Online shop for dressmakers and textile makers: selling your creations on the internet

You cut, you assemble, you topstitch. And then you pack your creations into a big bag until the next craft market. An online shop is a clothes rail that stays open all year round, and it doesn’t blow over at the first gust of wind.

123Ventes is designed for craftspeople who would rather be at the sewing machine than at the computer. Here is how an online shop answers the questions that come with sewing: clothes, accessories, bags, household linen, baby items, alterations and made-to-measure.

One product page per design, with sizes and fabrics as options

Your dress comes in five sizes and three fabrics? No need to create fifteen product pages. You create a single design, and the customer chooses their size and fabric from the options. An option can add an extra charge: linen costs more than cotton, and so does a silk lining.

For a one-off piece, such as a jacket cut from a remnant you will never find again, set the stock to 1. As soon as it is sold, it can no longer be ordered. You can leave it on show marked “Sold”: it displays your work without making anyone jealous.

Sorted like your workshop

Womenswear, childrenswear, accessories, bags, household linen, baby gifts: you sort your creations into categories and subcategories. The customer looking for a pencil case doesn’t spend ten minutes among your tablecloths. Everything is set up in the catalogue management.

The size guide, your best salesperson

Online, nobody steps into a fitting room. It is the main reason people hesitate, and often the reason for returns. So put the measurements in the description of each design:

Worn photos and close-ups of the finish

A garment laid flat on a bed doesn’t make anyone want it. Each product page takes a main photo and four views. Make the most of them: a worn photo from the front, one from the back, then close-ups of what sets your work apart from off-the-peg. French seams, hand-sewn hems, linings, covered buttons, the inside of a bag.

Take your photos in daylight, without flash, so the colours of the fabric stay true. A short video of the fabric moving can also go with the product page. And in the description, give the fibre composition and care instructions: the composition has to be on the label anyway, so you may as well give it online too.

Made-to-measure and personalised orders

A dress for a special occasion, a bag embroidered with a name, curtains made to the customer’s dimensions: the customer chooses their options (fabric, colour, size), sends you their measurements or the text to embroider through the contact page, and you show a making time on the product page, for example “3 weeks”. They know that sewing takes time. They won’t chase you the next day.

Alterations can also become items: taking up trousers, replacing a zip, with drop-off and collection at the workshop.

Soft, light parcels

Good news: a T-shirt doesn’t break. Textiles are easy to send, in a padded envelope or a mailing bag. Pick-up points, with Mondial Relay or Colissimo, are perfect for these small, light parcels and often cost less than home delivery.

Weigh the item packed, not bare: that is the weight the carrier charges for. Shipping costs are then worked out automatically, by weight band and by zone. The details are on the delivery options page. Collection from the workshop is still possible for local customers.

Returns, exchanges and the right to cancel

For distance selling in France, the customer generally has 14 days to change their mind. There are exceptions, in particular for items made to the customer’s measurements or personalised at their request. Check your exact obligations with your chamber of trades or your consumer protection authority (in France, the DGCCRF), then write your exchange and returns policy into your terms of sale. A clear rule, read before buying, avoids arguments afterwards.

Textile baby items: take care

Baby sleeping bags, bibs, comforters, dummy clips: baby items are in high demand, and subject to specific safety requirements. Before putting them on sale, find out which standards and tests apply to each type of item. It means a bit of reading, but it buys peace of mind for you, and for the parents.

How much it costs

The subscription costs 29 € a month or 319 € a year, with hosting and the security certificate included. 123Ventes takes no commission on your sales: only your payment provider’s fees apply, about 1 € on a 50 € bag paid by card. If you would rather stay at your sewing machine, the turnkey set-up costs 400 €. The details are on the pricing page.

Your questions

Can I sell the same design in several sizes and fabrics?

Yes. You create a single product page, then offer the size, colour or fabric as options. Each option can have an extra charge, for example for a more expensive fabric or a larger size.

How do I handle a made-to-measure order?

You offer the usual choices as options on the product page (fabric, colour, size) and you show the making time. The customer then sends you their measurements through the contact page or by email. For an important garment, take the time to confirm the measurements with the customer before cutting.

I also sell at markets: how do I keep track of my stock?

The till lets you record sales made at a market or at the workshop. The stock is shared with the online shop: a piece sold at the market can no longer be ordered online.

How long does it take to put my creations online?

The shop is created in a minute. After that, allow about ten minutes per design, photos included. Start with a few well-photographed designs, and add the next ones as your collections come along.

Create my shop