Frequently Asked Questions

It can be hard to find new customers as a local small business, especially as an independent maker that's just starting out. We want to help makers connect with new and repeat customers by giving their products a permanent platform. The following tools can help connect makers and their craft with potential customers:

• Product pages with detailed descriptions for customers to understand what they're buying
• Contact forms on product pages so that customers can easily and directly contact the maker
• Inventory management so that makers can keep track of their products, and optionally show only what's in stock
• A store page for customers to see all of a maker's products in one place
• Maker biographies to help makers connect personally with potential customers

Supporting one's community by buying local has always been important. The Artisan Store offers people a way to find unique products not sold anywhere else, and connect with the members of their community that make them. We essentially host a 24/7, diverse, online local market to support the community. All profits go to the maker.

We would love to be able to commit to processing online payments for items, but unfortunately as a small business ourselves we don't have the capacity to track shipments, manage returns, and ensure proper business. We instead opt to support communication between the makers and their customers, and empower makers, so that they can determine how best to conduct their business.