By Phil Norris April 30, 2024
Handmade merchandise are large cash, with the North American handicrafts market anticipated to be value an astonishing $744.1 billion by 2032.
If you wish to declare your slice of that scrumptious (selfmade) pie, you want to select the fitting ecommerce platform in your wants. One which’s:
- Straightforward to make use of
- Inexpensive
- Reliable
Etsy has lengthy been the go-to alternative for promoting handmade gadgets. However lately, the platform has been beset by destructive headlines over choices to increase transaction fees and withhold sellers’ money…
…prompting many retailers to hunt out options to promoting on Etsy.
That will help you out, we’ve rounded up 13 of one of the best Etsy 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 among the latest children on the handmade gadgets block, having launched in September 2023. Billed as an unbiased market for artisans and unbiased retailers, it makes a speciality of handicrafts, wholesale merchandise, online courses, and tutorials.
👍 Professionals
- Finnalby vets all merchandise listed as “Strictly Handmade” to make sure authenticity, that means you gained’t be competing with cut-price bulk producers.
- In addition to promoting handmade gadgets, you can also make cash from on-line programs and tutorials. Plus you may promote the merchandise required to take part in your courses, providing you with the potential to generate a number of gross sales from the identical buyer.
- The platform presents a easy and inexpensive payment construction, charging a flat 5.5% fee on all gross sales.
👎 Cons
- Finnalby is presently solely accessible within the US, so in case you (or your viewers) are based mostly elsewhere, you’ll must search for completely different Etsy options.
- The platform remains to be comparatively unknown; at time of writing, the time period “Finnalby” solely generated 90 world searches a month on Google, per Ahrefs. So that you shouldn’t anticipate a lot passing visitors.
- Its lack of brand name consciousness could delay potential prospects who haven’t heard of the platform.
What do retailers say about them?
Sadly, we are able to’t inform you — they’re so new we couldn’t discover any evaluations!
Charges
Finnalby fees a flat 5.5% per sale fee, with no itemizing charges or month-to-month charges.
Shopify
Who’re they?
Shopify is among the world’s largest ecommerce platforms, with Shopify retailers producing combined sales of $235.9 billion in 2023. In contrast to marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, Shopify offers you the instruments to construct and handle your individual devoted on-line retailer, with the pliability to promote just about something you need.
👍 Professionals
- Shopify helps you to construct your individual handmade gadgets retailer from scratch, providing you with complete management over your branding, merchandise, and pricing.
- Since you’re operating an unbiased retailer, you’re not competing with a whole bunch (or 1000’s) of different retailers on the identical platform.
- With 1000’s of apps and a whole bunch of themes to select from, Shopify helps you to customise your retailer to your particular wants.
- Shopify’s prebuilt themes will let you launch and customise your retailer with out requiring any coding expertise.
👎 Cons
- Constructing and sustaining an online store is dearer than operating an Etsy retailer.
- Establishing a beautiful, high-converting retailer can take days or even weeks of labor.
What do retailers say about them?
“Straightforward to arrange, simple to make use of. Many built-in merchandise to assist me get issues finished. Straightforward-to-use built-in apps. Buyer help is excellent. I exploit it every single day.”
– Jim E., G2 customer reviewer
Charges
Shopify fees a subscription of $9 – $2,300+ monthly, relying on the options you require. It additionally has a web-based bank card processing payment, which varies relying in your worth plan and placement (e.g. retailers within the US pay 2.4% – 2.9%, plus $0.30 per transaction).
Artisans Cooperative
Who’re they?
For those who’re on the lookout for options to Etsy which are 100% devoted to handmade gadgets, Artisans Cooperative may very well 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 gained’t be competing with bulk producers. This helps retailers cost a good worth for his or her items.
👍 Professionals
- All purposes made by Artisans Cooperative’s voluntary verification course of are manually checked by two human reviewers, so prospects could be positive the merchandise they’re shopping for are made by real artisans.
- Retailers can entry in depth advertising and marketing and promotional help, together with a branding equipment, marketing plan, and social media toolkit.
👎 Cons
- The platform remains to be comparatively unknown, with only some hundred followers on Fb and Instagram, and minimal search quantity for its model title.
- Membership prices and transaction charges are increased 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 recognize that Artisans Cooperative places its artisans first. And it’s precisely {the marketplace} I need to do my procuring in, too.”
