By Phil Norris April 30, 2024
Handmade merchandise are massive cash, with the North American handicrafts market anticipated to be price an astonishing $744.1 billion by 2032.
If you wish to declare your slice of that scrumptious (home made) pie, you should select the fitting ecommerce platform on your wants. One which’s:
- Simple to make use of
- Reasonably priced
- Reliable
Etsy has lengthy been the go-to selection for promoting handmade objects. However in recent times, the platform has been beset by unfavourable headlines over selections to improve transaction charges and withhold sellers’ cash…
…prompting many retailers to hunt out alternate options to promoting on Etsy.
That will help you out, we’ve rounded up 13 of the very best Etsy alternate options, from family names like Amazon and Shopify to lesser-known platforms like Finnalby and Artwork within the Coronary heart.
Let’s get into it…
Finnalby
Who’re they?
Finnalby is without doubt one of the latest youngsters on the handmade objects block, having launched in September 2023. Billed as an impartial market for artisans and impartial retailers, it makes a speciality of handicrafts, wholesale merchandise, on-line programs, and tutorials.
👍 Professionals
- Finnalby vets all merchandise listed as “Strictly Handmade” to make sure authenticity, which means you received’t be competing with cut-price bulk producers.
- In addition to promoting handmade objects, you can also make cash from on-line programs and tutorials. Plus you may promote the merchandise required to take part in your lessons, providing you with the potential to generate a number of gross sales from the identical buyer.
- The platform gives a easy and reasonably priced payment construction, charging a flat 5.5% fee on all gross sales.
👎 Cons
- Finnalby is presently solely accessible within the US, so when you (or your viewers) are based mostly elsewhere, you’ll have to search for totally different Etsy alternate options.
- The platform continues to be comparatively unknown; at time of writing, the time period “Finnalby” solely generated 90 international searches a month on Google, per Ahrefs. So that you shouldn’t count on a lot passing site visitors.
- Its lack of name consciousness might postpone potential prospects who haven’t heard of the platform.
What do retailers say about them?
Sadly, we are able to’t let you know — they’re so new we couldn’t discover any opinions!
Charges
Finnalby prices a flat 5.5% per sale fee, with no itemizing charges or month-to-month charges.
Shopify
Who’re they?
Shopify is without doubt one of the world’s greatest ecommerce platforms, with Shopify retailers producing mixed gross sales of $235.9 billion in 2023. In contrast to marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, Shopify provides you the instruments to construct and handle your personal devoted on-line retailer, with the pliability to promote just about something you need.
👍 Professionals
- Shopify permits you to construct your personal handmade objects retailer from scratch, providing you with whole management over your branding, merchandise, and pricing.
- Since you’re working an impartial retailer, you’re not competing with lots of (or 1000’s) of different retailers on the identical platform.
- With 1000’s of apps and lots of of themes to select from, Shopify permits you to customise your retailer to your particular wants.
- Shopify’s prebuilt themes assist you to launch and customise your retailer with out requiring any coding abilities.
👎 Cons
- Constructing and sustaining an on-line retailer is costlier than working an Etsy retailer.
- Establishing a gorgeous, high-converting retailer can take days or perhaps weeks of labor.
What do retailers say about them?
“Simple to arrange, straightforward to make use of. Many built-in merchandise to assist me get issues achieved. Simple-to-use built-in apps. Buyer help is excellent. I exploit it each day.”
– Jim E., G2 buyer reviewer
Charges
Shopify prices a subscription of $9 – $2,300+ per thirty days, relying on the options you require. It additionally has a web-based bank card processing payment, which varies relying in your value plan and placement (e.g. retailers within the US pay 2.4% – 2.9%, plus $0.30 per transaction).
Artisans Cooperative
Who’re they?
Should you’re in search of alternate options to Etsy which might be 100% devoted to handmade objects, Artisans Cooperative could possibly be for you. {The marketplace} has a human-driven verification course of to make sure all merchandise are made by real artisans, so that you received’t be competing with bulk producers. This helps retailers cost a good value for his or her items.
👍 Professionals
- All functions made by Artisans Cooperative’s voluntary verification course of are manually checked by two human reviewers, so prospects may be certain the merchandise they’re shopping for are made by real artisans.
- Retailers can entry intensive advertising and promotional help, together with a branding equipment, advertising plan, and social media toolkit.
👎 Cons
- The platform continues to be comparatively unknown, with only some hundred followers on Fb and Instagram, and minimal search quantity for its model identify.
- Membership prices and transaction charges are greater than most different marketplaces.
