How do I go about starting an online business selling jewelry and crafts?
Me and my little sister want to start selling jewelry and other little craft things that we always make. We want to make a website for it as well though. How do we go about doing that?
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Go to Etsy.com and read all about how to sell your crafts. It a great way to go and get lots of exposure. Good luck to you!
Well, posting a catalog of your product online is easy. Its a good start. And people will surely come visit your website and inquire and be interested and all.
But you need to consider some important details that your buyers will need to know or you yourself should need to know.
1. How will they pay you? Is it through Credit Card? Bank Transfer? PayPal? Cash On Delivery?
2. How will you receive the money? To your Bank? To your Card? PayPal?
3. How will you deliver the goods? By air mail? Package delivery? Hand delivered by you?
4. How about security and reliability? How will you know they will like the product when they see it in actual? How do you know they will pay? How do you know that they have already paid if they said they did? How will you know they received the product or not?
I could go on forever.
These may sound very discouraging and frustrating. I could mention the advantages like what most people will do but this is the real life in Online Business because you are not face to face with your customers. You don’t receive real money but digital cash. There is an enormous risk in venturing into an Online Business that you need to carefully plan what you really want to do.
Look around and find a good place to get some web space. There are some really good free hosts out there (such as http://www.freewebs.com) or you can always purchase a site. Then get pictures posted of the merchandise you’d like to sell. First though you’ll want to decide how you’re going to accept payments, how you’re going to ship products, what you’ll charge for shipping, etc. Good luck with this adventure!
Use this basic checklist to make sure all the important steps are taken before you launch your new venture. This business checklist will make sure that you cross all your t’s and dot all your i’s before your business launch.
Steps to Starting a Business -
http://www.developer-resource.com/starting-a-business.htm
Other sites you might find helpful are:
SBA – http://www.sba.gov/
SCORE – http://www.score.org
Small Business Resource – http://www.small-business-software.net
Business Link – http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home
Goodluck!
It’s probably best to start on eBay. You’ll get your “start up” funds and see how other people like your stuff. While you do that you’ll need to work on the real business part like the license, tax id #, web page (I like 1and1.com) and all the other business basics.
Good luck!