FAQs
General
What is Cloth ‘n’ Craft?
Cloth ‘n’ Craft is a network of sites creating a boutique online marketplace and an online home to talented crafters selling beautifully made cloth and craft items.
Why does Cloth ‘n’ Craft exist?
The aim of Cloth ‘n’ Craft is to provide an affordable online presence for sellers to gain further exposure for their products, while giving consumers the opportunity and access to buy good quality handmade products as well as crafting supplies.
How does the Cloth ‘n’ Craft marketplace work?
Cloth ‘n’ Craft provides a simple website to sellers from which to sell their products as well as a small weblog (blog) function – giving sellers space to discuss and further promote their products. Each website has it’s own unique URL – www.clothncraft.com.au/your_site_name.
Sellers have the opportunity to modify their website to suit their preferred colour scheme as well as listing their own policies on privacy, warranties/returns and shipping; as well as choosing and setting up their own payment methods and shipping charges. Products are listed on the website with a products image (or a few images) and a written description. Sellers do not send their products to Cloth ‘n’ Craft but instead, sellers look after their own stock, postage and warranties.
Products listed for sale on seller’s websites are listed both in their own sites as well as in the larger marketplace @ www.clothncraft.com.au/marketplace/
When an item is purchased from a website on the Cloth ‘n’ Craft marketplace, both the seller and the buyer receive notification emails containing the details needed to complete the transaction. The transaction takes place between the buyer and the seller – Cloth ‘n’ Craft is not involved in the receiving or giving of monies or products.
When a sale is complete, only then is the seller responsible for a small commission on the sale payable to Cloth ‘n’ Craft.
What can I sell on my Cloth ‘n’ Craft site?
In order to establish and maintain a high level of quality, Cloth ‘n’ Craft requires that all sellers follow some simple product guidelines….
You can sell any of your cloth or craft-related products on your Cloth ‘n’ Craft website, so long as it is new, made by you and/or made from your design. You are permitted to sell items similar to items already available from other crafters online so long as there is not a copyright on the design, or you have purchased a “Cottage Licence” allowing you to sell products made from the pattern. Plaigerism is not permitted nor condoned. You can sell items that you have gotten someone else to make for you but it can must not be mass-produced but instead only produced in small runs. You may sell vintage items so long as they are redesigned or repurposed by you. All products must be of a high standard as well as safe for use and ethical.
You may also sell craft supplies, so long as they are listed in the correct categories.
All products listed on Cloth ‘n’ Craft sites are moderated carefully to ensure the continued high quality of the marketplace. Should sub-standard products be listed, store owners may be contacted and asked to remove the product, or it may be removed for them.
What are the benefits for sellers?
•Online presence without the normal costs (domain name registration fees, website hosting fees etc)
•No Product Listing or Sign Up fees
•No Monthly Fees for small sellers
•Pay a nominal commission ONLY when products are sold
•Optional upgrade to a Premium “Pro site” providing more great benefits and a higher level of support for as little as $0.63 per month.
•Simple, intuitive product entry system
•Easy order fulfillment system
•Powerful sales tracking system
•A FREE optional trial blog for promotion of products and designs
What does it cost to own and run a site on Cloth ‘n’ Craft?
There are no sign up fees and no product listing fees plus there’s no subscription fees for Free sites.
The only charges for a Free site is a commission payable once products are sold. Commission rates are currently set at 3% for Free sites, and 2.5% for Premium sites. Sellers will be invoiced at the start of each month for the sales made in the previous month. Sellers then have 30 days to pay these commissions or their store may be shut down until payment is received.
You can compare the features and costs of free and premium sites here.
Do I need to be registered as a business and obtain an ABN?
Each seller will need to determine whether the work that they are doing constitutes as a “business” or a “hobby”. It is your responsibility to do the appropriate declarations to the Australian Tax Office if you decide that you are carrying on a business in the process of selling items on a Cloth ‘n’ Craft site. The ATO can supply much help on this if you need it.