Ten Tips for Managing Custom Orders

This is wonderful! Thanks for the tips :)

This is fantastic advice! I've learned through trial and error to have a number of popular custom order items in my shop, readily available to purchase. Make it easy for a customer to shop with you, and they will!

I will try to incorporate some of your tips in my shop for custom orders. Great information. Thanks!

This is really good advice and thank you for sharing it

Great tips!!! Thank you so much! Nearly all of my business is based on custom orders, so some info regarding how to make things easier is very helpful!

Custom orders are a large part of my holiday sales! All of this is great advice, and while I do enjoy making something extra special for a customer, I agree with setting limits on how much you will do and that there are times when you do have to decline requests... for myself, it's usually because of time constraints.

Great advice! Thank you! :)

Great article and just in time when I'm starting to create listings for custom orders. Thanks!

This is some really great information. Thanks for sharing!

Great tips! I do a fair amount of custom orders, so advice like this is always welcome :)

Thank you for this timely article! I've done 2 custom quilt orders in the past year and LOVED every part of them. I enjoy the working out the designs and colors and even though the communication process can be lengthy, it is worth it in the end to have both sides of the transaction clear about important details!

I get a lot of custom order requests, most of which I fulfill. I try to be extremely detailed and communicate a lot with clients who want custom orders; it's a much more intimate process than just making something I want to make. Thanks for all the great tips!

Thank you for these tips! I am working on building up custom orders.

Great tips! I have done a couple of custom orders. I like having a connection with my customers but I am a little worried for the holidays. Since knitting and crocheting takes a lot of time to finish, I will make sure I am especially clear in turn around time. Thanks again!

Great tips! Thank you!!

Great advice! Except PayPal may charge back regardless of your policy.

Good advice!

Thanks for the great advice! I have been considering doing customs orders, and this gives me some great tips if I decide to do more with it.

Great tips.

I find it's difficult to manage the custom aspect as a clothing designer. It's difficult to take a position of "here are the sizes, no custom" because clothing really needs to fit right. It also feels strange to charge more for a custom order. However, people don't realize how much time goes into create a custom sized garment, so it's hard to balance the need to offer that with the need to get adequately paid. It's a bit different that custom orders for non-sized things, or even things that have size but not as many dimensions as a piece of clothing.

Very Helpful, thanks :) Gina

Beth, when I was selling clothing, I found a size chart to be really helpful. Many people don't have a measuring tape on them, but they can pick out their size from a chart when they see it in context (hip/bust/waist). I would let people know that I offered custom fitting if they wanted- eg. they know they have long legs, or stuff is always tight for them in the hips.

Great tips, thanks Marlo! I really enjoy tailoring my pieces to my customers. That said, I eagerly await the day that Etsy streamlines the customization process for both sellers and buyers by allowing us to add selectable options to our listings for size/color/finish, etc. As it is now, listings become a mess of information and/or it's necessary to make individual listings for each colorway/size/whatever. Seems like....such an oversight.

Thank you for the tips. I am new to Etsy and frequently do custom orders for folks I meet at craft fairs and other venues, so I would like to do that for my Etsy customers.

I'll keep this information in mind when I get to the point of setting up for custom orders. Thanks for the advice!!

I only have one item specifically listed as a custom piece in my shop, but I still get requests all the time for me to make custom necklaces and paintings that are variations on what people see in my shop. Yes, custom orders require extra work, but customers end up with items that have special meaning, and I learn such interesting things about their lives. I recently made a custom Lady Macbeth necklace for an actress who plans to wear it during rehearsals and on stage to bring her luck. She is my walking advertisement!

This is awesome!

Awesome... great tips. Thank you for sharing!

Nice tips for new sellers! Thank you! Well, I truly believe that more experienced ones had a few ideas, too :)

great article stuffed full of info. thanks for the tips.

Great article! I agree that setting the customizable parameters up front is the right way to keep custom orders from spiraling out of control and taking way too much time. Learned that the hard way!

Great tips! I do a lot of custom orders, mostly on my dog/cat collars. It is a lot of work/time, but is worth the effort because customers can get the size and colors that they want. I create the item, then make a reserved listing. That way the customer has a chance to see pictures of it before they buy. It is great to be able to create something special for my customers, and their pets!

Thank you for the insight Marlo, appreciate you sharing with all of us.

Great article! I think I'll add some of these suggestions to my custom order pieces.

Brilliant tips! Will definitely be trying some of this in future!

Very detail thank you for sharing. I hava a question. I work with bullets and 80% of my business is custom. I am starting to find it hard to fulfill custom orders in 3-5 days. Because my designs are very popular, i am pushing 40-50 Bullet designs a every 2 weeks. Is it ok for customers to wait 2 weeks before an item is shipped. Especial in my nature of detail and quality?

Very helpful.

I am very clear with custom orders that I cannot duplicate items - the color may be different, the expression just a tad different, the size may be a quarter inch bigger or smaller depending on how tired my hands are that day :) Being direct about such things drives away the perfectionists and keeps those lovely customers who actually want something unique and enjoy the surprise at the end.

I love doing custom orders. I think the most important thing for me has been getting at least a deposit first. Or then you're stuck with something you worked a lot on and can't resell.