Charges
Artisans Cooperative fees gross sales commissions of 8% – 12%, relying in your membership stage. To unlock essentially the most enticing 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 unbiased creatives. Members add tens of 1000’s of unique items every single 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 fanatics.
- Membership and transaction charges are comparatively low, particularly for unique commissions.
- Establishing a vendor profile is fast and simple.
- Teams and boards offer you a simple strategy to interact with different members of the artwork group, get suggestions, and promote your work.
👎 Cons
What do retailers say about them?
“DeviantArt is nice! The structure is person pleasant, the group is nice and I’ve had an account on there for just a few years now.”
– Aron, Trustpilot reviewer
Charges
DeviantArt fees a membership payment of $7.95 – $14.95 monthly (though it usually presents discounted charges on these costs). Transaction charges vary from 0% – 20% per sale, relying in your membership tier and the product kind you’re promoting.
Handmade
Who’re they?
Handmade is one other market specializing in handcrafted gadgets, from vogue to residence decor to jewellery. All sellers on the platform should take Handmade’s moral pledge, underneath which they decide to maintain the atmosphere, do enterprise in a accountable means, and respect different artisans’ mental property.
👍 Professionals
- Handmade has a big viewers, with prospects in 100+ international locations.
- New sellers get free platform charges for the primary 12 months and may listing 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 large world manufacturers and organizations just like the Nationwide Geographic Society and the Grassroots Enterprise Fund.
👎 Cons
- The transaction and bank card charges are dearer than another marketplaces.
What do retailers say about them?
“Thanks for the boldness and perseverance in being a part of our development course of. You have got proven us a brand new market with many alternatives to proceed rising and exhibiting the traditions that outline us.”
– Delfina Ruiz, weaver and Handmade merchant
Charges
After the primary 12 months, Handmade fees a flat month-to-month payment of $3, whereas normal 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 trustworthy: you recognize what Amazon is. Market is the platform’s service for third-party sellers, permitting them to generate gross sales by reaching Amazon’s enormous buyer base. Consumers on Amazon purchase approximately 7,400 products a minute from sellers within the US.
👍 Professionals
- Amazon is among the world’s most trusted ecommerce platforms. If somebody finds your merchandise on the platform, they’ll really feel fairly assured they gained’t get ripped off or have their card particulars stolen.
- Faucet into a worldwide viewers of 310+ million lively prospects.
- You can begin itemizing merchandise on Amazon in a matter of minutes.
- Benefit from further companies like Success by Amazon.
👎 Cons
- Competitors from different sellers is big, making it powerful in your merchandise to face out.
- Relying on the sorts of handmade gadgets you’re promoting, Amazon’s referral charges can eat up as a lot as 45% of your earnings.
What do retailers say about them?
“Once we launched on Amazon, I had expectations that Amazon can be about 10% to twenty% of our complete enterprise. Throughout the first six months, it was 50%. It simply exploded. And it actually modified the best way I considered the way forward for our enterprise.”
– Dee Murthy, Co-Founder, New Republic
Charges
Amazon has two vendor plans:
- Particular person: $0.99 per merchandise offered
- Skilled: $39.99 monthly
You’ll pay referral charges of as much as 45% per sale, relying on the product class. Plus there’s an additional price for companies like Amazon Adverts and Success by Amazon, and extra charges for retailers with excessive listings volumes.
Who’re they?
My Community Made (MCM) isn’t particularly devoted to handmade gadgets, but it surely is centered on supporting small companies. Retailers on the platform promote the whole lot 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
- In all probability the most cost effective of all of the options to selling on Etsy.
- The MCM crew ensures all merchandise on the positioning are handmade, self-designed, or classic — so that you gained’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 observe your retailer and get updates while you add new merchandise, growing your probabilities 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 cut-off dates scalability.
What do retailers say about them?
“I began promoting on My Neighborhood Made early final 12 months. 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 superb. There may be all the time a fast response and an answer to any downside, even in case you’re not that techy.”
– V. Chin, Trustpilot customer review
Charges
My Neighborhood Made doesn’t cost any transaction charges. You may listing as much as 5 gadgets at a time with a very free account, or improve to the Primary Package deal for $5 monthly to listing 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 an alternative, it’s an unbiased web site builder that enables retailers to create their very own on-line area.
👍 Professionals
- Use IndieMade to create your own, unique website, with full management over your retailer’s look and advertising and marketing.
