Get Crafty: Affiliate Marketing in the Hobby Niche

Did you know that the craft and hobby niche generates nearly $50 billion annually in the U.S. alone?

Or, that 55.8% of U.S. households are actively involved in crafting? Moreover, 11% of hobbyists and crafters purchase their supplies online and that number will almost certainly increase.

The  Industry Market Research Report for Fabric, Craft & Sewing Supplies Stores in the US reported that the hobby niche “industry is slowly rebounding from recessionary lows. Improvement in consumer confidence and an anticipated increase in disposable income has helped industry revenue growth, and an increased interest in do-it-yourself (DIY) fashion has encouraged consumers to purchase more fabric and craft supplies”.

They also anticipate that between 2014 and 2019, “the continued rise in discretionary spending by consumers will promote revenue growth, and the aging baby boomer demographic is also expected to support industry demand.”

Professional Bloggers Wanted

In October 2014, the Craft & Hobby Association added a new blogger membership type to its Industry Professional category. This membership allows professional bloggers to enjoy all of the CHA membership benefit offerings and get free admission to the CHA 2015 MEGA Show, membership in CHA’s Social Media Section, a subscription to Craft Industry Today magazine, and discounts on education programs and services.

Andrej Suskavcevic, President and CEO, of the CHA, said:

“Professional bloggers are a valuable asset to the craft industry and this is our way of recognizing their contribution and welcoming them.”

Should YOU Blog about Hobbies and Crafts?

According to a study by the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA), scrapbooking, card making and paper crafting are the most practiced crafts, with 23 million people, or 10% of the U.S. population, participating. This is followed by painting, calligraphy, drawing, and printmaking (21 million, or 9%); cake and food decorating (18.8 million, or 8%), and fabric and sewing crafting (18.7 million, or 8%).

The same study reports that women are more likely to be crafters in all categories, whereas men are more likely to participate in ready-to-decorate wood crafts (38%); sculpture, pottery, and glass crafting (37%); and painting, drawing, calligraphy, and printmaking (33%).

Here is a list of the 14 different crafting categories:

1. Scrapbooking/Card Making/Paper Crafting
2. Jewelry Making
3. Floral Crafts
4. Cake and Food Decorating (and Other Food Crafts)
5. Ready-to-Decorate Wood Crafts
6. Knitting
7. Crochet
8. Cross-Stitch, Embroidery, Needlepoint, Needle Felting, etc.
9. Fabric/Sewing Crafts
10. Ready-to-Decorate Fashion Crafts
11. Painting/Drawing/Calligraphy/Print Making
12. Sculpture/Pottery/Glass Crafting(Non-Jewelry)
13. Kid’s Crafts
14. All Other Crafts (not specifically listed above)

CHA’s Designer Trend Committee annual trend report for 2014, released on February 11, 2015 stated that the following segments of the crafts industry are experiencing increased popularity and growth:

• Children’s Crafts – tie-dye crafts have re-emerged with the development of less complicated techniques and kits, making the process simple for anyone.
• Mixed Media – collage continues to grow with the continued popularity of the Gelli Plate, a product that has crossed into every niche of the art and craft market.
• Paper Crafts – wood veneer cut-outs are rising in popularity and may be seen in many designer collections.
• Needle Arts – embroidery is at the forefront of needlework trends this year.
• Jewelry Trends – ear jewelry is a focus right now with ear cuffs, ear jackets, ear crawlers, and faux piercings all making a comeback.

Products to Sell

Here are some ideas for products (and merchants) in the hobby niche that you can sell as an affiliate.

• Merchants – CJ Affiliate lists 90 merchants in their Art/Photo/Music category and Clickbank lists 119 products under the Home & Garden / Arts & Crafts section.
• Patterns & Plans – Check out Ted McGrath’s 16,000 woodworking plans offered on Clickbank for an example of a product that sells amazing well… It has a gravity of 111.35.
• Crafting Supplies – Big brand-name craft suppliers like Jo-Ann, Michael’s, and CreateforLess (all available through CJ) are great stores to get ideas for products to sell. Note that commissions for these merchants are 4%, 6%, and 7% respectively.
• Magazine Subscriptions – The NPG Group reported that almost one-half of hobbyists purchase or subscribe to craft/hobby-related magazines and newsletters. My search for ‘craft magazines’ under ‘Magazine Subscriptions’ resulted in 172 different craft magazines on Amazon.
• Instructional Guides
• Club Memberships – Model Trains for Beginners (Clickbank) is a monthly subscription that shows an average rebill total of $209.53. Obviously an enthusiastic group of hobbyists with cash to spend! J
• Video Tutorials – LeisureArts, which is on the Shareasale affiliate network and lists 2,834 products in their data feed, is a leading publisher of lifestyle and instructional craft publications which include ebooks, digital downloads, DVDs, and video publications.
• Private Label Rights (to buy or sell) – IDPLR offers 9 different products that reference scrapbooking alone. Other topics include woodworking, sewing, knitting, and jewelry… and those are just the topics I searched for.

Has your interest in the craft and hobby niche been piqued? Comments, questions, or suggestions? Please leave a comment below!

Cheers,
Ros

P.S. You might also be interested in Affiliate Marketing Mistake #2: Choosing the Wrong Niche.