What do you want to know about starting a handmade business and bookkeeping for your handmade business?
It’s occurred to me that I can write all kinds of articles about starting a handmade business and bookkeeping for your handmade business – BUT – if I’m not answering YOUR questions, then I’m just adding to all the semi-useless fluff that you can find on the internet. And I really don’t want to do that. It’s a waste of both my time and yours as well.
New handmade business owners, especially those who have only made finished items as a hobby who are ready to make that transition to having a real business, have a ton of questions about everything from registering their business, getting tax ID’s, and bookkeeping.
Established handmade business owners who have been doing their bookkeeping using Excel/Google spreadsheets may want to know about bookkeeping software that will make those tasks easier.
I don’t want this website and free Facebook group to be just another place on the internet where you can find fluff that really doesn’t answer your questions and leaves you feeling frustrated. Now by “fluff” I mean articles that leave you feeling like there is something missing when you have finished reading them – you know the ones – they are the articles that trigger the thoughts in your head that make you go “huh?”
I want both the website and the Facebook group to be meaningful to YOU
Whether you are just starting your handmade business or if you’ve had a handmade business for awhile and know that there are certain things that you need to change.
Do I have all the answers?
Oh, no way! But I’m pretty quick on my feet and if you ask me something I can come up with some ideas for solutions.
Will the articles I write answer the specific questions that each visitor will have?
Nope, and that’s because each handmade or creative business is unique and everyone will have a different situation. What will work for you —– might not work for the next person.
Things that I can’t cover in a simple article or series of articles can be discussed in the Facebook group.
So, help me help you! Take the quick 2 question survey – and let me know what you want or need to know 😀
Yes it does help somewhat. I was told I had to have a Cost of Goods Sold but like you said I do not make anything or manufacture any of my products. I simply take orders, send them into Avon, they send me the product and I deliver it to the person who purchased it. I have to buy brochures each and every time I order . I am charged shipping and tax also in every order. Is there something I am missing? I do some vendor events, and try to keep up with mileage on my customers but that is not very easy for me. I do not keep an inventory as such but I do have some stock on hand but I try to sell it at I go along and use it for my vendor events. If I have an inventory it gets treated as something else is that correct/
Hi Ersa
Humm – I would go back to whoever told you that you have to have COGS and ask them specifically what your COGS as an Avon rep includes. I’ve done a little digging – and I do want to stress Avon (or any sort of direct sales type business) is NOT my area of expertise. But anyway, here goes. From info I found online – there is supposed to be an Avon back office that you should have access to that has training materials including some sample expense/bookkeeping reports.
Another thing that I found is this: You are supposed to collect all of the money for the items ordered (this is total sales) – you place the order and Avon bills you the DISCOUNTED price of the items ordered (this is the cost of the merchandise) plus “fees”. So in this case – the discounted price that Avon bills your for PLUS any fees are your Cost of Sales or Cost of Goods Sold.
I am an Avon rep and am doing my taxes for 2017. How do I calculate the cost of goods sold to enter in to my taxes?Is there a simple easy way to figure this without going to much of an explanation?
Hello Ersa
Usually Cost of Goods Sold is associated with items you make or manufacture yourself. You have a much different situation, because you are an Avon rep – in my opinion you have no Cost of Goods Sold, because you are not making or manufacturing the items you sell. I feel that most of the expenses you incur would fall into normal overhead or direct expenses – product samples that you buy yourself, mileage driven for parties, show booths, etc.
I hope this helps.