Online retail giant Amazon has launched a new online store designed to provide consumers and artisans with a space to buy and sell handcrafted products.
Taking a similar approach to online marketplace Etsy, Handmade at Amazon allows makers to sell their creations directly to the public. It launched with more than 80,000 products from over 60 countries across a range of product categories including jewellery, home décor, art, stationery and party supplies, kitchen and dining, and furniture.
According to Amazon marketplace vice president Peter Faricy, the site will include the user-friendly features Amazon customers expect, while tapping into the desire for all things unique and artisanal.
“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,” he says.
“Knowing an item has a unique story behind it creates a personal experience that customers have told us makes owning handmade items special.”
To personalise the online experience, every artist has a profile describing how their products are made, and customers can narrow their searches to shop by country and even specific regions in the US.
Carlee Nestelberger, Handmade at Amazon seller and founder of jewellery brand AmazziRoots, says these features will help customers form a connection to the products they’re purchasing.
“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 items.”
By Ruth Cooper
