Etsy Tips
June 27, 2008 by Lovely · Leave a Comment
Out of all the current venues online from which to sell your handmade crafts, Etsy is arguably the most well-known. The idea behind Etsy is to be a place where you can “buy and sell all things handmade”, and thousands of sellers do just that.
How do you start? It’s easy enough to sign up for an account, and it’s free. So is taking a good long look around the site to make sure it fits you. Sellers choose to set up shop on Etsy because it is more than just a buying/selling venue; it’s a community.
If you’re looking to sell on Etsy, here are a few tips:
MILEAGE DEDUCTION INCREASE
June 26, 2008 by Lovely · Leave a Comment
The Standard deduction for mileage was raised from 50.5 to 58.5 cents per mile — a help to offset continuing rising gas prices.
The mileage increase goes into affect July 1, 2008.
The term Standard Deduction refers to business use of a personal vehicle. But, did you know that deductions also exist if you drive for charitable reasons (14 cents per mile), and for moving (27 cents per mile)?
Check with your tax professional or the IRS for complete details.
How To Host A Trunk Show
For Indiepreneurs, there really is nothing better than person to person sales. Hosting a Trunk Show is an old-fashioned idea that works.
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SELL AND TEACH
June 24, 2008 by Lovely · Leave a Comment
Want to expand your business into multiple streams of income? Well, this Indie Star shows how it’s done with just one material.
How To Name Your Shop
June 23, 2008 by Lovely · 5 Comments
A Rose By Any Other Name. THINK Before You Set up Your Online Shop
So you’ve decided to turn your creative hobby into a business, and share your personal flair for design with the world. Great for you! You probably have a selling forum in mind like Etsy, BigCartel, DaWanda or eBay . You’ve snapped a few photos of your gorgeous handiwork and are poised at your computer ready to list, giddy with the anticipation of selling your first item.
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The Truth about Wholesale Supplies and Products
June 22, 2008 by Lovely · Leave a Comment
Most successful shopkeepers will tell you that finding good sources for products and supplies is no easy feat. When you do find one, it’s like finding buried treasure. Especially if you’ve been stumbling along in frustration.
I’ve made some purchasing mistakes along the way that I’d like to share with you.
How Do You Shop Indie?
June 20, 2008 by Lovely · 2 Comments
We believe that selling AND shopping Indie puts the charm back into life. We want to encourage it in every way we can.
With the growth of Indiepreneur.org, we hope to build an advertising budget to create PSA’s advocating the Indie way of life. With that goal in mind, we would like to ask you, dear readers …
US SENATE TAKES AIM AT ECOMMERCE
There’s a bill moving through the US Senate that has had a rider attached to it at the last minute.
In The House Committee for Small Businesses at the moment, the bill introduced by Senator Christopher Dodd, promises to have “astonishing reach” according to FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey. Please visit the FreedomWorks article for more indepth analysis of the bill.
If you use Google Checkout, Paypal, or another merchant account, it’s in your best interest to review the bill and contact your senator about your position.
ON THE FLY FOOD CARTS
June 18, 2008 by Lovely · Leave a Comment
Three smart Indiepreneurs in Washington DC take street food and vending to a whole new level with healthy, tasty food supplied by vending partners — local restaurants and cafes. They call it Ecovending®. I call it brilliant!
MIXED NEWS ON THE ECONOMY
June 18, 2008 by Lovely · Leave a Comment
The US Commerce Department reports that retail sales are up 1% for May 2008. While that’s great news, I’d be interested in seeing specific numbers — how much was spent with Indiepreneur businesses?
On the other side of the economic coin, applications for unemployment benefits went up 25,000 last week ALONE! You can bet that most of those unemployment checks will be spent on the essentials of living like housing and food. Discretionary income will likely be low in the months to come.