What do retailers say about them?
“I like that my handmade work has a spot amongst a group of different authentically handmade artisan merchandise. I actually admire that Artisans Cooperative places its artisans first. And it’s precisely {the marketplace} I wish to do my buying in, too.”
Charges
Artisans Cooperative prices gross sales commissions of 8% – 12%, relying in your membership stage. To unlock probably the most engaging charges (and numerous different advantages), you’ll should pay a buy-in payment of $100 – $1,000.
DeviantArt
Who’re they?
DeviantArt is part-marketplace, part-social community, however wholly devoted to showcasing artworks from impartial creatives. Members add tens of 1000’s of authentic items each day, from work to digital artwork to sculpture to movies. The platform has 90+ million registered members and hosts over 550 million artworks.
👍 Professionals
- Sellers can faucet into an enormous, engaged group of artwork lovers.
- Membership and transaction charges are comparatively low, particularly for authentic commissions.
- Establishing a vendor profile is fast and straightforward.
- Teams and boards provide you with a straightforward technique to interact with different members of the artwork group, get ideas, and promote your work.
👎 Cons
What do retailers say about them?
“DeviantArt is nice! The structure is consumer pleasant, the group is nice and I’ve had an account on there for just a few years now.”
– Aron, Trustpilot reviewer
Charges
DeviantArt prices a membership payment of $7.95 – $14.95 per thirty days (though it usually gives discounted charges on these costs). Transaction charges vary from 0% – 20% per sale, relying in your membership tier and the product sort you’re promoting.
Handmade
Who’re they?
Handmade is one other market specializing in handcrafted objects, from vogue to house decor to jewellery. All sellers on the platform should take Handmade’s moral pledge, underneath which they decide to deal with the setting, do enterprise in a accountable means, and respect different artisans’ mental property.
👍 Professionals
- Handmade has a big viewers, with prospects in 100+ nations.
- New sellers get free platform charges for the primary 12 months and might checklist their first 50 merchandise freed from cost.
- Lively retailers can invite as much as 5 different sellers, then earn bonuses on the gross sales they generate, providing you with a complete different income stream.
- Handmade is owned by Novica, which has partnerships with massive international manufacturers and organizations just like the Nationwide Geographic Society and the Grassroots Enterprise Fund.
👎 Cons
- The transaction and bank card charges are costlier than another marketplaces.
What do retailers say about them?
“Thanks for the arrogance and perseverance in being a part of our development course of. You’ve gotten proven us a brand new market with many alternatives to proceed rising and exhibiting the traditions that outline us.”
– Delfina Ruiz, weaver and Handmade service provider
Charges
After the primary yr, Handmade prices a flat month-to-month payment of $3, whereas customary itemizing charges are $0.15 per merchandise. Retailers additionally should pay transaction charges of 9.9% plus $1.95 per sale, in addition to bank card charges of three% plus $0.49.
Amazon Market
Who’re they?
Let’s be sincere: you understand what Amazon is. Market is the platform’s service for third-party sellers, permitting them to generate gross sales by reaching Amazon’s big buyer base. Buyers on Amazon purchase roughly 7,400 merchandise a minute from sellers within the US.
👍 Professionals
- Amazon is without doubt one of the world’s most trusted ecommerce platforms. If somebody finds your merchandise on the platform, they will really feel fairly assured they received’t get ripped off or have their card particulars stolen.
- Faucet into a world viewers of 310+ million energetic prospects.
- You can begin itemizing merchandise on Amazon in a matter of minutes.
- Make the most of extra companies like Achievement by Amazon.
👎 Cons
- Competitors from different sellers is big, making it robust on your merchandise to face out.
- Relying on the sorts of handmade objects you’re promoting, Amazon’s referral charges can eat up as a lot as 45% of your earnings.
What do retailers say about them?
“After we launched on Amazon, I had expectations that Amazon could be about 10% to twenty% of our whole enterprise. Inside the first six months, it was 50%. It simply exploded. And it actually modified the best way I thought of the way forward for our enterprise.”
– Dee Murthy, Co-Founder, New Republic
Charges
Amazon has two vendor plans:
- Particular person: $0.99 per merchandise bought
- Skilled: $39.99 per thirty days
You’ll pay referral charges of as much as 45% per sale, relying on the product class. Plus there’s an additional value for companies like Amazon Advertisements and Achievement by Amazon, and extra charges for retailers with excessive listings volumes.
Who’re they?
