Although we imagine your lampshades are amazing, there may be some circumstances when a customer wants to return their shade. Dealing with returns and refunds can be a tricky business, so in today’s Business Expertise and Advice for Makers post, we’re going to explore the legislation on refunding customers, based on the lampshades you make and the method you use to sell them. We'll also look at customer returns and how to ensure your customers are clear on your refund policy

Packaging your skills in a way that gives the customer choice, can be a valuable way of increasing profit margins and effectively using your lampshade making talents. This said offering bespoke lampshade commissions as an additional service, needs careful consideration and preparation to successfully adapt in line with your customers and your own expectations. In this BEAM post, we’ll run through the pros and cons of making bespoke lampshades, what you'll need to think about

Loving lampshade making shade is one thing, but making enough money to run a sustainable business is quite another. In this BEAM blog post, we look at the ins and outs of pricing your handmade lampshades and what costs you’ll need, including how to work out your hourly rate to the cost of your morning cuppa, alongside tips on making sure you're pricing is still affordable for your market. What costs do I need to think about to work out my pricing? To work out accurate prices

Amazon might not seem the most obvious choice for selling your lampshades, but since the online shopping giant created Amazon Handmade, a dedicated platform that champions high-quality products and passionate makers, it suddenly becomes a more viable and interesting option. We explore the time, effort and cost, alongside the pros and cons, of selling on Amazon Handmade. How big is Amazon? There are no bones about it, Amazon is HUGE in the UK. It's the largest online marketpla

Discovering a niche gap in the interiors market, that happily coincided with his passion for creativity, Rab Moghal of Light Owl made it his personal mission to create a lampshade making business that would stand head and shoulders above the rest. By applying his far-reaching business knowledge, principles and efficiencies and by having a positive passion for his lampshades, customers and team, Light Owl have recently sold their 4,000th shade - that's after just two and half

Happy 2022! With a new year ahead and after a couple of weeks of essential rest and relaxation, now is a great time to reassess where you are in relation to your goals for 2022 and your lampshade making business. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’ve got five exciting ways in which you can get to the top of your lampshade making game and add new services, breath new creative life into your products and expand your selling reach. Read on to find out how you can make 20

It’s been a busy year on the Dannells blog and with many people trying their hand at lampshade making in the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, we’ve been writing blog posts that inspire, educate and support you, whether you’re new to lampshade making or already an experienced and established lampshade maker. This year alone we’ve posted over 80 blog posts that cover everything from lampshade making tips, tricks and tutorials to small business advice. As 2021 draws to a close we tho

Making stunning lampshades that are carefully crafted is only one part of being a lampshade maker and retailer and packaging your beautiful lampshades, so that your customer receives them in pristine condition is equally important. In today’s post, we'll share ideas for wrapping and protecting your shades including tips from our Lampshade Makers Facebook Group, clever eco packing inspiration and Dannells products to help you reach the packing pinnacle! 1. Under Wraps Protecti

Hurrah! Selling in real life at Christmas Craft Fairs and Markets is possible again this year! Not only are fair and markets a fantastic opportunity to sell some of your fabulous handmade lampshades, they are brilliant for getting feedback on your designs and taking commission orders that will see you through to the new year! We've put together our top tips for selling at craft fairs in 2021, plus a list of UK wide craft fairs and markets for you to grab a stall at or get in

Making and selling lampshades may be your dream job, but have your thought about the more regulatory and safety considerations of retailing your own lampshades? In this BEAM post we’ve collated information, standards and guidance in association with The Lighting Industry Association (LIA), to highlight what you need to know from a safety perspective and to ensure the hard lampshades you’re making are to the highest possible safety standards. Lighting terminology Before we st

The selling platform giant eBay might not sing 'handmade' or be your first choice for selling your lampshades, but as we take a closer look in this month's BEAM post, there's definitely potential to boost your brand, gain loyal customers and showcase your shades. How big is eBay? The simple answer is BIG! eBay is one of the biggest online selling platform in the UK, second to Amazon and has whopping 298 million visits per month. As a global selling platform, the ubiquitous eB

We've loved helping you explore the many ways of expanding your business with our more practical Business Expertise and Advice for Makers posts, but what about learning from someone who's experienced and developed a successful homeware brand? Sian Elin has managed to do just that, by capitalising on her talents as a print designer, being stocked by and collaborating with high street stores, as well as receiving national press accolades and presenting lampshades on live TV. Wi

Sharing tools, knowledge and support that help your lampshade making business grow is a key part of the Dannells company ethos and the second post in our new BEAM series (Business Expertise and Advice for Makers) is all about how to sell on Folksy. Finding the right place to sell your lampshades online can be a minefield and in this post we’ll clearly outline what’s involved to start selling on Folksy, breakdown the costs and ask for first-hand advice from a Dannells' custome