I see this questions asked a lot. Someone has just purchased their first laser, with no idea what to make with it. Or, they want to open a shop to sell things and make money, but don’t know where to start.
Start with easy options
If you’re looking to sell in a shop, decide a few things first.
What size do you want to ship? — This affects what size and how many sizes of boxes you will carry inventory on. The cost of shipping also goes up with size or weight. More on inventory in another post.
How often do you want to ship? — If you only want to go to the Post Office or other shipping office once per week, then you have to be sure that you make your product time reflect that. Add a few days to your ship time to allow for any time eaters that might pop up.
Once you have decided this, then you can start thinking about products.
Do you want to buy files to make products? — This is by far a great option to get you going right away. Many designers make very detailed and beautiful designs for people to sell. If you don’t know much about design programs, this will kick start your shop without having a learning curve delay you.
Do you want to make your own files? — Making your own files can be satisfying and set you apart from other shops. Just be aware that this now means you have to schedule time to design, as well as your production time. It will also likely mean that your shop doesn’t get new items very often.
Is working with a laser worth it? Undoubtedly! You just need to plan ahead on certain things so you don’t become overwhelmed.