Posted by schwartzy on 2008-08-27 12:06:04
Post Subject: Advice on starting up an online business
I am a 24 year old art fiend.
I have always wanted to have my own business selling vintage clothes/accessories and arts & crafts I have created,but I have just never really had an idea of where to start.I feel there are alot of people my age,if not even alot younger,making a profit off there talents over the internet,and Id love to be able to do this!
Posted by VintageEnthusiast on 2008-11-28 01:11:05
Post Subject: Re: Advice on starting up an online business
I am a 24 year old art fiend.
I have always wanted to have my own business selling vintage clothes/accessories and arts & crafts I have created,but I have just never really had an idea of where to start.I feel there are alot of people my age,if not even alot younger,making a profit off there talents over the internet,and Id love to be able to do this!
Any advice would be loved to death.
merci!
If you want to dip your feet into ecommerce, then starting on auction sites like Ebay or Etsy will see you selling some of your crafts. From there you will learn how to sell, how to improve your selling techniques, dealing and forming relationships with customers etc.
If you want to create a business that will constantly generate you income, then a website is the way to go.
I started with Ebay in which I was a powerseller but it became to much and since then run my own website.
Both methods take equally as long to 'establish a full time income'. It depends on how you 'view' your business. Short term = auction sites, long term = your own website.
Posted by kittensrme on 2005-10-03 18:49:13
Post Subject: Advice on starting a craft business
I was thinking of selling some vintage clothes, jewelry, and maybe stencilled shirts online, but I'm not really sure what I need to do to start it up. Do any of you guys who have online shops have any advice?
Posted by aspiring on 2005-06-06 11:24:18
Post Subject:
I was in Billburg last summer but didn't catch the Free Store, that sounds awesome!
Check out Artists and Fleas, I missed it because I was there on the long weekend so it was cancelled, but it sounds cool:
http://www.artistsandfleas.com/home.htm
Vegetarian restos:
Bliss
191 Bedford Avenue
between North 6th and North 7th
Brooklyn, NY 11211
tel: (718) 599-2547
goga café and vegetarian lounge
www.gogacafe.com
I only went to Bliss, but Goga sounds cool too.
Beacon's Closet has 2 shops for vintage clothes:
http://www.beaconscloset.com/
Lots more, I'm not a local. There's a nice little yarn shop called the Yarn Tree right on Bedford, there are lots of shops up and down that street. I remember hearing about some hipster places just off the main drag but can't remember the names and didn't get to them. Check this out:
http://www.billburg.com/
It's *so easy* to get to Manhattan from Williamsburg, so don't worry about feeling limited to Brooklyn, though you can probably fill up all your time over there!
Posted by thriftstore_diva on 2005-02-24 12:46:48
Post Subject:
Yes, there are some crafty girls in Tacoma. There is a knitting group that meet every Tuesday at Cutter's Point Coffee on Pacific near the college there at 7:00 until 9:00. I have only gone once as I work Tuesday nights and well....I am not really a knitting gal....just a crafty sort with a obsessive love of vintage clothes and collecting weird crap! I'd also love to make more crafty friends!
Posted by kellydeux on 2005-04-11 21:46:42
Post Subject: michigan crafters???
Hi! I live in Waterford, Michigan and would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get together with other hip crafting chicks!!! I am a former hipster/make_up artist who is now married with 2 children. I am looking for others to share crafting and/or start a business. I also love vintage clothes, which i collect in hopes of revamping them and/or starting a business with as well. Kelly
Posted by researchasaurus on 2004-05-20 12:09:01
Post Subject:
Couple more things:
Newspaper ads REALLY work. However, if you post one:
-DO NOT PUT YOUR PHONE NUMBER IN IT!! (sorry to yell). You will regret that endlessly.
-Also, it sometimes helps to add "no early sales" to your ad, especially if you are listing details of the stuff you are selling i.e. antiques, vintage clothes or whatever. People will start hanging around your place by 5:30 a.m. in their trucks and they have no shame about ringing the doorbell so they can get the jump on the stuff they want. Even with the "no early sales" in there, people will probably still do this, especially if you are starting your sale on a weekday like Thursday when the real collectors are out. That said, if you can detail what you have for sale, it does help get people out there.
If you can, get all the stuff set up the day before so all you have to do is roll up the garage door and go. It's really frustrating to have those early vulture-shoppers milling around while you move merchandise out from the house or whatever. It's too hard to concentrate on bargaining on what could be your most valuable sales while you are getting the other stuff all laid out.
Posted by the-kitschen on 2006-01-19 09:26:43
Post Subject:
I love Brini! I am all about retro-kitsch.
It *is* weird though. The first time I saw it I was like ... "Is this for real? ... Wait ... is that a man?" I'm so amazed that show is on TV. It's really funny and cute, but at the same time, it does bring up some interesting gender role points.
