Designer as Maker

Designer as Maker essentially refers to the unique situation where the person (designer or artist) is not only making the design herself, but also marketing and selling it as well. There is no client. There is also no other person involved with the production or marketing aspects of the business. This is different from a freelance or contract designer were that person is looking for temporary employment with a company, store, design firm or other individual (client) to do a specific project or create a specific design or work of art. A person who is Designer as Maker is personally responsible for all aspects: artistic, production as well as business.

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Related Resources:

Freelance —Also called Contract Work, Temporary employment for a specific project
Pricing your Work —How to Determine Pricing
Crowd Sourcing—Finance your Project of Business Idea
Open an Etsy Shop —One example of an online version of Designer as Maker
Etsy
—The Etsy Home

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Can I sell on Etsy?

Etsy is a unique marketplace for handmade items, vintage goods, and craft supplies. On Etsy.com, you’ll find a community of makers, small-business owners, and shoppers who all share a passion for uncommon and rare goods. 

Before you start an Etsy shop, make sure that your products can be sold on Etsy, and that you’re in a location where selling on Etsy Payments is available. Review our seller policies and learn about fees for selling on Etsy to make sure that selling on Etsy is right for you and your business. 

Create your shop

Before you create your shop, sign in or create an Etsy account.

Set up your payment and billing details

To get paid on Etsy, you need to connect your bank account to your Etsy shop.

Turn on two-factor authentication

As a security measure, we require you to set up two-factor authentication. 

Set up your storefront

Once you’ve signed up to sell on Etsy, there are a few steps you need to take to complete your shop setup and prepare to start selling items. Like any online business, you should think through key factors in your selling workflow. Consider things like production time, policies, and your plan for shipping.

Add more listings to your shop

Once you’ve completed all your shop sections, you are ready to start adding products to your Etsy shop. When you add a product to your Etsy shop, we call this a listing.

Marketing, branding, and promotion

A marketing strategy is key to the success of your Etsy shop. Marketing will help new customers find your products, lets you keep existing customers up to date with the latest with your shop, and can lead to an overall rise in sales. 

Start selling

On Etsy, we take pride in our sellers offering buyers a great experience. Read tips for offering great customer service

Grow your business on Etsy

To take your shop to the next level, review our essential guides to get started with: