How to Create and Sell Your Own Handmade Goods

The world in which we live is a tech-centric, constantly evolving, and innovating sphere of productivity and efficiency. It’s no wonder consumers are looking for a little more intimacy in the products and services they are buying. The consumer’s sentimental shift toward more personal and crafty products has led to a booming opportunity in the world of handmade goods. With the advent of eCommerce, more handmade goods are being sold now than ever. Consumers are realizing they connect with the unique products made by “every day” creators and artists, a lot more than the products manufactured in largescale factories. 

There are tens of thousands of people turning their crafty passions into profitable side hustles. You can do the same by learning how to create and sell your own handmade goods online. 

The world that many are referring to as “indie crafting” is growing quickly. There is an opportunity for you, like many others, to sell your own unique handmade products on multiple marketplaces. Starting a side hustle has become one of the go-to methods in our modern age to achieve overall financial independence, and get to FIRE faster. 

There is a lot that goes into the lucrative side hustle of handmade goods, so let’s dive right in. 

What is the requirement to start Selling Handmade Goods?

Why are Buyers looking at when buying HomeMade Goods?

There is a certain appeal consumer look for when it comes to handmade goods, and you’ll want to keep that in mind as you learn to create your own. That appeal has everything to do with the uniqueness of the individual product you are selling. Consumers are going to buy from you instead of big, name-brand retailers because your product is the opposite of the cheap, cookie-cutter version they are usually forced to buy. 

1)The Product is Unique

Buyers these days are buying products that are unique because they are able to get others’ attention. A great example of a unique product is Scrub Daddy, it is a cleaning tools company best known for an eponymous sponge it manufactures that is in the shape of a smiley face, unlike our usual rectangular sponges. Its uniqueness combined with how effective the product is, the founder was able to close a deal in Shark Tank of $200,000 for a 25% stake in the company with Lori Greiner. This shows that uniqueness is one of the key reasons a product is able to sell well.

2)Giving back to the community

When consumers feel like they’re giving back to their community and doing good in the world, they’re more likely to find a product worthwhile. Companies such as Patagonia, have been supporting grassroots activities working to find solutions to the environmental crises. The company created a 1% self-imposed tax on its sale for the preservation and restoration of the planet. This is why even though Patagonia product prices may be relatively steep, the consumers are willing to pay as they feel like they’re giving back to their community and doing good in the world, they’re more likely to find a product worthwhile.

3)Supporting Artists and Creatives

Art is a relatively hard item to gauge a good price. Hence many artists and creatives do not make average or good enough income to support themselves. Thankfully, with the help of the Internet, artists and creatives are now better appreciated. Many of them have started selling their art pieces as NFT to make a living.

4)A Product that was “made with Love”

One of the top 5 reasons people are buying homemade goods is that they are able to feel the seller’s passion for making the product. The product essentially was “made with love.” Some of these products have heartfelt messages or notes to the buyer to provide more physical affection.

5)Appeal to Ethos

The word Ethos stands for “character” that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology. For example, when we think about smartphones, the first thing that comes to our minds is Apple. When we think of electric vehicles, we think of companies like Tesla. One of the great ways to make a successful homemade good is to create an ethos of your community for the product you are selling.

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Notice how broad the opportunity is in appealing to the consumer’s needs and choices. There is an opportunity for success in handmade goods across the board. People have forged profitable side hustles across all different kinds of industries and niches. 

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Best Handmade Goods to Sell Online

1)Handmade Jewelry

Not surprisingly, people are always looking for unique pieces of jewelry to wear. In everything from necklaces to personalized rings, sellers have the opportunity to craft one-of-a-kind pieces and sell them to select buyers. 

2)Printables

This is a lucrative product market for sellers to get into because in many cases, the product only has to be created once, and then it can be sold an infinite number of times. Buyers are willing to pay big bucks for specially designed calendars, planners, art, eBooks, chore charts, grocery store lists, photo albums, and even coloring books. 

3)Stickers

For many, stickers have become the ideal Etsy/eCommerce product. Like with Printables, you (the seller) are able to create a sticker template once and sell the product an infinite number of times with a sell-on-demand service. Ecommerce platforms host everything from bumper stickers to smaller stickers that buyers may put on their water bottles or phone cases. 

4)Notebooks and Journals

As more and more people join movements of productivity and self-care, notebooks and journals have boomed in popularity. 

5)Decorations

This one almost deserves a whole article of its own. The market for household decorations is already huge, but when you add party and wedding decorations, you’ll see the opportunity here really is endless. 

6)Personalized Cards

Many people are choosing to go online to purchase birthday or holiday cards from their corner drugs or grocery store. Cards are a highly personal ticket, so you’ll never run out of products to create and customers to sell them to. 

7)Handmade Clothes and Accessories

If you are handy with creating your own clothes, bags, or other accessories, you should know there is a billion-dollar online marketplace you are missing out on!

8)Bath and Beauty Products

There is a huge opportunity for people to make their own soaps, candles, and lotions. An online health movement has been sending more and more people in the direction of natural, handmade health products. 

9)Others

While the products listed above may be the most popular handmade goods to sell online, they aren’t the only ones. The sky is the limit to what you can create and sell online. The biggest key is to just get started. As we will now go over together, getting started selling your products is easier than ever, and the multiple thriving marketplaces mean you can actually sell your products in more than one place at the same time. 

Best Places to Sell Handmade Goods

1. Etsy

Undoubtedly the most popular creative marketplace in the world, Etsy helped 33 million buyers purchase more than $3 billion in handmade products last year. It has become the first stop for anybody looking to buy handmade, artistic, and creative goods. 

The advantages of setting up your own storefront on Etsy surround the wide reach the platform has. You are going to be able to reach more potential customers here than anywhere else. The competition is also steep, but as we went over before, if you sell a unique enough product, you can always find a buyer. 

2. Amazon Handmade

It’s no surprise that the second most popular eCommerce site for handmade goods and crafts is a child of Amazon. The tech giant launched Amazon Handle in 2015, and since then, the retail site has become an encroaching threat to platforms like Etsy. They have almost as much reach and an even bigger name. You’ll be able to easily gain visibility, recognition, and trustworthiness within the unique product you are selling. As an added bonus, Amazon has top-tier fulfillment services, which can be a big advantage if you are looking to take your side hustle to the next level.  

3. Carousell

One of the fastest growing companies in the eCommerce space, Carousell is arguably the best place to sell handmade goods across the Asian Market. While they cater to a wide range of customers across the world, Carousell has accumulated a cult following in the regions of Singapore and Malaysia. Sellers are not only able to distribute their handmade goods to customers across the platform, but trade items with those customers as well. In this way, Carousell has taken on a unique community appeal that some of the other platforms are lacking. 

4. ArtFire

Another platform comparable to Etsy, this eCommerce platform gained a name for itself by providing a place where artists and creatives alike could sell their own unique products. This site also comes with the advantage of having a smaller, more niche marketplace, which means fewer competitors. Sellers will benefit from listing up to 250 active items at the same time, while also gaining support from forums and blogs. 

Conclusion