Here, we will discuss about, The Best Online Platforms To Sell Homemade Products.
As consumer behavior shifts, artisans, hobbyists, and small business owners now have greater opportunities to sell their homemade products as businesses. The market for homemade products, handmade items, or unique goods is increasingly growing which explains the boom in niche market platforms. All the platforms are not the same though. There are several considerations, like type of product, target audience, fees, ease of use, etc. This article will evaluate factors to help you determine the best platforms for selling your homemade products.
The Best Online Platforms for Selling Homemade Products:
Here’s an in-depth guide regarding the best platforms to market and sell your homemade products.
1. Etsy: E-Commerce Store for selling Handmade items.
Etsy is the first platform that people tend to think about when looking to sell homemade goods online. Because, Etsy is especially noted for its global mass focus, being a platform that deals with handmade, vintage, or unusual objects, more than millions of sellers selling to the global mass are active.
Why Pick Etsy?
- Niche Market: Etsy is a site specifically for artists and crafters meaning targetting audience for your products has already been delineated.
- Broad Reach: There are buyers from all around the globe who use Etsy, and other sellers in the field, therefore you can be virtually able to connect with millions of them.
- Ease of Use: Even a rookie will find it easy to set up an Etsy shop as the whole process is quite simple to follow.
- Advertising Features: Promoted listings and social media integration are among the features available on Etsy.
Cons:
- Commissions: There is a listing fee of $0.20 to set up an item for sale on the Etsy marketplace followed by a 5% per sale fee. And there will be more fees for processing payments.
- Market Saturation: As there are hundreds of millions of sellers, one’s marketing skills are required to make the business available to the public.
2. Amazon Handmade: The Largest Online Marketplace in the World at Your Fingertips.
Amazon’s behalf dedicated site for artisans and crafters is called Amazon Handmade. It’s still active in this way but it differs from the rest of the site offering much better views.
Key Points for Amazon Handmade:
- Extensive Reach: Over three hundred million active customers are part of Amazon’s user network.
- Cultural Congruence: There is an element of credibility attached to selling through Amazon Handmade because it is Amazon.
- Frictionless Process: Those products that are under Handmade labeling would have faster delivery options under Amazon Prime.
Cons:
- Sales Restrictions: Sellers improve marketing tactics in order to perform because they have to pay a 15% referral fee for every sale which lowers their profit margins accordingly.
- Licensing And Certification Requirements: There are lengthy procedures that involve applying for and being approved to sell goods.
3. Shopify: A Tool For Building Your Store and Your Business Case.
Are you looking to build a brand and sell it? Then Shopify is the one-stop solution for you. An E-commerce platform that specializes in fully made online branded stores.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Shopify?
- Store Owners Abound: Does building a store excite you? With Shopify, that’s not a problem as many companies use their store designers.
- Growing with You: With features that suit small companies to large enterprises, Shopify adjusts accordingly.
- Everything in One Place: Get looking, analytics, email marketing, and SEO to name a few all work within the app.
Cautions To Note:
- Pricing: The price to make an account starts at $29 and can go up with added themes and plugins.
- Technical Skills Required: To maintain and operate a Shopify store you’ll need some level of technical skills.
4. Facebook Marketplace: Reaching More Buyers Around The World Or In Your Neighborhood.
For many who are just starting in business and might feel financially choked, homemade items can be sold with ease through Facebook Marketplace.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Facebook Marketplace?
- No Fee For Listing: If you’re a seller using Facebook marketplace for the first time then you won’t be charged for listing products.
- Ideal For Small Purchases: With the app aiming to connect buyers to sellers locally, shipping requirements are lowered or removed.
- Connections Aid Sales: Use your friends on Facebook or other social media to market what you’re selling.
Cautions To Note:
- Set Back: Compared to other specialized e-commerce platforms, the Facebook marketplace offers fewer tools.
- Trust Issues: It might be difficult to establish trust with buyers during transactions meaning that buyer-trust requires more effort.
The Best Online Platforms To Sell Homemade Products.
5. Instagram Shops: The Intersection of Visual Storytelling and Online Stores.
As far as Instagram shops are concerned, it has enabled e-commerce alongside being a photo-sharing app which makes it more suited for homemade products of a visual nature.
Why Go For Instagram Shops?
- Heavy on Images: If images and homemade items are more of your thing, then this type of store will work perfectly for you.
- Already Existing Users: You can easily reach out to Instagram’s already active population and convert them into buyers.
- Shoppable Posts: Customers can view your posts or stories and buy anything that interests them straightaway.
Drawbacks:
- Requires Investment: Because of the nature of the platform, establishing a presence on Instagram means continuous postings and interaction with your audience.
- Fees: Every transaction completed on the platform attracts selling fees from Instagram.
