How to market a handmade shop in 2026
Makers and craft shops grow through Instagram, Pinterest and an email newsletter. This blueprint sets out what to post and how often, the season, the rules on claims and reviews, and the first 90 days, from 23 sources checked in October 2026.
Core channels:InstagramPinterestEmail newsletter
Where to show up
Core channels get most of the hours. Support channels get a little. The rest can wait until the core ones work.
| Channel | Role | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Process videos show a person made the item, and Etsy itself says 'handmade is a point of differentiation to lean into' (Etsy Q2 2026 letter). Instagram favours original posts and shows Reels to people who do not follow you (Instagram for Creators, 2023; Instagram Ranking Explained, 2023). A Collab post with another maker or a gift shop is shown to both followings (Instagram for Creators, 2023). | |
| Core | Handmade gifts are searched by occasion and recipient ('gift for a gardener', 'wedding favour ideas'), which is how Pinterest search is used (guides say). One product photo can be pinned many times with different titles, and each Pin links to a listing. Pinterest Predicts 2026 shows fast search growth for accessory and jewellery styles ('brooch aesthetic' +110%, 'maximalist accessories' +105%) (via The Industry Fashion, 2026). | |
| Email newsletter | Core | Etsy's buyers are Etsy's, and growth is flat: about 87 million active buyers over 12 months, roughly stable year on year, with purchase frequency below last year (Etsy Q2 2026 letter). A repeat order placed on your own shop avoids Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee and the 12 to 15% Offsite Ads fee, though you pay card processing there too (fees: Marmalead, Feb 2026). |
| TikTok | Support | Process, packing and satisfying clips can travel to people who never searched for the item (guides say). TikTok still has the highest engagement of the four networks Rival IQ tracks, after a 34% fall across industries (Rival IQ 2025). It is a support channel because the footage is the same as for Reels. TikTok Shop is optional for makers with steady stock (6% referral fee on most categories, TikTok Shop Seller University, Oct 2024). |
| YouTube | Skip | Long tutorials turn a shop into a teaching channel, which is another business. Reuse process clips as Shorts only if it costs no extra time (judgement). Exception: makers who sell patterns or kits. |
| X | Skip | Rival IQ 2025 found X engagement down 48% across industries. Gift buyers for handmade goods are not there. |
| Skip | Not where gift buyers are. One exception is corporate gifting, where a short direct message to a company can win a custom batch (guides say). | |
| Skip | Rival IQ 2025 found Facebook engagement down 36% across industries. Local community groups and fair event pages may help on market days, but group rules vary and were not checked (judgement). | |
| Threads | Skip | No evidence was found that it sells handmade goods. Cross-post only if it is automatic (judgement). |
| Skip | Seller and craft subreddits are for peer talk and showing finished work; do not promote a shop in any sub until its sidebar rules are read (judgement). | |
| Quora | Skip | Purchase intent for handmade gifts shows up on Etsy, Pinterest and Google, not in Q&A (judgement). |
| Google Business Profile | Skip | Online-first. Add a profile only for a studio shop or a regular stall address. Home-based makers can use a service-area profile that hides the address. |
Who buys and how they choose
Gift buyers and self-treaters who want something made by a person, with a name, a colour or a date on it. Occasions drive many orders: in Q2 2026 Etsy reported solid growth for Mother's Day, Father's Day and graduation, and double-digit growth for birthdays and weddings (Etsy Q2 2026 shareholder letter). A second group is hobby makers who buy patterns, kits and materials and care about skill level and shipping time. The seller is usually one person or a household team making to order or in small batches.
Trigger: a dated occasion (birthday, wedding, Mother's Day, holiday), a new home, or a process video that makes someone want one. Research is short: the shopper compares listings, photos, reviews, processing time, delivery date and personalisation options. For gifts the deadline decides, so 'will it arrive by the date' is the main question, and made-to-order items add production days (judgement). Price sensitivity is moderate: buyers pay more for a name, a custom colour or a visible maker, but compare shipping cost. One person decides, usually the giver. US Mother's Day spending reached a record $38 billion in 2026, $284 per person (NRF 2026, all gift types). On Etsy the shopper arrives through search and the app: about 87 million active buyers over the last 12 months, and the app drove about 47% of sales in Q2 2026 (Etsy Q2 2026 letter).
