This is a good article about pricing.
My top tip on photography is to remember (or realise) that Folksy crops the main image to square on our shop fronts and in search results. If you donāt start with a square image it chops bits off which can be off putting to potential customers. I use Picasa to crop and tweek my photos (there is a cd cover option which gives a square image). Iāve also made reflectors from old silver wrapping paper over bits of card to lighten shadows and have an ever growing collection of pebbles to use as props (yes when ever I go near a beach I scan for interesting and photogenic rocks!). Iām lucky that Iāve inherited my other halfās old camera (which is still very, very good) and have his tripod on near permanent loan so that I can bracket my exposures and I donāt have to try to hold the camera still during long exposures. Iām still going through revamping all my old shots so that they are homogenous with the newer ones.
The profit was miniscule and achieved by questioning every purchase - did I need it (really need it), was it good value (shop around for everything but donāt compromise on quality), would it appeal to potential customers or just me, that sort of thing.
Sasha
Thanks! Will check it out
Hubby and I are full time designer makers sadly Folksy could not support an income for both of us so we sell in other market places both bricks and mortar shops and online and we do not limit ourselves solely to the UK market, which for our business yields only 10% of our annual turnover. We only have one shop Leather Meister on Folksy the smallest element of our ācraft manufacturingā we consider ourselves to be artisian makers and do make in several fields. We have found that there is a great cross over from one medium to another and its by combining these different medias in different market places we are still able to retain the handmade artisian products that we supply and provide the profitability a business needs to survive. It is important not to restrict your sales the world is a large place with many of our customers coming fro overseas. The key we have found is to produce a consistent quality handmade product and not restricted to producing only one of an item. In terms of manufacturing we have to be prepared to dispatch anything up to 100 items at a time all identical as far as handmade product can ever be as many of our customers require consistently as they are investing time and money to promote the product no only in shops but on web sites as well and as such need to be able to confidently reorder the identical product again and again. Unless you are going to deal with gallery outlets who will happily take a one off piece you have to be able to re produce your products consistently in design and in manufacturing standard and that is why we consider ourselves artisan manufacturers rather than crafters. It is worth remembering there is a big jump to full time employment from a hobby not only in terms of production but also in investment in equipment and materials to say nothing of time. Enjoy your holidays while you can and welcome to the world of the midnight oil burners.
I could never give up the day job. To make enough goods to replace my wage, let alone manage to sell themā¦my fingers would be bleeding! Maybe when I retire, if that day ever comes.
I would love to be a full time crafter (in my dreams) I am self-employed but have two part time jobs which brings in the money.
Fingers crossed weāll all get to full-time someday Wow 3 jobs (including Folksy), sounds tough!! P.S. your bat is very cute
Took a look at your shop- congrats on your 800+ sales! super impressed- and noticed that you sell jewellery as well as supplies Iāve just started selling supplies myself- wondering if youāve found that worthwhile or best to just stick with finished jewellery pieces? Thanks for the advice
I only stock a few supplies that Iām destashing, they sell occasionally but arenāt my main focus.
Oh to be a full time artist and earn a living at it !!ā
I sell my Art online and have had a shop of folksy for four years and have sold over 100 paintings here, but not so many this last year, my miniatures are very popular internationally and I sell well via my Etsy store, I also have a shop on my website where I sell a mixture of larger pieces and miniatures I also sell direct via Facebook, etc. I have done a few dollshouse fairs earlier this year which were fun and I sold a few pictures - large and small.
I make a profit but still have to work. It takes a lot of work and time to market and promote my Art In Wax. I am a self employed web developer for my other job which I have been doing since 1998 - I know a long time!!! I only do that part time now as hubby and I decided a couple of years ago I needed time to explore the artist in me and as a result I have some time to paint and promote /sell more
Great to hear all your stories and other things you do.
Hazel
I have a full time job, so in order to replace my wages I would have to sell a hell of a lot of stuff! That would be physically impossible unless I sewed for 10 hours a day 7 days a week and then it stops being enjoyable. I like the fact that it is something I enjoy doing and thereās no pressure or worry about sales or promotion.
Fortunately, working in a school gives me lots of holiday time to catch up on making stock so I always look forward to my āfull timeā job in the school holidays.
Iāve just read this on Twitter which I thought some might find useful if you want your business to be full time.
(I hope itās ok to put external links on here. Apologies if itās not)