6. eBay: An Online Business Giant.
At eBay, one can also sell their hand-made crafts alongside its original offerings of auctions and resale.
Why eBay is Ideal For You?
- Huge Target Audience: eBay users all around the world increase your reach and coverage.
- Flexible Selling Options: Set a fixed price for your items or hold an auction at a set date.
- Low Barrier to Entry: Opening an account and uploading items for sale is a breeze.
Drawbacks:
- Fees: eBay charges for listing, and final value including payment processing.
- Competition: With so much going on in the market, making yourself seen can be tough.
7. Big Cartel: A Fairly Straightforward Solution For Creators.
Big Cartel offers its services specifically to artists and makers on a smaller scale. It’s a no-frills service and if you want to be able to sell while not getting too many features, this is the one for you.
Why Use Big Cartel?
- Low-Cost Options: They have a free plan that allows up to five products and from there, paid plans start from $9.99 per month.
- User Friendly: Big Cartel has a simple interface making designing and navigating it simple and friendly for beginners.
- Customizable Platforms: You can build a storefront that fits your brand, even with a limited budget.
Cons:
- Few Tools Available: The very essence of Big Cartel being so simple also means that there aren’t a lot of tools you can utilize to grow your business.
- Not Suitable For Large Product Sales: A big Cartel is much better for more small-scale and specific purposes.
8. Squarespace: Bring Together Style And Performance.
Squarespace offers some of the best templates out there which are perfect for sellers looking for an appealing storefront that grabs attention.
Why Use Squarespace?
- Attractive Visuals: Great for those sellers looking for aesthetic appeal for their stores.
- All in One Economy Package: Everything ranging from hosting, website building, and e-commerce modes all comes under one firm package from Squarespace.
- Blogging Features: Now you can tell your audience about your story and interact with them thanks to the built-in blog.
Cons:
- Paid Packages Available: For Beginner Content Creators, it may be somewhat of a cottage industry since plans start from $16 a month.
- Lack of Flexibility: While Profound Square is a good option for small and medium businesses, scaling it up to be at par with Shopify may be a challenge.
9. ZIBBET: Handle Several Sales Avenues Effortlessly.
Zibbet is a helpful tool when it comes to handling sales from Etsy, eBay, and also the company website.
Why Zibbet?
- Multichannel Integration Capability: Market and sell on different platforms and control all operations from a single window.
- Easy to Use: Channel sales setup and configuration is straight and very easy.
- Low Pricing: Zibbet levies a fixed monthly subscription charge rather than sharing commission.
Cons:
- Less Exposure: Zibbet marketplace has no customers so connected platforms are needed for sales.
- Very Basic features only: Complicated marketing and analytical tools are not included.
10. WooCommerce: WordPress E-Commerce Solution.
If you own a website that is on WordPress, the WooCommerce plugin enhances it into an e-commerce site with full potential.
Why WooCommerce?
- Control in Full: A big advantage of WooCommerce is an open source and therefore customization is amazing.
- Zero Recurring Charges: The plugin itself is free though for the hosting, themes, or extension there will be a fee.
- Wide Reach: N/A Drawbacks
Cons:
- Requires Technical Knowledge: The same goes for setting up and managing WooCommerce which is complex, especially for beginners.
- Additional Expenses: Personalization and extensions could shoot your costs up.
The Best Online Platforms To Sell Homemade Products.
11. TikTok Shops: An Attraction for the Young Generation.
It is no no-brainer that TikTok is a cultural trend. The shopping option it provides is suitable for Gen Z as well as millennials.
Why Go For TikTok Shops?
- Highly Interactive: Use viral video clips and challenges to introduce your items.
- Integrated Shopping Options: Find, search through, and make purchases without leaving the application.
- Low Entry Requirement: It is easy to set up a ‘shop’ on TikTok.
Disadvantages:
- Long And Tasking: It takes time to build a following which means more time creating relevant content.
Specific Audiences: It works well when marketing to the youth, but it has limitations for older generations.
Comparison of Different Platforms:
The Best Online Platforms To Sell Homemade Products.
Conclusion:
Reaching a global audience by selling homemade items is a great opportunity to turbocharge your hobby. Yes, every platform has its pros and cons however as an individual one would be able to figure out which platform best meets all their needs in regards to their objectives and their audience. Owing to a particular strategy whether it is dominating the industry being cost effective or even being more tailored, hiring consultants from Instagram shops or even Etsy or using Shopify or Amazon aimed Handmade tools would be convenient for Baja styles and business owners.
With the proper selection of the marketing platform and the implementation of relevant marketing strategies, it is possible to develop the online business and present your work to everyone.
So, that was the end of our today’s article about, The Best Online Platforms To Sell Homemade Products.
