How To Find the Best Online Crafters and Makers

Whether you are looking for the perfect pieces to complete your jewelry collection or wanting to offer unique crafts to your customers, finding the best crafters and makers online can mean being presented with thousands of search engine results and not knowing where to get started. Since there are many makers out there, and since most review sites post item and not creator reviews, it can be difficult to tell which crafters produce consistent quality and which ones have had viral success for one item. Sometimes the best solution to your search is to start close to home before branching out across the internet.

Your Own Supply Chain

Businesses looking to add lines from jewelry makers, textile crafters or hobby builders to their offerings can usually find the best quality by asking other suppliers in their supply chain for recommendations or suggestions. The crafters you employ for stuffed animals, for example, may also make wooden cars or know someone who does. In the same thread, consumers looking for custom artwork can ask the custom furniture builders they buy from if they know of any artists who do commissions.

Social Media

Many makers will have social media pages connected to their marketplace profiles or websites as part of their digital retail solution and marketing campaigns. Social media platforms are even adding options for purchasing goods and services directly from business profiles and allowing product searches to make finding what you want easier than ever. Approaching a maker on social media to collaborate on a line for your company can be an effective way to start a business relationship, but it is important to make sure that your target audiences overlap and company cultures align for best results. For private collectors, joining online social groups with similar interests can put you in touch with makers and peers so you can ask for suggestions, get inspired by posts or find deals shared in the group feed.

Online Crafting Marketplaces

Not only can you find online crafting marketplaces, such as Etsy, to get unique items and see the lines offered by a variety of makers, you can also find online supplies marketplaces and forums designed to make sourcing easier and share patterns or ideas. These different marketplaces can show you both sides of the hobby industry and help you offer more for your customers or find unique pieces for your collection. For instance, many suppliers will have industry influencers they partner with and who use their products to make everything from crocheted blankets to intricately carved end tables. If you find a bead design which fits your aesthetic, chances are that the supplier can point you to jewelry makers who can turn those beads into a custom watchband, necklace or set.

Local Fairs and Festivals

It can seem counter intuitive to shop for the best online makers by hitting the local art festival, but many crafters you find at local events will also have an internet shop with more of a selection. One of the benefits of hitting local in-person events for your personal collection or business offerings is that you can talk to the maker face-to-face and get a better idea about the quality of their merchandise. If you look at the advice given to crafters looking to sell items, one of the most common it to set up a booth at local events. You can also find local businesses who contract with makers, builders and crafters to see what is offered in your area and gauge the quality in person. Many such displays will have business cards or signs listing online shops and contact information.

Finding high quality items from the best online jewelry makers, textile crafters and custom builders can seem intimidating and reviews can be slim on some of the nicest looking products. This is due to the breath of the industry and the surge of entrepreneurs heading online to sell handmade goods, which can benefit private collectors and retail companies alike. When you know where to look, you can find the missing piece from your jewelry box or the perfect new line for your store.