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If you have a talent for crafting handmade goods, you can earn a living by selling your creations. Craftspeople frequently start small businesses selling handmade products locally at craft fairs, farmers’ markets, craft malls and specialty shops. Many more, however, have found success selling handmade crafts online through a variety of websites, platforms and online marketplaces.
The Handmade Crafts Market in 2023
The market for handmade products might have begun as a niche industry, but by 2021 the global handicrafts market had grown to a value of $680 billion. Online sales have helped crafters reach larger audiences as they sell their handmade products on websites, online craft marketplaces and social media channels. In fact, the market is forecast to exceed $1.2 billion by 2027.
Some of the hottest trending handmade crafts in 2023 include laser-printed items, wood-burned crafts, custom jewelry, home fragrances, paper flowers, tufted rugs, and sewn items like face masks.
- READ MORE: How to Start a Craft Business in 2022
Why Should You Sell Crafts Online?
Are you considering selling handmade goods online? Listing your crafts for sale on an online platform has its benefits. If you think you might want to sell handmade products in an online marketplace like an Etsy store, but you can’t quite decide, you should contemplate the following perks of an online craft business:
- Home-based business opportunity – When you make and sell crafts online, you can operate your entire business from the comfort of your home.
- Unlimited market – Instead of selling crafts to potential buyers within your local market, you can expand your target audience to the entire world by selling products in an online marketplace.
- Low costs – Craft supplies are generally inexpensive compared to the price of completed handmade goods, so you not only can start your online business with less capital, but you can earn a healthy profit from your sales. Most online marketplace fees are also low compared to the costs of selling in a physical store.
- Flexibility – When you start a business selling crafts online, you are not only your own boss, but you can choose to craft your products at your own convenience. Plus, online sales can happen even as your sleep!
- Personal satisfaction – If you love crafting, then it only makes sense to start a business doing what you love! You’ll get plenty of personal satisfaction as you make money and acquire repeat customers.
- READ MORE: 20 Craft Room Ideas
Where to Sell Crafts Online in 2023
Where can you sell crafts online in 2023? Whether you launch your own website to sell handmade products online, list them for sale on social media sites, or some other online marketplace, you can find success with handmade businesses.
1. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook users sell everything from furniture to clothing to houses on Facebook Marketplace, making it one of the easiest places to sell online, especially if you want to sell locally. Business pages also now can list products for sale on Facebook Marketplace, and users can choose whether to sell to local customers or ship their items around the world. The selling fee is 5% per shipment or a flat fee of 40 cents for shipments of $8 or less.
2. Etsy
One of the best-known online marketplaces for artisans and craftspeople, Etsy features handmade goods and vintage items, as well as craft supplies. Accounts are free, although Etsy sellers pay 20 cents for each listing and 6.5% in Etsy fees on the sale price when an item sells. Etsy’s popularity places it in the top 150 websites globally and the top 50 in the United States.
3. Handmade Artists Shop
The Handmade Artists Shop started as a community forum for crafters and artists to share their products and seek advice, but it grew into an online marketplace where users can browse and purchase handmade items directly on the site. Selling on the Handmade Artists Shop is only available to subscribers, but subscriptions cost just $5 a month or $50 a year, with no commissions or listing fees.
4. Craft Is Art
Another online artisan marketplace, Craft Is Art provides sellers with all the tools they need to open an online store filled with handmade items, vintage items, fine art, and much more. The free plan for sellers includes 100 listings with additional listings available for 15 cents each, plus a 5.5% sales commission. The premium membership, which costs $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year, includes unlimited listings and no commission fees.
5. Google Shopping
Online shoppers can compare items from thousands of local and online stores with Google Shopping. Craftspeople can expand their reach by listing products that are for sale locally as well as on other platforms and websites. That way, the handcrafted items are displayed in Google searches for an audience of millions. Just as there is no cost to appear in Google’s primary search index, there are no fees to list products with Google Shopping.
