Thursday, February 10, 2011

ready made or made to order

I have always only ever sold Ready Made items in my shops...if you could see something for sale then it was ready for posting...I had to work that way because I had to fit the day job in somewhere! Now though, I have no day job, so I have been experimenting with Made-To-Order items (I started with my boxes)

Most of my Made-To-Order orders come from my NotOnTheHighStreet shop and because the Alphabet Boxes are going to be featured in their next catalogue (eeek!) I though it was high time I shook up my shop a bit! I'm re-doing the listings for all my boxes and am making swatches of all the colours and examples of all the embellishments ... I'm making samples of finished boxes too so all in all I've given myself a big job!

I've also made a new, smaller fabric box...and been having fun trying to decide which fabrics to make it in (I've ordered some already from Etsy, but it hasn't arrived yet)
If you sell handmade how do you do it...ready made or made to order?

6 comments:

Kathrin said...

I do both ready made and made to order. I make something, take photos and list it. If it sells and I still have enough the materials I relist it as made to order. To me, it works well because I don't have too many items listed and keep in mind that I might a certain fabric again.

Awok's Kiter Craft (Awin) said...

i do both but mostly made to orders... i made some readymade items when suddenly got an idea or a litle bit stress doing made to orders items... :)

Sarah said...

I don't sell handmade any more :( But when I did it was "to order" - I sold greetings cards to shops

Unknown said...

Bit of both really. :o)

Unknown said...

There is something more personal about made to order, it gives the buyer an opportunity to make little requests for colours, sizes and so on. We all like to feel we're buying something a little unique and special. x

Stephanie said...

Most my items are ready made, but this last week I started to offer a custom design your own doll with accessories in my shop.
(I am doing a giveaway for a free doll on my blog at the moment if anyone wants a chance to win one)