Inventory, manufacturing process, business success topics for small DTC manufacturers.
handmade success
Moving from Etsy to Shopify doesn't have to mean starting over. Here's how to export your listings, import to Shopify, and handle the inventory problem nobody warns you about.
selling online
Etsy has the built-in audience. Shopify gives you control. But for makers who care about knowing their true costs, neither platform was built with you in mind.
pricing
Most handmade sellers set their hourly rate at $0. Not because their time isn't worth anything, but because they've never been taught how to figure out what it's worth. Here's how to fix that.
bookkeeping tax
Shopify's 'cost per item' field doesn't work for handmade sellers. Here's how to calculate and track COGS accurately when you make what you sell.
Overhead costs are the silent profit killers most makers ignore — until tax time. Here's how to calculate them accurately and build them into every product price.
Fallen behind on your handmade business bookkeeping? Here's exactly how to catch up, including the inventory step most guides forget to mention.
inventory management
Most holiday forecasting advice tells makers to project revenue first. That's backwards. Here's how to forecast from production capacity and materials availability — so you actually have product to sell.
Most budget templates aren't built for makers. Here's how to create a business budget that actually works for a handmade business — starting with your materials costs, not a revenue guess.
Most advice says raise prices when you feel undervalued. That's backwards. Here's how to use actual cost data to know when — and by how much — to raise your handmade prices.
business
Most handmade sellers have no idea if their order volume is normal. We pulled data from 1,800+ active Craftybase accounts to show exactly what the distribution looks like — and where the inflection points are.
What does a healthy profit margin actually look like in your niche? Real gross margin benchmarks from 715,000 Craftybase order lines across 11 maker categories — and what the numbers tell you about your pricing.
Most advice tells you to pick one platform and focus. The research suggests the opposite — makers who sell on both Etsy and Shopify tend to build more resilient, profitable businesses.
Wholesale pricing for handmade products isn't just 'charge less' — it's a completely different math. Here's the formula, the margin stack, and why getting your COGS right first is non-negotiable.
Schedule C Part III is the section that trips up most handmade sellers at tax time. Here's what COGS actually means for makers, what to include, and how to fill it out correctly.
Learn how to calculate Cost of Goods Sold for your handmade business. Covers the COGS formula, materials, labour, overhead, weighted average costing, pricing, and Schedule C reporting.
We ♥ to help makers just like you to become more successful. Please join our newsletter to receive regular updates and actionable tips on how to take your maker business to the next level!
We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.
Because they don't know what their products actually cost to make.
Every week, one practical tip on pricing, materials, and COGS — the numbers that turn a busy craft business into a profitable one.
Sent weekly. Unsubscribe any time.
