There has been so much speculation surrounding Handmade at Amazon. Etsy has always been the main one for getting handmade products and both of us have been long time fans of the site. I’ll admit that I wasn’t exactly surprised that Amazon wanted to get in on this market.
We’ve spotted on our Instagram account that a few sellers have been accepted to Handmade at Amazon, so it will be intriguing to see their feedback on it in the next few months.
All the speculation intensified recently with the news that Etsy’s shares had dropped suddenly when Handmade at Amazon officially launched*. This probably caused some Etsy sellers to be concerned but the price seems to have stabled itself.
*I get loads of emails from Amazon and I do buy quite a lot of candles on there… haven’t had one email yet to say Handmade at Amazon has launched. Of all the emails not to get. 😉
The commission fee on Handmade at Amazon is higher than Etsy’s (12% to 3.5%) but the main reason that I don’t think it’s the end for Etsy is loyalty. Sure, Amazon is one of the big giants on the internet but I’ve continued to be a repeat customer on Etsy for years. Even when I could pick up items on eBay or Not on the High Street. I have stayed loyal and believe I’m not the only one.
The other thing which is both a positive for both Etsy and Handmade at Amazon is that the “handmade” market is always growing. We see loads of new candles companies every month launch themselves on Etsy, with self employment on the rise I don’t think the market is going to drop. So they could both exist together, providing customers with exactly what they want. I realise some people are more Amazon minded than I am.
It’ll be interesting to watch what happens. Drop us a comment below if you’ve signed up to Handmade at Amazon and let us know your thoughts too, thanks guys!
I have a soy candle business (and other earth-friendly goods) store and I recently just signed up for Amazon Handmade, but it says I will receive a response within 4 weeks. And the signup form was very personal and long. They even wanted to know if we sell at craft shows, if so, what shows? What machines do I use to make my products, what is my exact process, etc. After all that I better get in 😀 Great blog by the way, just found it tonight (via Instagram).
Thanks for your comment Valerie. That does sound like a lengthy process… let us know when it’s up and running as we are both intrigued 🙂