6. Amazon Handmade
Amazon also dedicates an entire section of its online marketplace to handcrafted goods. Launched in 2015, Amazon Handmade quickly grew to one of the most popular places to sell your handmade items. Creating a shop to sell on Amazon Handmade is free, although Amazon deducts a 15% referral fee from sales. There are no additional listing fees or payment processing fees. Amazon also waives the professional selling fee of $39.99 per month for all Handmade-approved applicants.
- READ MORE: Using Amazon Handmade to Sell Your Crafts
7. Cratejoy
If you’re a prolific artisan, you should consider marketing subscription boxes filled with handmade creations. Cratejoy makes it simple to start and launch a subscription box business based around a handcrafted brand or product. The company provides all the tools needed to start, including a website builder, free listings in the Cratejoy marketplace and more. Businesses can sell on the Cratejoy marketplace for plans starting at $0 per month, plus a referral fee based on the product’s listed primary category.
8. eCrater
An online selling marketplace similar to eBay, eCrater primarily features technology and collectibles, although it also showcases a good amount of handcrafted goods. It’s completely free to set up an online store with eCrater, and sellers only pay a 2.9% fee when items are sold. While the site doesn’t get as much traffic as Etsy or eBay, it still boasts about 2 million views each month.
9. Folksy
Folksy only hosts artisans based in the United Kingdom, and it limits its marketplace to handcrafted goods. Folksy is visited by about 250,000 users each month, and some of its sellers have been featured in major publications like the Guardian and Elle Decoration. Craftspeople can try out selling on Folksy with three listings for just £.15, and the monthly fee for the Plus plan is £7.50. There is a 6% commission on items sold, but this does not apply to shipping costs.
10. Aftcra
Aftcra is an online marketplace dedicated exclusively to handmade goods produced in the United States. In fact, businesses cannot sell items that are mass-produced, vintage or resold without modification. It does, however, feature handmade items including clothing, furnishings, arts, jewelry and more. It’s free to set up a store and list items on Aftcra, and the company only takes a 7% commission when items are sold.
11. Indiecart
Originally known as Hyena Cart, Indiecart launched in 2004 as an online marketplace for handmade cloth diapers. While these in-demand baby products are still sold on the site, it also features a wide variety of other handmade goods. It only costs $7.50 per month to set up a store with Indiecart, and the platform doesn’t charge any other fees or commissions.
12. GoImagine
Another popular marketplace where artisans can sell handmade goods is GoImagine, where profits are paid directly to its makers and artists, and the rest are donated to charity. Sellers must be U.S.-based, and their products must be handmade. Plans for GoImagine sellers start at just $2.50 each month with a 5% transaction fee on sold items.
13. Storenvy
When artisans sell their crafts on Storenvy, they gain access to their own custom online storefronts, as well as a listing in the social marketplace for independent retailers. Storenvy charges 10% of sales made through its marketplace, but it does not charge a commission on sales made from a seller’s online shop. Setting up an online store through Storenvy is free, although there are additional fees for certain options and upgrades.
More Top Places for Selling Online Crafts
Looking for more places to sell handmade online? There are now multiple platforms that cater to craft businesses. Don’t hesitate to check out these other top marketplace options.
15. SpoonFlower
SpoonFlower caters to an even more specific niche market than other marketplace platforms dedicated to crafts. The website lets designers create their own patterns for fabric, wallpaper, gift wrap, and more. Designers then can sell the fabrics they’ve designed or use them to create other handmade items. Artists earn a 10% commission anytime a SpoonFlower customer purchases a product with their design.
16. Bonanza
When a craftsperson sells their handmade items on the Bonanza platform, they also can upload their listings from eBay, Amazon, Shopify and Etsy while also automatically publishing listing to major buying channels like Google Shopping. Creating listings with Bonanzo is free, and the company charges a 25-cent transaction fee and a 3.5% commission on sales.
17. eBay
The well-known auction website features products of practically any variety, including a plethora of crafts and handmade items. Items can be listed for potential customers to bid on or for direct sale, and it’s free to establish an eBay account and list the first 250 items per month. Prolific artisans who choose to list more than that are charged 35 cents per additional listing. Then, eBay charges a commission on sold items equal to 12.9% of the sale price plus 30 cents per order.
