Advantages of a Handmade Card Business Part 7: Easier for Beginners

Handmade cards are easier for a beginner to sell.

Because handmade items are unusual, local stores are likely to consider buying them. This gives the card artist an advantage, especially when beginning. Printed cards are more common on the market and may be harder to sell.

This is because the printed commercial card business is much more developed and competitive.

Handmade cards tend to appeal to a different market. Rather than selling to a general merchandise chain, such as a drugstore, it's better to focus your efforts on independently owned stores such as book stores. I have found that many local stores take a special interest in supporting local artists, particularly towns that have tourism.

You also don't compete with big companies.Large commercial companies rely on a completely different market than the handmade card, and those companies are not really interested in manufacturing handmade items as part of their primary business.

Most commercial greeting cards are sold in large chain drugstores, supermarkets or department stores. The hand-crafted market is found in bookstores, gift stores, boutiques and museum shops. Because of this, you don't have the compete with some of the bigger companies. Generally, it hasn't been my experience that they are competing with me, trying to edge into my market.

Rather, when I find commercial cards selling in the same store as my card, sometimes I have the advantage because I am the only handmade card line, whereas all of the other commercial cards are competing with each other. As a result, my cards stand out even more.

See Other Advantages of a Handmade Card Business:

Handmade Card Business Part 1: Financial Investment

Handmade Card Business Part 2: You Change Designs Quickly

Handmade Card Business Part 3: Financial Investment

Handmade Card Business Part 4: More Designs & High Quality

Handmade Card Business Part 5: Higher Retail Price

Handmade Card Business Part 6: Homebased

Handmade Card Business Part 7: Easier for Beginners

Handmade Card Business Part 8: Card & Gift in one