Online platforms for microbusiness online presence and sales of own products

Digital technologies make it easier for crafters to promote their microbusiness, find buyers of their goods and to grow their network of contacts.

Crafters can decide to sell their products on their personal website, as well as use digital collaboration platforms and content management systems (CMS). The choice depends on the size of the business, who you want to reach, the purpose and sometimes also the costs. A CMS will assist you in turning an existing website into a e-shop, support the introduction of new features, manage orders and integrate payment providers. With a CMS the ecommerce owner will write, update and publish content on the web without coding, whether text, graphics or page layout. Therefore, with it, it is easier to manage and sell products or services, which happens directly from your ecommerce site.

Popular examples of ecommerce CMS platforms to explore for your craft microbusiness:

PrestaShop, allows o develop a web store from scratch, and it is also a good choice for beginners in ecommerce or those with lack of tech skills.

OpenCart, an option that will also work well for ecommerce beginners, a free multifunctional solution.

Wix, although not an ecommerce CMS, it is a website building platform for online business, especially for ecommerce beginners and non-coders.

Another option is to use a shared online platform (marketplace).

Etsy is an example of a platform where crafts makers can create their own marketfronts, but also find rare materials and tools that allows them to create unique pieces. Etsy: Etsy is a marketplace for handmade items.

Learn how to set up an Etsy-business for selling your product online and find out about some other online platforms for selling artisan- and craftswork online in module 3.

Bonanza, as a marketplace it also has the feature of advertising your products in different places, e.g., Google Shopping, and is a cost-effective Etsy alternative.

Ebay is another popular marketplace and it is based on an auction-style model.

Shopify is a marketplace especially for ecommerce beginners and small businesses.

ArtPal, an online gallery where you can sell your work, whether it is prints, paintings, crafts or another artwork.

Handmade at Amazon is an example of a marketplace, one that is for specifically handmade products.

Society6 is another marketplace for aimed at artists and designers, functioning also as an online community space.

Powered by People is “the wholesale marketplace for conscious buyers.” – as they describe itself on Instagram (powered_by_people), concentrating on small-batch makers, and ethical, sustainable, social impact.

Worth mentioning is also ArtFinder, an art marketplace for connecting artists with buyers, a platform supporting independent artists and authentic hand-crafted art.

Online auction sites like eBay and online stores like Amazon simply moved a traditional commercial exchange to the realm of cyberspace.

Yet another solution is joining a crowdfunding website and Kickstarter is an example. You can share your ideas with a wider community who you can connect with and find funders to your own projects. The platform cultivates creativity supporting networking opportunities for crafters from all over the globe. Crowdsourcing on the other hand is a solution for finding new ideas, but you can also take the advantage to network with other crafters to create mutual initiatives. Upwork is an example of a platform where you can collaborate to create economic opportunities, and one that has also turned into a marketplace. While Threadless is for crowdsourcing creativity among an artistic community.

Find out on some other, besides crowdfunding, funding opportunities in module 4.