This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a commission if you purchase through my links. I only recommend products I have personally tested or have thoroughly researched. All opinions are my own. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
If you have been crafting for a while as a business, or just sell your craft as a side hustle for extra income, then you know how much hard work and time goes into creating your products. And not only does your craft probably take a lot of your time and energy, but it probably also eats up a bit of money as well just in materials.
So which homemade products actually make enough money to turn a profit, and make it ‘worth your while’?
Well if you’ve been wondering for a while how to boost your business, or ‘work smarter and not harder’ then you need to check out these 3 homemade products that can actually turn a profit.
Understand Your Expected and Ideal Consumer
There really is no black and white answer for which products will sell the best because each market will have a slightly different customer base. Whether your market is selling at a craft fair, on your website, or on social media, the demographics of your customers may vary by quite a bit.
For example, if you sold accessories for infants and toddlers, you wouldn’t expect these to sell very well at a gun show or a farmer’s produce market would you?
Probably not.
You would, however, expect to be much more successful at a general craft fair, or on your Etsy shop and on your Facebook business page. So understanding your expected audience is key to knowing which of your products will sell best.
Know What Your Customers Want
Knowing what your customers want is the next biggest key to figuring out which items will sell best with your audience. Additionally, if you have a lot of competition, you will need to know how to challenge the prices, quality, and convenience of your competition.
Having the best, least expensive, or most convenient product will also pull in more customers and make you more sales. So market your product to target a specific sell point (best value, lowest price, highest quality, etc).
If you don’t know what your customers want, ask them!
If you have a Facebook page, group, or profile for your business, this is a great opportunity to find out which products your audience actually wants from you. You can either submit a post with an opening ended question of “what product do you want for XYZ”, or you can do a poll, and give your customers a few options.
Once you figure out what your customers want from your business, then you can really begin to look into which products to start creating and marketing for to make a profit.
1. Digital Products
Before you ask, “how are digital products homemade products?” let me explain.
So digital products can include anything from printable worksheets, e-books and coloring pages, to digital calendars, templates, music, photography prints, and so much more. And these would essentially be made in your home.
The reason I list this as the #1 homemade product that can actually make a profit is that it is relatively passive. It can be sold in mass quantities, and depending on the product, it doesn’t require much material to produce. So initial and overhead cost are minimal to none. All you need is a computer or smartphone to create your product.
A digital product, however, will require a bit more of a time investment initially. But after you’ve made your product, really all you have to do is market it a bit and the product will sell itself.
In the last decade, digital products have become an increasingly popular way for people to make money from home. The reason this method of income is so great is that you can reach such a large audience from online. With social media, websites, online stores and more advertising products and services, putting your digital work online will reach an audience you would never have had access to in a normal marketing environment.
Some of the digital products that make a profit include…
- Online courses or educational product
- Templates
- Printables
- Stock Photography
- Music/Audio
- Memberships
- E-books (i.e. recipes, educational, fictional, even comics!)
- Art (can be sold as physical print, or digital art)
Related: 23 Reliable Ways to Make $300 or More a Day
2. Custom Ordered Crafts
So with custom ordered crafts, the options vary so widely that the list is too long to write out. These custom orders can include anything from T-shirts, to mugs, jewelry, art, signs, photography and more.
But the key with providing custom ordered products, is that you can charge a higher price than someone would normally pay. Within reason of course.
Many people who want a very specific and special item as a gift, often pay much more for a product. The reason you can charge more, is that you are spending extra time producing an item for that individual. Therefore, you have committed additional time, effort, and maybe even extra materials to produce a better and more personalized product for them. So charge your worth.
This is one of the biggest reasons why custom ordered crafts can be worth-while, and make a profit.
Thank about a time when you custom ordered something, or maybe even paid for professional photography. Now think about how much more that product cost you.
And the other bonus to offering custom orders, is that you can still use blanks for the majority of your product, and then simply add the customization later.
Custom ordered crafts ideas that will sell…
- T-shirts
- Jewelry
- Dishware, mugs and cups, cutting boards, etc.
- Art and decor
- Photography
- Canvas bags
Related Posts
- 3 Simple DIY Cleaners to Save Money and the Environment
- 10 ways to make money fast (some you haven’t thought of)
- How I Save a Ton of Money Refilling my own Ink
3. Beauty and Skincare
With a higher demand for safer skincare products, a larger variety, and more small business brands, there will always be a strong market for beauty and skin care products.
The bonus to choosing this category for your business is the evergreen nature of this market. Everyone uses some kind of skin care product, whether they use soap, lotion, or makeup. Skincare is always in demand. The same goes for beauty products.
Some of these products include:
- Soaps
- Lotions
- Shampoo, conditioner, or hair product
- Makeup (foundation, eyes, lips, etc.)
- Facemasks
- Bath bombs
- Bubble bath
- and more!
If you market your products as non-toxic, eco-friendly, all organic, vegan or having some other desirable asset for beauty, health and skincare, then your products will reach even more customers.
Here’s a list of soap businesses that I follow on my Facebook Page Let’s Make Life Great. I love how cute and colorful these soaps are! And I can only imagine how great they smell. These soaps are hand-crafted with excellent ingredients and made in small batches. So you know that hard work and loving care went into making a great product.
I even interviewed a couple of the soap makers I follow on Facebook to learn more about their process, and how they successfully run their businesses. You can read that interview here.
With the extensive options for beauty and skincare products, you won’t run out of ideas when it comes to creating new or improved stock for your business. You have so many options between colors, scents, and styles, that all you have to do is decide.
Any time I have ever gone to a craft fair, I am always stopped by the beautiful soaps with their amazing smells. I also love the cute bottles of lotion and the gorgeous displays of items for sale. Now I am very partial to these types of products anyway, but the principle still stands. Everyone uses these products, and there is always a demand for them. They also make great gifts! So around the holidays is an excellent time for you to offer sales and discounts. This will further increase your business’s success in making a profit.
Something else I’ve noticed about small businesses that offer these types of products is that if your product is high quality and satisfies your customer’s expectations, you will often find that the customer will be much more loyal to your business. Knowing that they are supporting a small business and receiving a great product, encourages loyalty. And loyalty is a great foundation for better success in your business.
