12 Best Homemade Things to Make and Sell Online (Expert Pick)
Starting an online business by selling your homemade products can be both rewarding and profitable. Handmade items have a unique appeal that often attracts a dedicated customer base looking for one-of-a-kind creations.
However, choosing the right products to make and sell is important to your success in this competitive market.
Our years of experience in building online stores have given us valuable insights into the process of creating and selling products. Through firsthand experience in developing plugins and online courses, we have gained a deep understanding of the time, effort, and strategies involved in bringing products to market.
Although we haven’t personally sold homemade items online, we did the research to find the most profitable ideas for our readers. Whether you are a skilled jeweler, ebook author, knitting enthusiast, or someone who loves DIY projects, there is something here for everyone.
Now, let’s find the perfect homemade goods to launch your successful online business.
Why Make And Sell Homemade Things Online?
If you want to make some money online, then selling homemade items is a great idea. It allows you to share your unique creations and turn your hobby into a profitable business.
The global handmade market has been steadily growing, and according to a recent report, it is expected to reach over $1 trillion by 2027. So, it’s clear that there is a strong demand for handicrafts.
Plus, there are lots of benefits to choosing this type of business.
As a small business owner and artisan, you have the flexibility to set your own schedule and work on your own terms. You can also start small and scale at your own pace, which makes this business model more manageable.
Starting an online store for your handmade products is also a great way to cut costs. You don’t need a lot of money to get started, and you can run your business from home. This means you will be saving on things like rent for a physical store and the cost of making products in large quantities.
Overall, selling homemade items is a sustainable business in a growing market that lets you turn your passion into income.
Why Trust WPBeginner?
WPBeginner is made up of a team of experts with years of experience in eCommerce, online marketing, monetization, blogging, and much more.
We always conduct an in-depth analysis of any tools we recommend, and the same goes for ideas and concepts. That way, we can provide reliable information to our readers.
For the homemade products on this list, we thoroughly researched and reviewed each choice to identify its pros and cons before we recommended it. For more details, see our editorial process.
That being said, let’s take a look at our list of some amazing things to sell online. You can also use the links below to jump to the recommendation of your choice:
1. Jewelry Items
Selling handcrafted jewelry items like necklaces, earrings, anklets, bracelets, and nose rings can be a booming business. It allows you to showcase your creativity by making unique items. You can also cater to individual preferences and create custom pieces for your customers.
During our investigation of online stores, we discovered several businesses selling handmade jewelry and generating significant profits. These examples solidified our confidence in the profitability of this niche and the opportunity it presents.
You can easily create jewelry items from the comfort of your home and start with minimal investment compared to traditional retail. This will even allow you to offer competitive pricing and attract more visitors.
2. Canvas Paintings
Canvas paintings can be another good homemade thing to sell online. If you are a painter, creating original artwork can allow you to tap into the home decor business to make some quick cash.
This allows you to show your work to a worldwide audience without the limitations of a physical gallery and makes your art your art accessible to customers 24/7. All you need to do is open up a simple WooCommerce store where you can showcase your work.
By selling your canvas paintings online, you can reach a broader market, build a loyal customer base, and turn your passion into a profitable business.
3. Custom T-Shirts
You can also design and sell custom t-shirts from the comfort of your home. All you would need to do is find a platform like Spreadshirt, where you can upload a custom design for your shirt, hoodie, mug, or keychain.
Our hands-on experience with Spreadshirt has shown its effectiveness in designing and selling custom products. We’ve found it to be beginner-friendly and capable of delivering high-quality results.
When a user places an order, the platform will handle the printing, shipping, and customer service for the shirt, while you get to earn a small commission. This way, you can embrace your creative side and make money from it without any upfront costs.
Bonus Tip: To boost your income, you may want to consider promoting your t-shirts through social media platforms. For more information, see our complete social media cheat sheet.
For more information, see our tutorial on how to easily create a t-shirt shop in WordPress.
4. Ebooks
If you are a writer, then you should consider publishing and selling ebooks to make some extra money. They can be novels, short stories, tutorials, guides, or anything else that you like to write about.
Selling ebooks is a scalable business model because you only need to create a single copy and can sell it to as many customers as you want. You get to reach a worldwide audience, provide instant delivery to readers, and update and revise ebooks as needed.
Plus, as an author, you get complete control over the pricing, distribution, and marketing of your content. To start this type of store, you will need a tool like Easy Digital Downloads, which is the best plugin for selling digital goods.
