Fun With Etsy

I used to sell my glass creations on etsy in the past. It took me about half a year to build up a good client base. After that I had regular customers and quite a good second income. But then my circumstances changed and I couldn't continue with my craft. Currently, I haven't made anything new for over 8 months, but I am still in touch with my former customers who tell me that would love to buy some new work. For me it's been a really good experience, since I not only found people who like my creations, but also some new friends.

 

I am very interested in Etsy and Pinterest as well. I'd like to use them to sell music that I have written but I understand these sites as a way to sell crafts and such. Is there a way to use them to sell my music? I am a music teacher and I have written tons of music for my students. I have enough to put a method book together. If Etsy or Pinterest are not the places for this sort of thing would anyone happen to know of any?

 

I'm not crafty, but I absolutely adore browsing Etsy. There are so many fun and creative things on there! I love supporting smaller shops with handmade items as well. My mom makes all kinds of things (cards, purses, other various projects), and I've been trying to get her to get on there, because I think she would have a lot of success, but she claims she isn't internet-savvy enough. I have never set up a shop myself, but it seems like a relatively easy and quick process!

 

I think it would be worth checking into. It's possible to sell digital items on Etsy, as well as tangible ones. I don't know which version would work best for you, but you could combine the two as well. Since music is a craft as well as an art, in my opinion, it would be worth trying, even if there isn't a specific category for it. Starting a shop is free, and each listing is $.20/4 months. They do take a final value fee, but it seems to be smaller than what eBay takes.

 

I have read in the past that you don't always need to be making crafts to have something to sell on Etsy. You can provide the items that crafters use to make their creations. In other words, if you have a bunch of craft materials around your house, you could try to sell them on Etsy. It's one of those things, where one man's junk is another man's treasure. I would imagine old buttons, scraps of material, dried flowers and all kinds of things might be interesting to crafters.

 

Thanks for the reply! I will definitely try it out. As I continue to put more work into the music I've been writing and I get more and more excited at the possibility of selling it. I am hoping to self-publish as well but that's another avenue that I have yet to explore. But so far, I've been getting a lot of positive feedback from my students. Is there a way to target those who may be interested in my buying music?

 

When you get some free time, check to see if they do have a specific section for music. By the way, what type/genre of music is it? If they don't have a specific section, there may be a way around that. As far as targeting a particular audience, I'd say that comes after the shop, although of course you'll plan for it ahead of time. I do a lot of promotion on my various social media sites, particularly Twitter, Instagram, and tumblr. I think it would be best for you to target sites where people are interested in music, or you could also catch their eyes by using hashtags and posting in related trends on Twitter. Following others in the field can get you noticed, as well.

 

I am not crafty, but I look on Etsy frequently and love the place. I think it is great that there is a place for local artisans to sell their crafts. One of my good friends does historical re-enactments, and when he is done, he sells the old costumes on Etsy. for him It is a great way to keep his craft room stock down to a manageable level.