Thanks for the helpful article! I think it's great advice for custom items where all the details get worked out after the sale has been made. However, I would also welcome advice on how to manage the sale when the details get worked out before the custom item is listed and how to make an listing "reserved" for a specific person. A lot of our custom orders happen when a customer sees something from our sold items and wants a similar-but-unique version. Once we've worked out the details, I list their piece as "custom order for XYZname" or "reserved order", and state in the description that this is an item for a specifc person. Inevitably, someone ELSE purchases it! I know we should all be expected to follow the honor code, but I would like to know if anyone else experiences this, or if Etsy has any ideas on how to manage this. Thanks!

Super advice! and very helpful, too.

My shop is entirely custom made items (pop art portraits) and this article had some great tips I'll definitely work on implementing, thanks!

awesome tutoring, i haven't offered that on my shop yet and had planned to eventually and now thanks to you I have the tight tools...everyday on etsy I learn at least ! new thing ...thanks Marlo..

right tools ...should have wore my glasses lol

Thanks for the tips- I'm a little leary of custom orders, but with a clear plan and set of rules, it looks like they could be very beneficial to my shop.

Great advice! Thank you!

Bravo!! Love seeing this article, and the attention given to custom orders. A large percentage of my sales are from custom orders -- custom-designed correspondence, whether personal stationery or wedding goods. I feel like it gives me more of a chance to tailor my products to exactly what the customer needs. Most of all, I really enjoy the opportunity custom orders give to get to know some really great people and design for them!

A very useful information! Thank you so much!

Great advice here! Although I don't do a lot of custom, this is great information to know. Thank you!

Thank you for all the great tips, headed into my shop and see if I can tweak my listing for the custom bibs that I do to make it more clear to the customer the options that are available to them :)

Very helpful and timely. I just started offering two different themed commissioned watercolors, either pet portraits or wedding scenes, and I hadn't considered including the turn around time in the description section. I will definitely add that to further post.

Thank you for this post! I love doing custom orders and was working on offering it more. Very helpful article!

Wonderful tips! They're really perfect to keep in mind when working out all those pesky details!

Thanks for a timely and helpful piece -- I just received my very first request for a custom order, so this could not have come at a more perfect time. Thanks for the advice!

Thank you so much for the tips!!

Great information, thank you.

These are really great tips! Half of my business has been custom orders. I really enjoy making things others love too.

Really good advice, thank you for sharing! I just started doing some custom pieces for a couple customers and these tips will help in the future.

My favorite! 90% of my sales are either personalize and custom orders.Love this because of the interaction directly to the customer.At the end of the day i am really happy as i felt i captured what the customers wants me to do.So far i rarely have very difficult and picky customers but that's what makes the challenge ever sweeter! Thanks for this feature!

Great article! Every order in my shop is custom and I think you did a great job with this post. Well done!

Great advice! A huge portion of my business is custom orders, and it is exceptionally time-comsuming to go back and forth with photographs, messages, designs, etc. It has gotten to the point where I'm so busy fulfilling custom orders that I have no time to create new work for my shop. Being constantly busy is always a happy problem to have! But I struggle to find a balance between keeping my custom order clients happy and keeping my Muse happy. Thanks for some really helpful advice!

Great to see you here Marlo. Wonderful tips. Most of my orders are also custom and personalized which makes my job so much more fun...

Thanks!

So helpful! My shop relies on buyer-seller communication!!

This is great information, Marlo. Thank you for putting together and sharing it with us! Custom order make up a substantial part of my business. It's always great to take a fresh look at the process to gain perspective and tweak the system to make it work more efficiently.

This is great information, Marlo! Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing it with us. Custom orders make up a substantial part of my business. It's always great to take a fresh look at the process to gain perspective and tweak the system to make it more productive.

Thanks for the info. ☺

Thanks for the wonderful comments everyone! I'm so happy you found the post helpful :) It's so nice to see so many who are already creating custom orders and finding success with it! Yay! @Mommyandmeboutiquega : You asked, "Is it ok for customers to wait 2 weeks before an item is shipped...?" The answer to that is: Yes! Customers will wait as long as you need them to -- as long as you are very clear about what they are to expect from you up front. No need to over-explain your reasons - just state your turnaround time and deliver faster whenever you can. If you can offer "express" service for items, you can also create separate "rush turnaround" listings to accommodate anyone who is truly in a hurry! (see my shop for "express shipping" examples).

Thanks, I hope it helps!

Great tips, I deal with custom orders quite a bit in my shop I do think that making the process as simple as possible is really important!

Great advice! I love custom orders as I have the world's largest stash of beads (I think ;-)) I always take a small, non-refundable deposit before starting work on a custom order. It's usually only $5 or 10% of the final price for a large piece. As my pieces are one of a kind, it's sometimes helpful to ask customers to send a sketch of what they want too. Alison x

My shop's tagline is " Folk Stroke- Your Custom Applique Designer!" I love custom orders! It feels great to create appliques my buyers have visualized! Many handmade appliques from my shop are born out of custom inquiries! I am lucky. No returns till today, only repeat orders! I make sure to keep my buyer informed throughout its making even if it is in given timeline. Great article Marlo. Thank you.

My shop is completely custom work, I've been using similar guidelines for my orders and it's worked out very well so far. I find that communication with customers is the number one most important thing - making sure you're both on the same page about what's being created.

great advice!!Thank you

Very sage advice. I hope to do custom orders latter on, so your tips were appreciated.

I do some custom work, great advice here I will be making some minor changes. Customer communication is the key. I actually enjoy custom orders. Thanks for the tips.

