What are some common challenges of selling arts and crafts online?

Beverly Level X³

October 7, 2016, 3:27 pm

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What are some common challenges of selling arts and crafts online?

One of the biggest challenges of selling arts and crafts (handiwork/homemade items) online might be how the buyer can't feel, touch the item ahead of time. This might be a real issue for instance if the product is 'soft' or that's one of the feature such as 'this jacket is plush and very 'soft'. Well the buyer can't feel the softness of he handmade jacket, so they just have to take your word on it. Another issue could be size comparisons. Often, in a photo, an object will look larger than it really is. For that reason, it's always good to show a comparison. For instance, an earring might be described as 'tiny' but your version of tiny and mine could be entirely different. So placing the earring next to a penny or other commonly recognized object is a perfect comparison to show 'size' online. Using a ruler is another way to indicate the size or just providing measurements. Though i still prefer 'comparisons'.

Another issue that I've found is how when you are selling art work, the images are never as good as the real/offline original paintings and the colors dull out in the pictures so the customer never really know what a great thing they are buying. Sometimes a buyer will risk it and take a chance to buy that painted item anyway, othertimes they judge the quality of the painting by the picture. For that reason, it's good to ensure you are using the highest quality camera you can afford and doing some very basic adjustments on your image to ensure good color saturation (so the image doesn't appear washed out or faded).

What are some other common challenges of selling arts and crafts online? Please discuss fully.

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CryptoGuru

CryptoGuru

Yes absolutely that is anything online its so hard sometimes to make a decision because you don't physically touch the item. You have some good tips about sizing that you could also do for the touch and feel of the item for example people may have things similar in the house already that match the item you are selling. I always recommend comparing your items to everyday household items if the shoe fits. Pictures can be deceiving but if you use the sizing like you said it makes it easier for people to make a choice. The other thing i would try to do is to shot videos when possible on the item holding it using it ETC. This allows people to envision themselves holding it or using it before they even have it! When selling the handkerchiefs we make the hardest thing is when a client wants a design you don't have made already. The cost of material goes up especially if you keep having to make custom designs rather than being able to sell the generic ones you have ready. Thats it thanks for sharing Beverly i appreciate your topic.

8 years ago

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Cristian

Cristian

Everything you sell online should have a complete description, lots of pictures, details on size, weight and so on. Selling arts and crafts should require even more details from my point of view, then more complete the descriptions are, the better.

And I think that's the problem many sellers have when trying to sell their arts and crafts online, they usually work very little on providing a proper description or even quality photos of what they're selling.
I also found out that most of these sellers are also clueless when it comes to online marketing, they don't know here to sell their products and how to sell them!

8 years ago

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CryptoGuru

CryptoGuru

Yes i agree great point Cristian many people take the slow approach when it comes to detail online. Good points thanks for sharing.,

8 years ago

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Lynne

Lynne

In my opinion a biggie would be that there are so many scammers out there. As a buyer I would feel nervous buying something. The problem now comes in that the authentic crafters most likely don't have an image that does justice to the actual product.... and the scammers probably photoshop what they are selling so that the photo looks completely different from the low quality item they are selling.

Thankfully there are great online market places like ListingDock where buyers can rate a seller and the products being sold and leave public feedback.

This makes the process a lot easier and makes me much more likely to make a purchase.

8 years ago

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peachpurple

peachpurple

I agree with all the comments here. Selling products or handmade items online is a huge headache when the pictures taken isn't the same as what you wanted or what you had in hand. The color might turn out different, either too dull or too bright. The size of the real item isn't the same as you get it. So if you could, read the item description. The measurement and size matters. Most are described in inches or feet. The made of the products and the warranty of the product, whether it is exchangeable or refundable. All these details are important in order to attract your customers to trust in your products.

7 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

There are lots of places where you can sell your arts and crafts. You can sell your arts and crafts on ebay, etsy, zazzle, Fine Art America etc. One of the main challenges of selling arts and crafts online is there seem to be more sellers than the buyers. These days everyone seems to be a seller and there are few buyers.
If you want to sell arts and crafts online, the most important thing is to have a niche that has less competition. If you have a unique product, it will be little easy to sell it.
Second is optimizing your product. You need to have proper title and description that use relevant keywords. Your product will only be found if you have used proper keywords on the title and description.
Thirdly, you will have to use photos that clearly show the products and your image also needs to have a proper title and caption.

7 years ago

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Heatman6190

Heatman6190

I think it's the possibility of convincing someone that what you are offering online is of the original quality. Most times, people are taken advantage of booking some stuffs online and on such item delivery, it won't be exactly what that person saw online.

So as a result of this, people now find it hard to buy some particular stuffs online and arts are one of them. Personally I wouldn't consider buying an art online because of the possibility of getting a duplicate and not the original item.

Before it wasn't this usually hard to convince people to buy online but the recent turn of events and the unsatisfactory service given to those who tried buying online has deterred a whole lot of people in engaging in such.

7 years ago

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tophew

tophew

one of the challenges in selling arts and crafts online is the buyers, like if you can attract them in to your master piece and on how to make people believe that your arts and crafts are great also the network traffic is important. but keeping up to date and trying to make some promo will greatly help your selling capacity. so i highly recommend it to you.

7 years ago

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Barida

Barida

I think the work of arts and craft can be tough selling online when we consider issues such as not having a feel of what you want to buy, but it is same for almost everything we sell online. I think having recommendations from previous clients can go a long way in easing fear on prospective clients.

7 years ago

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augusta

augusta

The challenges are enormous from getting a color that one never requested, to getting a either bigger or smaller size down to outrightly different thing all together. Ordering comes with all the problems.

7 years ago

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