If there is one business lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that you must be ready to turn on a dime – or to coin a term that gained popularity over the past year – pivot. During the height of the pandemic, businesses with an established online presence flourished. Sadly, many others who could not deliver their products or services online went out of business. According to Yelp.com, nearly 98,000 U.S. small businesses shuttered their doors during the pandemic. Hopefully, yours was not one of them.
If you are not already selling your products online, now is a great time to take the plunge. Whether you are just now considering an online store or have always been interested in having one, this article will touch on things to consider and steps to take to get up and running.
Decide What to Sell Online
An online store can supplement your bricks-and-mortar or craft show business, or it can be the primary way to sell your crafts. Deciding in advance what to offer for sale online is essential. Some artisans may only offer pieces that are easy to pack and ship. The fragility of the item, size, and weight are all things to consider. I often see posts on social media groups where a crafter sells an oversized wall hanging and then panics when it comes time to ship it. These things need to be thought through before an item is listed for sale to ensure it is well-priced to cover the cost of safely packaging and shipping the item to its new home. Once you decide what to sell, you need to determine where you’ll sell it.
Select an Online Platform
Simply put – Etsy is king. The Etsy platform has taken years and significant investment to become what it is today. It is the Amazon of the artisan world. It’s also a great place to get your feet wet in the online space with little to no upfront investment.
There are other Etsy-like platforms out there, but they do not have the brand recognition and worldwide reach of Etsy. Etsy charges fees for their services, including a 20 cent listing fee and a 5% transaction fee on the final sales price plus shipping cost. They make it easy to purchase shipping labels and keep the buyer up-to-date on shipping status. Etsy also offers optional paid services such as advertising and promoting your items to the Etsy community or the internet.
Additionally, Etsy offers its customers an opportunity to have a website that integrates with their Etsy store through Pattern. The monthly fee is $15, which is very reasonable for an e-commerce site.
To compete with Etsy, Amazon recently began a sales platform for crafters called Amazon Handmade. Artisans must apply to join. Currently, Amazon charges a 15% fee for each item sold.
Online sales platforms like Etsy and Amazon have strict community standards. If you violate them, your listings or shop can be taken down. You can lose everything that you worked so hard to build. When using these third-party platforms, it’s important to note that you are not in control – they are.
Many crafters, including me, sell on Etsy and also maintain a separate website. Selecting a website provider may seem overwhelming, as there are many from which to choose. Popular vendors include Shopify, GoDaddy, Square Space, and Wix. All offer similar features such as stylish templates, easy-to-use interfaces, payment (credit card) processor integration, search engine optimization (SEO) tools, marketing and email features, shipping integration, and more. The average monthly fee for a small business e-commerce site is around $25. My recommendation is that you carefully review the vendor’s website features and functions, as well as online reviews, before deciding on a provider. Don’t just go for the pretty templates, as reliable service and support are critical to your success.
I use GoDaddy for all my business ventures, including my crafting business, children’s book, and aerial photography, and drone business. I am satisfied with their products and their customer support. Some of the features I love include the easy-to-use interface, the text notification when I make a sale, and the order tracking and fulfillment features.
Select Shipping Services
Once you decide to sell online, you will need to determine how you will get the item to the purchaser. Local pick-up is one option, but offering nationwide or even worldwide shipping will help to expand your business.
Major US retail shipping providers include United Parcel Service (UPS), FedEx, and the United States Postal Service (USPS). Both UPS and FedEx allow small businesses to establish a shipping account to purchase and print postage online. Depending on the number of packages you ship, you may be eligible for shipping discounts. So, be sure to contact them to negotiate rates.
Both UPS and FedEx have local drop-off points where you can leave packages with pre-paid labels for same-day pick-up. Our local Michaels store offers this service for UPS so that I can drop and shop! Very clever of Michaels, I might add. You can also arrange for package pick-up from both UPS and FedEx for an additional fee.
The USPS is my shipper of choice for several reasons. First, they offer free package pick-up with your regular mail delivery Monday through Saturday. Second, their shipping options are often the least expensive, even when stacked against other providers’ discounts. USPS provides shipping discounts through several integrated providers such as Etsy, Amazon, and Paypal. Finally, and perhaps best of all, USPS provides free unlimited Priority Mailboxes. Simply order them online, and they are delivered right to your door.
There are also third-party shipping providers, such as Ship Station. These companies act as a middle-man between you and the major shipping providers. For a monthly fee, you can use their services and receive negotiated discounts on shipping rates. They also integrate with several e-commerce website providers to handle fulfillment logistics. I don’t find this service necessary since I already receive discounts through other means, but you may want to do a cost-benefit analysis to see if membership is right for you.
Reliability is key. The lowest-cost shipping service is worthless to you if you can’t count on them to deliver (pun intended.) Unfortunately, late or lost deliveries can impact your business reputation – even when you are not at fault. So be sure to monitor shipping service levels to ensure customer satisfaction.
Stock Up on Shipping Supplies
In addition to boxes, you’ll need some other supplies to pack and ship your items safely. A scale is required to weigh your package before purchasing and printing postage online. Using a bathroom scale does not provide sufficient accuracy. A one-ounce weight difference can bump you into a higher fee bracket, charging you more than you need to pay. Shipping scales are inexpensive and can be purchased on Amazon or from the postal service.
Wrapping paper, bubble wrap, packing tape, and a printer and paper are also required. You may also want to invest in a thermal label printer, which can save time and money depending on your shipping volume.
Market Your Online Store
Once you have an e-commerce presence, you must work diligently to get traffic to your site. Order professionally printed business cards, and be sure to include your website URL and Etsy or other third-party platform information. Hand them out freely. A business card that is still in your possession won’t help you make a sale.
When shipping merchandise, be sure to include a business card and a note thanking the purchaser for supporting your small business. You may also want to consider including a coupon for the next purchase, directing the customer to your website for future orders.
Get your online store information and URL out there whenever and wherever you can. I include my website URL on my earring cards, on packages, in communication emails, on thank-you notes, and more.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will help people find you online. Take time to learn about SEO best practices that can help get your site noticed in the e-commerce ecosystem. Because effective SEO takes time, effort, and consistency to realize results, you may decide to outsource this to an expert so you can spend the majority of your time doing what you do best – creating!
Now is the Time
There has never been a better time to get your business online. With the numerous e-commerce tools and resources available, you can be up and running in a matter of hours. Online sales are booming, and you can be a part of it.
Author’s Note: Any fees quoted in this article are believed to be accurate at the time of writing and are subject to change. Visit the service provider’s website for official pricing and other important account information.
Libby Trostle is an artisan, children’s book author, and commercial drone pilot. Visit her website at GypsyCrafter.com.
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