Great advice - Thank you.

Good Advise!

Most of my sales have been through custom orders as I sell wedding favours, thanks for the tips!

Thank you! Great points!

Great article. Most of the items that I sell are custom as I specialize in window valances. I love having the opportunity to combine my designs with so many different fabric combinations to suit the different tastes of my customers. Being able to create something different every time keeps everything new and fresh. Thanks for the info!

Great article!

Thank you for the tips. Custom orders are usually fun to do. Communication is key for me .

Maybe one day.....Thanks for the tips!

@LivingVintage, actually Paypal Buyer's Protection doesn't cover custom orders. @Marlo, great tips! And timely--I've seen quite a few custom order questions from sellers recently in the forums. I like the way you've streamlined the options. I've been considering doing this but haven't committed to it yet. At present, my custom options are open for almost complete customization (size, color, design, number of pages, etc.).

Great tips!

Excellent advice!!!!!

Helpful and well shared. Share- keeping track of who is asking for custom, follow up, and finding them again after other convo's come through.

Great Advice! Been considering custom orders for a while now and this gave me a lot to think about.

I show buyers Work-in-Progress photos of their robots AND photos of the completed sculpture BEFORE shipping, so they know exactly what they are getting. -HerArtSheLoves

Wow, couldn't be more timely. I just was trying to figure out how to do custom orders on my pet paintings. Does anyone have advice for how to accept 50% down? I normally collect that before I begin a painting. Great article.

I think the advice about creating a listing for something people may want, instead of just saying 'convo me about custom orders' is a great tip. People are much more likely to be interested in something if they can picture it first. Also, lets face it--not everyone has their creativity hats on as often as etsy sellers do; alot of people will need that inspiration for what is possible before they can dream something up! Good article, thanks.

Since all my items are custom this was very helpful. Wish the customer could choose the type of shipping they need.

I picked up a few tips..thank you! I have been working on expanding my custom orders :)

Very nice article. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for the advice...just had a request today for a custom made hat.

great advice!!

As soon as I know what a customer wants, and before I inform them of the price, I create a "Reserved" listing for their order with the correct price. When I convo them my confirmation and inform them of the price, I say "and for your convenience, I've created a listing reserved for your custom order" and include the link. This often avoids another round of convo, makes it easy for the customer to say yes, and makes the sale more likely to happen. I also say "if you want to make further changes, let me know and I can modify the reserved listing".

I get great ideas, for free, when my customers ask for custom orders! Many become staples in my shop. One little problem I've been having, though, is with direct checkout: I don't get the money until the item ships. If I have to buy materials specifically for a custom order, I have to foot the bill until the item is finished and ready to mail. I know there are reasons why this is a good idea, as it protects customers from unscrupulous sellers. And I agree that we should all ideally keep a fund going for such times, which I do. But it could be a problem if you're in a tight spot at the moment, you know? Is there a solution for this that I'm not seeing?

Thanks so much for this advice! I have never had a problem with custom orders.....until now. I am sitting on a $145 custom order - we convo'd each other continuously, she was pleased with the finished product and now that the order is up, haven't heard word one! my mistake for not asking for a deposit! That will not happen again!

Fantastic article! I just starting receiving custom orders and it's definitely a learning process. Thank you for all the tips and suggestions! I will be implementing some of these immediately. =)

Great tips and ideas! About 50% of my sales are custom orders. This was spot on advice for me!

This was very informative and to the point, thank you!

one of the tips was about returns etc. my business is 99% customorders. Here is what I recently found out. My shop policy is "custom orders are non refundable". I recently had a customer cancel after the item was done. They wanted their deposit back. ETSY MADE ME. My shop policy didin't matter.

Great sharing for us!

great tips! Thank you!

Do those of you who sell custom artwork show images of the work in progress, or wait until finished to get approval for the final work? I'm worried that some customers might not understand just how much a painting changes, from the first, rough underpainting stage, to later, finishing details.

As someone who only sells custom orders (& kinda tinkered with the formula as I went along) this would have been insanely valuable to me back in the day! LOL! And yet I still got a few tips! Thanks so much! And I love creating custom orders, literally nothing like it knowing how special & treasured the items will be to my clients. (I also buy exclusively custom creations for that reason too!) :D

great tips! I like the link to the policies of your shop too! thanks so much for the awesome ideas!

Once I ship a custom order, what if the post doesn't deliver? should i require they pay for delivery tracking at an added expense?!!

Awesome article! I create custom denim jackets and i believe the biggest tip i can provide is communicating with customers. In addition to communication, once im done with the custom order i always email photographs before shipping and customers love seeing the images before! LuckieYou Vintage :)

Great tips. Thank You.

My custom orders are my favorite. I love bringing a customers requests to life :-) I am excited to see where the listing variation test goes and what new options get added because I can see these being a HUGE help in making sure I get all the necessary information

Thank you Thank you, great tips.

Clear and concise...thanks for the tips and refresher!

Great advice. Thanks!

Creating a custom piece for a customer can be very exciting. But if the Etsy will always side with the customer if they cancel on the order even if the shop policies state that "custom orders are non-refundable' So seller beware!

Clear concise information that I will be trying soon in my shop. Thank you

This is great advice. I am almost always willing to customize. I think it is art in collaboration. If a piece is already finished, I can make a new piece to the customer's specifications.

