All across America, people are making arts and crafts, jewelry, music and more in their homes. Fortunately, specialty Internet sites will help you turn creative projects into cash. Find links to sites mentioned at www.komando.com/news .
KickstarterKickstarter helps fund creative projects. Projects range from films to books to ice cream clubs. The success of some is astounding.
Take the TikTok+LunaTik Multi-Touch Watch Kits. The project sought $15,000 to create watch band kits for the iPod Nano. It raised a jaw-dropping $941,718.
There are no listing fees. Rather, Kickstarter takes 5 percent of pledges once the goal is met. Amazon, the payment processor, takes 3 percent to 5 percent in fees. All projects must reward the donors. Most rewards are tiered, with bigger contributions earning bigger rewards. Some offer a CD or a print. Other artists meet with big donors.
You set a financial goal for your project. If it's not met, no money changes hands. You aren't obligated to continue the project. Kickstarter says donations average $68, with $25 being most common.
EtsyEtsy is the most popular online marketplace for handmade goods. You can also sell crafting supplies and vintage items. Items range from food to furniture to jewelry. Sellers get their own Etsy store.
A four-month listing costs 20 cents. If you list multiple copies, you'll pay that for each. Etsy takes a 3.5 percent cut of final sales.
RedBubbleArt can get lost on Etsy. I recommend a specialized site like RedBubble. Upload digital files of your artwork. Then select the items you would like it to appear on. RedBubble offers prints, cards, shirts and more.
RedBubble charges a base price for an item. You set the retail price, keeping the difference. RedBubble does all the work, from creating to shipping items. Tools help you promote your work on Facebook and Twitter.
ArtbreakArtbreak lets you sell original works like paintings for free. There are no listing fees or commissions. However, a Plus account gives you an ad-free experience for $5 monthly.
Not all work on Artbreak is for sale; it is also a sharing site. And it offers tools for promoting your work on Facebook and Twitter. Artbreak may not be appropriate for younger sellers; it contains nude works.
CreateSpaceAmazon's CreateSpace helps you sell books, CDs and DVDs in physical or digital formats. Physical items are created on demand. You pay nothing until an item sells. List your work on CreateSpace or on Amazon.
You name your price; CreateSpace takes a cut. For example, you'll pay $5 per CD or DVD. Pay an additional 15 percent for items sold on CreateSpace. The commission jumps to 45 percent for Amazon's site.
Book pricing is more complicated. Length, trim size and content affect the price. A Royalty Calculator shows your cut of sales.
UPLOADnSELL
Maybe you want to sell computer wallpapers or Web templates. UPLOADnSELL helps you sell digital downloads.
Upload your work and set your price. You'll get a link to share on your site or via Facebook. PayPal processes payments. It takes 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction. UPLOADnSELL sends buyers a download link for your item.
There are no guarantees that you'll get rich or even be moderately successful at these sites, but you'll never know until you try.
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