This guide covers everything you need to learn how to sell crafts online. Turn your business ideas, hobby or existing business into an online venture that yields extra cash, flexible hours and the opportunity to be your own boss.

As a crafter, there's nothing more satisfying than witnessing someone admire an item that you've poured your heart and soul into making-—except maybe getting paid for it as well.

No matter what eCommerce business ideas you have in mind, the online market is ripe for craft makers of every kind. This guide will take you through the process of selling crafts, from choosing what to make and sell, to how to build an ecommerce website or online store to sell.

Learn more: How to sell on Wix

How to sell crafts online in 6 steps

1. Decide what to craft

2. Determine your target audience

3. Develop your brand

4. Choose your eCommerce platform

5. Build your eCommerce store

6. Drive traffic to your business

01. Decide what to craft and sell online

When deciding what to craft, you have two options: learn something new or stick with a craft you already know.

If the former applies to you and you’ve already mastered a craft, you’re off to a great start.

If the latter applies to you, no problem. Start by researching what types of handcrafted items are trending by checking best-selling items on marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon's handmade category (pro tip: when it comes to learning how to start a business, you always need to do your research).

Select a product or craft business idea that tickles your fancy, then dig more into the process for creating it, as well as the competition and the overall business opportunity. Ask questions like:

• What materials and equipment are needed for your craft?

• How much time do you need to produce each item?

• How much does an item cost to produce?

• What other business costs should you consider?

• What’s the competition like online? (And, who’s already doing it well?)

• Why are consumers choosing to buy these items, as reflected in their feedback, questions, and/or search histories?

• What is your break-even price?

• Are there special licenses, laws or regulations for your craft?

Keep in mind that when it comes to handmade items, how you feel about your work is often reflected in your craftsmanship. It’s not uncommon for makers to quickly burn out if they’re not passionate about what they’re doing (or aren’t clear about the “why” behind their work).

Keeping all this in mind, here are some popular craft categories and niches to explore:

• Jewelry (Learn more: How to start a jewelry business)

• Home decor

• Furniture (Learn more: How to sell furniture online)

• Canvas prints

• Printable or digital planners

• Candles (Learn more: How to start a candle business, Candle business name ideas)

• Wedding accessories,

• Subscription boxes (Learn more: How to start a subscription box service)

• Pre-made craft kits

• Pet treats or outfits

• Personalized gifts

• Party supplies

• Toys (Learn more: How to sell toys online)

Learn more: Crafts to make and sell

02. Determine your target audience

Aside from picking a craft that interests you, it's essential to define your target customer base and what solution or value your item provides.

Who you choose to target will affect the following aspects of your business:

• The type of product or features you highlight

• The materials you use

• Pricing strategy

• Branding

• Packaging

• Messaging

• Marketing and advertising strategy

• Sales channels

For example, “groovy fashion” designer Carmen Christine sells a variety of handmade fashion accessories and pieces, all from funky textiles from the 1960s and 1970s. Christine targets young adults that love sustainable vintage fashion. Everything from her logo and product choice (e.g., headbands and tote bags), to her copywriting and site branding (which features bright colors, playful icons, and colorfully decked-out models) are all tailored towards this audience.

In the same vein, you’ll want to target a specific audience that you know well in order to enjoy an easier time developing your products, your pricing, and your marketing strategy (among other things). Develop an ideal customer profile or buyer personas to help you think more from your customers’ perspectives.

03. Develop your online craft brand

Your brand is much more than just a name or a logo. It's your company's vision, values, voice, style, image, personality, and quirks—all wrapped into one.

Defining who you are as a company is the first step to creating a cohesive brand image and connecting with consumers on an emotional level.

Identify the purpose and vision behind your brand. Carefully think through your unique selling proposition (USP)—your core differentiators—and incorporate it into your branding.

For instance, if sustainability is a top priority for your business, create a plan for using sustainable materials when crafting and/or packaging your items. You could also commit to sending a portion of your profits to support a non-profit organization and/or subscribe to other long-term sustainable practices.

Build a strong, consistent brand identity with a unique logo, cohesive color palette and signature style. These elements set your products apart and make them instantly recognizable to your audience.

Once the wheels are in motion, you can start thinking about your visual identity, voice, and other brand elements that reflect your commitment to this cause.

Check out these craft business name ideas for further branding inspiration.

04. Choose your eCommerce platform

When you first start an eCommerce business, there are two core channels that you’ll likely consider selling on: marketplaces (like Etsy eBay) or a branded website.

Both have their advantages, but starting out with a branded site provides advantages such as:

• Complete control over your branding, messaging, pricing, and overall user experience

• Higher margins due to low subscription fees and zero listing fees

• Full access to the entire customer journey, ensuring optimal user experience and retention in your funnel

• Ownership over your sales and customer data

• Professional business features to help you drive sales and grow your business

• If you’re using a full-service platform like Wix, you’ll be able to easily expand to marketplaces without duplicating your work, plus gain a central command center to manage your omnichannel operations

It’s therefore wise to create a site that represents your brand in all its uniqueness, then use marketplaces to supplement it with additional brand exposure and sales. Note that most sellers who seek Etsy alternatives (as an example) do so because they’re frustrated by the lack of control and rising fees.