My Neighborhood Made (MCM) isn’t particularly devoted to handmade objects, nevertheless it is centered on supporting small companies. Retailers on the platform promote every little thing from personalised presents to classic treasures to distinctive artworks throughout a variety of classes, together with vogue, jewellery, and inside design. All merchandise on {the marketplace} are made within the US.
👍 Professionals
- Most likely the most affordable of all of the alternate options to promoting on Etsy.
- The MCM workforce ensures all merchandise on the location are handmade, self-designed, or classic — so that you received’t be competing with bulk producers or dropshippers.
- Sellers can add key phrases to their product metadata to face out in search outcomes on the platform.
- Prospects can comply with your retailer and get updates whenever you add new merchandise, growing your possibilities of driving repeat gross sales.
👎 Cons
- Lacks the model consciousness of bigger platforms like Amazon and Etsy.
- Just for merchandise made or designed within the US.
- Higher restrict of fifty product listings at a closing dates scalability.
What do retailers say about them?
“I began promoting on My Neighborhood Made early final yr. I even have an Etsy store. MCM is by way more user-friendly, and the charges, if any, are affordable. I don’t really feel misplaced on this platform as I do on Etsy. Vendor help is past wonderful. There’s all the time a fast response and an answer to any drawback, even when you’re not that techy.”
– V. Chin, Trustpilot buyer evaluate
Charges
My Neighborhood Made doesn’t cost any transaction charges. You’ll be able to checklist as much as 5 objects at a time with a completely free account, or improve to the Fundamental Package deal for $5 per thirty days to checklist 10 instances extra merchandise.
IndieMade
Who’re they?
IndieMade launched in 2010 with the imaginative and prescient of offering creators with a user-friendly internet presence to advertise their merchandise. In contrast to platforms like Etsy and Amazon, IndieMade isn’t a market. As a substitute, it’s an impartial web site builder that enables retailers to create their very own on-line area.
👍 Professionals
- Use IndieMade to create your personal, distinctive web site, with full management over your retailer’s look and advertising.
- Easy payment construction; you solely pay for the options you want, with zero transaction charges.
- Should you already promote on Etsy, you may create a retailer by IndieMade and checklist your Etsy merchandise in minutes.
👎 Cons
- You’ll should construct your personal viewers quite than focusing on guests to an current market.
- Far fewer themes and apps than different ecommerce web site builders (like Shopify).
What do retailers say about them?
“I simply can’t consider how nice my expertise has been. I’ve used Weebly, HostMonster, and HostGator — NO one has help such as you guys do. I want I had been with you 5 years in the past! I’m certain my enterprise could be a lot greater if I had. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! I’ve NEVER had such nice tech help, EVER! IndieMade rocks.”
– Sierra, Dakotadesigns
Charges
IndieMade’s paid plans vary in value from $4.95 – $19.95 per thirty days.
Artwork within the Coronary heart
Who’re they?
Artwork within the Coronary heart is a UK-based platform that helps retailers promoting handcrafted items, artworks, and different distinctive objects. It began out as a bodily retailer, earlier than transitioning into a web-based market in 2018.
👍 Professionals
- Artwork within the Coronary heart means that you can import your current Etsy merchandise to your new storefront.
- The platform doesn’t have any month-to-month platform prices or itemizing charges.
- Create a novel storefront with its personal on-line deal with and leverage the easy-to-use vendor dashboard to trace gross sales.
👎 Cons
- Artwork within the Coronary heart takes 25% of each sale you generate.
- It doesn’t have a ton of name consciousness (particularly outdoors the UK), so you may’t rely solely on the platform’s personal site visitors.
What do retailers say about them?
“I’m very proud to be a vendor on the Artwork within the Coronary heart on-line retailer. It’s a actually distinctive eclectic mixture of shops introduced collectively by the inspiring CEO Daybreak Birch-James. In a world stuffed with shops that inventory the identical mundane work, Artwork within the Coronary heart is a breath of recent air.”
– Susie Lidstone, high quality artist and Artwork within the Coronary heart service provider
Charges
Artwork within the Coronary heart doesn’t have month-to-month or per-listing charges — nevertheless it does cost a 25% fee in your gross sales, which is fairly steep.
Goimagine
Who’re they?
Goimagine is a market for US-based artisans to advertise and promote handmade objects, together with bodily merchandise and digital c/reations like graphics and pictures. In addition to supporting impartial creators, the platform is dedicated to social good, donating 100% of earnings to youngsters’s charities like Horizons for Homeless Kids and Reduction Nursery.
