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Thursday, July 16, 2009

How to Sell Diaper Cakes

I've noticed a lot of people come here trying to learn how to sell diaper cakes, how to market diaper cakes, and about selling diaper cakes on eBay versus selling on your own website. So I thought I would make a post to help you out and tell you how to sell diaper cakes. I wish I had done it in this order but I learned the hard way not to just jump into craft shows, to try to get known FIRST! First, it is a good idea to sell on eBay first. There are millions of people on eBay that you will not have access to anywhere else. Come up with a business name, print up some business cards, and send a business card with every order you send out. Keep a record of all the mailing addresses you get orders from for future use. Figure out what people like, if your diaper cakes are not selling at all after a few months, give them a makeover. It took me MONTHS of trying until I even sold one cake! But I didn't give up. I will post a before and after picture of what my cakes used to look like and what they look like now at the end of this post.

Just keep one thing in mind, that is do not give up and have patience. This is not something that happens overnight. Take it slow, selling on eBay and free or inexpensive marketplaces at first. Try Etsy, Ecrater, Bonanzle, and Shop Handmade just to name a few. Once you have gotten your name out there and started selling at a good pace, it is a good time to make a website. If you are impatient and want one sooner, making a website that is inexpensive will be a good idea at first. This way you can monitor how many visitors you actually get before upgrading to an ecommerce site. A good company to do this with is VistaPrint. There is a link for them to the right of my blog, you can get a basic website for $4.99 just to see what the response is. When you upgrade to a site to sell on, VistaPrint has a $19.99 a month plan that is wonderful! Now is when those mailing addresses you have from all those orders will come in handy. VistaPrint also has tons of marketing items, and one of them is postcards to match your website. Order some postcards and send them out to all your past customers to let them know you now have a website.

Once you are getting orders at a good rate no matter where you sell, you know you are doing good, and making what the customer wants, it may be time for you to start selling your diaper cakes at craft shows. Craft shows are very fun and very addictive as well! Be sure you order plenty of business cards and a banner with your business name and website address on it as well, also all available from VistaPrint.

Another way to sell your cakes is by selling wholesale to stores such as baby and maternity boutiques. Make sure you dress nice, act professional and are prepared to answer any questions the owner may have for you when you go.

Lastly, good luck and have fun!! Resource links below!

How to Prepare for an Arts & Crafts Show

Being Successful at an Arts & Crafts Show

Well I just got done searching my computer for a picture of one of my first cakes, I can't find any! I may have to do some more digging before I find them, hopefully I didn't erase them all!! Anyway, my first cakes didn't sell at all, they were the rolled candle type and i now make the boutique spiral type cakes, which get a much better response! The ladybug cake is one of the recent ones I have made, hope you like it!



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23 comments:

yogabbagabba said...

i see alot of the rolled diaper cakes and only a few of these i think they look more elegant i made a small cake for a coworker that didnt have much it was ok lets just say ill stick with my day job lol! Any ways if you dont mind me asking how do you get these cakes to stay together i rolled my diapers it seemed easy that way. Ill understand if you don want to tell me ill just tell you i dont see how your finger are still moving good luck with everything and hope you do well at the show.

Sassy8722 said...

Aww thank you so much! I do have an article to make diaper cakes that look "layered" instead of rolled, you roll the first diaper like you were talking about and then wrap diapers around that one, overlapping the diapers, until you have the tier the size you want it, it does take some time and patience though! Sometimes I worry about carpal tunnel or arthritis because I use my hands all day and sometime they ache but I think I will get a wrist brace or something for the nighttime. Thank you so much for the well wishes, I need them! :) Oh, also, the first few cakes I made looked really sad, it takes practice!

Sassy8722 said...

Why thank you! I am happy to have you as a reader and I am glad you enjoy my blog! :)

adriana said...

Great advises! I have my own website, it is new it has only 2 months and I am still waiting for customers!!!!!! so I am doing some research on how to sell them fast@ but yes, Patience is the key.
thanks for looking at bebediapercakes.com

Sassy8722 said...

