Amazon handmade

[Jon C]

Hi, does anyone here use amazon handmade or have any experience of it?

I’d just like to test the water and see if any of my small turned items generate any interest. Like, a lot of people, I can’t work at the moment so any income (however small) would be a bonus.
Etsy isn’t an option as my account was deactivated after listing one item with no explanation and they don’t reply to emails (in my experience).
I’m aware amazons fees are higher, I can live with that due to not being able to make another Etsy account.

The main thing that concerns is the 40 dollar a month fee. From a bit of research, this fee is usually waived but the possibility of it being enforced is present. For someone not advertising/selling a lot, this fee would make the whole pointless. I’ve been unable to ascertain how strictly this fee is enforced.
I’m in the UK, if that’s relevant

 

[prophet]

I believe your information is incorrect.
The Professional seller's plan monthly fee of £25 is waived for Handmade sellers.
The only fee payable by the seller is the referral fee which, until December 31, is 12% of the amount the buyer pays for your product.

Quite reasonable in my view as you have a ready made audience of potentially millions in the UK alone.

Additionally you're able to use the normal Amazon site utilising their Basic plan (fewer than 35 items sold per month) for a fee of £0.75 per item plus the the referral fee which varies between 0% and 15% depending on the category of item you're selling.

I know this as I'm currently making preparations to launch a unique kitchenware product, for which I hold the the UK patent, in the next few months initially through Amazon for market testing purposes.

 

[AndyT]

I'd never heard of Amazon Handmade, so I have just had a look. I got the impression that there was a lot of tat designed to be given as presents to people who don't need more stuff. If there was some element of handwork in there, my first glance impression was that it would not be work done by anyone on a western world rate of pay.

Do bear in mind that I am almost certainly not your target market!

 

[thetyreman]

this seems to be the kind of thing that sells on there

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VHRV9NL/ ... 0293784031

 

[Trainee neophyte]

this seems to be the kind of thing that sells on there

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VHRV9NL/ ... 0293784031

I had never come across this, so had a look for olive wood products. Found this for £30: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Birt ... ade&sr=1-9

I could probably do that.

 

[Jon C]

Thanks for the replies, especially regarding the fees.

I’d never heard of it either before today, whilst looking for Etsy alternatives.

 

[Droogs]

I looked heavily into it when it first began a couple of years ago and after some careful calculations I worked out that I would be giving them almost 20% of my sale price on an item by the end. There are quite heavy restrictions on what you can sell elsewhere if it is listed in the Amazon handmade section. In the end I decided it was definitely not worth a go as they were looking to get around 2K from me on each sale I made and as I only make around 15% profit gave it a miss. Fine if you turn out xmas tree baubles by the 000s on a lather not if you meake bespoke to order stuff as they also have a ludicrous time limit on how long you have to deliver said item

hth

 

[bourbon]

Please check out the terms of the contract you sign. This was mentioned a couple of years back on a craft forum I'm on. basically, If Amazon like what you sell, they have the right to have it made cheaper without paying you a fee.

 

[Droogs]

Please check out the terms of the contract you sign. This was mentioned a couple of years back on a craft forum I'm on. basically, If Amazon like what you sell, they have the right to have it made cheaper without paying you a fee.

yeah, I forgot to mention the big elephant in the room. The above totally put me off especially as some of the marquetry pics I do can take over a 100 hours to complete, I sell to Asia and ME and it is hard enough as it is without my main shop platform trying to impregnate me by stealing my IP

 

[gregmcateer]

Please check out the terms of the contract you sign. This was mentioned a couple of years back on a craft forum I'm on. basically, If Amazon like what you sell, they have the right to have it made cheaper without paying you a fee.

yeah, I forgot to mention the big elephant in the room. The above totally put me off especially as some of the marquetry pics I do can take over a 100 hours to complete, I sell to Asia and ME and it is hard enough as it is without my main shop platform trying to impregnate me by stealing my IP

That's why I'd be wary. Genuinely wouldn't trust the big A with a barge pole (hammer)