Looking to pick up a brand new camera? Amazon could be a potential stop. Looking to buy some books? Amazon is another potential stop. Looking to buy gadgets and electronic equipment? Safe to say that there is a reason Amazon is one of the world’s largest online retailers for all things big and small.
Now if you’re after less commercially-made products and want something more personal, something handcrafted, you might be interested to learn that Amazon Handmade has been officially launched. If you’re wondering why this sounds so familiar, it is because back in May this year, there were reports that Amazon was planning such a website.
With the launch of Handmade, it looks like Amazon is ready to take on Etsy, another online platform known for sellers to sell their handmade goods. According to Amazon, Handmade will only feature products that have been verified to be actually handcrafted as opposed to produced in a factory.
If you’re a Prime subscriber, you’re in luck because it looks like your membership will apply here as well, although for starters about more than 600 handmade items will be Prime eligible, but it is expected that more will be added as time passes.
According to 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.”
In response to Amazon Handmade, Etsy’s CEO Chad Dickerson said, “We believe we are the best platform for creative entrepreneurs, empowering them to succeed on their own terms. Etsy has a decade of experience understanding the needs of artists and sellers and supporting them in ways that no other marketplace can. Our platform attracts 21+ million thoughtful consumers seeking to discover unique goods, and build relationships with the people who make and sell them.”