Where buyers find businesses like this
- Etsy search, the Etsy app and Etsy's feed — About 87 million active buyers (trailing 12 months, roughly flat year on year) and about 47% of sales through the app in Q2 2026. Etsy says it improved search personalisation in real time, that quality now goes beyond what was historically most popular or most likely to convert, and that a feed change suppressed over 80% of listings a shopper had already viewed or engaged with without hurting sales (Etsy Q2 2026 shareholder letter). The Seller Handbook (26 Aug 2025) describes two steps: matching the shopper's words against titles, tags, categories and attributes, then ranking by relevance, listing and shop quality, recency and customer experience (read through summaries;
- Etsy Ads (on Etsy) and Offsite Ads (Etsy's ads elsewhere) — Etsy Ads: daily budget from $1, clicks typically $0.20 to $0.50. Offsite Ads fee: 15% of the sale for sellers under $10,000 a year (opt-out allowed) and 12% above that (mandatory), when a buyer clicks an ad and buys within 30 days (Marmalead, Feb 2026). Etsy says its Q2 2026 take-rate growth came mainly from Etsy Ads (Etsy Q2 2026 letter).
- Gift searches and AI gift tools — Etsy began a beta Gifting Assistant in May 2026 that lets buyers ask for gift ideas in a conversation, and says it wants inventory visible on outside platforms (Etsy Q2 2026 letter). Inference: complete titles and occasion and recipient attributes feed these tools.
- Pinterest search — Pinterest Predicts 2026 search growth in accessories and jewellery: 'brooch aesthetic' +110%, 'maximalist accessories' +105%, 'gold cuff' +50% (via The Industry Fashion, 2026; no period given). Guides say gift and home ideas are searched there by occasion and recipient.
- Google Shopping and Google Images (Etsy listings and own-shop product pages) — Guides say.
- Instagram and TikTok process videos — Guides say. Instagram favours original posts and shows Reels to non-followers (Instagram for Creators, 2023; Instagram Ranking Explained, 2023).
- Craft fairs, holiday markets and local shops — Guides say. No market or fair data was found.
- Repeat buyers and referrals through email and parcel inserts — Guides say.
The first 90 days
Week 1
Rewrite the titles of the ten best-selling listings.
Lead with the exact words a buyer types ('personalised cutting board', 'hand-poured soy candle'). Etsy matches the buyer's words against titles, tags, categories and attributes before it ranks (Etsy Seller Handbook, Aug 2025, as summarised).
Week 1
Fill every attribute and tag field (occasion, recipient, colour, material), add ten photos including scale and in-use, add a short video, and state processing time and ship-by dates plainly. Etsy's beta Gifting Assistant and search draw on this data (Etsy Q2 2026 letter; inference).
Week 1
Check the rules for your products.
Children's items need lab testing and a Children's Product Certificate (US). EU buyers need maker details and safety information on the item or packaging (GPSR). Etsy labels must match how the item is made.
Weeks 2-3
Open a Pinterest Business account, claim your site, make six to eight boards by occasion and recipient, make 30 Pins from existing photos with keyword titles, then 10 a week.
Weeks 2-4
Post to Instagram 3 times a week from your process footage.
Film every step of one make in a single session and cut 3 Reels from it. Send the same footage to TikTok.
Weeks 3-4
Put a QR insert card in every parcel (newsletter plus a reorder perk) and set up a welcome email and 'order by' reminders in your own email tool.
Add new listings or refresh photos weekly (inference from Etsy's feed change in the Q2 2026 letter).
