We first heard whispers of Amazon launching a made by hand store back in the spring as the online retail behemoth considered a run at Etsy. Today, Handmade at Amazon has launched with “thousands of unique products” made from more than 60 countries around the world. Each piece of inventory comes from a factory-free environment as every artisan piece is made without the use of automated machinery.
We have the full details on Amazon’s new store, how you can get started selling goods, and our top handmade picks.
Etsy has made a name for itself as the preeminent way to buy and sell handmade goods online. It has largely gone unchallenged since the service was launched just over ten years ago. But Amazon’s status as a retailer and financial resources are likely to threaten Etsy’s place at the top.
Amazon promises an inventory of over 80,000 products that come from approved factory-free artisans. Additionally, 30% of the available products can be personalized to buyers’ specifications. Every product page has an image of the proprietor of each company and an icon denoting the location of origin. This allows customers to sort by state or region if so desired.
At the start, roughly 600 handmade items are Prime eligible with “more being added each day”. Most items have an estimated ship time for 4-8 days depending on location, inventory and level of customization.
Some of our favorite products already available on Handmade at Amazon include this set of personalized automotive-themed stationary, a salvaged-wood cherry end table, and these hand-forged coat hooks. Handmade at Amazon is an excellent alternative to traditional gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations. There is even a storefront for Halloween-themed decorations.
Interested in selling your own goods at Amazon? Use this form to apply for an invitation to Handmade. It will be interesting to track the success of this new venture at Amazon. A flat-rate 12% fee applies to sales, which includes marketing, shipping and fraud protection. At this time, there is not a monthly fee associated with the program.
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Debuting the Home for Artisans: Handmade at Amazon
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 8, 2015– Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced today the launch of Handmade at Amazon(www.amazon.com/handmade), a new store featuring genuinely handmade items crafted and sold directly from artisans. With Handmade atAmazon, customers can discover artisans from around the world, and shop local from artisans based in their community with the familiar Amazonexperience they know and trust. Handmade at Amazon was designed to provide customers and artisans a tailored store specifically for handcrafted items. All products available on Handmade at Amazon are factory-free and must be made by hand. Handmade at Amazon features a variety of product categories including Jewelry, Home Décor, Artwork, Stationery and Party Supplies, Kitchen and Dining, and Furniture.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151008005326/en/
“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,” said Peter Faricy, VP for Amazon Marketplace. “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 offers customers more than 80,000 quality handcrafted items from around the world, and over 30 percent can be personalized by artisans to delight customers.”
Handmade at Amazon offers customers:
- Genuinely Handmade: We only approve artisans whose products are handcrafted. We are factory-free. Customers will enjoy on-trend jewelry like modern earrings, interlocking rings necklaces and tassel statement earrings.
- Explore the World: Shop by country to find products from artisans in more than 60 countries. International items include walnut cufflinksfrom Australia and handcrafted wooden lamps from Italy.
- Discover the Artisan: Every artisan has a profile that describes how their products are made. Shop locally by finding artisans in all 50 states. Customers can experience music-themed artwork from a New York artisan that’s been playing music and doing art for over 25 years, to adorably cute heirloom quilt, bib and burp cloth baby collections from a Wisconsin artisan initially inspired to make handmade heirloom treasures that would forever remind her of the first precious months with her children.
- Shopping Made Easy: What you love about Amazon, now for Handmade. We’re bringing the friendly experience, convenience and value you love and trust about Amazon to the world of handmade items. To start, more than 600 handmade items are Prime eligible with more being added each day.
Every Handmade product page contains a location icon identifying where the artisan is based, along with a link to the artisan’s profile. To find the Handmade at Amazon store from the Amazon.com homepage, customers can click on the “Handmade” link in the “Shop by Department” navigation or type in terms including “handmade,” “handmade home décor” or “handmade jewelry” into the search bar.
Handmade at Amazon features a growing collective of artisans. Here’s what artisans are saying:
“Handmade at Amazon will change the customer shopping experience because Amazon has made the artisan profile personal, and customers like personal. Feeling like they know who made the item, the process behind how each piece is made, and how much time and effort went into every item will bring customers back to shop for even more Handmade items!” – Carlee, AmazziRoots
“Amazon will know how to do handmade right.” – Chuck, Down to the Wire Designs
“I think that Handmade at Amazon is a really great platform to put our products in front of a big audience, a big diverse audience.” – Eve and Kristen, Bright Beam Goods
To explore products and view highlighted artisan videos on Handmade at Amazon, click here.
About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
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