Today I want to update you on my Amazon Handmade journey so far! In July 2022, I started selling my artwork on Amazon Handmade.
I promised an update in 6 months, and even though we’re a tad over that (life is busy!), I’m so excited to give an update on how I like selling on Amazon!
In my original Amazon blog post, I covered the basics of how to start selling your artwork on Amazon. I also reviewed Amazon Handmade vs Etsy, the fees associated with the program, the application, if it’s worth joining, and more.
Check out my how-to-start selling art on Amazon post here for more info. I cover a lot there. This post is just an update on my experience so far with a bit of other info thrown in. 🙂
Selling On Amazon Handmade Update
I’ll get straight to the point and say I LOVE selling on Amazon. It’s so easy, straight forward, and I’m literally getting so many sales with barely any work involved.
It’s been a better platform than Etsy for me lately, and Etsy is usually one of my higher-selling platforms. And the kicker for me is I spend so much time marketing on Etsy, updating listings, and even doing ads, and with Amazon, I list it once and it does the work for me.
Shop My Amazon Listings Here!
At first, I thought my listings would get lost in the sea of Amazon listings, and literally thought I would get no sales. To my surprise, people are finding my listings and it’s great. Of course, when I listed I made sure to add good photos, and proper keywords to optimize my listings but that’s literally all I did. I don’t do ads, and I don’t even market my listings, I just list and then I get emails that I’ve sold something.
Another huge plus for me is the fees. Etsy sort of drives me insane with the nickel and diming every chance they can with 100 types of different fees, it’s stressful! Amazon is FREE to list, and they only take a cut if you sell. So it’s just one flat fee, not a listing fee, a transaction fee, a processing fee, or a transaction fee for shipping like Etsy does (isn’t that insane). Amazon is a winner in my book.
Do I Recommend Amazon Handmade For Artists?
I 100% do. I sell art prints and greeting cards currently on Amazon and I’m doing really well. Plus, I haven’t even listed all my items yet!
If you are an artist looking to sell your art on other platforms besides Etsy, definitely check out Amazon Handmade. You have nothing to lose, as I said, there are no fees unless you sell!
I’ve also shipped my art and cards to some pretty cool places, like hotels, businesses, etc. on Amazon. So many people log onto Amazon every day to shop, if you don’t have your art there, you are totally missing out on potential sales to a huge market.
At first, I was so SCARED to start Amazon because it seemed intimidating. But trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’s so easy and simple. Plus, they have an excellent library of videos to learn the platform.
I’m very happy I’m selling my art on Amazon Handmade and look forward to the rest of the year. If you sell your art online, don’t be afraid to try out many platforms as they are all great for their own reason and it’s good to have your eggs in many baskets.
So to finish off this post, yes, my 6+ month update is great, and I expect it will get better as I get more items listed!
Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any questions about my experience with the Amazon Handmade program!
Hi Amanda,
I am also a gemini with my moon in scorpio and a lifelong artist.
My work has been in the marketplace since 1971 when my husband and I first started people productions, a greeting card company.
Through the years my art and words changed into 100’s of gift products and giftbooks with many publishers. Long story short I am now 76 years old and have a library of cards on my computer that I print out to send to friends that I would like to offer on Amazon. Is there a way for me to get help in setting up my work
online? I really appreciate any suggestions in my finding a way for my cards of art and soul? my website shows my books and poetry but the cards have yet to be seen! Thank you for any consideration and time to answer this!
susan florence
Hi Susan, thanks so much for your comment! I looked at your website and your work is absolutely stunning.
I think it is so cool how many products you have! You are definitely an inspiration to me. 🙂 What I would suggest is first applying for the Amazon handmade program, and then researching someone who could help you set up listings. There are a lot of freelance websites like Fiverr who have specialists you could hire to help with the backend stuff.
Amazon also does have really good tutorials and support if you wanted to attempt to try it yourself. For me all I do for each greeting card listing is create the photo mockup on my computer for the card, create the title, add some keywords, and then copy and paste the details from another listing and change it slightly for that specific card. It takes me probably less than 5 minutes to publish a new card on Amazon, but if you have a library of cards, it may take a long time to get all those up. 🙂
So my biggest suggestion is applying and getting in to the program, and then finding a freelancer who could help you! Best of luck 🙂
-Amanda
Hi, I’m glad to hear you have such success with this. My concern is that the royalties the artist gets seem to be about 10% off the sale. The contract also stipulates they can do what they want with your image even if it’s with another vendor as part of the agreement below suggests:
“Brand Content Grant of Rights. Conditioned on your compliance with this Agreement (including all Brand Guidelines and Program Policies), we grant you a limited, nonexclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable, royalty-free right and license to reproduce and create derivative works of Brand Content that we provide to you to create Designs as part of the Merch Collab Program.
Assignment of Rights in Designs. You irrevocably convey, transfer, and assign to Amazon (or any Affiliate designated by Amazon), its successors, and assigns, all of your rights, title, and interests in and to any and all Designs. Amazon may elect to assign these rights in their entirety to the licensors of Brand Content, who may, in turn, commercialize Designs outside of the Program with no additional Royalties due to you. To the extent any of your rights in a Design (including any moral rights) are not capable of assignment under applicable law, you irrevocably and unconditionally waive all enforcement of those rights to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law. Should the assignment of your rights in a Design not be valid or not be upheld by a court of relevant jurisdiction, you grant to Amazon unlimited and exclusive rights to use and exploit the Designs in all technical forms now existing or hereafter devised, and you grant Amazon express permission to transfer such rights of use and exploitation to third parties at our discretion. You will cooperate as may reasonably be necessary for Amazon to perfect title to Designs, including executing any documents in connection with such assignment that Amazon may reasonably request. You will enter into agreements with any other party as necessary to establish Amazon’s sole and exclusive ownership in Designs, and upon Amazon’s request, you will provide Amazon with copies of those agreements. You appoint Amazon as your attorney-in-fact to execute assignments of, and register all rights to, the Designs.
Reversion. If a Design is not approved as an Approved Design within 120 days of the date you submit it for approval, then your rights in the Design assigned pursuant to Section 4.c will automatically revert to you and the license in Section 4.a of the Production and Distribution Schedule will apply. For the avoidance of doubt, any assignment of rights to you pursuant to this Section does not include an assignment or license of any rights to any Brand Content embodied in the Design.
Reservations of Rights. The Brand Content is the intellectual property of Amazon or its licensors. Except for the rights explicitly granted to you in Section 4 of this Schedule, all right, title and interest in and to the Brand Content are reserved and retained by us and our licensors. You do not have the right to sell or use Designs outside of the Merch Collab Program. You acknowledge that Designs you submit, or elements or portions thereof, may be similar or identical to the many ideas, suggestions, or creative elements developed by the owners of Brand Content and their affiliates, and that the owners of Brand Content and their affiliates will have no liability to you for the use of material they independently created, even if such material is substantially similar or identical to a Design you submitted.”
Those two facts give me some reservation but your testimony is very positive. Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Amy – thanks for commenting! I believe that agreement is for the Merch Collab program through Amazon, I haven’t heard of it before but just looked it up. I’m in the handmade program so I’m not licensing out my work to anyone and customers are buying my work directly from me. I print, ship, and handle all the sales from my art studio.
But I agree about your concerns with that though!