xixo Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 lol that's a general statement. Anyway...I've recently made a tiny store on ebay to sell my handmade candles, and I've sold all of one thing...total. Brand new at this. So here I am, cruising along, wondering what I'm supposed to be doing, i.e. get a business license? purchase business insurance? See if I ever sell anything again before I do those things? Really baby-stage right now with this.A gift store's just contacted me wanting to sell my things in his shop. ACK! My questions to you: do I run out and get a business license? Do I purchase business insurance? How do I sell wholesale (price things). Do I crawl under my bed and hope they can't find me? I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment...Thanks for any advice you might give. I'd reeeeeally appreciate your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hisbeloved Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Congratulations....keep us posted on your success.Happy Holidays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 You can do searches on this forum and find all your answers. For example, search for "insurance", or "tax ID". Are you completely new to candlemaking? Or just new to selling on Ebay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 Thanks, Sliver, I've been reading the posts. I'm sure I'll learn tons from all of you. I've been making and selling just to family and friends. eBay is my first step outside. No idea if it's the right thing; might be a good thing. I'm sitting on the fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 How long have you been making candles?Rae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlowinWick Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Congrats XIXO!I can only imagine how your mind is spinning right now, but after you work out all the details you will feel great!My husband and I are in the process of starting our own business and as LPENDA said "Dot the I's, cross the T's and jump... the water's fine." Just make sure all the legal stuff is done. Like Sales Tax ID # & Insurance. From what I understand that is all you need as a Sole Proprietor.Just take a deep breath and make a game plan! Enjoy your success ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 How long have you been making candles?RaeHi RaeI've done crafts just as a hobby all my life, candles maybe 12-15 years, but just for myself or to give to fam., or coworkers, neighbors. The past couple of years tho, they've been wanting to buy, more than a simple hobby allows. Not sure I have time or desire for it, but I think I should look into business info for sake of knowing. Didn't really think eBay would do much, and so far it hasn't, but this shop contact put me on alert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I'm more worried that you are selling even one candle to anyone without insurance to begin with.BTW, eBay sucks for small time candle makers to get into now. Try etsy.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 Congrats XIXO!I can only imagine how your mind is spinning right now, but after you work out all the details you will feel great!My husband and I are in the process of starting our own business and as LPENDA said "Dot the I's, cross the T's and jump... the water's fine." Just make sure all the legal stuff is done. Like Sales Tax ID # & Insurance. From what I understand that is all you need as a Sole Proprietor.Just take a deep breath and make a game plan! Enjoy your success !Thank you, GlowinWick, for the encouragement. Cheers to your dh's and your enterprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 I'm more worried that you are selling even one candle to anyone without insurance to begin with.BTW, eBay sucks for small time candle makers to get into now. Try etsy.com.Yes, I'm worried as well. I've made two calls so far today on the road to getting insurance, thanks to all of your helpful advice. I thought about esty. I buy things for myself from there, time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Congrats on the store wanting your product. I think you should go for it. What do you have to lose? I know I never did any good at all on Ebay or Etsy. What state are you in and are you going to have a website?Rae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 In Utah. Haven't decided on a website yet. My daughter's in a diff State and has friends who want things, and I'm thinking a website might be a way to go. Dunno. Not sure about much of anything right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin146 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I would recomend using www.artfire.com. They are new and better than ebay or etsy. Ebay doesn't do well with anything handmade. And etsy is just to crowded. Regina:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherry Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 I would recomend using www.artfire.com. They are new and better than ebay or etsy. Ebay doesn't do well with anything handmade. And etsy is just to crowded. Regina:p I just try www.artfire.com And I can't get on it I thing there having problems with the site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I just try www.artfire.com And I can't get on it I thing there having problems with the siteIt's a brand new company, and I'm hearing (reading) there are TONS of problems with listings, checking, web bugs, etc. Might be alright for a patient person, but from what I've read, they've got some basic bugs that shouldn't be there to start with. ETA: And they aren't listing their site as still in beta, or in development or acknowledging the bugs, so who knows how much they plan to fix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Wanted to toss in there, they've had this domain for a LONG time:Created on: 15-Oct-01 Expires on: 15-Oct-18 Last Updated on: 08-Dec-08Has this company been around that long? I don't know. I couldn't find a thing on anything registered in Arizona under Artfire, or any combination thereof. And no John Jacobs has any