18. Society6
A platform aimed at artists and designers, Society6 allows artists to upload their work to the site, where it automatically becomes available in a variety of formats, including art prints, phone cases, mugs, clocks and even leggings. The site then takes a portion of each sale depending on the product type, although sellers can designate how much profit they want to make from their items on top of that base price.
19. CustomMade
CustomMade might be best known for its handmade jewelry, but the website also features an online marketplace where sellers can market a variety of custom, handcrafted goods. Sellers not only can offer ready-made products to CustomMade customers, but they also can accept bids for custom designs. There is an application process to become a CustomMade seller, where the company examples of prior work samples. However, it’s free to sign up, and CustomMade charges a 10% commission on sales, plus a 2.7% plus 30-cent transaction fee.
20. Renegade Craft
Known for its series of in-person craft shows that take place in various cities throughout the year, Renegade Craft also features an online store where crafters can sell their wares all year long. Artisans have to apply to become a Renegade Craft vendor, and the company can be choosy about which sellers it approves. The platform then charges a 40% commission on sales, although it does handle all marketing and customer service.
21. iCraft
An online marketplace dedicated exclusively to handmade items, iCraft does not list any mass-produced or resold goods. While experienced craft business owners say they get fewer sales from iCraft than from Etsy, they also claim their iCraft sales are more profitable. iCraft pricing starts at $10 per month, and the platform charges no additional commissions or fees.
22. The Nooks
Located out of Canada, the Nooks is an online marketplace that features a curated collection of crafts and handmade items. It also operates several successful storefronts located throughout Canada. Canadian artisans can apply to sell via the Nooks and gain access to the tools, resources and support they need to handle every aspect of their businesses. Sellers with the Nook pay a $29 monthly subscription fee, but the platform charges no fees or commissions on sales.
23. NOVICA
A global, fair-trade marketplace for artisans, NOVICA offers craftspeople from around the world a place to sell their creations for living wages. So far, the platform has sent its artists more than $125 million. Right now, NOVICA only accepts sellers from Mexico, Central and South America, West Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Prospective sellers can apply by emailing details and pictures of their products to newproducts@novica.com.
24. Mercari
Mercari might be known as an excellent platform for reselling goods, but it’s also a great place to sell handmade items. Because Mercari customers often are seeking a bargain, it’s recommended to price items with room to haggle. It’s free to list items for sale on Mercari, and the platform charges a 10% commission, as well as a transaction fee of 2.9% plus 30 cents, on completed sales.
25. Your Own Website
Who says you have to sell your handmade creations on someone else’s platform and let commissions and other fees reduce your profits? Many artisans now sell their products on their own websites. You can hire a web designer, or use a platform like Square Online or Shopify to create your own e-commerce website for crafts.
- READ MORE: Best Glue Gun for Your Crafting Business
Where Is the Best Place to Sell Crafts Online?
What is the best platform to set up an online store for selling crafts? It all depends on each individual’s needs and expectations. The online crafts marketplaces that get the most traffic are Etsy, Amazon Handmade and eBay.
Between Amazon Handmade and Etsy, many prefer Etsy because of Etsy’s fees over Amazon. Other craftspeople, however, might prefer a more niche marketplace like SpoonFlower or CustomMade that cater to specific markets or offer unique selling tools.
Can You Successfully Sell Handmade Items From Your Own Website?
You don’t have to list your products on another company’s platform to sell handmade items online. Craftspeople can launch their own websites to market their creations by hiring a web designer or employing services from companies like Shopify.
While selling crafts from your own website offers independence and can protect the profitability of your own sales, artisans should be aware that they will be responsible for their own marketing and other business functions.
Do You Need a Business License to Sell Crafts in an Online Marketplace?
In most cases, a business license is needed for the online selling of crafts. Crafters selling their creations as a hobby might be able to avoid this step, but anyone hoping to turn a profit from selling crafts online will need a business license in most jurisdictions.
Because laws vary, it’s important to investigate local laws before selling in an online craft marketplace. Remember, just because many Etsy sellers and craft businesses in other online marketplaces might be operating without a business license, that doesn’t mean they are doing so legally.
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Image: Envato Elements
