Handmade at Amazon

frimble3

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I've bought stuff off Etsy, and been very happy with it, especially the tiny marbles by a glassworker from the States, and a lovely shawl printed with giant wings. (And a felted-animal kit that made up, with the aid of an on-line video, into a delightfully realistic fox - I could have just bought the supplies someplace cheaper, and watched the video, but the artist trusted me, and I wouldn't cheat like that.)
I've also seen the 'several sellers with the same item' thing, and other sellers selling 'supplies', all presumably from the same manufacturer.
It is, I think, one of those 'buyer beware' things.

And I've seen stuff at juried shows that have made me go 'hmm?'. We have, in particular, one very nice big, juried, show here. I was browsing the ceramics and on one table, alongside some hand decorated, hand-built pieces, stuff with very generic decals on pretty basic shapes. No idea whether they were snuck in with the rest of the stuff, or the potter begged for permission to carry some less expensive stuff, or whether there was some exemption in the rules, but it cheapened the look of the booth, and by extension, made me look twice at the other booths.

But, it would never, in a million years, occur to me to look at Amazon for 'one of a kind' or 'artisan-made' stuff. Okay, I only buy books there, but on occasion I've looked at other stuff, and as far as I can see, Amazon is for mass-produced, buy-it-NOW, if-original-is-good,-knock-off-is-cheaper stuff. Sort of an on-line department store, with sources from around the world. The appeal is the range of goods, and the fast delivery, rather than 'unique and original' objects.
 
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I've found some lovely hand-made gifts on Etsy, particularly jewelry. A colleague is a very fine potter, with lovely hand-made wheel-thrown pottery for sale on Etsy.
 

Filigree

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Etsy has some great original artisans. You just have to be cautious about sources. I've got no problem buying a mass market component, just not at huge markup.

Learn how to use Google image search, it can narrow down manufacturer sources. Rio Grande Jewelry Supply creates a lot of its own jewelry components. SunWest is a American manufacturer of silver charms. NinaDesigns is a California outfit designing charms and components that are then made in Thailand, Bali, India, or China. Many chains and clasps come from Italian or American wholesalers. ImpressArt makes its own steel stamps, as does The BeadSmith. If you're American and stroll through a hobby store...take note of the suppliers names. Some of them have retail options.

I'm wary of Etsy, but I'm willing to hold my nose and reboot my website there. If that's where the sales are...
 

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A year-end update: I've de-listed my items from Amazon Handmade. Why? No sales, no real support, ridiculously tricky uploading requirements, artist gets shafted on shipping unless they're vigilant, too many other artists offering bogus/deceptively listed goods, and Amazon's looming $40 a month selling fee.

It's not worth it, for me. Other artists and artisans might be able to make it work.

Ironically, the same week I canned my Amazon listings, I sold a painting on SaatchiArt. Saatchi has streamlined its upload process, too.