When choosing an eCommerce platform to host your site and establish your web presence, consider the following:

• Ease of setup: If you don't have a developer handy, look for a platform that includes professional, mobile-responsive templates and easy-to-use editing tools that don't require coding skills.
  

• Security, speed and reliability: Look for an eCommerce platform with a proactive approach to security, ensuring your content and customer data remain safe. You’ll additionally want to check that your platform is set up to scale with your business, e.g., can it handle an influx of traffic without crashing? Does your site load quickly? Does it perform well on all devices?
  

• Back-office tools: The best eCommerce platforms offer much more than a website builder. They offer the tools, automations and app integrations necessary for running your business smoothly. They should help to simplify your work across catalog management, inventory management, marketing, and more.
  

• Multichannel tools: Look for a platform with direct integrations into key sales and marketing channels, including social channels and marketplaces where your customers shop. This will save you from hours of manual data entry, and keep all of your inventory and product data connected across channels.
  

• Support – While support is often an afterthought, you’ll benefit tremendously from having a support team within reach. Make sure that help is easily accessible via chat, a self-help knowledge base, and other convenient channels.

05. Build your eCommerce store

Setting up your eCommerce store is relatively simple when you use Wix’s eCommerce website builder to build your ecommerce website.

In case you didn’t know: Wix for eCommerce is a feature-rich, secure platform with 24/7 support and built-in tools for processing payments, tracking performance, managing multichannel campaigns, and more—all for one low monthly price. Plus, there are hundreds of apps available in the Wix Apps Market to enhance your online store further.

Simply start by creating a Wix account and following the below steps. Note: you can create a Wix account for free and upgrade to a paid account only once you’re ready to start accepting orders.

• Pick a design and make it yours: Choose from 500+ designer-made templates. Use Wix’s drag-and-drop editor to customize your site to fit your brand. Make sure to check the mobile version of your store too and make any adjustments as needed.

• Add products to your store: Upload your product details, including high-quality product photos. Handlebend, for example, infuses lifestyle photos throughout its site to help shoppers visualize how their copper creations would look inside their homes. Handlebend also includes videos and detailed product descriptions on every product page, leaving nothing up to the imagination when it comes to the quality of its products.

• Optimize listing with keywords: Use the right keywords in your product titles and descriptions to boost search visibility. Think about the words your customers are searching for and weave them naturally into your content. Clear keyword-rich listings not only help search engines recognize your products but also give customers the details they need to feel confident about their purchase. For example, instead of "Handmade Mug," try "Handmade Ceramic Coffee Mug – Artisan Design." This approach connects you with the right audience while creating a better shopping experience.

• Tell your story: Whether through an "About Us" page or your overall website copy, share your company’s origin story, values, and/or mission. For instance, candlemaker Coal and Canary shares its beginnings on an “Our Story” page, plus weaves its personality and values throughout its store. The company even spotlights staff members on its homepage, allowing customers to see the face(s) behind the brand. By being genuine, authentic, and vulnerable, you can build stronger emotional connections with your customers.

• Manage shipping and fulfilment: Deliver your crafts safely and efficiently. Choose a reliable carrier and use sturdy branded packaging to make a strong impression. Add clear labels, tracking options and thoughtful extras like thank-you notes to create a memorable unboxing experience. Calculate accurate eCommerce shipping costs upfront and decide whether free or flat-rate shipping works best for your business.

  
  

• Make your policies clear: Clearly explain your shipping, return and exchange policies, including details about return shipping and any fees. Place these policies in a visible, easy-to-find spot so customers know what to expect upfront. This helps build trust and avoids surprises after a purchase.

• Set up payment processing: Make it easy for shoppers to purchase your handmade items, no matter their preferred method of payment. Wix Payments allows you to accept major debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, Afterpay, and other popular methods to collect payments online. With Wix Point of Sale, you can additionally expand your business beyond one venue or platform and accept payments wherever you go. Pro tip: you can try discounting your products when you're first starting out to appeal to more buyers.
  

• Launch your site: Connect your site to a custom domain name and publish it for the world to see.

06. Drive traffic to your business

Finally, it's time to start promoting your crafts. Focus on the one or two marketing channels that resonate most with your target audience. As you get more familiar with these channels, incorporate more tools and methods into your eCommerce marketing strategy.

Some techniques to try:

• Get social: Present your brand on major social platforms, particularly those that cater to shoppers and handmade enthusiasts, like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Regularly post new, original content to build up your community and take the time to actually engage with your network.

