Selling quilts on etsy
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
Thank you for your input, everyone. I was browsing etsy shops last night and saw quilts listed for large amounts of money, so I was curious about how well they sold on there. I figured it was too good to be true. I didn't realize you could check to see what items were sold by a certain seller...good to know. I guess I will explore my local market options.
You might check with your local quilt guilds or LQS. Sometimes people will call up a guild or shop asking either to commission a quilt or to buy a ready-made quilt. I know our guild gets requests 3-4x/year for commissions & on occasion for ready made quilts. After a bad experience with commissions, I now only sell quilts that I've completed.
Two quick tips (because I always love when people want to enter the industry!):
1. For baby quilts, you'll sell more if you make them 100% cotton & market to grandparents.
2. Make sure you add 20% to the list price for your quilts with Quilts for Sale to cover their commission.
Best wishes with finding a great partner to sell your quilts!
Bree
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Posts: 459
I sell about 95% of my quilts on Etsy and to US buyers. They are in the 100-150$ baby quilt range. I'm making bright and modern quilt, with designer cotton fabric. But I must say it took me about a year to start selling on a regular basis. You need to work a lot on your pics, your listing. You need to learn how the search algorithm are working to put the right words in your titles and in the right order. These algorithm changes from time to time, so it`s never a done thing, you have to keep well informed. You need to have about 25 items listed for your shop to appears in the search (so I have some potholders and small items in my shop). Also, it helps to be ready to do custom quilt. Buyers see a quilt in your shop, they like it, so they ask you if you can do it in another size or color. For me, it`s worth it for many reasons. I have three little one so going to craft show is not really an option. I see quilting as an art and I'm happy to get any occasion to develop my skills. Sellling on Etsy helps me to pay for my supplies and my time (I have a small longarm and I'm making a baby quilt with a simple design so it doesn't take me that much time). I see custom order as an occasion to try something new or different, so I like it. I think Etsy is not for anyone, it depends what kind of quilt you make, how much time you want to spend on your laptop, etc. It doesn't hurt to try it, starting a shop cost nothing and the listing only 0.20$. But you can't set up your shop and do nothing; you must be prepared also to have to work for a few months before starting selling anything.
#13
You might check with your local quilt guilds or LQS. Sometimes people will call up a guild or shop asking either to commission a quilt or to buy a ready-made quilt. I know our guild gets requests 3-4x/year for commissions & on occasion for ready made quilts. After a bad experience with commissions, I now only sell quilts that I've completed.
Two quick tips (because I always love when people want to enter the industry!):
1. For baby quilts, you'll sell more if you make them 100% cotton & market to grandparents.
2. Make sure you add 20% to the list price for your quilts with Quilts for Sale to cover their commission.
Best wishes with finding a great partner to sell your quilts!
Bree
Two quick tips (because I always love when people want to enter the industry!):
1. For baby quilts, you'll sell more if you make them 100% cotton & market to grandparents.
2. Make sure you add 20% to the list price for your quilts with Quilts for Sale to cover their commission.
Best wishes with finding a great partner to sell your quilts!
Bree
#14
I sell about 95% of my quilts on Etsy and to US buyers. They are in the 100-150$ baby quilt range. I'm making bright and modern quilt, with designer cotton fabric. But I must say it took me about a year to start selling on a regular basis. You need to work a lot on your pics, your listing. You need to learn how the search algorithm are working to put the right words in your titles and in the right order. These algorithm changes from time to time, so it`s never a done thing, you have to keep well informed. You need to have about 25 items listed for your shop to appears in the search (so I have some potholders and small items in my shop). Also, it helps to be ready to do custom quilt. Buyers see a quilt in your shop, they like it, so they ask you if you can do it in another size or color. For me, it`s worth it for many reasons. I have three little one so going to craft show is not really an option. I see quilting as an art and I'm happy to get any occasion to develop my skills. Sellling on Etsy helps me to pay for my supplies and my time (I have a small longarm and I'm making a baby quilt with a simple design so it doesn't take me that much time). I see custom order as an occasion to try something new or different, so I like it. I think Etsy is not for anyone, it depends what kind of quilt you make, how much time you want to spend on your laptop, etc. It doesn't hurt to try it, starting a shop cost nothing and the listing only 0.20$. But you can't set up your shop and do nothing; you must be prepared also to have to work for a few months before starting selling anything.
#17
If you still want to sell on etsy, go for it. It's not as bad of an option as other large online marketplaces. I've just personally found that other options like selling it at a quilt show, working with a more local merchant who only sells quilts (and takes a smaller cut of sales than etsy), or promoting it on my own tend to be MUCH more profitable than etsy every would.
#18
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,140
If it is a great resource, I have no problem with paying fees. For example, right now I'm in the process of completing my application for the 2017 One of a Kind Chicago show where booth fees start at $1900 for a 10x10' space (the smallest they offer). Because this show attracts more sophisticated art buyers & art there -- including quilts -- generally sells for $1000+, it's well worth the fees to me. What really matters to me is the net profit & pretty much anything I'd sell at cheaper shows ($150-500) would have to sell for no more than $35. But what works for me is not appropriate for everyone. Each proprietor needs to decide for herself what kinds of quilts she loves to make, who her target market is, where her targeted customers shop & how much she is willing to pay to obtain new customers.
Shop around. There are many, many options out there both in the local market in some instances & online. Here are a few other places online you might try if you find your target market doesn't live within 20 miles of your home:
https://snarkyquilter.wordpress.com/...l-your-quilts/
https://www.quiltbroker.com/quilts.html (with Design Plus -- quiltbroker.com -- you name how much you want to get paid when it sells & then they add on however much more they think they can get & count that as their commission)
#20
This is a very interesting conversation. You ladies did give me some great pointers. I do agree that Etsy does not move very much products. I have tried to sell on there and took it down because I was just paying a lot of posting fees. Thank you all.
Catheleen
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