anyone sell their stuff in stores/boutiques?

[cabanird]

hello.

i have a full-time job that is very stressful and is long hours. i have weekends free. so i was looking for part-time work. crocheting is very relaxing for me, and i do it whenever i have spare time, like weekends and evenings.

a friend told me that a local boutique may be looking for crocheted items to sell in their store.

has anyone sold their items in a boutique?
anything i should think about?
tips?

i dont have many of one item. i have like hats in different colors. different scarves, different colors.

any comments, advice would be helpful!

Rosemary

[CraftyShannon]

If you've got the time to crochet, I'd at least talk the the boutique owner to see what they want and what the terms would be. I've never sold crochet stuff this way, but I've done cosignment off and on for various crafts. Most smaller stores will take things for a limited amount of time (usually three months), they display it how they wish (you may or may not get a good spot/display in the store), and they take a percent (I've been quoted anywhere from 15-40%. Average is about 20% where I live) on all your sales.

Just be sure that you find out when you get paid. Some stores pay on a bi weekly basis. Some pay monthly, others pay when you pick up your stuff. Don't worry about having only one of each item. That's what will make your stuff be unique and what will probably draw in sales. A lot of customers prefer that crafty things be one of a kind, so they don't see tons of people with the same thing. The store might ask you to have a few of the same type of hat, but more than likely, they would prefer them to all be in a different color anyway.

If you are interested, I'd at least talk to the owner. The worst that could happen is that you find out you don't want to do it, but you'll never know unless you try.

[TepperWear]

I did it once. I had one item that he was interested in and I brought him about 10. I think he sold 5. He took them on consignment, so he would call when they sold, and wrote me a check when I came by to get it. He paid me what I would have sold them for on my own, and then sold them for double. It was fun, but not as lucrative as I would have liked, so I didn't follow up for this year.

[threeolivemartini]

i just entered into a consignment agreemetn myself.. all boutiques are different.. so i would just go and check it out.. the one i am in right now lets me price my item then takes 20 percent and gives me the rest if it sells.. not too shabby .. its an upper end store so my items are priced between 150 and 300 dollars.. they are makin gdecent money for having my stuff and i am making decent money with out the over head .. to me its win win .. not all my experiences have been liek this though.. sometimes thenks just didnt sell .. still .. i wasnt out anything but time and yarn .. so not really a huge deal ..

[kariholtz]

i just entered into a consignment agreemetn myself.. all boutiques are different.. so i would just go and check it out.. the one i am in right now lets me price my item then takes 20 percent and gives me the rest if it sells.. not too shabby .. its an upper end store so my items are priced between 150 and 300 dollars.. they are makin gdecent money for having my stuff and i am making decent money with out the over head .. to me its win win .. not all my experiences have been liek this though.. sometimes thenks just didnt sell .. still .. i wasnt out anything but time and yarn .. so not really a huge deal ..

oooh congrats!

[cabanird]

thanks for all your comments people. keep them coming.


i dont know if i'd be willing to sell my hats for hundreds of dollars.... but i'll keep lookin at places and see if anything would fit my style or whatever.

:)