Weeks 4-8
Run Etsy Ads on your three best sellers at a small daily budget (minimum $1 a day; clicks typically $0.20 to $0.50) for 3 to 4 weeks and compare orders with the weeks before. Remember the Offsite Ads fee: 15%, or 12% and mandatory once you pass $10,000 in 12 months.
Weeks 6-10
Apply to one or two local markets or holiday fairs.
Judgement: bring grab-and-go items at three price points, a card reader, a sign-up sheet and a sign that names the process.
Weeks 8-12
Publish two gift guides and one care guide on your own shop or blog, and put Q4 last-order dates on every listing.
Week 12
Review which listings, Pins and Reels brought orders, and cut what did not.
Channel by channel
Instagram · core
Process videos show a person made the item, and Etsy itself says 'handmade is a point of differentiation to lean into' (Etsy Q2 2026 letter). Instagram favours original posts and shows Reels to people who do not follow you (Instagram for Creators, 2023; Instagram Ranking Explained, 2023). A Collab post with another maker or a gift shop is shown to both followings (Instagram for Creators, 2023).
Rhythm: 3 posts a week (2 process Reels, 1 carousel), Stories on ship days and new listings, one Collab a month with a related maker.
| Format | Share | How a good one is built |
|---|---|---|
| Process Reel | 35% | 0-2 s: the most surprising frame, either the finished piece or the messy start. 2-15 s: four to six clips of the key steps with the hands visible. 15-20 s: the finished piece in use, the price band and 'ships in X days'. Real sound (tools, pouring), not music alone. — Shows who makes it. Instagram favours original footage. |
| Custom-order story | 20% | With the buyer's permission: the request (name blurred), the sketch or test, the making, the delivered photo. Three to five Story frames or one Reel. — Shows buyers what personalising looks like and removes the fear of ordering something custom. |
| Options carousel | 15% | Slide 1: the item. Slides 2-4: colours, fonts, sizes, add-ons. Slide 5: the order-by date for the next gift date. Slide 6: link. — Saves the buyer's questions and makes the deadline visible. |
| Ship-day Story or Reel | 15% | Packing the order, the handwritten note, the pile of parcels. — Proof the shop is real and busy. |
| Market-day preview | 15% | Where you will be this weekend, a booth photo, the new item, the opening hours. — Moves online followers to a stall and stall visitors to the account. |
What to post about
- Process and hands
- Materials and where they come from
- Custom orders and personalisation
- Gift moments
- Shop life: ship days and market stalls
Openings that work
- Transformation: 'Watch a ring go from wire to finished in 20 seconds'
- Doubt removed: 'Ordering a personalised gift? This is exactly what you get'
- Deadline: 'Order by [date] for [occasion] delivery'
- Workload: 'Making 200 candles for Saturday's market'
How people find you here: Plain phrases in the caption and on-screen text ('personalised cutting board'): Instagram says relevant keywords in content, caption, bio and hashtags help people find you in Search (Instagram for Creators, 2023). Collab co-authors. Local and market tags when you show up at a fair.
How a viewer becomes a client: Link in bio to a 'shop by occasion' page on your own shop, or to your best-selling Etsy listing. Link sticker in Stories for new listings and last-order dates. Answer custom-request DMs the same day.
Avoid on Instagram
- Never post a gifted-product video without a label (FTC Disclosures 101; ASA).
- Never show stock photos, other makers' work or AI images as your own work; Etsy's Creativity Standards expect seller-made items and ask for disclosure of AI use and production partners (Etsy CEO message; Etsy house rules via a search summary).
- Never make follower giveaways the plan; Instagram lists contest and giveaway promotion as non-recommendable (Instagram Creators FAQ).
- Never show a customer's name or order without permission.
Pinterest · core
Handmade gifts are searched by occasion and recipient ('gift for a gardener', 'wedding favour ideas'), which is how Pinterest search is used (guides say). One product photo can be pinned many times with different titles, and each Pin links to a listing. Pinterest Predicts 2026 shows fast search growth for accessory and jewellery styles ('brooch aesthetic' +110%, 'maximalist accessories' +105%) (via The Industry Fashion, 2026).
