Turn your hobby into a money making opportunity. I have several friends that have a knack for making things, but outside of Facebook, not sure of where they can grow their business. There are several other ways that you can start selling your items online.
- Use a popular selling website in the hobby niche
- Etsy is probably the most popular place to sell your homemade goods. Crafters, artists, and collectors of vintage items should look here first. The website generates a lot of traffic and is ranked #42 in the U.S. and #151 globally. Opening up your store on Etsy is free, but each item you list on the site costs $0.20 USD. Each listing lasts for 4 months or until it is sold. For each sale, you will be assessed a 3.5% transaction. To get started and register for an account a valid credit card or Paypal account is needed.
- OpenSky is another global marketplace. OpenSky, like Facebook, allows you to gain a following and share your new products with your followers. Your followers can share your new products with their followers to increase exposure. You will be able to take orders and collect payments without having to set up a website. Their pay structure is the following:
Option 1: If you invite followers to OpenSky (i.e. your store) and they buy from your store, you keep 100% of what you sell.
Option 2: Existing OpenSky customers discover your store, and then buy from your store; you keep 80% of what you sell*.
Option 3: If you invite followers, but they buy from another store, you get a 10% bonus!
*Note: There is a 3% credit card transaction fee
- Use a popular micro gig website to sell your item
- Fiverr is the largest, most popular microgig website in the world. They have a section for gifts that you can take advantage of. Even though, the gigs start off at $5 there are ways to make and charge more. Read more…
- Gigbucks is the same concept as Fiverr except that you can charge more than $5 for your goods. There is also a gift idea section that will allow you to sell your products. Read more….