So you have some handmade products that you're ready to sell,
but if you're watching this, then you're probably a bit unsure about where to actually sell them,
and I completely understand that.
With so many options nowadays,
how do you know which online marketplace is best for you and your products?
Hi, my name is Mei Pak,
and I help artists, designers,
and makers create a full-time living selling their handmade products online.
In today's video. I want to talk about 10 of the best online marketplaces
where you can sell your handmade products.
One of the first things to consider when it comes to selling products online
is having a present on more than one marketplace.
This can help grow your overall sales,
increase brand awareness,
and can be a good safety net
if something goes south with one of the other platforms
you're already on.
If happens,
you'll know that all your eggs weren't in one basket,
and that you at least have other marketplaces where you've established yourself on,
so that you still have income coming in.
Now before we jump into the 10 places, remember:
every marketplace is different,
and what may work for some people,
may not work for others.
Before setting up shop,
it's important to investigate and research which marketplaces are best equipped for your needs,
and your specific products.
Things like shipping, fees,
traffic, competition, customer base.
and niches are all things to consider when researching the best marketplace to sell your items on.
Now, let's get on into the list.
Number 1: Shopify.
Shopify is an all-in-one e-commerce platform.
Regardless of other platforms you end up experimenting with,
Shopify should be your base because it will also act as your website.
When selling online, it is crucial to have your own website from the very beginning.
Customers will see you as professional and credible,
which builds trust and confidence, making them more likely to buy from you.
Shopify is great for both beginners and seasoned online sellers.
There are few pricing plans that you can choose from ranging from $29 to
all the way to $299 depending on the features you'd like to have.
It’s user-friendly quick and easy to setup, secure and reliable.
They even take care of all the website maintenance
so that you never have to worry or think about it.
Number 2: Etsy.
Etsy is the go-to place
for buying and selling unique, creative, or handcrafted products.
So as a creative, handmade product maker,
this could be a great option for you.
It has earned its reputation over the years
as one of the most trusted and popular sites to buy and sell items.
Its popularity has resulted in both lots of traffic
directed to the site,
as well as a lot of competition.
So keep that in mind when setting up your store.
Research the best way to optimize your product listings to increase your visibility
and the likelihood of new customers discovering you.
It's super simple to get started,
and can be a great way to develop a steady income over time,
but keep in mind that the fees for selling and maintaining
your products in the marketplace are high.
Number 3: Amazon.
I'm sure we are all familiar with Amazon and have even bought things for ourselves from the site,
so why not be a part of the marketplace and make your own products available on there as well?
Amazon is the world's largest online marketplace,
with an average of 2.45 billion visits to the site monthly,
as of June 2021.
Similar to Etsy,
you're going to find a lot of competition on Amazon too,
but by optimizing your opponent listings,
you can break through all of that noise and start making sales.
And with so many customers eager to buy on the platform,
it's only a matter of time before they buy from you.
With Amazon FBA or a Fulfillment By Amazon,
you don't have to worry about storing, packing,
or shipping products,
making the entire process.
a lot more efficient.
However, with Amazon FBA,
they have total control over your inventory.
They may decide to move your products to a different warehouse,
making them unsellable during the process.
There's also a fee associated with Amazon FBA,
so that is something to take into consideration.
And unlike other marketplaces, where you can increase brand awareness
and have a higher chance of building a customer base,
it's a lot more difficult to do so on Amazon,
since your listing can easily be hidden when customer search for products using filters.
Number 4: Facebook Marketplace.
Depending on what you're selling,
Facebook Marketplace could be a viable option.
It's not the best place.
If you're trying to consistently sell handmade products,
but could bring in some sort of a profit,
if you're a specific about what you're selling.
The things that sell the most on there
are household items like furniture,
baby clothing, children's toys, shoes,
electronics, and vehicles or vehicle parts.
So for us creatives, let's say that you handcraft a rug,
or crochet some baby clothing,
or made a creative phone case,
or design other unique furniture items,
these are all the types of items that can sell well on Facebook Marketplace.
It's not the most popular site and probably won't bring in a steady income,
but it could be a great way to make some extra money from time to time.
Number 5: Poshmark.
Poshmark is a marketplace
for users in the US, Canada,
and Australia to buy and sell clothing,
accessories, shoes, or home decor.
As creatives,
we know the possibilities are endless
with all the handmade products we can create in these niches.
A fantastic thing about Poshmark is that they allow sellers
the opportunity to create a following and promote their products
on their customers feeds.
It's also easy to market yourself off of the platform too.
But do keep in mind though, that it can be a bit
time-consuming.
Poshmark works very similarly to social media platforms
in that the more
time and effort you put into taking great pictures,
promoting yourself, and interacting with your audience,
that's going to be key to making more sales.
