Okay everybody, I’m going to sell the outfit shown above in my Etsy shop in the next few weeks. What do you think it’s worth?
It will include the strappy summer top, the ankle pants…
…and the ruffled skirt.
As you can see in the image below, it uses Velcro as a closure for the shirt.
Okay… what do you think this outfit is worth on Etsy? I’m going to be selling it in my Etsy store soon, and I’m a little out of step since I haven’t sold anything in years. So I’d like your advice. Please leave a comment below.
As most of you know, I don’t sell very many of my handmade doll clothes, so this will be a rare opportunity to buy my handmade doll clothes.
And yes, if you’re wondering, I’ll eventually give you the free patterns for making this outfit too. In fact, most of these items’ patterns and tutorials are already available through ChellyWood.com although some are not yet available as PDFs.
Remember this?
And this?
That was the Chelly Wood doll before we gave her a makeover!
So I’m really out of practice when it comes to selling. I need your advice! Let me know what you think this outfit should sell for:
Hi there Chelly! Have you checked your competition on Etsy? I’m an Etsy seller and that’s probably the best way to gage what you might sell it for.
Thank you, Denise. I appreciate the advice. Before posting my wares, I’ll see what the competition is like.
I think between 20 and 25 dollars. Maybe be more.
Thanks for your thoughts on this.
I would list it for $15, with fee shipping
Thank you for sharing your estimate.
I made very nice dresses (piped collars, eyelet trim) for Christmas and capri sets and winter coats 3 years ago and tried to sell them at booth sales. For the dresses,I had a price of $20 and I didn’t sell any at the first sale, reduced to $16 at a 2nd sale, and at $12 for a 3rd sale and I sold only 1. I reduced them to $8 the next year and finally ended up giving them away.
I’ve heard that sewists are having a tough time selling at craft fairs lately. The last time I did a booth at a craft fair, I stuck to advertising my website because in years past, I too had a tough time making enough money to cover my booth cost.
Etsy is a nice online alternative to craft fair booths, but buyers leave reviews on Etsy. So you really have to be reasonably priced and you must check your store frequently to be prompt with your buyers’ shipping. There’s an app for Etsy that gives you notices on your phone whenever someone makes a purchase, but if you’re delayed in your delivery, you can get a bad review. So that’s the down side to selling online.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
I may be a cheapskate, but an outfit has to be really well fitting and extra special for me to be willing to pay more than $10 to 15 for it. And my dolls are the Tonner size. Sorry to be such a downer.
I really appreciate your advice, Lynnette. Thank you!
There are a couple of ways you could market your designs. First they are very easy to put on for little fingers, as most of your designs are quite roomy.
Higher-end adult buyers want clothes that are lined, done with fine fabrics, with amazing details and no velcro; instead using snaps, hooks and eyes, or zippers–which add to the cost and time involved. You would also be competing with overseas where pay is less than $1 an hour.
So, if you were marketing for ‘young’ doll owners, I would include some inexpensive shoes or fun things with each of your ‘outfits’. Start a site for say “My First”, doll clothes. Get lots of samples made in different colors/styles/fabrics. Fill a page and test the waters. You certainly could do clothes for different kinds of dolls also.
Best idea would do do extensive research on different sites. Etsy, isn’t the cheapest, but is easy to use and already has a system that would easily work for such a marketing scheme.
Wow! Lots of great ideas here! Thank you for giving me so much to think about…
I think it will sell between £15 and 20. I think because it is hand made and the time it took you to make this is a reasonable price range. Some outfits on Etzy go for high prices and are not as well made. I make Barbie doll clothes and I put poppers or press studs on as velcro loses its abilty to close as bits stick to it . Just my preference .
Thanks for your advice, Heleen. I really appreciate it!
Kiaora Chelly,
I’m thinking along the same lines as Cora here…
It’s probably the same world over but I believe that we are part of a generation that doesn’t recognise the effort put into hand crafts.
At craft fairs I go to, crafters are working for love more than money and they say as much when I gasp at their prices. I say things like…this must have taken you so long to do and you’re only charging that??? Most just shrug their shoulders and say they do it for love and that it keeps them busy and if they can cover their costs that’s a bonus…
Cheap overseas imports are the undoing of businesses based on crafts here in New Zealand. I come from a family of glassblowers whose business wound up as a result of foreign replicas from China masquerading as being made in NZ to tourists!
I have a friend admittedly, who has a growing business making wheaties sacks for pharmacies and some supermarkets(She gives me her fabric off cuts 😉 Cutting out and sewing rectangles….
The majority of people don’t recognise and are not prepared to pay for the ‘love aspect’.The younger generation don’t do hobbies like we used to and for many being in the current lockdown is sending them crazy. Hopefully, the lockdown will get the young doing hands-on activities.
You have the awesome generosity of heart Chelly which is rare and uplifting.
I’d love to see something on your site along the lines of easy to make dolls furniture out of everyday items…