Good article. My most successful custom orders have come about when a buyer sees an existing listing that they like and I custom knit it in a different color or size. Also, when I do custom orders, I message the buyer with photos of work in progress so that they can see the item coming together. These check-ins allow for corrections and changes while the piece is still being made, rather than at the end of the process when the piece is complete. And I have declined custom orders too - sometimes the price point the buyer wants isn't enough for a custom piece.

I offer custom items for the client requests. I don't mind working with a person to create something one of the kind...and we keep in contact with each other. Each custom job is a little different than the next. Good tips!

Informative article, thank you!

Very helpful & well written! Love my custom orders, but it can be scary not knowing for certain they'll love it as much as they think or we hope they will. I like to send photos to the buyer as confirmation prior to sending.

Good article, very helpful tips. When I do a custom order, I send the buyer photos of the work in progress so that they can see how the piece looks before it's completed.

I love making custom orders! For me, I enjoy the process of making a piece with a specific person in mind. I have a totally different mindset than when I am making something with a mystery customer in mind. Thank you for your insight.

Thank you so much good advice.

I have enjoyed completing many custom orders here on Etsy. Thanks for this post that reminds me that I can always improve the clarity and brevity of my descriptions and photos.

Great advise! I currently don't charge more for a color change or custom order. I have been duped a few times by custom orders especially being in the bridal industry. I spend a lot of time answering convos some clients over 50 most over ten. Clients ask all the time for fabric samples and now I do ask for a 50% deposit before I go thru the trouble. I did loose one order for seven dresses by doing so. I also offer color changes on my sashes free of charge and now I spend a few hrs a week at supplier trying to match bridal swatches which is impossible. Does anyone have any idea how many shades of cream there are?? Been recently told dress was ecru not cream. Had to remake in more expensive fabric and haven't received dressed back. Ugh. Custom orders are great and business is fabulous just very very time consuming.

Btw I always send photos along the design process. If you currently don't use an I phone put it on your list ASAP.

Great tips!!! Thank you

Thanks...just starting at Etsy and love tips!

As someone who does many custom orders, I appreciate the tips, great article!

Great article with some really helpful tips! I really want to do custom orders and you answered some of my questions. Thanks!

Yes, customs can be very timely and it is important to charge for that time. I find the convos are the most time consuming!! I find it is alot of work but love the communication aspect. Some of my custom work is from moms who loved the first bunting they purchased from me and want a special one made for their second child's room. It is a great feeling to know they are coming back because of the service, design, and quality I had provided in the past. And I have said I am unable to do some customs. People see you sew well and want you to create a whole new item--nothing you have ever made. I kindly say "sorry, but no" and all is good. Also, the holidays are a time for me to say "not accepting custom orders"--just too time consuming and it takes away from my daily tasks!

Great tips - thank you so much for sharing and including so many examples!

Great tips, thank you!

Great tips. I am going to add in the What happens after your order to my listings!

Thank you for these great tips!!

Love the article & great ideas from all.

Custom orders when handled right are fun and a great aspect of this type business. I do enjoy being personal with my customers.

I appreciate these wonderful tips. I am going to apply these to my custom orders as I am just starting to build my store.

I think Point 4 is "Made to Order" or "Personalized" not Custom - isn't it?

I do custom orders and these tips are a great! Thanks for sharing!

This is great info. I just accepted my first custom order last week. Communications with the buyer were great. They actually sent a picture of what they were looking for. I sent them pictures of fabrics that I picked out and they chose from them. I have the fabric and am about to begin the baby quilt. I think I missed a step though. I didn't have a listing for a custom order, and so I'm plodding along and realized that I never asked for the payment in advance. I guess that should be my next step....?....! Thanks for the help.

Lots of points I had never thought of - thank you!

Custom Orders Have made up a great deal of my sales .. I agree on setting limits to how much you can do as they do take alot more time between the convo's and the design time. I have put up custom order listings On items I am willing to customize and I set a quantity available that way I can keep everything on track ..once they sell out I wait till I finish up the orders I have before re-listing the option to custom order again. It's worked for me so far.

@Jenn and Meghan: I've experienced this problem several times too, in most cases the customers who purchased someone else's clearly marked Reserved listing understood my explanation of why they couldn't have that listing and were willing to either choose a different item or wait for me to make another. But a few customers demanded cancellation (some very rudely), of course I promptly refunded their money but in most cases PayPal no longer returns all your fees when you give a full refund to a customer... so each cancellation resulted in a loss of both time and money for me. I've greatly reduced (but not entirely eliminated) this issue by using a lead photo for Reserved listings that simply says "Reserved listing," with only the second thru fifth photos depicting the item. Of course this limits the number of people who notice the item in my shop and might want to buy a customized version... but for me it's worth the tradeoff.

Very helpful article! You made some great points that I'm planning to put into practice right away!

Great tips! Thank you very much!

I appreciated this piece. Almost all of my sales this year have been custom made to order. Some of my most memorable puzzles were those where the customer was very specific about what they wanted and how they wanted it. The communication process for custom orders does seem to keep me from my saw a lot of the time but I often appreciate the break away from the sawdust. Later their glowing feedback is always worth it! It looks like I need to work on #4 as I currently wait for a customer to convo with request before starting process. I have been trying to figure out how to facilitate that process and these tips will be helpful. Having just one "custom order" category won't work well for me as there are so many different kinds of custom orders I can do. It would be useful if they would make subcategories an option.

