|
Turn
Your Hobby into a Profitable Business
Do you have a
hobby that leads to the creation of a useful and possibly salable
product? Pottery, perhaps, or pies or pesto?
Ever wondered how much you could profit from selling the products you
make?
You can test the market for your goods in an inexpensive yet
far-reaching manner by leasing a Booth at Farmer’s Market
Online or a basic Listing on the Buy Direct Directory, where more than
3,000 shoppers a day come to look for handmade, home-grown,
custom-crafted and farm-raised products available direct from the
producer.
Selling or taking orders for your product online has three distinct
advantages:
1. Low Overhead. You do not need to invest in a
large quantity of your product, as you would in preparation for an
on-site market or a wholesaler.
2. High Return. At Farmer’s Market
Online, we charge no commissions on sales. Shoppers buy directly from
each vendor, who receives 100% of the sale price.
3. Carbon Neutral. Sales can be made directly from
your home or office. You do not have to travel unless you want to, and
deliveries can be made directly to the buyer’s location.
If you lease a Booth ($75 for 5 months, or $120 per year), we will
construct it from information that you provide. Corrections or changes
can be made at any time during the lease at no additional charge. All
you’ll need to do is respond to email, phone or postal mail
inquiries from shoppers and fulfill their orders.
Credit card sales are welcome, but not necessary. Many shoppers still
prefer to pay by check or money order, or by cash in person. If you
want to accept credit card payments and don’t have a merchant
account, you can take payments through PayPal and we’ll set
up payment links in your Booth.There’s no setup fee or credit
check. All you need is a current checking account into which deposits
can be made. As purchases occur, PayPal deducts its commission and puts
the rest in your account, which you can have transferred to your
checking account at any time. Click on the following PayPal banner and follow
their instructions:
A basic Listing on the Buy Direct Directory costs just $25 for a year,
but the impact is not as great as a Booth. Best used by vendors who
have their own websites and just want to redirect the traffic of
shoppers looking for their product. Each Listing includes a product
photo and a link to the vendor’s website or email address.
Vendors who also sell at open-air markets can also have photo links
inserted on the profile pages of the markets they attend on the Open
Air Markets Directory.
Either a Booth or a Listing can help you determine whether your hobby
enterprise is commercially viable. Another advantage of a Booth is you
will be able to adjust pricing and your sales pitch during the term of
the lease and see what affect that has on sales.
Aside from your participation at Farmer’s Market Online, we
offer the following suggestions for making the transition from amateur
hobbyist to a professional business:
* Open a separate bank account for the
business. This will be especially helpful if you use PayPal for credit
card payment, allowing you to. determine quickly how well you are
doing. It will also help make you business look more professional to
suppliers and other businesses.
* Maintain complete and accurate
records. Farmer’s Market Online requires no sales reports
from its vendors, by an accurate and up-to-date record-keeping system
will help with taxes, business loans, and your own business
decision-making.
* Listen and respond to your customers.
As an amateur, you only need to please yourself. As a professional, you
must satisfy your customers. Respond swiftly and courteously to their
requests, and they will remember you. And if ask them, they will tell
you what they need and want. Just ask, asking is free.
|
|
Open
Air Markets Directory
North
American Farmers Markets
Books
for Farmers' Markets
How to Lease a Booth
at
Farmer's Market Online
Farmers
Market Supply
Greenhouses
|
|