These days, handmade items and personalized crafts are one of the most-bought categories online. Sites like Etsy have made it easier than ever for people who make crafts to sell the items that they make and connect them to people who are looking to buy. There’s a huge market for hand crafted items as people like the idea of owning something unique or getting a unique gift for somebody that feels much more special compared to buying something off the shelf. If you want to start your own craft business, here are some of the things you’ll need to consider.
First of all, think about the equipment you are going to need to get started. You can usually get started with the basics and add more equipment to your inventory as your craft business grows and makes more sales. The equipment that you need will depend on the type of items you make, too. For example, you will definitely need a sewing machine if you are making handmade clothing. Or if you are making personalized gifts, consider getting a Cricut.
At the very least, you are going to need a PC or laptop to help you run your business, advertise your products, and in some cases, make your crafts. You’ll use your laptop for all kinds of things including creating designs to use with your Cricut if you use one, marketing your products on social media, and building your website or Etsy shop. Consider these Lenovo Cricut laptops to get a computer that is designed for the kind of work that you will be using it for.
Although you can use platforms like Etsy exclusively to sell your crafted items, many craft business owners like the idea of having their own website where they can usually sell their products at a cheaper rate by avoiding Etsy fees and build their own brand. You can pay a professional web designer to build your website for you or build one yourself using easy-to-use eCommerce platforms like Shopify. Before building your website, it’s a good idea to have a strong visual brand including your logo, brand colors, fonts, and anything else that will help your customers recognize your business.
You may also want to consider storage space for both your equipment and the items that you are going to sell. How much storage space you will need will vary depending on different factors such as the size of the items you make to sell and whether or not they are made to order. If you plan to make items in advance to sell then it might be worth considering renting a storage unit if you do not have a lot of room in your home to store your inventory. Ensure that you have insurance on your inventory and your equipment wherever it is stored to cover you financially should anything go wrong.
With handmade crafts getting more and more popular, this is a great business idea for anybody who loves making things.