Great article! Thanks for all the tips!

Great Tips! I deal with a lot of customers who want a custom order from my shop and there are many times where I have to decide whether or not its worth taking the time to do it, but most of the time I love the challenge and the results and feedback I get. This is how I get many more ideas to create and list at my shop.

Really good advice. I think the bonus tip is an especially good thing to keep in mind. We all want to make every customer happy, but we do have to balance that with keeping the rest of the business running and maintaining efficiency.

Thanks for the kind and helpful comments everyone! To those who were asking about how to take deposits: One answer is to not take deposits and instead take the whole payment up front. Keep communicating with the customer via convo and photos and make sure they are satisfied each step of the way - no surprises = no refunds! If you must take DEPOSITS: If you create a listing for a specific item you can have the listing cost represent an amount that would be a deposit toward work. Write this information in the title and at the top of the description so the customer knows that there will be a balance due at the end of the transaction such as: "Personalized Pet Portrait: Deposit for Custom Order" or something more creative :) Then in the description, write a 1-2-3 step list telling the customer exactly what they need to do to place an order. Finalize the order by agreeing to a balance due. Create a listing for the balance due as a "reserved" listing and convo the link to them. That helps to solidify the "balance due" message. Then, make the work, send them a photo and ask them to pay for the balance before you ship it out (resend the link)! Lots more steps, but if you are more comfortable with taking deposits, this is one way to do it :) Hope that helps!!

Wonderful tips! Especially the one about being proactive. I really should create a custom order listing.

Thanks for the great tips! Especially the one about being proactive... I really need to work on that!

Thank you for the tips - am learning some of these from experience

This is a nice article. I have done a few custom orders and really enjoy doing them. I would love to have some photos of options but am unsure where to start. I guess I'll add that to my 'future projects' list! :)

Very helpful tips. Thank you so much!

I love how it's all broken down into numbered steps. This article is a GREAT reminder to me about the DETAILS.

Great article. Time management with custom orders is always hard. If you receive a lot of custom orders all of a sudden, it is very difficult to keep creating new items for the shop and the shop can become stagnant. I have found it is easier to paint a custom order and then paint a new item for the shop. The next custom order will be created next. and so on. That way I can keep up with keeping the shop fresh. Custom orders are about 1/4 of my business. I have never run an ad specifically for a custom order. I am going to try and run an ad just for custom orders through the holidays and see what happens. Great information and ideas how to do this listing. Thanks so much :-)

Thank you for the tips. I was reluctant to offer custom made pieces so far. With your clear tips and encouragement, I just might do that. Thanks!

Thanks, good tips. I love custom orders &have policies about deposits & returns, but I review each case. I want happy customers.

Artistic license is a wonderful thing to share with custom offerings

What would you do if a customer decided that they didn't want the custom order? I had a customer who wanted a custom made necklace, and when it was ready to be paid for and sent, they decided they didn't want it any more. I graciously accepted the decline, but should I have some type of policy in place for this type of thing?

Thanks for the tips!

Very useful tips! Thank you

Thanks for the great tips!!!

I have done a lot of custom orders but never thought to create ready-to-purchase custom listings. Thanks for the useful tips!

Custom is what I do and it was great to see an article directed at just that. A great affirmation of the things I was already doing, along with some great new suggestions. I agree with Marlo that doing custom work can be a lot of hard work but it is so very fulfilling at the same time. Many thanks for this informative article!!

Not very helpful. I don't do custom orders.

Custom orders are great, but it can get overwhelming when so many order custom ones at one time, especially when so many are paid with direct checkout... it takes about a week to get the money transferred to the bank so i will have it to order materials. So I am offering specials now on ready made items, just to have time to catch up and have money to order materials for more... it can get frustrating and hard to manage at times. So far most customers have been very patient and easy to work with.

Thank you!

Thanks for wonderful tips!

Great tips! I plan on using some of this info on my future custom orders! Thanks!

Great post! Happy to see I'm already doing some of them...need to brush up on others. Good reminder. :)

This was very helpful! I just made my first custom order, and it turned out great, but these tips would have definitely helped! =)

These are some very helpful tips! And very timely, as I was recently contemplating doing more custom pieces. Thanks so much!

Good article! 80% of my business is custom orders and this really reflects on what I try to ease the checkout process for custom items. It's almost a must in the wedding industry. Sellers! Always receive payment before you begin on a piece. Either 100% full payment or a deposit to get started. I've never had a problem with a customer paying the full amount up front, and I'm talking hundreds of dollars for custom wedding sets. Don't be afraid to to give a quote. As a customer you don't expect to be handed goods for free in a store, or have a tailor alter your clothes without a deposit. Same goes for your own business. Another article should be made on different ways of dealing with conversations about a custom order. I would love to see sellers share their experiences on dealing with tough situations if they ever arise. That is always a tough thing for me just like many sellers.

Very useful for my job.These are concepts which could improved my working better.

Most of my business is custom orders too and I love it. I like it that no two items will ever be the same. I also feel that I get to know my customers a bit more than when someone just purchases an in-stock item. I've met some great people this way. Thanks for all of the advice.

Great, insightful article and tips. I've had a couple of custom orders that have gone well. I always welcome them.

Very helpfull! I offer custom orders but will try to make it easier thanks to your tips.