• Create a blog: Adding a free blog to your site and regularly updating it with fresh content can help to build up your credibility and improve our site’s search engine visibility (aka “SEO”). Of course, a blog is a long-term commitment; we don’t advise starting one if you don’t have the time, resources, and/or passion to manage it.

• Launch ads: Paid advertising can supplement your organic marketing efforts by helping you reach new audiences quickly. Consider online advertising on social media, search engines, and/or marketplaces. With Wix, you can easily set up Facebook Ads and Instagram campaigns powered by Wix’s AI capabilities.

• Use email marketing: Email is not yet a lost art. It can be an effective medium for drawing attention to your new products, promotions, giveaways, customer feedback, and more. Moreover, you can use Wix's fully-integrated email marketing services to automate a full-cycle email funnel to keep both prospective and returning customers engaged.

• Attend local events: Spread the word about your business by attending local fairs and events (or hosting virtual workshops and live events). Showcase your crafts and invite your attendees to join your mailing list to receive information on any upcoming sales or product drops.

As a crafter, building an online store is an expression of your creativity as much as it is a way to earn some hard-earned money. As you dive into the world of eCommerce, have fun with it. Remember to stay true to your initial vision for your crafts while acquiring new customers and fans.

How to sell crafts online FAQ

What is the best way to sell homemade crafts?

The best way to sell homemade crafts is to create a high-quality product that is unique and in demand. You should also market your products effectively through social media, email marketing, and other channels.

Is selling crafts online profitable?

Selling crafts online can be profitable remote work, but it takes time and effort. You need to create high-quality products, market them effectively, and build a good reputation. If you do these things, you can be successful in selling crafts online.

What crafts are in high demand?

• Jewelry: Jewelry is a popular craft that can be made with a variety of materials, including beads, wire, and metal.

• Crochet and knitting: Crochet and knitting are both popular crafts that can be used to make a variety of items, such as scarves, hats, and blankets.

• Sewing: Sewing is a versatile craft that can be used to make a variety of items, such as clothing, home décor, and bags.

• Paper crafts: Paper crafts are a fun and creative way to use paper to make a variety of items, such as cards, decorations, and jewelry.

• Woodworking: Woodworking is a great way to create beautiful and functional pieces of furniture, home décor, and other items.

• Decorative painting: Decorative painting is a fun and creative way to add personality to your home décor.

• Upcycling: Upcycling is the process of transforming old materials into new and useful items.

What products are the hardest to sell?

• Mass-produced items: Mass-produced items are often difficult to sell, as there is a lot of competition from other sellers.

• Overpriced items: Items that are priced too high are often difficult to sell, as customers are less likely to buy them.

• Items with poor quality: Items that are made with poor quality materials or that are poorly made are often difficult to sell, as customers are less likely to be satisfied with them.

• Items that are not unique: Items that are not unique or that are not in high demand are often difficult to sell.

How do I price my handmade items?

To determine the right pricing for your handmade items, consider the cost of materials, the time investedxfprodyc and factor in your skill level. Calculate the total production cost, including raw materials, labor hours, and any additional expenses. Additionally, research similar handmade products to understand market prices and ensure your pricing is competitive. Don't forget to account for your expertise and the uniqueness of your creations when setting a fair and profitable price.

What kinds of crafts sell best?

The popularity of crafts can vary, but items that are unique, functional, or have a personalized touch often perform well. Popular categories include handmade jewelry, home decor, personalized gifts, and accessories. Stay attuned to current trends and consider your own passion and skill set when choosing what crafts to create. Conduct market research and test different products to discover what resonates best with your target audience. Additionally, offering customizable or niche items can help your crafts stand out in the market.

Why are handmade and crafted items popular?

• Personal touch: Handmade items carry the personal touch of the creator, offering something truly unique that mass-produced items can't match.

• Quality and craftsmanship: Consumers appreciate the high level of quality and craftsmanship that goes into each handmade piece.

• Support for small Businesses: There's a growing desire to support small businesses and independent artisans, which aligns perfectly with buying handmade crafts.

• Customization options: Many craft buyers enjoy the option to customize their purchases, making them perfect gifts or personal treasures.

How canI leverage the trend of craft-along videos to boost sales and engagement?

There are a few ways to use the trend of craft-along videos to help you sell more:

• Create live streaming sessions showcasing your crafting process

• Offer kits with materials needed to follow along, to monetize your videos

• Host virtual workshops or classes for specific projects that can be joined virtually, streamed live and sold on later

• Encourage participants to share their results on social media, to spread more buzz around your videos and crafts

How can I use a growing demand for personalization to stand out in a competitive crafting industry?

When it comes to selling crafts, personalization is relatively easy to incorporate into your business model:

• Offer custom color or material choices for standard designs

• Implement a design your own feature for certain products

• Create limited edition collections based on customer votes

• Offer personalized packaging or gift wrapping options

• Develop a system for customers to commission entirely bespoke pieces