Starting your own crafting business can be a great way to make money doing what you love. To ensure your business is successful, though, you’ll need some basic supplies upfront so that your customers don’t experience any delays. Knowing what supplies you’ll need will help you avoid wasting money so that you can have a higher net profit. Here are a few essentials you need to have on hand to ensure that your crafting business starts rolling efficiently from the get go.
Printer Ink
If you plan to print shipping labels and invoices at home, then you’ll be surprised at how quickly you go through ink or toner. It’s inevitable that if you don’t have backup supplies, you will run out of ink just when you’re trying to print a label for a package that’s already running late. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have at least two sets of extra ink for your printer so that you’re never caught off guard.
Boxes
Getting your products safely to your customers is of utmost importance. That’s why you need plenty of shipping boxes on-hand at all times when running a crafting business. If you sell multiple types of items, it’s a good idea to stock multiple sizes of boxes so that you don’t have to ship an item in a box that’s much larger than it needs to be. If you have boxes on hand, you’ll be able to label them at home or where your office is and cut out an extra step when you drop them off for shipping.
Packing Tape
In the midst of getting boxes ready for shipping, you will undoubtedly go through a lot of packing tape. To make sure that you’re always able to properly secure the boxes you send to customers, it’s a good idea to have at least two or three rolls of tape at your home at any given time. Be sure to use tape that comes off the roll smoothly and is easy to cut so that it doesn’t become stuck to itself. You may be surprised at how much more efficiently you work with high quality packing tape on hand.
Bubble Wrap
If the items you sell are at all fragile, then bubble wrap is a must-have item for your business. Packing your items well is a good indication to your customers that yours is a company that can be trusted. When your items are delivered securely and in one piece, it is more likely to result in recurring purchases that will help make your business more successful.
While perseverance can’t be purchased in a store, it’s one of the most important “supplies” you’ll need as you get your business off the ground. Until you gain widespread recognition, you may experience weeks or even months of slow or no sales growth. However, with the right products and enough perseverance, you’ll be able to take advantage of the ever-increasing e-commerce market so that you can end up bringing in significant income. Make sure you consider any other supplies or equipment you might need to get your crafting business working efficiently right away.