- Easy payment construction; you solely pay for the options you want, with zero transaction charges.
- For those who already promote on Etsy, you may create a retailer by IndieMade and listing your Etsy merchandise in minutes.
👎 Cons
- You’ll should construct your individual viewers relatively than concentrating on guests to an present 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 positive my enterprise can 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 worth from $4.95 – $19.95 monthly.
Artwork within the Coronary heart
Who’re they?
Art in the Heart is a UK-based platform that helps retailers promoting handcrafted items, artworks, and different distinctive gadgets. 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 present Etsy merchandise to your new storefront.
- The platform doesn’t have any month-to-month platform fees or itemizing charges.
- Create a singular storefront with its personal on-line handle 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 brand name consciousness (particularly exterior the UK), so you may’t rely solely on the platform’s personal 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 really distinctive eclectic mixture of shops introduced collectively by the inspiring CEO Daybreak Birch-James. In a world filled with shops that inventory the identical mundane work, Artwork within the Coronary heart is a breath of contemporary air.”
– Susie Lidstone, fine artist and Art in the Heart merchant
Charges
Artwork within the Coronary heart doesn’t have month-to-month or per-listing charges — but it surely 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 gadgets, together with bodily merchandise and digital c/reations like graphics and pictures. In addition to supporting unbiased creators, the platform is dedicated to social good, donating 100% of earnings to kids’s charities like Horizons for Homeless Kids and Reduction Nursery.
👍 Professionals
- Goimagine’s dedication to donating all earnings to charity appeals to ethically aware customers.
- {The marketplace} runs its personal Maker Enterprise Academy, providing suggestions to assist makers promote on-line, construct a model, and obtain their development targets.
- Goimagine has higher model consciousness than most unbiased Etsy 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 individuals when I’ve a query. It’s simple to make use of and I’m joyful to be on a platform that donates earnings to kids’s charities.”
– Stephanie Stone, Trustpilot reviewer
Charges
Goimagine fees a month-to-month payment of $2.50 – $10, relying on the variety of merchandise you need to listing and the platform options you need 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 broaden into further on-line areas and new product classes going ahead.
👍 Professionals
- Faucet right into a ready-made group of twenty-two,000+ members.
👎 Cons
- At the moment just for makers creating and promoting digital patterns and initiatives.
- You may 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, undertaking 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 merchant
Charges
Making App fees 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 will probably 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 commonly promotes sellers by its “Within the Highlight” weblog and monthly 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 affix the platform.
- The platform seems to be a bit dated, which could delay some potential prospects.
What do retailers say about them?
“I’ve discovered that my jewellery receives many extra views on iCraft than on some other venues! Being a venue just for handmade, the procuring visitors that involves iCraft is just on the lookout for high quality handmade items and they’re positive to search out distinctive crafted gadgets.”
– Linda, AKA GalleriaLinda, iCraft merchant
Charges
iCraft fees platform charges of $10 – $15 monthly, relying on the size of your contract, plus a one-off upfront fee of $25. It doesn’t cost some other hidden charges.
Large Cartel
Who’re they?
Big Cartel offers 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 world gross sales.
👍 Professionals
- Get began quick with a free Large Cartel template or code your individual distinctive on-line retailer from scratch.
- Select from three easy plans, together with a beneficiant free-for-life plan.
- Combine with a whole bunch of third-party ecommerce apps, protecting the whole lot from advertising and marketing to retailer administration to achievement.
👎 Cons
- Presents 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 Large Cartel is how simple 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 essentially the most — making jewellery.”
– Anarres Metallic, jewelry maker and Big Cartel merchant
Charges
Large Cartel doesn’t take a reduce of any gross sales you generate. As an alternative, it presents a free-for-life plan that means that you can listing as much as 5 merchandise, whereas its paid plans vary in worth from $15 – $30 monthly (or much less in case you pay yearly).
Turbocharge your ecommerce development with AWeber
As you may see, there’s no scarcity of options to promoting on Etsy.
However whichever you select, one factor’s clear: you want a dependable strategy to attain and have interaction your viewers so you may preserve driving visitors and gross sales.
In brief, you want AWeber.
Our simple-yet-sophisticated advertising and marketing options allow you to construct automated electronic mail campaigns shortly and simply utilizing our trendy templates and intuitive drag-and-drop builder.
However don’t take our phrase for it — see for your self by signing up for your free AWeber account today!
