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How to sell handmade items online

Short answer

Start on Etsy, where shoppers come looking for handmade gifts, or apply to Amazon Handmade to reach Amazon's customers. Add your own site once repeat buyers and custom orders grow, so the brand and the customer list belong to you. Both marketplaces check that you actually make or design what you list.

Two ways to sell, and which is yours

Sell on handmade marketplaces

Etsy and Amazon Handmade both screen for work you make yourself: Etsy through its Creativity Standards, Amazon through an application. In return you get shoppers looking for handmade pieces, but you're one listing among many and a cheaper alternative is one tap away.

Best for

Makers testing which pieces sell before building a brand.

Sell your own brand

A site on your own domain tells the story behind your work, takes custom orders and brings buyers back for new collections. Replo builds it on your brand, and its checkout handles one-of-a-kind pieces at a single price. For sizes or colors, Replo builds the pages on a Shopify store.

Best for

Makers with repeat customers, custom work or a market following.

Where to sell handmade items and what each platform charges

Fees for selling handmade items
Etsy$0.20 a listing6.5% + 3% + $0.25 processingOffsite Ads take 15% of sales they bring in, or 12% once you pass $10,000 a year.
Amazon HandmadeFree; monthly plan fee waived once approved15% referral fee, $0.30 minimumYou must apply and be approved as a maker before you can sell in Handmade.
Your own site (Replo checkout)Your Replo plan2.9% + $0.30 card processingReplo checkout runs on Stripe, and Replo's docs list no extra per-sale fee.
eBay250 free listings a month, then $0.3513.6% + $0.30, or $0.40 over $10Payment processing is built into eBay's final value fee, so nothing else is added.

Etsy charges for each listing as well as each sale, which adds up for one-of-a-kind pieces you relist often. Your own site has no listing fees but needs you to bring visitors.

What you keep on a $35 handmade mug

Each platform's fees on one $35 sale, before shipping, taxes, monthly plans and any ads you choose to buy.

  1. Your own site (Replo checkout)$33.68 kept, $1.32 in fees
  2. Etsy$31.22 kept, $3.78 in fees
  3. eBay$29.84 kept, $5.16 in fees
  4. Amazon Handmade$29.75 kept, $5.25 in fees

Product pages brands run ads to

Real product pages that brands are sending Meta ads to right now, captured from Replo's ad library, and one thing on each worth copying.

  • Portland Leather page for a tooled leather round crossbody bag with color swatches and two priced sizes

    Portland Leather Goods

    Circle Crossbody

    over 60 Meta ads linked here

    A "Comparable Value: $172" line sits under the $90 price and 17,922 reviews, and each size button shows its price.

    See the page
  • Copper Mules page for a hammered copper mug with a handcrafted tagline, price and two buy buttons

    Copper Mules

    Barrel Hammered Mug | 16oz

    2 Meta ads linked here

    One italic line under the title, "100% Pure Copper - HandCrafted - Lifetime Warranty," makes the case before the price.

    See the page

Launch checklist

  • Read Etsy's Creativity Standards: list only what you make or design, since reselling isn't allowed.
  • On Etsy, disclose any production partner and say accurately where each item ships from.
  • Apply to Amazon Handmade before listing there, since Amazon admits makers through an application.
  • Making toys or baby items? Children's products need a Children's Product Certificate, so check CPSC rules first.
  • Photograph each piece in daylight with one shot that shows its scale next to a familiar object.
  • Price by adding materials, your hourly time and platform fees, then compare against similar handmade pieces.

Build your handmade shop

Replo builds a shop on your brand with collection pages, your maker story and a custom order request form.

The prompt Replo starts from

Build an online shop for my handmade [product type] business, [shop name]. Make a homepage with new pieces, collection pages, a product page for each piece with photos, materials and care notes, an about page with my process and studio photos, a custom order request form asking for size, colors and deadline, and an upcoming markets page.
Build my storeStart for Free

Frequently asked questions

What is the best site to sell handmade items?
Etsy is the usual first stop because shoppers go there looking for handmade work. Amazon Handmade reaches Amazon's customers once your application is approved. Your own site suits makers with repeat buyers, because it keeps the customer list and the brand.
What is Amazon Handmade?
Amazon Handmade is a part of Amazon for approved makers. Products must be hand-altered, hand-designed, handcrafted, repurposed or upcycled. It requires a Professional selling plan, but Amazon waives that monthly fee for approved Handmade sellers after the first month.
Do you need a license to sell homemade crafts?
Usually, yes, at least locally. The SBA says most small businesses need a mix of licenses and permits, depending on what they do and where. Zoning rules can apply even to home-based businesses, so check with your city or county.
How should I price handmade items?
Add your materials, your time at an hourly rate you'd accept, packaging and platform fees, then add profit on top. Compare the result with similar handmade pieces, not factory-made ones, and raise prices before you cut your hourly rate.

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