Selling cards question
 

I've recently started posting some of my card creations on Facebook. Some of my friends are asking if they can purchase some of them. I don't want to post all of my creations on my personal Facebook page though. If you sell your cards, how do you go about posting pictures of them? Do you create a separate Facebook page? Etsy? Something else?



Also, do you sell single cards or groups of cards?

I did do the etsy route for a little while years ago ( single cards) and you do not have control over where you will ship to...
so a lady in Spain bought 3 Christmas cards ( one of a kind with things like vintage lace and retired papers) on Halloween early in the am, I packed them up and shipped them the same day.

she did not receive them until Easter. I had put on the custom's form that there were handmade cards inside, and one of the non allowed to ship to Spain things is playing cards. so the package stayed in customs forever. and once it leaves the US you can no longer track it.


even longer ago that that I did have a few ebay auctions and it is fun to see people fight over them, and they were batches of cards but, those days seem to be long gone. I think there are more people who make their own now.


once a year I do a booth in a private schools fundraiser bazaar, and that is it anymore for me.

I have also done consignments and sell it straight out to gift shops on main street where I live ( they approached me about this) the thing with selling it straight out was they wanted to buy at 1.00 a card and sell them for 8.00 a card and so, the ones they bought initially where I had them priced for a (this town) booth they did not want to repeat that. so eventually that went away too because, I cannot buy the materials ( including a paper envelope and a clear bags envelope for 1.00 for full sized ( larger than A2 cards)


I have also had a small basket of fantasy themed cards at Renaissance fairs and that went well for me, those people are looking to buy handmade and quality so, I had people who told me flat out you do not charge enough over and over. but, its a where it is besides a what it is. those prices do not work where I live.


I also today still have a basket and a small pottery barn post card spinner rack at work by the front door. people who find me at the school booth come in periodically through the year and pick up cards that way.


I have never tried selling on facebook but, I have no desire to try and figure it out either.

maybe this gives you some ideas. I have heard of people selling at places like their hairdressers and such too. flower shops.

I have a business page on Facebook, and have occasionally created an album of cards for sale in a silent auction format with a minimum $3 bid. That's gone reasonably well.

I'm curious about this too. In the past, I got an occasional order for personalized cards, mostly graduations or anniversaries.



But this spring, one of my FB friends reached out after seeing me post Spring VSN cards. She has ordered quite a few; I just mailed 12 to her yesterday!



I know I could charge more for them, but she is a friend. I have always been apprehensive about pricing for selling to the general public. I looked into Etsy a while back, but never developed an inventory to get that going.



I may look into the FB route; I am on FB a lot as it is.

I have a folder on my FB business page that I put the cards I have for sale in. not much traffic, but I can direct someone there when they ask me about it.
people always tell me I should sell them, but places like etsy and that you have to describe them all and it's just too much!!

Some times I sell in local markets, if the table is not too much ( like less than $50)
I sell 5.5x4.25" cards for $5 each or 5/$20

I won't go lower. if someone wants a $1 card they can go to the dollar store or walmart. hallmark cards can be up to $8.95 so I don't feel bad at all about $5

About Etsy: I have an Etsy shop where I sell jewelry, and I do have control over where I will ship. I ship only to the U.S. I sometimes post cards, but I haven't sold any there. I have sold some through other venues.

i have three church craft fairs and the county arts store that has a "Merry Market" beginning in November through December where I chose to sell. I do resonably well but only with a small profit. My displays contain A2 cards, and paper crafted gifts like Tea Tower, miniature gift bags with matching card holders, nail file holders, and then "sets of cards" boxed. Prices range from $4 per card or 3/$10, Tea Tower for $10, perpetual calendars for $5, nothing over $15. I do have a FB page and it points to a buy link that syncs with my shop on Etsy. www.etsy.com/shop/MarkOfTheMakerCards
I get a lot of referrals from church members when they discover I make cards. I cover my expenses for the tables at the fairs or the commission charged at the county arts event and usually enough profit to purchase more expendable supplies but certainly not to purchase a new purse, or buy groceries for very long (LOL). Mine is a quasi business -- more of a hobby with a small income component.

I have an Etsy shop. It isn’t really profitable but it’s fun and I do not ship outside of the US after a bad experience with Australian post. You are able to choose. I also sell at holiday and seasonal bazaars that use to happen (preCovid!). I am hopeful to do that again someday! :) I sell cards as singles and I also sell card sets. Sets are not as popular on Etsy, but my friends and family LOVE them.

My Etsy shop:
Etsy.com/shop/WallflowerCardCo

Hope this helps!

Some people sell from their blogs.

Sounds just like me with my Facebook page. I have friends that ask for cards and I started this page so they could see what I have when they need a card. When I make an extra card, I post it to this page. It usually gets snatched up by one of my friends. I have the cards organized into albums. The most important one is the "In Stock" album and when I don't have it anymore I move the picture to a different album.
https://www.facebook.com/cardsbyjenniferlewis/

I also started that Facebook page because I didn't want to bore all my Facebook friends with my card posts.

People in this area always want something for nothing. I can never get a reasonable price for my cards- I've tried at craft fairs, Holiday craft shows, outdoor festivals and samples displayed at my hairdressers' shop. 3D items like treats sold ok. My friends and relatives appreciate when they get a handmade card but that's it for me. I had all occasions available, packaged as singles in clear card jackets. I agree-- if they only want to pay $1 they can go to Walmart OR Dollar General!

I sold on Etsy and Ebay years ago..very small scale. I think it could have been profitable if I had stuck with it!

I have a separate FB page just for selling my cards. I sell a lot of cards and even have a paying account at NASA who require cards monthly. Good luck selling your cards.