Open a Craft Store Free

The handmade crafts business whether full time or part time, is growing. The need to start a craft business can be due to job loss from staff down sizing, business closures, poor economy, etc. So the artist will need to find a outlet to generate sales for their various projects.

A big problem that many find upon starting a craft business at home, is to realize that more monies may be required for various costs. These may be for hosting a domain, inclusion in a high ranking directory, advertising, to name a few. It makes one wonder how on Earth does one sell successfully online?

I will assume that a business plan has been done. You have the what, where, why, when and how of your craft business on hand. Now, I will share a few sites with you to consider that will help further the reality of your own online store. They are FREE with limits but have the option to upgrade for more services PLUS a few also listed that are low cost. They are as follows ;

 - Shophandmade , requires HANDMADE items, Paypal account, single or group use, no Fee’s
-  Handmadeartistsshop, $50/yr subscription or $5/month, handmade items only, require Paypal
-  Yardsellr, Paypal required, small fee deducted upon sale
-  Ecrater , Google checkout partner, free store
-  GLC Mall, free basic store, $12/month upgrade option
-  Webstore, free store with limit or auction, many payment options
-  iCraft, $25.00 one time sign up fee, Free store with limit, $5 - $15/month upgrade option

A majority of these sites require HANDMADE products only. They will not accept mass produced commercial items which I think is great, since it’s our crafts that we would like to get noticed and have appreciative buyers. There may be advertising on your store which gets removed upon upgrading. Now, who would really mind the advertising when the chance to remove it, is just around the corner when you’re making regular sales?

One other factor to take into consideration is that these sites have good page ranks. This means that they get traffic whether it be genuine prospective buyers, wholesalers or the curious, your store will get noticed. One last tip to share is this - list your store in business directories for your area and related niche market. They also have good page ranks which may in turn, boost your own site.

I know there are many more sites out there and may have missed some, maybe you can leave a suggestion in the comments row. For now, I wish you the best in starting your own store. :)

I hope you found this article informative. Please feel free to leave your comments, share your own observations, Link to me, Subscribe to me or send a Email if you would like to place a Order today or request a topic.

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Holiday Gifts Crazy Quilt Wall hanging

The Christmas holidays are upon us and ideas galore swim through our minds. Some gifts are easy to choose for friends and/or family whereas ideas for others may leave us stumped and we wander through store after store trying to get inspired.

One gift idea can be giving a handmade home decoration such as a Crazy quilt wall hanging. Now why choose this? Home decorating can be fun for everybody but will depend on personal taste and styles. One has to like color, details and whimsy since a crazy quilt encompasses these qualities.

The days of yore with castles and monarchies, wall hangings and tapestries, of all sizes, were used for decorative purposes. Royalty, monasteries, nobility, wealthy merchants and farmers were the main patrons of fiber artists to provide these decorative pieces for their homes therefore were quite splendid and beautiful. These wall hangings and tapestries also sharpened the acoustics of a room. This particular piece of home decoration slowly diminished over time changing fiber crafts into industries.

A crazy quilt wall hanging can be made in various sizes, colors and embellished with embroidery, ribbons, beads, buttons, lace, charms, and assorted embroidered designs. Fabrics can range from simple cottons to expensive silk, satin, velvet and brocade. It’s the finished product that will provide the visual delight, interesting topic of conversation, become a art collection, and one-of-a-kind showcase gift.

Crazy quilt wall hangings are gaining popularity amongst art collectors due to the skill and labor involved in the creation not to mention, no two quilts are the same. We can give three colors of fabric to three individuals and each will piece it together with their own distinct style and therein lies the beauty of a crazy quilt.

A crazy quilt wall hanging can be found online with a search query. Numerous quilting guilds can also be found online and in our telephone books. It’s considered a textile and/or fiber art and can be a collector’s item. As I mentioned before regarding choice, it’s best to choose one for somebody who can appreciate something beautiful and unusual. I wish you a Merry Christmas, safe and Happy New Year!

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