no one is  selling on Amazon? I see a lot of crafters selling
on Amazon especially jewellery people and some turners.
Are we missing the boat?

                                        

My thinking of online sales like Etsy, Amazon, . . . is the lowest price sells.  No way to compare quality and other features for most shoppers.

No question Internet sites have the potential to be seen by millions.  But how are those people comparing choices?

It's always a reality check to get a fast food sandwich, especially on,e that includes pickles and a sauce, sometimes even a slice of cheese, lift off the top bun and compare to the menu photo.  Invariably the pickles are in a pile rather than spaced out, same with the sauces.

Years ago I ordered a couple items in a catalog from a well known company selling unfinished wood trim, turning, and similar items.  The catalog photos showed crisp detailing with no chipping or tearout.  The received items needed sanding, details were inconsistent and there was chipping or tearout on every piece.

There's nothing wrong with trying to sell on the Internet, just go in with eyes wide open and understand that there will always be another seller with pretty pictures, lower quality, and likely lower prices.  And if the typical shopper is selecting primarily or only on price, sales might not meet expectations.

I would add to anything that you are selling that the photos provided are OF THE ACTUAL PIECE, and not a representation of the turning...

as noted above, when purchasing over the internet QUALITY is often sacrificed.   You need to promote your QUALITY.

I would offer this small piece of advice if you are considering selling your wares on Amazon Handmade......Don't!!!.

I signed up right at the beginning after receiving an invitation from Amazon after apparently seeing my ETSY page with my peppermills. Initially, sales were disappointing, picked up some and then fell off.

The problems with Amazon started almost immediately and only got worse. I could write pages here about the problems but will limit it to bullet points.

1. $40 monthly fee (ETSY none)
2. 12% transaction fee for both the sale and shipping charge.
3. Amazon will exert almost total control over the sales process.

Those are just for starters. They are not above dictating what you should charge for an item. In my case I was informed that they felt my prices for my peppermills were too high for their customers. (they weren't) I was offered a few choices; a. either let them immediately lower the prices to what they felt was good for their customers, b. change the prices myself to their acceptable price point or c. not change anything and risk having them drop an item from their platform completely. Read that as comply with what we want or get out.

You have absolutely no autonomy in your sales process. None. Zero.
You can't include links back to your website.
You can't contact customers. Amazon does not let you have a customers email address.

If you are turning top shelf items like pepper mills, bowls, hollow forms and using exotics or other top grade wood you should expect to see at least some decent price for your time and expense. Items like this have no real place on Amazon Handmade. Their business model is to offer cheap and fast. Period!

Once I received their email basically mandating that I lower my prices to their 'suggested' price point I immediately ceased my relationship with them.

ETSY is everything Amazon isn't. But, while it is a place to try and sell your work it has become over saturated with crafts folks offering the same things. I've since dropped my items there as well.

I'm fortunate in that I was in the right place at the right time last year while at a weekend long art show where I had a booth with my pepper mills and cutting boards. I was approached and invited by the owners of an upscale gift shop and a high end art & crafts gallery to open up shop space in the gift shop with the option of offering select pieces in the Art Gallery. It was a no-brainer and I now have highly visible shop space for my stuff. In addition to being on the big gated golf course/McMansion communities side of town it is also one of those 'destination' places listed by the chamber of commerce. It's even a stop for tour busses.

I couldn't keep up with the Christmas shopping demand this year. I sold over 75 cutting boards and 40 mills this month alone and used up all of my dried blanks. Not a bad problem to have I suppose.

Thanks Richard.

I think Amazon has become way too big and is well on it's way to control every internet sale to be made. It's hard to shop for virtually anything from just about any website and not be linked to Amazon.