Is there a best auction site for selling puppets? I have tried EBay and that was a very disappointing experience, to say the least. I love puppetmaking and wouldn't quit if I never sold a puppet, but I sure could use the money to buy better materials.

etsy.com

There's heaps of puppet makers online there.

I LOVE Etsy.  The reason that I love it so much is that it is NOT an auction site.  Ebay is too expensive with all their fees and it is not a guarantee that someone will buy within 7 days.  With Etsy, you set your prices and they stay in your shop for at least 3 months.  You pay just 20 cents per listing and of course a small percentage when the item is bought and also a small percentage to PayPal should you wish to use that feature; however, most only use PayPal.  I have made a good extra income with the site and have learned a lot in regards to business.  There are tricks to selling on Etsy and you can visit their forums and chat room for help.  I have been selling regularly on this site since January 2007 and I feel as though I have a good grasp of the site so if you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help. 

It is a relatively new site and was first established since 2006.  I am very happy with the site and it is a good stepping stone to creating traffic and gaining "regular customers" to then venture off into your own website with shopping cart capabilities.  I think that it can be expensive running your own site without traffic; therefore, I am building up my popularity with Etsy first.  I believe that I should be ready to start my own site for my dolls and puppets next year.  I will always keep with Etsy though because it will always have a lot of traffic.  It gained most popularity within this year thanks to Martha Stewart for constantly promoting Etsy on her show.  I also like that Etsy was created by young people while still in college and still run by the same people.  So it definitely has a young and modern feel to the site.

It is definitely easy to use because I am a bit challenged when it comes to the computer.  If I can do it, anyone can do it.  If you want to check out my two Etsy sites, you can view the links in my signature at the bottom.

Good luck!

What are these 'tricks', if you don't mind me asking? I've been neglecting my etsy store, and intend to update it once I have a few more products to sell (that are tangible... you can't sell ebooks as easily via etsy).

If you don't want to share, that's ok: one must keep some secrets!

LOL....no secrets...I don't mind sharing my tips.  In fact, I think I posted a write up awhile back that shared these tips.  I'll have to poke around to find it.  If I can't, then I'll post a new Etsy selling tips post. 

Thanks Nikole!

Tricks to selling on Etsy!

That is the post Nikole gave her tips in.

Thanks Shawn!

Thanks, Nikole, Shawn, Na. I couldn't resist that Antennae topper, Nikole. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm trying to make  money,, But I never listen.

LOL....I know EXACTLY what you mean.  It is so hard for me to not keep buying from Etsy.  It is so addicting.  Thanks Shawn for finding that post.  I'm not very good at navigating throughout.

I'm new to the site and have built some puppets.  I would like to sell during the Christmas season but I would like to purchase product liability insurance first. Can someone recommend a reliable insurance company?