Amazon Craft?

As a seller I wouldn't touch it!

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As a buyer, knowing what these artisans may have knowingly or inadvertently done in signing over their rights, I don't want to promote this kind of marketplace. I'll continue to use Facebook and Etsy where I can have direct contact with the sellers. Yes, you can email sellers through Amazon and yes, I do sell on Amazon but not in the handmade marketplace, but it's just not the same.

www.creationsfromthehart.com/amazon-review/

My stepmother is trying it (shameless plug: www.amazon.com/handmade/BES-Jewelry-Design ) so i'll keep an ear to the ground for updates on her experience and ask in a couple months.

The site is very pretty, and with amazon's usual look and easy to use site, plus a wide audience base... i donno. The policy stuff is definitely worrisome, tho. i assume B has done her research on it tho - she is that kind of person, and not overwhelmed by legalese.

I posted about it yesterday but I think the post got lost somewhere. Anyhow, I'm selling there (along with a few more peas, I think) and I think it has great potential.

As a buyer it comes with all the buyer protections that Amazon normally gives: 30 days return policy (except personalized items), some sellers are offering prime (I will be once I get my act in gear and ship this stuff off ), great customer service, etc.

As a seller most either love it or hate it. They have strict rules, the fees are higher than Etsy, you can set your own processing times up to 30 days, etc. They are also juried, each seller has to apply, describe what they do and their process, then be approved. This should weed out sellers selling manufactured/resale goods (it makes no sense for Amazon to allow them to stay in Handmade, Amazon would make MORE money moving them out of Handmade where the fees are slightly discounted right now). It should also help keep out all the sellers that sell infringing items. Now I say "should" because I've already seen some Mickey and Frozen stuff there But Amazon has little patience for this and will/has deleted accounts in the past, when Amazon deletes your selling account it's gone.....forever! Unless you move, get new credit cards, new computers and bank accounts, you're SOL.

As for the TOU above, it has many a sellers in an uproar and they won't be selling there. My opinion has always been that what I make is not rocket science. If Amazon would like to steal my ideas and make party supplies (what I sell) then they should go for it. They won't be as good as mine because mine are handmade and no machine can perfectly replicate that. I think the odds of Amazon saying "heck with the Kindle, we're gonna strike it rich making these cupcake toppers" are pretty darn slim In the meantime I'll be selling on Amazon and getting my products in front as many of those 285 MILLION buyers that I can

If you want to check it out the link to handmade is amazon.com/handmade