As someone who has been crocheting for years, I’ve always enjoyed making things for myself and for others. When I decided to turn my hobby into a business, I wasn’t sure where exactly to start. What should I be making? Where should I be selling? I decided researching the market would be an important first step. I began exploring my options about where to sell, what to sell and how to sell.
Where to start?
To begin my research, I started by looking at the various online platforms where I could sell my crochet items, such as Etsy, Shopify, and Amazon Handmade. I made the choice early on to focus my attention on selling online rather than selling in person. This felt like a more manageable way to start as I didn’t need to build a large market inventory. So for that reason it was important for me to look at what other crochet sellers were offering and at what price points. This helped me to start building a picture of what was popular in the market and how much people were willing to pay for crochet items.
What to sell?
I looked at the different types of crochet items that were selling well. I noticed that some sellers were offering unique and personalized items, while others were selling more traditional pieces like hats and scarves. I made the decision at this point to not do custom pieces. I really admire folks who can work with customers to make unique pieces to meet specific size requirements. That takes real skill. As I was very new to selling I felt that it would be easier for me to sell premade items.
But what items could I make, what niches could I potentially target? We’ve all heard about how crochet is an oversaturated market, so it was important for me to identify a way to stand out. This was the beginning stages of thinking about my brand (more on that in a later blog!)
In addition, I researched the materials that were popular for crochet items. I looked at what colors were in demand. One good way to get an idea of this is by looking at the Pantone color of the year. How could I incorporate this in my products?
I also looked at what yarn was being used by other creators. This made me think about how I could stand out in this way. I noticed that a lot of others were using Double Knit yarn. All my items are made using Aran weight yarn, this is a thicker yarn and for wearables, that means a thicker, warmer garment. I’ve received positive feedback in reviews for this exact quality! Obviously this won’t work for all patterns, but where you can, try find the little ways to distance yourself from the pack.
How to sell?
Finally, I looked at the marketing strategies that other crochet sellers were using. I looked at their social media accounts, websites, and email marketing campaigns. This gave me an idea of how to reach potential customers and how to promote my own business.
Overall, researching the market for crochet items was an important first step in starting my own crochet business. It helped me to understand the market, the competition, and the potential niches that I could target. It also gave me an idea of what types of items to create, what materials to use, and how to promote my business. I’m excited to share more with you guys as I continue on this journey to creating my own business.
Jack's Yarn Crochet Designs 