The majority of my work is custom orders. Some of my favorite designs have come from a customers request. I always try to take pictures of the completed projects to add as new designs in my shop. Now, if I could just squeeze in the time to edit the photos! Great tips!

Awesome! Thank you so much! BottleCapBling101.com

Custom orders can be very tricky and they use up a lot of creating time. But they also give a bigger amount of... happiness :) It's so nice to see when someone else's idea appears in front of you and it looks fabulous. It must be a great feeling for a customer too! My tips for handling custom orders are: - be quick in responding to emails - it helps to communicate fluently and you'll get faster to the point of actually creating - ask twice, or even ten times, just to be sure you've got everything right - keep customers updated on the process of their orders, so they won't be worried and they can point out if you're doing something wrong or misunderstood some parts of the information given earlier - be super nice and helpful so the customers will come back for more or tell about you their family and friends :D

Thank you so much! This is a great idea for my shop!

Thank you so much! Great tips!

I agree -- a great article. I have created some custom drawings, and love the challenge that they give. They are often subjects out of my comfort zone. Communication is very important. However, because I do drawings, I can list it for general purchase if the client doesn't want it. That means I can tell them that there is no pressure to purchase the drawing, and so I don't need to worry about deposits etc. I worried about the issue of others buying the work when listed, despite the "reserved for...." title. So I really like NorthcottWilson's suggestion of the first photo being "custom listing". Thanks for all the tips.

Good article! Most of my doll sales are custom orders so they do work really well. People love something personal! But you do have to be careful about the time some of them take!

Great tips, thanks alot.

Thanks Marlo, it is a very useful article, I will use these knowledges...

Thank you! It was interesting to read!

Very interesting! I offer the custom order posibility, but it's hard to get orders.

Thank you so much for writing this article. I have had several custom orders and I really enjoy working with people to create something special just the way they like it even though it does take a little extra time and planning. In the past though the customer has always been the one who approached me asking about a custom piece, I never thought of making a custom listing but I might now.

Great article, I love custom work. It's a great way to find new products for your store. Sometimes a custom item will inspire another idea and so on and so on. Plus it's nice knowing that someone has a piece of jewelry for their wedding or item for their party that is made just for them. You never know where custom work will take you.

I just started accepting custom orders for Halloween costumes a few weeks back. Before I listed, I worked out all my policies. I work with upcycled materials, clothing and accessories for my costumes, so each one is very different from the last! It would be near impossible to give color and fabric options at the time of inquiry, unless I have everything on hand that can be used for their size. I put all my policies in the custom listing so there won't be any misunderstandings. I have a 3 tiered payment system that I'm comfortable with, but it's very detailed and long. Basicly it is final price divided into thirds, with checkpoints along the way. If their satisfied, they pay for the next step in the process. What they have paid, they do not get back, but I let them out of the contract (unless it's my lack of skill!). I've had one order and several inquiries since listing a few weeks ago. So far,so good...

Great article! I need to be more proactive and I love your step by step list! Thank you for the inspiration!

I love doing custom orders but on Etsy many time the buyers don't read the fine print. I've had multiple times where people will order a custom and never tell me what they wanted custom about the item. I messaged them right away and never got a response so I just made a standard of the item and shipped it out, of course never got any feedback. :-/

Despite not having offered them, most of my business has turned out to be custom orders. Thanks for such an organized plan! I will definitely use your advice to accommodate these in the shop. Still getting the hang of balancing stock availability, your notes on only offering limited options to choose from should really help with that! Cheers!

Great article, and thanks everyone for the additional tips & insights. I have had a few requests for custom orders, and whether or not the customer chooses to buy after they find out the price, it always gives me great ideas for future items. Clarity is so important, step by step. Even if pricing changes are in my policies, I repeat them in any convo to the client and make sure they agree before moving forward. I understand Etsy's position in siding with the client, but it would be helpful to the artist if Etsy also had clear guidelines regarding custom orders that would support both the client and the artist to feel safe in making these arrangements.

Thank you so much

Thank you also Laurie Andreoni, good point about having some Etsy clear guidelines for everybody :)

Very interesting tips. My daughter and I will probably need them soon. Thank you!

I wish Etsy still had a feature like the old alchemy where buyers could post requests for custom items. It would be nice for multiple sellers to be able to respond to a request for a truly custom item (as contrasted with what I would call made-to-order, which usually involves only minor mods such as color or personalization to an existing product).

When doing custom orders you have to realize that there can be a lot of extra time spent on communicating with the customer, time that you should be paid for. This is something that you need to work into the pricing formula, otherwise you'll find yourself working for free. Some customers can eat up a lot of your time while others are a breeze so it's hard to predict how much time will spent on setting up the layout. I make personalized jewelry and take full payment up front for custom orders. It's bad enough to spend precious time communicating about an order and whether it's doable, perhaps sketching a layout, setting up a reserved listing, only to never hear from the customer again. There's no way I can afford to make personalized pieces without the assurance that the customer will buy. Communication is also key. After purchase I provide all of my personalized orders with a mockup done in a drawing program that so that we can be absolutely certain what the other is talking about. It can show why one thing may work better than another or why a particular font or amount of text won't fit, etc. It also saves on typos and poorly communicated instructions. Not that mistakes still aren't made from time to time, but it helps a lot.

This was SO helpful, and, important! Thanks!!!