business registered in Arizona currently (he's listed as the head thought guy on starting it up).ETA: As a last note, their address they are giving, is nowhere to be found associated with their name. In fact, there are no records at all on tenants in that suite. I would think they obviously wouldn't put an address out there that doesn't exist so they can't get any type of mail.... but.... a public records search so far hasn't turned up anything on John Jacobs, or anyone named Jacobs associated with any businesses in Arizona, nor ArtFire as a registered biz in AZ either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesoapbox Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 ETA: And they aren't listing their site as still in beta, or in development or acknowledging the bugs, so who knows how much they plan to fix?Artfire has very much advertised that they are in Beta and everyone that is participating knows they are in Beta. They are also in their forums contantly listing exactly everything they are fixing and have fixed. They work hard on the bugs that are reported to them.Choose which venue you would like..ebay, etsy, artifre, 1000 markets, lollishops..to name a few. But I certainly wouldn't put all your eggs into one basket. If you can, use a few of them or even your own website.Angi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesoapbox Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 From what I have found John Jacobs owns Foxy Findings that was a power seller on Ebay and I believe that is the biz name that Artfire is working under. Not unusual. I can have up to 5 business names working under my registered name.Foxy Findings is a registered business in Tucson, AZ with over 80 employees. Here is an article:http://erootsnews.com/wordpressnew/Angi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixo Posted December 22, 2008 Author Share Posted December 22, 2008 Choose which venue you would like..ebay, etsy, artifre, 1000 markets, lollishops..to name a few. But I certainly wouldn't put all your eggs into one basket. If you can, use a few of them or even your own website.AngiThat's helpful, thanks. Maybe I should mildly branch out into these online shops to test the waters. I appreciate the advice from all of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 From what I have found John Jacobs owns Foxy Findings that was a power seller on Ebay and I believe that is the biz name that Artfire is working under. Not unusual. I can have up to 5 business names working under my registered name.Foxy Findings is a registered business in Tucson, AZ with over 80 employees. Here is an article:http://erootsnews.com/wordpressnew/AngiBut that brings another conundrum. How much of their site is THEIR stuff put up front, having others sell in the process to bring traffic to them? Foxy Findings isn't showing registered for me here - http://www.azsos.gov/scripts/TNT_Search_engine.dll either. Nothing in Foxy at all.The post is from this month - so what was the page before this if it's "new"? Talking about it in forums doesn't do much unless they put it on their page. If you hadn't told me, and I don't usually go to company forums, how would I know? IMO, it's bad business not to put it somewhere easy to read. Hell, gaming companies have done the same thing for YEARS, but there are still bugs in the game months and months later.Another thing that troubles me is the non-requirement of the item being handmade by the artisan that sells them. I.E. I could import from China and sell there. It can possibly be a really great place, depending on where they go from here with it. It's only free for the first 5000 they say, so after that, what does the fees go up to? I think Etsy did the same thing, signing up some for free to get those ones in the door, the rest are left paying for them and theirselves.I'm not trying to completely and totally ruin the company - I'm just presenting all sides of the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesoapbox Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 You have to read and read. The fees will go up to $20/month. I got that from following a link on the front page. Their forums are there for everyone to read and I know they also have a blog and I believe Twitter where they put their info. I just read the forum.If it is not the venue for you then that is fine, but certainly if someone else chooses to use it then I am sure they did all the research they felt they needed without having you around to steer them elsewhere.Angi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdawg Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 How well known is etsy? Like does the general public know about it, and how are the sales on it? Asking I guess because I have never heard of them but I kinda live under a rock lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Etsy is really crowed with craft stuff. I wouldn't bother with any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asheebeans Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I've gotten most of my sales on etsy lately. It seems like every time I list something new, I get a sale. I let my shop lag for a while....no sales. I think the key is to keep your shop well stocked little by little. Plus to promote in the forums helps too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countyline Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Just wanted to add, there is a place for a truly free storefront: http://www.vstore.ca/It is seriously no-frills and has advertisements on your page, but it's handy if you just want something fro your friends and family to be able to see your products. I use it for that purpose only; I have no intentions of selling to strangers, and I have no reason to worry: I've had the site for 5 years and never made an outside sale! Sounds silly, but it's all I wanted! When and if I actually want to sell on the WWW, I'll get my own webiste. For now, I like the sound of free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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