Hoping to start my first home crafts business

[EdwardSVC]

I am a 100% disabled Veteran with PTSD. I lost my Service dog in 2019 and came out the other side of my grief with a strong desire to make Pet Memorials. I had no previous skills or knowledge unless you count woodshop in high school in 1982. I started with Sublimated products on metal, But now (Stupidly??), I have bought a Thunder Laser Bolt and an xTool F1 Ultra Deluxe bundle with an air purifier and conveyor belt. Do you have tips on getting past the local word of mouth and having an e-commerce online business? I have accounts for Etsy, Shopify, Ecwid, Square, Squarespace, goimagine, and WIX. Still, I get confused on shipping, taxes, and pricing, and after being scammed out of $300 from a "Shopify Ambassador" who offered to help build my Shopify store and then locked it all behind their email, claiming I now worked for them and I had to pay over $200 a month to keep it going or they would close the store (They also added something called a dropshipping account but told me that was for their income to "keep my monthly costs lower and to not worry about it)...

I got too afraid to ask for help and too easily confused to make it myself. Do any of you know an affordable and "easy" way to have an online store that would allow the customer to send me personal pet photos and to communicate back & forth with text and pictures to show work progress or finalize the product designs? (90% of my customers had Facebook accounts, so I just used FB messenger to share images and get their input on the final product. But the photos can NOT be sent through FB due to image compression as I need the largest highest highest-quality files they can send me. I am not a wood worker though I have a lot of wood working tools to learn on, I am not a photo editor though I have to denoise, sharpen, and resize almost every photo, I am learning this all as I go along.

I am currently between the woodshop tools, sublimation printer, heat press equipment, and laser engravers. I have about $36,000 in credit and personal loan debt over the past 8-years, and I hope to make a business that earns me $1,109 a month consistently after expenses. (I am not retirement age but on Social Security due to the 100% military disability, so as far as I know, I am only allowed to earn $1,110 a month or risk losing my Social Security, which I can not live without until I pay down my current debt.)

Thank you in advance for any suggestions you may have (Yes, I know I should not have put all this on credit, so I do not need that reminder. What's done is done now; I need a better way to make money with what I have bought other than word of mouth. (My last order was in January 2024, as I do not get out much in person to promote my product yet) to pay it down in 5 years))

This is one of my pet memorials (My best, in my opinion. I actually learned how to put images into shapes for that customer. As I said, I am learning these skills as I go).

[parsec]

Very nice.

[KnightRid]

Get a hold of Shopify and tell them what happened so the account gets closed or they could keep using it to get money with no products being sent, all in your name.

[BliksemDonder]

Sorry about your loss and the situation you find yourself in.

My 2 cents, relying on custom work alone will not pay the bills. I have been directly involved or backed maker startups and those that relied on custom work alone all folded due to lack of revenue.

You have equipment, time and a will to succeed, use that. Crafting or creating items that you like or would purchase limits you severely, don't do this!

I have invested heavily to set up a leather crafting business and make more revenue selling items that I have in stock than custom work.

These "cheaper" items are often the leader products that have people contact me for custom work. This allows me to pick customers brains about their likes and dislikes which allows me to diversify my product range. This is the hardest part, getting to know your buying public. Web stores and being online does not automagically help you generate revenue. This you appear to have had a bad personal experience with.

I could go on and on but you get my drift.

[joejones]

after being scammed out of $300 from a "Shopify Ambassador" who offered to help build my Shopify store and then locked it all behind their email, claiming I now worked for them and I had to pay over $200 a month to keep it going or they would close the store (They also added something called a dropshipping account but told me that was for their income to "keep my monthly costs lower and to not worry about it)...

You are a Veteran? you MUST have some Veteran friends who can find this guy and ... "talk" ... to him. If someone did that to me, I would [voluntarily censored by me to avoid prosecution]

Joe

[joejones]

1. Send NOTHING out until you receive payment, and that means, their check CLEARED.

2. Spend the money to add a tracking number for EVERYTHING you send out, and force them to SIGN for the delivery. Add the tracking number and signature card costs to the price.

3.Sell everything AS-IS. Do not offer refunds. Post photos. Show them what they are getting. NO SURPRISES.

4. To guarantee that they have RECEIVED the item, offer to send them a $5.00 refund ONLY when they post a photo of themselves holding the item(s) they purchased from you on YOUR website or social media page.

5. BEWARE OF SCAMMERS!!!!!!

Joe

[Navy1988]

Looks like you have the payment plat forms down.
4 main are
Paypal
Venmo
Cash app
Credit card, make sure you charge the 3.5 percent for square.
Use flat rate from post office Tracking number is automatically assigned for everyone going out.
Require deposit 50 percent for any custom work.
Pre make generic stuff that everyone can use. And yes offer no refund.
Establish a business fb page, Instagram Page, TikTok page. That's all free advertising.
For any pictures you need have them email them to you in a zip file, that will enable them to send bigger files..
Don't sweat that sales tax or Federal tax.
Federal once you get going, can do 1 of 2 ways.
Pay quarterly or just wait until end of year and claim everything you made and see if you have to pay.
If your running it as a home business, save all your receipts to claim as a write off.
But since your just starting out. I really wouldn't sweat the legalities. Considering your limited to how much you can make on SS.
Ones things pick up and Stay steady, you can start getting Established with all the Legalities.

[joejones]

If you are going to make pet memorials, you should get others to do your work for you. Make two or three nice samples. Drop them off at the local veterinarian offices. Let THEM sell your memorial for a markup over what you will charge the VET to make the memorial. They will contact you with an order, and perhaps a photo, the pet's name, dates (birth and death?) etc.

As long as you are doing that, make URNS for funeral homes. There is BIG MONEY in well made urns, and they are pretty much wide open to the design. They must be able to be sealed or locked. They must be able to contain a certain volume of ashes. Internal volume = 1 cubic inch per pound of deceased. You can make them out of any planks of wood, and any design.

Where are you located? I would like to stop by to see your setup and to brainstorm with you on how we will make our BILLIONS of dollars!

Joe

[Iiysalisus]

Starting an Etsy business for rings and jewelry sounds like a fantastic idea! When I was getting into handmade crafts, I found that connecting with potential customers early on really helped. You might want to consider sharing your ideas on social media to see what resonates with people.I came across this article about ways to start a small business that had some great insights. One tip I found useful was to check out your URL and see how other successful shops present their products. It really helped me understand how to showcase my items effectively.

[Bausnavern]

That’s awesome you’re thinking of starting your first home crafts business! It’s such a fun way to turn something you love into something that can also make money. When you’re just starting, I suggest focusing on the products you enjoy making the most and think people would like. Ensure you get your branding down, like a catchy name and some excellent packaging. Another tip is to look into online marketplaces, maybe starting with something like Etsy. If you're feeling stuck or want to make sure you’ve got a good strategy, it could be a good idea to check out business development consulting. It might help you get a more precise plan to grow your business and avoid any bumps along the way!