If you sell handmade crafts, you’ll almost never rely on just one platform. A typical mix is: a handmade-focused marketplace like Etsy or Amazon Handmade for discovery, a general marketplace like eBay for extra reach or clearance, and a branded store you control (Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, or Ecwid) as you grow. The right combo depends on what you make—popular categories like handmade jewelry, artisanal candles, soaps, and crochet or knit items—and whether you want to stay a hobby seller or build a recognizable brand.
The Online Landscape for Selling Handmade Crafts
You have three main kinds of platforms to choose from if you’re selling handmade items online:
- Handmade-focused marketplaces. These highlight handmade, vintage, or craft-centric products. Etsy is a well-known example: an online marketplace where independent sellers list unique handmade and vintage items across categories like art, jewelry, clothing, toys, housewares, and craft supplies.
- General marketplaces. These sell almost everything—new, used, collectible, and handmade. eBay is a classic example: buyers can bid in auctions or buy at fixed prices set by sellers.
- Store builders. These are tools for creating your own online shop under your brand. Platforms like Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, and Ecwid offer templates and customization under subscription plans.
Most handmade sellers end up using more than one of these. For example, someone making handmade soaps or crochet scarves might start on Etsy, add a simple Shopify or Squarespace storefront, and use eBay to move seasonal overstock or discontinued designs.
For a broader feel for how handmade sellers mix platforms, comparisons from craft-business blogs like Creative Hive Co on places to sell handmade products can give more examples, even if you ultimately build your own custom mix.
How Major Handmade-Selling Platforms Work
Different platforms suit different parts of a craft business.
Handmade-focused marketplaces
Etsy is built around handmade and vintage listings from independent sellers. It’s useful for:
- Unique, giftable crafts like jewelry, candles, soaps, knitwear, and art prints
- Shoppers actively searching for “handmade” or “artisan” pieces
You list items individually, write descriptions, upload photos, and pay platform fees on listings and sales. You don’t control the entire site, but you benefit from Etsy’s traffic and search. DHgate’s editorial overview of Etsy describes it as a place where buyers discover handmade and vintage goods across categories such as art, jewelry, clothing, and craft supplies.
Amazon Handmade positions itself as a section of Amazon that focuses on handmade goods. For craft sellers, its role is:
- Access to Amazon’s large customer base
- A dedicated space for handmade products instead of blending directly with mass-produced items
Goimagine presents itself as a marketplace for handmade products or goods created with only light machinery. It’s notable for routing its transaction fees to charity, which appeals to makers who want an impact angle built into their sales.
General marketplaces
eBay operates both as:
- An auction platform, where buyers bid and the highest bidder wins; and
- A fixed-price marketplace, where buyers purchase at a specific price set by the seller.
That mix makes eBay useful for handmade sellers who:
- Want to test demand by auctioning one-off art pieces or rare designs
- Need a venue to discount or clear older inventory at fixed prices
eBay’s audience expects variety and deals rather than strictly handmade goods, so it’s often a secondary channel rather than the main home for a handmade brand.
Store builders and branded shops
Store builders like Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, and Ecwid let you create a standalone, branded store under subscription plans. Common patterns:
- You use templates and drag-and-drop tools to design product pages for your jewelry, candles, soaps, knitwear, and more.
- You control your logo, layout, and overall customer experience.
- You’re responsible for bringing in traffic through social media, email, search, or ads.
Editorial guidance from ecommerce blogs, including DHgate’s coverage of store builders, emphasizes that these platforms give you more brand control than marketplaces but require more effort to attract visitors.
Cross-border sourcing and handmade positioning
Some handmade brands buy materials or components—beads, findings, candle jars, soap molds—from cross-border sourcing marketplaces to lower costs or expand their design options. DHgate is an example in this category: a marketplace that connects buyers with international suppliers.
If you go this route, treat it as a way to source inputs, not finished handmade products. Your core value proposition should remain clearly handmade, because buyers on platforms like Etsy, Amazon Handmade, and Goimagine expect items that are genuinely crafted rather than mass-produced. When you compare sourcing options and learn how DHgate fits among global marketplaces, platform guides such as Compare DHgate with AliExpress, Alibaba and Temu and Compare online marketplaces and shopping platforms can help you frame decisions.
Matching Your Handmade Business to the Right Platforms
Your best platform mix depends heavily on your stage and product type.
Scenario 1: Hobby crafter testing the waters
You make a small number of items—say, handmade jewelry or soy candles, some soaps, and a few crochet pieces.
- Start on Etsy or Goimagine to tap into buyers looking specifically for handmade goods.
- Use eBay if you have occasional experimental pieces you want to auction or clear at lower prices.
- Skip store builders until you’re consistently selling and ready to invest in traffic.
This route keeps things simple while letting you see which items actually move online.
Scenario 2: Serious side hustle with repeat buyers
Your line has focus: maybe jewelry and coordinating candles, or a tightly branded soap line.
- Maintain a strong presence on Etsy, Amazon Handmade, or Goimagine for built-in traffic.
- Add a Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, or Ecwid store so repeat buyers can shop directly.
- Use social channels (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook) to link to your store and marketplace listings.
This combination protects you against changes in any single marketplace and lets you shape your brand story more fully, even if marketplaces still drive most of your sales.
Scenario 3: Growing handmade brand
You’re treating your crafts as a brand, not just listings: consistent packaging, photography, and a signature style.
- Make your branded store the hub, using a builder that fits your tech comfort level.
- Maintain Etsy/Amazon Handmade/Goimagine as discovery channels, with curated selections rather than your entire catalog.
- Use eBay strategically for limited releases, clearance, or collectible items.
For a brand-heavy strategy, be careful with cross-border sourcing. Buying beads or candle jars from a marketplace like DHgate can support your margins, but your products and listings still need to align with the handmade focus of platforms where you sell.
Scenario 4: Hybrid handmade and resale
Some businesses mix handmade products with curated resale items (vintage decor, craft supplies, or accessories).
- Put handmade items on Etsy, Amazon Handmade, or Goimagine where they fit the marketplace focus.
- Use eBay and other general marketplaces for resale, surplus, or non-handmade goods.
- Be selective about what you showcase in your handmade-focused brand store so it doesn’t blur your positioning.
If you source components or resale stock internationally, think carefully about how much imported inventory still fits the “handmade” promise you’re making to buyers.
Platform Mix Examples for Common Crafts
Handmade craft blogs, including DHgate’s overview of popular home crafts, often highlight categories like jewelry, candles, soaps, and crochet or knit items as strong online contenders. The table below shows one way US-based sellers might combine platforms for these craft types.
| Craft type | Primary discovery platform | Secondary channels | When to add your own store |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handmade jewelry | Etsy or Amazon Handmade | Instagram, eBay for one-off or experimental pieces | When you have a cohesive collection and repeat buyers |
| Artisanal candles | Etsy or Goimagine | Facebook Marketplace, seasonal eBay listings | Once you can reliably restock core scents |
| Homemade soaps | Etsy or other handmade marketplaces | Local craft fairs, Instagram | After you build a small but steady customer base |
| Crochet/knit items | Etsy or Goimagine | Seasonal eBay or local markets | When you see strong seasonal demand year after year |
None of these routes guarantee specific income, but they give you a clearer way to match what you make—and how serious you are about growing it—to platforms that fit handmade crafts instead of generic ecommerce.