👍 Professionals
- Goimagine’s dedication to donating all earnings to charity appeals to ethically aware shoppers.
- {The marketplace} runs its personal Maker Enterprise Academy, providing ideas to assist makers promote on-line, construct a model, and obtain their development targets.
- Goimagine has higher model consciousness than most impartial Etsy alternate options, serving to retailers attain a wider viewers.
👎 Cons
- Just for retailers who reside and make merchandise within the US.
- The rules on what constitutes a “handmade product” are fairly strict, which can exclude some potential retailers.
What do retailers say about them?
“I’m a purchaser/vendor on goimagine, I like the quick responses from actual folks when I’ve a query. It’s straightforward to make use of and I’m comfortable to be on a platform that donates earnings to youngsters’s charities.”
– Stephanie Stone, Trustpilot reviewer
Charges
Goimagine prices a month-to-month payment of $2.50 – $10, relying on the variety of merchandise you wish to checklist and the platform options you wish to use. It additionally has a 5% transaction payment and a fee processing payment of two.9% plus $0.30.
Making App
Who’re they?
Making App is an Android and iOS app that enables particular person creators to host and promote their very own digital patterns and initiatives. Nevertheless, the platform has plans to increase into extra on-line areas and new product classes going ahead.
👍 Professionals
- Faucet right into a ready-made group of twenty-two,000+ members.
👎 Cons
- Presently just for makers creating and promoting digital patterns and initiatives.
- You’ll be able to solely promote to individuals who obtain the app on Android or iOS.
What do retailers say about them?
“As a new-ish knitter, Making places inspiration, challenge monitoring and connecting with a educated and pleasant group within the palm of my hand––can’t think about creating with out it!”
– MKE Maker, Making App service provider
Charges
Making App prices 8% per transaction. You’ll additionally should pay Stripe’s fee processing payment of two.9% plus $0.30 per transaction and 0.25% plus $0.25 per payout (though these charges might be waived for sellers who make <$50).
iCraft
Who’re they?
iCraft is a Toronto-based platform for artists, craftspeople, and designers who create handmade, one-of-a-kind artwork, crafts, and vogue merchandise. Retailers can use iCraft to showcase their ready-made merchandise and settle for commissions for customized orders.
👍 Professionals
- iCraft’s area of interest focus and dedication to handmade creators means you aren’t competing with bulk sellers.
- The platform recurrently promotes sellers by its “Within the Highlight” weblog and month-to-month newsletters.
- Promote your merchandise to an engaged viewers; iCraft attracts ~200,000 guests a month, with a mean go to time of 4 minutes.
👎 Cons
- Requires a non-refundable upfront payment to hitch the platform.
- The platform appears to be like just a little dated, which could postpone some potential prospects.
What do retailers say about them?
“I’ve discovered that my jewellery receives many extra views on iCraft than on every other venues! Being a venue just for handmade, the buying site visitors that involves iCraft is simply in search of high quality handmade items and they’re certain to search out distinctive crafted objects.”
– Linda, AKA GalleriaLinda, iCraft service provider
Charges
iCraft prices platform charges of $10 – $15 per thirty days, relying on the size of your contract, plus a one-off upfront fee of $25. It doesn’t cost every other hidden charges.
Huge Cartel
Who’re they?
Huge Cartel provides creators the instruments to construct their very own websites promoting T-shirts, artwork, merchandise, prints, and extra. Launched in 2005, the platform has supported over three million shops and generated $2.5+ billion in international gross sales.
👍 Professionals
- Get began quick with a free Huge Cartel template or code your personal distinctive on-line retailer from scratch.
- Select from three easy plans, together with a beneficiant free-for-life plan.
- Combine with lots of of third-party ecommerce apps, masking every little thing from advertising to retailer administration to success.
👎 Cons
- Provides fewer web site templates and fewer customization than Shopify (though all its templates are free).
- Restricted scalability, with an higher restrict of 500 product listings per retailer.
What do retailers say about them?
“What I like about promoting my jewellery by Huge Cartel is how straightforward every step, from designing my retailer entrance to itemizing merchandise and managing orders, has been and continues to be. It takes all the effort out of it, so I can spend extra time doing the factor I like probably the most — making jewellery.”
– Anarres Metallic, jewellery maker and Huge Cartel service provider
Charges
Huge Cartel doesn’t take a reduce of any gross sales you generate. As a substitute, it gives a free-for-life plan that means that you can checklist as much as 5 merchandise, whereas its paid plans vary in value from $15 – $30 per thirty days (or much less when you pay yearly).
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