If you’ve been lurking around Tindie or other seller platforms and wonder what it’s like to put something out there for the public, you’re certainly not alone. To help answer any questions, I’ve caught up with a few sellers, including Spencer Owen, AKA “Semachthemonkey“, who was nice enough to provide some insight for us.
The first question you might have is why “Semachthemonkey?” Semach (pronounded “Sh’mak”) is actually the name of a chimp that Spencer adopted 17 years ago, and became his online alter ego. So with that out of the way, and the man unmasked, here are a few questions and answers about his store and experience selling:
How did you get started?
In 2010 I joined Nottingham Hackspace and discovered what an Arduino was. This renewed my interest in electronics and making in general. Computers had become such a sealed box which only huge global organizations made that seeing Arduino projects and similar things opened my eyes as to what _real people_ could do. Gradually I dug out my old Sinclair computers from the loft and started wiring up circuits again
What is the best thing about selling on Tindie?
It is a very easy framework to use and makes my business that’s run from a spare bedroom look like a slick professional company!
What is the worst?
Having to sell in US Dollars means my income fluctuates with the exchange rate
Ever buy anything from Tindie? Experience?
Yes, I’ve bought a couple of things. As a Tindie customer it is a pleasure to use the site, and the suppliers I dealt with were great.
Any tips for other sellers?
Check that your shipping costs are fair and reasonable. Particularly international shipping. I know I would buy a lot more boards if the costs were more realistic
“Semach” adds that he’s in the process of quitting his day job to become a full-time Tindie supplier. Be sure to check out his store, themed around the best parts of 70s and 80s computing and making them available today! His “flagship” Homebrew Z80 computer kit is shown above.