We have successfully used EDD to sell plugins on multiple websites, and our experience has been consistently positive. Its scalability and comprehensive features have made it an essential tool for our eCommerce stores.
To learn more, see our beginner’s guide on how to create and sell ebooks from start to finish.
5. Pillowcases
Pillowcases can be a great handicraft to sell online. You can make them unique by using different embroidery techniques and creating different sizes to cater to a wider audience.
Handmade products typically allow for higher profit margins compared to mass-produced goods. You can set prices that reflect the time, effort, and materials involved in creating these pillowcases. Plus, you can allow customers to choose colors, patterns, and sizes that fit their personal style.
Bonus: To stand out in a crowded market, you can offer seasonal, limited-edition designs or holiday-themed pillowcases with discount offers. This can create a sense of urgency and encourage repeat customers. To get started, see our beginner’s guide on how to plan a holiday sale for your WooCommerce store.
If you enjoy crafting and embroidering creative patterns, then this can be a fulfilling way to turn your hobby into a profitable business.
6. Stock Photos
If you are a photographer, then you can sell your pictures as stock photos to generate some passive income. There is a constant demand for high-quality photos for various uses, like websites, marketing materials, blogs, social media, and more.
You can upload your pictures on public domain websites like Unsplash and sell them multiple times without additional work. This helps you make money while also building your portfolio, which can lead to commissioned work or collaborations.
To sell your photos online, you mostly need a camera and some photo editing skills. You don’t need a physical store or a lot of products, making it a cost-effective way to sell things.
To get started, check out our guide on how to sell photos online.
7. Online Courses
You can also try creating and selling online courses from your home. For instance, if you are an expert at playing the guitar, then you can create videos teaching the instrument. Once you have recorded your lessons, you can sell them over and over again, earning passive income with minimal effort.
To start this business, we recommend MemberPress, the best membership plugin on the market. It is also the easiest way to sell courses online.
For more information on the plugin, check out our full MemberPress review.
We use the tool ourselves to offer our free video courses at WPBeginner and find MemberPress to be super user-friendly and scalable, making it great for starting a small business. For more instructions, see our tutorial on how to create and sell online courses in WordPress.
8. Stationary Products
If you like sewing and DIY projects, then you can make and sell stationary items like pencil cases, bookmarks, notebooks, clipboards, pen holders, stickers, and more.
This will allow you to sell unique items, promote eco-friendly materials, and start your business with low investment. It is a great way to make some money from your hobbies, as there is a growing demand for handmade stationery items.
By selling these things, you can tap into a niche market, showcase your creativity, and connect with customers who appreciate unique and personalized products.
Expert Tip: Once you launch your store, we recommend using email marketing to keep your customers informed about new stationary items, special offers, and upcoming events. This will allow you to maintain direct communication with your audience. For more tips, see our guide on how to build an email list in WordPress.
9. Tote Bags
Tote bags are a great handicraft to sell online. They offer a stylish alternative to plastic bags and have become popular due to their eco-friendliness.
Tote bags can be used for shopping, carrying personal items, or even as fashion accessories, catering to a wide range of preferences and lifestyles. You can create these bags with different fabrics and use various patterns to offer unique designs.
This will help you generate some income while promoting environmental responsibility.
10. Knitted Items
If you are a knitting enthusiast, then you can make and sell socks, sweaters, scarves, mittens, and beanies. This market is in high demand during the winter season and gives you a chance to monetize your hobby.
You can create attractive patterns, make personalized items, and offer one-of-a-kind pieces to your customers.
Plus, you can make smaller items like mittens and socks by reusing older sweaters, creating a sustainable and environmentally-conscious business.
Expert Tip: Platforms like Instagram and Facebook allow you to create a shop directly on your profile, making it easy for followers to browse and purchase your knitted items. You can even show live demos, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes content for your products to build a community and boost sales.
To get started, see our beginner’s guide to social commerce in WordPress.
11. Subscription Boxes
If you have a bunch of handmade items to sell, then a subscription box might be a great idea. You can send a box of different products to your customers every month.
For instance, you can send a beauty subscription box with lip balms, body scrubs, bath bombs, soaps, and perfumes. It is an effective way to make recurring revenue, as customers are more likely to make repeated purchases rather than just buying one product for one time only.
To get started, you will need the WooCommerce Subscriptions plugin. We have thoroughly tested this tool and found it to be highly effective for managing subscription-based products.