The owner of my dance studio loves my vintage clothes, and she often asks if I watch the show. "Have you seen that show on the Style channel? It's all about the 50s!" and then in a whisper, "I think that might really be a man though. Do you think so?" Heehee she's so cute.
Posted by kittensrme on 2006-02-08 10:29:18
Post Subject:
As soon as I get all the pictures taken I'm going to sell some vintage clothes that I have collected throughout my years of thrifting that either don't fit, I never wear, or just look funny on me. I saw that same PBS special, CraftinFool, and I kind of took that as a sign to go ahead with this thing, since I was having trouble sleeping that day and wouldn't have seen it otherwise. Hehe. :)
Posted by thriftstore_diva on 2005-03-28 18:09:26
Post Subject:
I also love sending and getting things in the mail! My interests are pretty varied, but I especially love thrifting, collecting vintage clothes, revamping odd bits of vintage furniture, creating things in general, listening to indie bands(on the radio now as I am a mama now! kexp.org RAWKS!), trying to garden and keep indoor tropicals, and I am horribly addicted to ebay and craigslist! It would be awesome to pen pal with someone who also was an '80s goth or into the punk scene back in the day! My email is manyfacesofeve72@yahoo.com
Posted by craftyrockergirl on 2005-02-22 14:38:08
Post Subject:
OMG .... What don't I collect! I'm a total garage sale, flea market & thrift store junkie! In the last couple of years I've tried to keep things to a minimum and as practical as possible. I purged about 3/4 of my collectables but still collect a few things that I will never part with.
vintage purses especially Collins purses
vintage clothes and shoes
vintage enamel flower pins
rhinestone jewelry sets
vintage Vera scarves
Pucci slips and scarves
1950's kitchy kitchen stuff especially bowls
vintage linen
1950's lamps
local art
records
cool material
Posted by mishymisu on 2004-06-21 22:37:23
Post Subject:
I worked at a theatre in high school. The perks included all the free vintage clothes and costumes I could haul home that the theatre didn't want. I would sometimes leave that place with two or three garbage bags full of stuff.
Posted by bessiemae on 2005-02-17 13:52:23
Post Subject:
Name: Susan
Location: NE Ohio College Town
Age: 38
Married to Spouse 12.5 yr. Met a Dead Milkmen show.
Children: Will, 10 yo; Harrsion 7.5yo. Both Gifted, and frighteningly artistically talented.
Pets: Alice, 3yo Black Lab. Fig, 7mo Chocolate Lab.
Collections: antique photgraphs..I like to think that when I am dead, someone may possibly still want my image as a record fo my time spent here. Antique postcards. Vintage clothes/jewelry and hats! Ideas. Other people's children....both in my work and they congregate at our house. Cool fabric, vintage notions.
Read lots, but very eclectic. Classics to pop culture crap. Prefer Historical. Most fave book read in last year:"Made From Scratch", by Jean Zimmerman. Domestic Arts as an expression of Feminism. Cool.
I design, sew, and embroider corsets and 19th century lingerie....long story. Design and sew Boys'Halloween costumes. Have a passion for fabric and textiles. Spouse travels extensively abroad and brings me back bits of fabric, buttons, etc.
Have 1/2 BFA in graphics completed..but I switched to a more lucarative, but less satisfying career. Won some prestigious regional shows/awards when younger. Spouse wants me to return to school to finish my BFA..Trying to get my crafty act together to generate income so I can foresake current career.
Considering taking a glass blowing course.
Have several cameras to putz with.
Paint & draw. Experimenting with collage.
I make embellished fabric boxes.
Love to Thrift and Antique.
Exercise my Kitchen Aid every few days, baking and cooking.
I'm a slob.
I can neither knit nor crochet.
I cannot remember my cell phone number and always have to check the phone to give the number to anyone.
Try not to listen to most radio, other than NPR or local college station. Spouse was college radio DJ, so also a music snob. Again, eclectic ....listening to James,...Green Day...David Gray......Just depends on my mood.
Take the Boys to galleries, museums, and Sat. art lessons at University.
Still do kids crafts as a Cub Scout Leader...give me TP tubes, felt, glitter glue, and rubberbands and I can keep (6) 7yo's busy for an hour.
Have a Victorian-Craftsman transitional Century house with slate roof, plaster walls, hardwood floors. I taught myself to plaster walls/ceilings, strip floors, faux finish, replace windows, and do plumbing. Spouse always a bit leary when returns from a business trip......
Gemini with Cancer Rising...Horse.
For my birthday, I'm getting a William Morris tattoo.
Posted by copacetic on 2004-10-03 23:19:40
Post Subject:
ohmystars, there are so so so many fab sites to peruse! eeee! :D
i'm at http://www.copacetique.com, your copacetic boutique for handcrafted goodness and vintage clothes and other super-cute crafters! plus, you can click over to http://www.copacetic-zine.com where my friends and i write about bands we like and movies we see. it's also where i keep my blog, which has a major jon stewart focus, tee hee! ;)