Yes it definitely takes patience! It has been 2 years for me and I am still improving and learning! Good luck!

Baby Diaper Cakes and beyond by LaTersa said...

This is so helpful because, i just started making diaper cakes and I have not sold one on ebay yet. but, i'm still hopeful. I even got old diapers at home to play around with. Also, I find the spiral kind of diapers look more elegant as well.

Baby Diaper Cakes and beyond by LaTersa said...

I also wanted to know if you have any videos that you can show how to successfully make the spiral kind and what support is used to hold the diapers together.

Sassy8722 said...

I am so glad my post helped you, and good luck! It is very competitive, but if you really like doing it and are good at it, don't give up!!
As for the instructions, I do not have the spiral style cake instructions anywhere, as honestly, not many people make that kind and I need to survive!

Baby Diaper Cakes and beyond by LaTersa said...

Hooray, Hooray, i just got my first bid on my diaper cake. take a look at my minnie mouse cake on ebay. my name is asapblakely09. Tell me what you think. Again, i'm going to stay patient and keep trying. I enjoy making them. I want to perfect it as much as possible. Have a blessed one.

Sassy8722 said...

Congrats! I looked at it, it is so cute!

NatBrown said...

How do you package them to ship?

Sassy8722 said...

Hi! I get a box that is close to the dimensions of the cake and just pour packing peanuts (or sometimes bubbles) in the box to protect the cake. My cakes are made sturdy enough where you can actually hold it upside down and shake it and it will not get damaged, so that helps! :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness what a bunch of usefull information. FINALLY!!! Can you tell me anymore websites that sell handmade items other then what you have listed. Your website was so helpful for people who make handmade items. Thanks and YOU ROCK!!!

Anonymous said...

I have to say also thank you for your insightful blog. I have been making diaper cakes about four months now i think that i am on number six. But i have been making the mistake of using rolled diapers too. I will have to try the spiral look i do love it better. I think that the pricing of the is what is bothering me the most. I purchase all the nessary things (sometimes too much im sure of it ie toys bottles, pacifers) and started trying to ton down due to price. I am not sure what to charge since im just starting out making diaper cakes. Some of the cakes i have only made like 5 on and its frustrating me. I see these online charging like 50-60 but i too harsh and think mine will never sell for that. So my long drawn out q for you is how much was the price of your learn how diaper cakes?? Thanks again for all you help!!

Sarah said...

Do you make a decent income from the selling your diaper cakes. I want to get started in a larger market but I fear I will be disappointed and the income won't be worth it.

Unknown said...

I have made a few diaper cakes already for friends and sister I would love to start selling them but no clue where to start or how to charge... Can anyone give any tips or advice to point me in the right direction?

victoria said...

This is very insightful and your ladybug cake is gorgeous. I was curious if there are any copyright issues or selling license issues to worry about?

Bekkah said...

I recently made a diaper cake for a friends shower and she loved it. However, I wasn't so pleased with it because my items like baby lotion continually fell off. What should I do next time to prevent this from happening? By the way your cakes are TOO CUTE!!!

-Rebekkah

pamperedcakes said...

for the girl whos lotion bottles fall off use the johnston kit and stuff them in to the cake in different parts and its a nice surprise when she unwraps it
or if your intent is to use big bottles use them as your center

this has been a very good website ive been looking for this info for a while and your the closes i come to getting my answers thanks

Anonymous said...

My daughter has made several diaper cakes. She first made one for her own baby shower as a center piece(lol). She has made two for friends since then. This was very imformative as she wants to start selling her creations. Thanks so much.

Anonymous said...

Use a round cake pan! It helps!

Relda said...

Your site is very informative. Thanks. I sell Towel Cakes, Diaper Cakes and Gift Baskets all home-made and LOVE what I do. Not much as an income maker, but is super fun to do.

Thanks, Relda
www.fake-cakes.com

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