Its seamless integration with WooCommerce makes it a convenient choice for setting up recurring payments and delivering a positive customer experience. For step-by-step instructions, see our tutorial on how to create a subscription box in WordPress.
12. Music
Music is a super popular digital product to sell online. If you are a musician, then you can sell your own songs and melodies on the internet.
One of the biggest advantages of selling digital music is its scalability. You only need to create the product once, and you can sell it as many times as you want. This means you can generate substantial income without the costs required for physical production and distribution.
To sell your music online, we highly recommend Easy Digital Downloads. We have come to this conclusion after extensive testing and hands-on experience selling our own digital products.
The platform is user-friendly and reliable, making it a great option. For more details see our tutorial on how to sell music online in WordPress.
How to Start Selling Homemade Goods Online
After you have chosen a homemade item to sell, it is time to start creating your online store. To do this, you will first need to select a website builder. We recommend WordPress because it is beginner-friendly and affordable. In fact, it is used by over 43% of the sites on the internet.
All of our partner brands, including WPForms, MonsterInsights, and OptinMonster, use WordPress to create and sell numerous successful products.
Once you have chosen a website builder, you will need to purchase a hosting plan and a domain name. Hosting is where all your website data will be stored, while a domain is your site’s name on the internet, like www.sellhomemadeitems.com.
If you want to be sure you’re getting quality services, choosing one of the WordPress-recommended companies, like Bluehost, is a good idea.
Plus, Bluehost is offering a huge discount to WPBeginner readers along with a free domain name and SSL certificate. To get the offer, just click the button below.
You can also check out our full Bluehost review for more details.
After you have purchased a web hosting plan, you have to install WordPress to set up your store.
Then, it is time to select a theme to make your site visually appealing. We recommend choosing one that matches your niche well. For some ideas, you can see our list of the most popular WordPress themes.
Next, you have to choose an eCommerce plugin to start selling your products online. The right choice depends on the type of product you’re offering. For example, if you are selling physical items like jewelry, paintings, or tote bags, WooCommerce is the best option.
However, if you want to sell digital goods like music or ebooks, then you can opt for Easy Digital Downloads.
Finally, you can add products to your online shop using the beginner-friendly features that your eCommerce plugin provides.
You will also need to set up payment gateways, create categories, start a newsletter, and so much more.
For more information, see our complete guide on how to start an online store.
Bonus Tip: Use WPBeginner’s WordPress Website Design Services to Create Your Online Store
If you aren’t interested in building your own website, that’s completely understandable. It can be time-consuming, and you may prefer to start selling your homemade goods as soon as possible.
That is why we recommend opting for WPBeginner’s WordPress Website Design Services. Our team of experts has over 16+ years of experience in creating WordPress websites and can launch your dream store in no time.
You will be assigned a dedicated project manager who will help bring your ideas to life and provide multiple revisions to ensure you are completely happy with the site design.
Additionally, we’ll fully configure your WooCommerce store, generate AI copy, and even create a blog for you. We can improve your site’s SEO, guarantee fast loading times, and add analytics to monitor important metrics like conversions, cart abandonment, and more.
Plus, we offer competitive pricing, making us an excellent choice for small businesses. For more information, see our WPBeginner Pro Services page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Homemade Things Online
In this section, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about selling homemade things online.
What is the best online site to sell handmade items?
While sites like Etsy and Amazon Handmade are popular for selling handmade items, they are not the best choice for everyone. They collect steep fees for listing and selling each item, so your DIY business will lose some of the profit.
In our opinion, the best site to sell handmade items is your own. That way, you don’t have to give a large cut of your profit to a third-party marketplace. If you are a beginner, WordPress is a user-friendly and affordable option for building your online store.
That said, once your DIY business has an online following, it can also be smart to sell your handmade goods on social media platforms as well.
What is the best-selling DIY item?
Jewelry, candles, and artwork are some of the best-selling homemade things to sell online. There is also a very large market for homemade products like custom tote bags and personalized t-shirts. Lesser-known DIY options you can sell include ebooks, online courses, and even music.
Is selling crafts online profitable?
Selling crafts online can be very profitable. That said, you will need to choose your products wisely and keep costs low to see more revenue.
One great way to do this is by choosing an affordable option like WordPress for your online shop. Plus, when you use this beginner-friendly website builder, you won’t have to give up a percentage of your profit just to list a product.
We hope this article helped you learn about some homemade things to make and sell online. You may also want to see our ultimate eCommerce launch checklist for WordPress and our top picks for the best eCommerce plugins to start your store.
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