So you're ready to sell your beadwork?

Okay, so you’ve gone all gung-ho on beadwork, and now you’re sitting with 19 bracelets, 6 necklaces, and some earrings. You have already given your family more jewelry than they know what to do with. What’s next?

Sell them! Your family and friends have all told you to start selling your work, haven’t they? You’ve been hesitating, but now you’re ready to take the plunge.

Where to start?

Local

Watch for local arts and crafts shows and church bazaars, especially a few months prior to the winter holidays. Swap meets are a good outlet if you’re in an area which offers them. Many times you can rent a space for just a little money and set up shop there. Consider getting together with friends or family who also have creations to sell and splitting the cost of the rental space (this makes sale days a lot less boring, too.). Be prepared to take orders as well, if this interests you; someone may really like a bracelet you’ve made, but it’s too big and they need a smaller size. If you plan ahead, you will be prepared to let this customer know how you can get them a bracelet that will work for them, and won’t be caught off guard or flustered that you don’t have what they want. Be sure to find out if you need any licenses or permits before you begin selling locally.

Online

If you’re ready to delve into creating an online presence, consider an avenue such as Etsy, which allows you to set up your own “shop”, hosted on their site. On Etsy, you pay a very nominal fee to list an item for sale for several months at a time, you set your own sales and shipping prices, and your items become available in the search engine of the entire site. People arrive at my Etsy shop via “regular” search engines, or by Etsy searches for bracelets, beadweaving, etc. There is no maintenance fee or membership fee , and it’s a great feeling the first time someone “favorites” one of your items or your shop!

Artfire is another online venue for sales. You can try it for free for a month, then pay a reasonable monthly fee thereafter. You don't pay anything to list your items, nor do you pay a commission on sales. The staff at Artfire will optimize your items for the search engines, so you don't have to. Another great place to sell your handmade projects!

Set up a shop on Zibbet. Zibbet offers free and premium options for sellers. The free shop is fully functional, and the premium shop has a monthly maintenance fee which allows extra functionality and choices for the seller's shop. There is no charge to list or sell on Zibbet.

UPDATE: Also consider selling in online live-auctions at TopHatter, or for a set price in the Yardsellr venue. Newer arenas, each has its unique flavor. Check them out! TopHatter sellers pay no listing fee, and are charged a 10% seller's fee only when the item sells (with a $1 minimum fee). Yardsellr is unique in that the buyer actually pays a small fee to purchase the item; the seller is charged nothing to list or sell.

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is always the best advertisement. Consider making up or purchasing business cards with your contact information for family and friends to hand out to people who comment on their jewelry. Always send a business card with any items you sell. Moo.com makes amazing business cards. Both Zibbet and Etsy offer links for free business cards (pay shipping only) via Moo.com. Cards are extremely heavy-duty and printed on paper from sustainable forests, which is a plus. You may choose from their designs or upload your own images (up to 50 images for a 50 card order!).

There are so many places to sell your beaded pieces; it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for you. Don’t become discouraged if one avenue doesn’t pan out for you, there is another sales method around the corner.