Best places to sell your dolls
A lot of doll makers, that I had the pleasure to talk to, doesn’t know how to take that step into selling their creations. And I get why. Internet nowadays is bursting with artists, crafters and creators offering their incredible work. But I’m a strong believer that every one of us has a small corner to do the same. So today, let’s talk about four places where you can sell your dolls and build an audience even if you’re just starting out.
Instagram is the best option for a beginner to test your audience, see what people like about your creations. Since it’s completely free, you don’t need to invest anything beforehand. So how to approach Instagram to make it into a selling platform?
Build a beautiful feed
Beautiful photography is a must when selling online. Unfortunately, people can’t touch your doll and view it from all angles through the screen. It’s your job to showcase the best qualities of your creations. Craft photography class by Candice Stringham really helped me to overcome this issue. With dolls, you’re not only selling an art piece but selling a feeling and a story as well. Make sure your photography captures that aura!
Use relevant hashtags
If you don’t have a lot of followers, relevant hashtags can really help people to find you. Don’t hesitate to investigate what other doll artists are using. There are loads of communities for doll makers and doll collectors on Instagram, take advantage of that! By adding hashtags like #dollmaker, #ooakdolls, #artdoll you’re letting people know that there are some beautiful dolls on your feed. Scroll through my Instagram to get inspiration for new hashtags.
Let people know which creations are available for purchase
The caption can be as important as the photo itself. Don’t be limited to just the sale info, tell a story instead. People love reading how artists come up with ideas, what materials they’re using - let them know! Once you captured their attention, add a short line that this doll is for sale. It helps if you list the price as well or have them contact you through Instagram messages. In these cases, Paypal is the most common way to close the deal, so create an account if you don’t have one yet.
Etsy
In 2014, when I’ve opened my shop, Etsy was a little bit easier to figure out. It was a little bit cheaper as well. But if you want to take your business more seriously, it’s a great way to start. I have a link for 40 free listings (usual price $0.20) for those who want to open their first shop. To make Etsy work for you, you’ll need to invest time, dedication and some money, I recommend starting your shop if you have at least 10 items to sell.
Study the Etsy’s seller handbook
There’s no magic formula that works for every shop, but you have to get familiar with how Etsy works. The best place to start is with the Etsy’s seller handbook. It’s a collection of articles that will help you to familiarize yourself with the system. You can open the shop and work through the articles gradually, each time learning something new.
Promote your work on social media
Even though Etsy has a built-in audience, millions of people coming to the site each day, it’s still not enough to make sales regularly. In my case, about 50% of customers find my dolls by browsing Etsy, others come from my Instagram, Facebook pages or this blog you’re reading right now. Etsy requires constant work, so be prepared to promote your work on other channels.
Invest in ads
If you’re making some sales already, invest in Etsy ads to boost the traffic. I rarely turn off this feature because it brings more people to my store than other techniques I use. Sure it’s an investment, and if you’re not making any money from your dolls yet, it can be too much to handle.
Facebook groups
Another free option to sell your art! I like this one the least but some people have been really successful using it. Find relevant groups that let you sell dolls and start posting. Most of the techniques that I’ve talked about in the paragraph about Instagram can be used here as well: beautiful photography, interesting caption telling more about the doll, price point. The only thing I dislike about these groups that they tend to get spammy. A lot of people just come there to post what they’re selling and leave immediately after that. The lack of engagement can feel that you’re posting into the void, haha. But try it anyway!
Here are the few Facebook groups that let you sell dolls:
Your own website
This option is probably the most time consuming but costs similarly as an Etsy shop at the end. Having a website helps you professionally showcase your work, sell your dolls and have complete control over design and other features. The downside is that the result solely depends on you and how much work you put in. It works wonders for me because I enjoy talking about dolls, so writing articles, hosting online classes would be impossible without a website. Over the years I’ve tried a few options and moved my website around the internet countless times, haha. Currently, I’m using Squarespace, but I’ve tried Wordpress, Wix and Shopify.
If you want to build a brand around your dolls, then having a website will help you tremendously. But if you’re just starting out, go with easier options first and build on top of that. Nowadays, I’m using all of these outlets and a combination of all of these options lets people find my work easier.