Saturday, September 22, 2007

Selling Crafts Beyond eBay

Why you should stop relying on Ebay and create your own craft website


Are you tired of paying eBay for the privilege of selling your crafts? I am not trying to put down eBay or anyone shops or sells there. They provide a wonderful service for crafters to sell their products, but they have limitations.

On eBay, you are bound by their terms and subject to what ever limited traffic they send you. You are also required to pay their fees, cutting into your profits. At eBay, you are a tiny fish in a very big pond. Isn’t it better to be a big fish in a small pond?

Most successful eBay crafters have websites or blogs (probably both) designed to drive traffic to their eBay crafts. If you are going to all that trouble, why not just sell your crafts yourself and keep all the profits?

I am not suggesting you pull all your crafts from eBay, but we have all heard the old adage, Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Just think. Are your crafts really shown to their fullest on eBay. Would they be better complimented on your own website, designed specifically to showcase your crafts?

As a stepping stone to the world of e-commerce, eBay is unrivaled. It is a great way for crafters to get started, but why stop there? By creating your own online craft website and finding the right niche for your crafts, you could generate more traffic to your crafts than you ever imagined on eBay.

With your own craft website you can build credibility with your viewers and develop a much more personal, mom & pop sort of relationship that is just not possible on eBay.

If your crafts are upscale in nature, does eBay give you the type of targeted traffic you need to maximize your profits? Selling crafts on your own website allows you to target the right market for those crafts.

Remember, eBay is an auction house and the customers there are savvy bargain hunters, an absolute must in this day and age. But, as a crafter, you need to ask yourself if your crafts merit a more unique setting.

It may be time for you to take the next step in your online craft business. Creating your own craft website may not be as difficult as you might think. There are many resources available today to help the novice get started.

Why not start today? With a little research, you could be on your way to realizing the full potential of your craft business. Who knows, you might even have fun.

Learn more about sellng beyond eBay.

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