Considering.

[velvetpage]

I've been pointed by several people, most recently toad_hall, to www.etsy.com as a way to sell my crochet work. It has some advantages. I can set the price to retail because there's no middle person. I can reach a wider market. They seem to be fairly unique - I didn't see anything on the site that looked like the same pattern (as I'd expect, since it's an original pattern.) Listing doesn't cost much - twenty cents per item, but I can do prototype items and list available sizes so I wouldn't actually pay twenty cents for every hat I listed.

Downsides include an absolutely massive site - about 12 000 listings in children's clothing, the oldest of which go back to May and June. I scrolled through about six pages before I got back to the stuff posted on Wednesday. While this indicates that people do shop there - otherwise why would so many sellers list there? - it also indicates an awful lot of competition. There's one lady who appears to specialize in hats almost identical to my little ear flap hat - only hers are lined with fleece and edged with fun fur. I may keep that one against a future baby shower. It's a pity everyone I know is having boys! (I should look into a pattern for a boat hat that would work for a boy. After all, boys need protection from the sun, too.)

I'll need my own paypal account. Elizabeth's cabbage patch kid served as a model today, but I need to develop my photography skills. Here's my first really good picture:



So, what do you guys think? Is this worth pursuing?

Comments

[firesign10.livejournal.com]

I listed some things there this fall. I haven't done a lot of business there but it's pretty low cost so I figured it was not a big loss if it didn't work out. I want to make some new things but just haven't had the time yet. I'm going to keep my shop open until I try new stuff out and see how it goes. You sell a couple of things, well then you've covered your listing fees and then there's no real risk :-)

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. At that listing price, selling any items at all guarantees a profit, and it's not like I'm spending much on materials.

[neebs.livejournal.com]

That's what I was going to say, too.

Allow yourself $X to invest in this and if you've put that in and nothing happens, look for the next opportunity.