I will use 2013 to amp up my custom orders. they are more creative and more lucrative at well. The info provided will insure I will I do not go overboard with info. Thanks so much!

Love the tips on how to make custom orders easier for the customers. Thanks for the info!

I also get a lot of custom orders. People are on Etsy to begin with because they love handmade items, so it's only natural for them to also want to be part of the creation process. Maybe you're making something for them that they dream about making themselves if only they had the time and the tools. They're creating vicariously through you and they love that. Some are more work than others but I look at each one as a mini advertisement for my shop. If my customer has a good experience working with me, gets what she wants and has her ideas recognized, she'll happily pass along the word to others. Plus, it flatters me when people approach me about creating a custom order instead of choosing something similar elsewhere.

Thanks, Marlo!

Thanks for the tips! A large portion of my sales are custom requests and there are some tips here I hadn't thought of that I think may help. I've been bummed a few time with all the extra time involved in some custom requests (some add up to hours of communications and pictures and such, without compensation). I don't always know in advance how much extra time it will take with all the extra questions and ironing out the specifics from each customer. I like the idea of creating a custom order listing which includes the extra cost at the beginning so I don't feel like I'm earning about minimum wage at the end! Since Etsy only allows one listing per item sold (we aren't actually supposed have a deposit listing AND an additional listing for the balance remaining) I only accept payment up front. It hasn't been a problem. Sometimes I have to send the paypal invoice for additional items, but that's pretty simple. That's also how it's suggested to do the balance orders. I really like when a custom request turns into a great selling item for the shop!

Great tips!Thank you so much!

The majority of my sales are custom orders and I love it! It does keep me on a tighter deadline but ultimately if the customer is happy then I'm happy! Thanks for the tips!

Okay so here's a really dumb question ... ( and thank you first of all for an amazing article !) If you're doing a custom order ( I'm a jewelry designer ) what on earth do you put in for the price when you list it??? How does everyone handle that if you're making something ' from scratch' and not something already existing in your shop but in a different color or size or monogram????

Very useful advice, thanks you!

Thank you for the advice. Great info and very useful.

These are great tips. But i would like to add (sorry if it's a repeat, I read really fast and may not have seen it): make your policies VERY clear. I know alot of people do already, but make a deposit a requirement. Even if you someone saying they need a payment plan and you have your listings set up for 100% payment, create listings like you see all over Etsy. I got burned already by a lady who didn't find me on here and it ended with her basically ripping me apart and saying i didn't know what i was doing. she was not happy at all and demanded a new product, free of charge. this was after the accusations of me holding her money and not working on her order even though i constantly sent pictures. she yelled alot through her emails. I now have new guidelines saying to please send only one email and i will respond because she would send like 10 a day. seemed harsh at first, but i had over 100 emails from her and 4 at a time would say the same thing!

I LOVE custom orders! I think its delightful to be so closely involved with a customer and their special events! And it usually creates a close bond and the customer will be a loyal client and recommend you! This was a great article!

Thank you for taking the time to do this! I've been going over and over in my head what to put on my page and where things should be placed. This has helped me oh so very much <3

Very interesting, I have just done a custom order, but have not heard from the customer for a month, as you say it took a lot of work which really I did not have the time, but as she had brought from me before I made time to make the order. She said she would get back to me with the correct spelling of the baby's names so they could be put on the card. That was the last I heard from her, now I have a card in my shop which is unsold waiting for her. I am annoyed, I after reading your article will take a deposit in the future, which I should have done. I don't know if I should try and connact her again and remind her that the card is in my shop waiting for her or take it out of my shop and call it hard luck. And then re-list it in a few months time as a new item. I can't afford to lose the money even though it's not an expensive item, my husband says I should in future no accept any orders from her. What would anyone else do please. Margaret

This was such a thorough and helpful article!! Thanks so much!

Thanks for a great article. to quote from Karen: I am very clear with custom orders that I cannot duplicate items, the size may be a quarter inch bigger or smaller depending on how tired my hands are that day :) I"ve stated that I can't follow a pattern exactly in my wirewrap. As for time: I recently cut/polished then "set" a stone for an overseas customer & told her it would take 3 wks. "No problem" she said. Mentioned in my description - actual price and deposit. I've had no problem then adding the balance + shipping after 50% has been paid.

thanks! I have been considering custom orders for some time, hopefully I will get some sales!

All very clear and excellent advice. But my problem with custom orders is the length of time it takes some customers to pay for their order - even after they have told me they definitely want the finished item. How long should we be prepared to wait?

Wonderful info here, and even more to be found among the comments! Thanks, Marlo, for taking the time to answer so many people's questions (including my unasked ones!) in the comments, and to those who shared some of their hard-learned tips and experiences! I just did my first custom order last week and it all went smoothly but there was lots to learn here for future occasions. One question that I didn't see addressed yet: If you make a custom order, is there an expectation from the buyer that it's OOAK and you won't duplicate it? I suspect that varies depending on what the product is, but would love to hear what others think. Thanks!

Thank you so much for this article, especially on how to handle custom order requests when it is something that is next to impossible to do, material and time wise. Now we will have to clearly spell out terms on our store to address this in the future.

Bravo, Marlo!! Great article.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!! BEaCHeaven.com!

Very helpful, thanks for sharing this...

Very helpful! Thanks for sharing this with us...

thank you very much

I already take custom orders in my shop and a lot of these tips I already use in my shop. Communication is key. Without it you have nothing. Thanks for the tips, it just reinforces what I already do.

