Selling your work on Etsy - some basic information

[crochetgal]

Grandmajenny,

There is a huge difference between a hand made sweater and a factory made one. The people who are buying sweaters at $15 are NOT your target customer. They are Walmart's customer.

When it comes to pricing, I set my prices based on the formula outlined at
A Simple Formula for Pricing Your Work | The Etsy Blog

I do NOT work for peanuts. Because this is my business and my livelihood I do pay myself a living wage.

Personally, I cannot live on a salary of $5 per hour (which is approx $10,400 per year). What would you accept as a reasonable wage if someone were to hire you?

The way you are suggesting your pricing really isn't allowing you any sort of profit at all. Its the profit that allows you to purchase supplies for future projects and to expand the business.

[CrochetDee]

Thank you Crochetgal for all the info. I have tried to sell some of my items at craft shows but everyone is looking for "cheap". I have 3 stores on Ebid but got bogged down listing so I need to get busy again. Have you ever heard of Ebid? I joined Etsy but couldn't seem to get started, but now I might be able to with all the help you have given us here. Thank you so much.

[crochetgal]

Thank you Crochetgal for all the info. I have tried to sell some of my items at craft shows but everyone is looking for "cheap".

Dee, if the people at the shows you are doing are looking for 'cheap', then you aren't selecting the right shows. Like anything else, you need to be selling your work to your target audience.

The people who are looking for Walmart prices are NOT your target audience. You want to be selling at shows where the Neiman Marcus crowd is!!

[grandmajenny]

Crochetgal, Do you know any tricks or the most effective way to order from yarn paradise or ice yarns to maximize your dollar in their shipping cost? Their yarn has great prices but the shipping almost completely out ways the savings.

[crochetgal]

No. When I order from any company, I make sure that I order enough to take advantage of any shipping discounts that are available.

For most of the companies that I do business with, I have agreements in place with specific minimum purchase amounts and shipping rates. That way its much more cost efficient.

[grandmajenny]

Crochet Gal,Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I am trying to work up some cardigans to sell. The Vogue pattern calls for Berroco® Shade Card | Berroco Flicker? which is pretty expensive it would run me around a $130 just for the yarn for one. I am looking at substituting Sparkle Light Brown at Yarn Paradise which will cost me about $11.97 plus shipping for the yarn. But of course it is synthetic verses natural fibers. Trying to keep in mind that Neiman Marcus crowd.(tons of them at my granddaughters private school) The cardigan takes about 1900 yds of yarn, I still like the idea of figuring out my time by the yard if I charge $.10 a yard plus material the cardigan is either $329 or $211.07 at $.20 it would run $510 to $391.97. I know you sell yarn also and that this is your time which is valuable so any time you throw my way is very much appreciated.

[crochetgal]

If you are actually making money at $.10 or $.20 per yard then go for it!

Just make sure that you are covering your costs of your time and supplies and still making enough profit to turn back into the business.

If you are looking for a great deal on some natural fibers, you may want to check out the yarn sales in my shop. I'm running a huge sale with some excellent deals right now!