Originally Posted by
ptquilts
Etsy takes 20 cents per listing and about 4% of the final sale price. Good luck finding a local merchant who will take less than that!!! Most want at least one-third of the selling price. Some want 50%!!
I did personally find one that takes 2.5-3.5%, but she only takes quilts that she can sell for at least $700 & is very much no-frills. Depending on the seller, I definitely don't think that 30-40% is unreasonable & if they have good clients, you just build the cost of their commission into the price. I realize I diluted my real argument against etsy by mentioning I struck gold with a lower commission-- I just don't find that very many bed quilts sell through their service and those that do almost always sell for much less than what I could afford to sell at. I love doing intricate handwork -- even that first dreadful quilt (my avatar) is all done with hand buttonhole stitching around the felt applique -- but for me, selling on etsy would mean working quite quickly for about $0.25/hour.
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)