make DIY homemade hand sanitizer?How to make DIY homemade hand sanitizer?

When we talk about protecting ourselves from germs, the best way is that old-world handwashing. What if water and soap are not available? In this case, the perfect option is using hand sanitizer. Sometimes, you can’t find sanitizer, especially in today’s situation of COVID-19. So, make your own using simple ingredients.

Making DIY hand sanitizer at your home

We want everyone to be safe from the Coronavirus, so here is the step by step guide to making hand sanitizer.

Ingredients for hand sanitizer

The components which are necessary for our DIY homemade sanitizer are:

  IngredientsQuantity
99% Isopropyl alcohol1 Cup
3% Hydrogen peroxide1 Tablespoon
98% glycerin1 Teaspoon
Sterile distilled or cold boiled water¼ Cup or 65 milliliters
Aloe Vera gel½ Cup
Essential oilFew drops

Tools

  1. Measuring cup
  2. Measuring spoons
  3. Empty spray bottles
  4. Vacant bottles to store sanitizer

Method

Let’s start to make our hand sanitizer.

Pour alcohol into a container

First step is to pour the alcohol into a medium-sized container through a pouring nozzle or funnel.

Note: One thing you must know that the percentage mentioned on the bottle of Isopropyl alcohol is the alcohol congregation in it. When we are using 99% of it, we are dealing with pure alcohol. If you use 70% alcohol, it has approximately 2/3rd alcohol and remaining is water. A hand sanitizer less than 70 or 60% is not considered as a good one and it is not capable to fight with germs.

Add hydrogen peroxide

Now, you have to include hydrogen peroxide in Isopropyl alcohol.

Add glycerin in it and mix

In the next step, the glycerin will be added and mixed. As it is thick as compared to other two ingredients so it will take some time to mix properly. Make sure that the spoon you are using to stir glycerin is clean. If the container has a lid then it is suggested to shake it for combining everything.

Pour water into the mixture

Pour ¼ of distilled or boiled water in this amalgam and rustle. You have to consider one thing properly that water must be cold.

Include aloe Vera gel

If you want to make a gel consistency then you can skip water and add aloe Vera gel in the mix. Moreover, alcohol can be harsh on your skin and damage it but aloe Vera gel can minimize its hardness. It is better to use natural gel but you can bought it from the store too.

Use essential oil

To make your handmade sanitizer fragrant, you can add a few drops of any essential oil in it. Tea tree oil is perfect for this purpose due to its antibacterial feature. If you don’t have this oil, you can select any oil of your choice like lemongrass or lavender.  

Pour sanitizer into bottles

Pour your DIY hand sanitizer into spray bottles, but before it, you have to sanitize them as well. Here you go, your handmade sanitizer is ready to use.