But I totally understand that constantly having to do this
might not be realistic for everyone
and it could make sales unstable and unreliable.
So I wouldn't suggest relying on Poshmark as a steady source of income,
at least. not at first; but rather, as an option
for making some extra cash to save.
Also, keep in mind that they take a flat commission of $2.95
for sales under $15,
and a 20% commission for sales over $15.
Still, it could be a great place to grow your brand's presence,
since the type of consumer is more likely to be looking for what you're selling.
Number 6: Fair.
Fair is an online wholesale marketplace
that allows retailers to find brands who are
selling items that they would like to stock up on
for their own shops with.
The first step for you would be to apply to sell on Fair.
Once you're approved,
you can then create an online storefront on the Fair marketplace,
where you list all of your products.
Retailers can search for products like yours
that they would purchase at a wholesale price to sell at their own stores.
It's free to set up shop on Fair.
but once you start selling your products,
they do take a commission from each order.
They will take a pretty big commission of 25% from the first order
a retailer places with you,
but all the following orders from that retailer,
the commission is 15%.
Number 7: Abound.
This is another great wholesale marketplace for users in the US and UK.
Something unique about Abound is that they offer
flexible commission options starting at 8%,
essentially allowing you to choose
how much commission they take from each of your orders.
They try to make the selling process as easy as possible for their makers,
by promoting your brand via email, processing payments, and taking care of returns for you.
They do all of this because they understand that the quality of the marketplace
depends on the quality of the products each maker creates.
It is their way of taking the pressure off of creatives
so that they can continue to create amazing handmade products to sell on the marketplace.
A couple of cons are the payouts seem to be a bit slow on the platform
and that some makers have had some trouble.
Getting their first orders.
It appears that brands with more than 50 items
are prioritized in the algorithm,
so it could make it difficult for smaller brands to get seen at first.
Number 8: Tundra.
This is another wholesale marketplace
where suppliers such as yourself
can market their products on the platform
for retailers to purchase.
There are over 3,000 American or Canada-based brands
found on this marketplace,
and buyers can purchase goods directly from you, the seller.
You might not believe it, but on Tundra,
you keep 100% of your revenue,
unlike all of the other websites we just talked about.
Yep, that's right.
There are no transaction or commission fees.
It's literally a quite a dream come true.
Buyers are even screened before being able to make purchases on Tundra
to ensure they are legitimate businesses,
ensuring that resellers aren't able to buy your products in bulk,
only to resell them on third-party marketplace sites
like eBay, or Craigslist, or Poshmark.
Number 9: Ebay.
Ebay’s one of the oldest
and most well-known online marketplaces
and is still popular to this day.
It's not the best choice for every creative,
but if you're selling vintage items or craft supplies,
it can be a good option for you. Ebay is also known
for its bargains and finding good deals on items.
So that's something to consider if you aren't keen on lowering your prices.
On the other hand, you can use that to your advantage as you see fit.
Ebay is super easy to use and you can reach customers from around the world.
Keep in mind though,
that selling fees are high,
and you may get messages from people asking for free shipping,
or even lower prices than what you're offering.
Number 10: Go Imagine.
If you haven't heard of this marketplace yet,
you aren't alone.
It's fairly new and it's being marketed as an alternative to Etsy.
Everything on the site is handmade from jewelry to home decor,
And kitchenware to bath & beauty,
to art and games, and so much more.
Since it is newer, data still being collected on it,
but sometimes the best time to try something out
is when it's just starting up to give you that edge
as it begins to grow.
Since all products sold on the platform must be. handmade,
it is meant to attract customers specifically looking for handcrafted products.
Something that makes Go Imagine stand out from the crowd
is that they don't charge commission fees.
Instead, they charge based on the number of items you have in your shop.
Starting at $2.50 a month for 25 products,
up to $10 a month for a thousand products,
and all their profits are donated to children's charities.
Remember: not all marketplaces are created equally, okay?
Each one is unique and has their own pros and cons,
so please don't forget to do your research to see
which platforms would benefit you,
and which might be the best for you
before picking which platforms to use.
Once you figure out which of these ten marketplaces would be the best
for you and your brand,
my advice for you would be to create a storefront for at least three of them.
Trust me, you don't want to have all your eggs in one basket,
and diversity and flexibility is so important when making a living as a creative.
When setting up shop, remember that it's important to manage your energy.
It does take time and effort to set up your shop on each platform,
so take it one step at a time so you don't burn out.
We made it through the ten places to sell your handmade products online.
I truly hope this was helpful to you,
and that you investigate these platforms yourself.
Are there any other platforms that you know about that you can share with us?
Let us know in the comments below!