Great tips! I started getting custom orders around Christmas last year and I love them. Luckily, everyone has been very happy with their orders. I am very clear that due to the nature of my craft, felting, no two pieces can be identical-besides that would be rather boring! I state that the photo is a close example of what they will receive. I always ask for a 50% down payment before I begin. Once the item is made I photograph it and put it up with the special listing for the final payment, this way the customer can see the actual item they will be receiving. The only difficulty I have run into is a customer wanting a large quantity of something and they believe I should reduce the price because of the quantity. I still put as much work and materials into each piece and it literally isn't worth it for me to reduce my prices. Any words of wisdom for this kind of situation?

Great advice, Thank you!

Great article. All of these tips are very important when doing custom work. I take my money at the end of creating a custom order, because I want to include photos in my reserved listings of the actual project, and you can not do that until the end. This is a bit flawed, but the photos are so very important to establish my range of skills. Wish there was a way to take money up front and add photos afterwards! @ foxpots - Yes, Yes! ! I miss Alchemy so much! I still do mostly custom work, but my orders dropped 75% when they removed my option to "bid" on a customer request. There are so many things that I am qualified to create that there is no way to ever represent them all in my shop using custom order listings. With Alchemy, a customer said "I need this" and I could say "I can do that for you for this much!" It was great and I sincerely believe that Etsy gave up a big part of what made them unique when they took this feature away! So many wonderful one of kind items got created because of Alchemy.

I do get custom orders for my bike seat covers and wondered about pricing and sizing. Thank you for helping clarify things up front. I did notice that it took more time and that I didn't charge enough for that.

Thank You so much for your Insights into the Business of Custom Work, I appreciate the Time and Thought that went into your Post. About half my Business (maybe more) is Custom Work and I have had to clearly Define and Re-Define my Policies and my Listing Descriptions over and over due to circumstances that arise. One of the things I have learned is that I can NEVER have enough information and even though my Descriptions are long, they cover a LOT and my Customers have Thanked me over and over for being so clear and concise. You covered a lot of the Basic points and some really good reminders for me, {especially about being in my Customers shoes!}, as I am having to once again deal with an Order that "went outside the box" of all of my Shop Policies and I thought I had everything covered!! Thank You again so much for your Post and helping me and other Sellers here on Etsy who want to create Custom pieces or are already offering them as Listings in their Shops.

Really cool tips!! As a fashion editor like me, It also works! Very useful.

Thank you for the great tips:)

Very helpful, thanks!

This information came just in time for the holiday season. Thank you.

Thanks a bunch for this one! : )

Thanks - excellent and usable advice!

thanks for the helpful tips!

I have been using all of the 10 tips in my custom orders for weddings for nearly a year, just feeling around on my own. It is nice to see them here, and know that I am on the right track. Thanks!!

I have 3 etsy shops and two of them have custom orders. I am actually trying to get away from custom orders. Why? 1.I work so much and I hate having to make something instead of wanting to create something(you know those random creating times get stumped on when you have things you have to make). 2.People except things done quickly and don't read how long it takes to create custom orders. 3.People don't read info needed to create a custom(had a lady wanting a custom skirt-paid for it. I pm and e-mailed her over 7 times to get her colors,size and when she needed it.She never answered back and so I returned her money.She pm 3 weeks later asking the progress of the skirt and when was it going to be shipped??I told her I refunded her because I asked her many times for the info. She never pm me again). 4.Some customers keep changing their minds during the process and and just end up not wanting it anymore. Demanding refunds-even though you have a policy and tell them to read it before buying anything. I don't want to discourage sellers from offering this just warn you it can be hard. I do have very nice and satisfied customers from custom orders. You just have to see the pros and cons of offering it.

I didn't realize the intracacies of creating custom order listings. I definitely need to revise my listings as 90% of my work involves personalization. Time to fix it up! Thank you for the helpful tips!

Great tips! Thanks for posting. I am currently working on offering customized leather wrap bracelets in my shop, and I will definitely put some of this information to use. Thank you!!

Just what I needed. Thanks Marlo. :)

Very complete info. Merci!

I wanna know how to get found in this labyrinth of creativity and...other stuff!

I am so grateful for this information...I have been trying to figure out how best to handle this issue as I have had quite a few custom order requests....Now I haope I can fly with this...Thanks again...maggie

Thank you!

Thanks for the help -I've just got my first e-mail enquiry and realised that I have 'policies' in my head that I work to, that I need to make clear to buyers from the outset. This has really helped me to work out what I can and cannot achieve and what I would think reasonable if I was a buyer.

extreamly helpful! thanks so much, Marlo!

Absolutely WONDERFUL tips!! We accept custom orders, but there have been some troublesome orders in the past because of difficulty or time-consuming pieces. These are some great ideas for how to handle different situations. Thank you so much!!

great tips, just did my first custom order. i think this is going to work for me!!!

Great tips, I'm just starting out to add custom items to my listings. Thanks!

Great advice thanks, I am dealing with my first custom order return request, the buyer's husband does not like the shades. It's tough as you say, I spent a lot of time communicating with the customer, 18 emails and a bunch of photo's. I think a small handling fee is in order to be honest.

Thanks! I do lots of custom orders and this will help me set guidelines. I can do most anything and this helps me focus

Thank you for this article. it really helps!