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Watch out Etsy, Amazon is issuing a challenge for the handmade market space with a new store featuring only artisan made products. Named Handmade at Amazon, the new store is tailored for factory-free handmade items.
Amazon says it already features more than 80,000 handcrafted products from artisans in more than 60 countries.
Peter Faricy, Vice President for Amazon Marketplace enthuses about the potential of Handmade at Amazon, stating in a press release:
“We have designed a custom shopping experience for customers looking for handmade items by bringing together many of the best artisans in the world, and they’re adding thousands of items daily…Knowing an item has a unique story behind it creates a personal experience that customers have told us makes owning handmade items special.”
Handmade at Amazon
Handmade at Amazon aims at offering a space where customers can shop for handmade items but still have the Amazon shopping experience. Customers can search for handmade items the same way they would search for any product they would normally buy on Amazon.
What’s more, the company says that more than 600 handmade items are already eligible for Prime, Amazon’s special two day free shipping service, with more to come.
The new shop can be located through the Amazon home page by clicking the “Handmade” tab, or selecting it through the Shop by Department option.
Customers can shop for handmade items from a number of different categories including art, home decor, jewelry and furniture. Or they can shop by an artisan’s country and even search for local artisans.
Each artisan seller gets a personalized profile so customers can learn more about what motivates them and the process they use to create their items. Listed items also feature an icon showing where the artisan is based and a link to their profile, so customers can quickly get to know the maker behind the product.
If you are an artisan and are interested in selling your products through Handmade at Amazon you may have to jump through a few hoops to get a listing. For the time being Amazon is requiring an invite to sell on their new store.
But you will have to meet Amazon’s definition for “handmade” in order to be accepted, and they are taking this seriously.
Amazon states in their FAQ section that for products to meet Amazon’s standards they must be made entirely by hand, hand-altered or hand assembled by you or an employee. You cannot have more than 20 employees or be a member of a collective with more than 100 people. Products cannot be mass-produced or handmade by a different artisan.
Applications are open for artisans looking to receive an invitation. Amazon says all applicants will be reviewed by their team.
Qualify for discounts, special offers and more with a Business Prime account from Amazon. You can create a FREE account to get started today.
Image via Amazon
Tabby: I will tell my friend, Christer Sjoback, about this post. He his creating gold and silver handicrafts.