Would the basic account work for me

Hello to everyone.
I am new on here and just registered this morning. I am busy reading all the information and I would like to know about the basic account from anyone who uses it as I am not sure how it works.
I make my own bags but very small scale about one a month and it is a hobby first and a selling item last. If I use the basic to sell one bag does that have to sell before I can add another.
Perhaps this site doesn’t cater makers like me?
Any info would be useful.
Thank you for reading this
Sew2vintage

1 Like

Hi there, welcome to Folksy!

The nice thing about Folksy is that it can be used by people ranging from those who just craft for a hobby right through to those who have a full scale business.

It sounds like you should just have the basic account and you can list new items as and when you make them. They will stay listed for three months (unless they sell before), then if they haven’t sold it’s up to you whether you pay to list again or not.

My sewing is just a hobby too. I have been here about 10 years now and it is a lovely place to sell, and I think the fees are very reasonable. I don’t sell loads, but what I sell allows me to keep making! The Folksy community is fab, there’s always someone here on the forum to help or just to chat about craft (or the world in general!).

I would advise to get several pieces ready to put in your shop before opening, I think perhaps half a dozen at least and then go for it!

Good luck with your shop, I am looking forward to seeing your bags.

1 Like

You can add as many items as you like to your basic account- I think it costs 15p per item, and the listing lasts for four months, I think. If you only have one item in your shop, you are unlikely to sell it unless it is exceptional. Also, you need to be a bit interested in selling to get your shop noticed. Prospective customers first need to find your shop, then they like to have a good selection of items to choose from…

As the other two say, it sounds like the basic account will be just right for you.

For a basic account you pay an 18p listing fee per item (15p + VAT), and then 6% (plus VAT on that 6%) if it sells.
For a plus account you still pay the 6% (plus VAT on the 6%) if it sells, but you don’t have to pay any listing fees, instead you pay £5 per month for however many items you want to list.

For both accounts the listings last 4 months (not 3), and I think the only other difference between the two accounts is that plus accounts get to feature 3 items at the top of their shop.

As you can see from that, unless you’re listing or relisting more than £5 worth of items a month (over 27), then basic will be the more cost effective option for you. You can still list as much as you want, you’ll just be charged a listing fee each time.

I do agree with @coatimundi though, you need to put a little thought into trying to sell them. If you just list them in your shop and don’t tell anyone you’ve got things for sale, they’re very unlikely to sell.

2 Likes

Hi! The best thing about Folksy (apart from all the lovely sellers) is that you can start with the basic account and then change to the plus account if you wanted to.

As others have said, you will probably need a few items to get people interested and you will need to think about how you get people to know that you’re here. (But if I can manage it, then it should be possible…)

Good luck, and enjoy!