Rhythm: 10 Pins a week made in one sitting: 3 gift Pins, 3 product Pins, 2 process video Pins, 2 styled-scene Pins. Judgement: pin each evergreen gift Pin again 6 to 8 weeks before the gift date.
| Format | Share | How a good one is built |
|---|---|---|
| Gift-idea Pin by recipient or occasion | 35% | Vertical 2:3 photo of the item in use. Text on the image: 'Gift for a gardener, under $40'. Pin title with the same phrase. Description with material, size, personalisation options and processing time. Link to the exact listing. — Gift shoppers search by recipient and occasion, not by item name. |
| Product-in-scene Pin | 25% | The item in a styled room, on a table or worn, 2:3, one line of text with the item name and the material. — Shows scale and use, which a plain product photo does not. |
| Process video Pin | 20% | 10 to 20 seconds, raw material to finished piece, readable text in the first frame, ends on the finished item and 'made to order, ships in X days'. — Proof that a person made it, and it reuses the Reels footage. |
| Personalisation how-it-works Pin | 10% | Three steps showing what the buyer types (name, date, colour) and the result. Includes the order-by date. — Removes the main doubt about custom items. |
| Collection cover Pin | 10% | A board or collection cover such as 'Wedding favours' that links to a category page. — Gives broad searches a landing point. |
What to post about
- Gifts by occasion and recipient
- Weddings and events: favours, signs, stationery
- Home and seasonal decor
- How it is made
- Care and use
Openings that work
- Recipient and budget: 'Gift for a gardener under $40'
- Occasion and item: 'Wedding favour ideas, handmade soy candles'
- Benefit and material: 'Hand-poured soy candle that burns [tested number] hours' (only with a number you tested)
- Personal: 'Personalised cutting board with your family name'
How people find you here: Words in the Pin title, description and board name (guides say; Pinterest's own ranking page was not read). Use the gift phrase buyers search. Claim your own website and link Pins to the exact Etsy listing or own-shop product page. Check Pinterest Business for connecting an Etsy shop (not verified).
How a viewer becomes a client: The Pin links to the listing, with the order-by date and processing time in the description. People not ready to buy go to an email sign-up on your own shop. Etsy buyers can only be emailed if they opted in (see compliance).
Benchmarks: Pinterest Predicts 2026 search growth: 'brooch aesthetic' +110%, 'maximalist accessories' +105%, 'gold cuff' +50% (via The Industry Fashion, 2026). No craft-specific benchmark was found.
Avoid on Pinterest
- Never link to the shop front when one listing fits the Pin.
- Never pin another maker's work as your own or use a photo you did not take.
- Never call an item handmade when a production partner makes part of it without saying so; Etsy requires disclosure (Etsy Creativity Standards).
- Never show a delivery date in a Pin that your processing time cannot meet.
Email newsletter · core
Etsy's buyers are Etsy's, and growth is flat: about 87 million active buyers over 12 months, roughly stable year on year, with purchase frequency below last year (Etsy Q2 2026 letter). A repeat order placed on your own shop avoids Etsy's 6.5% transaction fee and the 12 to 15% Offsite Ads fee, though you pay card processing there too (fees: Marmalead, Feb 2026).
Rhythm: Twice a month, plus automatic messages: welcome, 'order by' reminders before each gift date, and a thank-you with a care card after purchase.
| Format | Share | How a good one is built |
|---|---|---|
| New batch or limited run | 30% | Photo of the new batch, what is different, how many there are, when it ships, link. — Gives past buyers a reason to come back. |
| Order-by reminder | 25% | Six weeks, three weeks and one week before a gift date: the cut-off for made-to-order and the cut-off for guaranteed delivery. — Gifts are bought against a deadline. |
| Custom-order window | 15% | Opens a set number of custom slots with a close date. — Makes custom work plannable for the maker. |
| Care and thank-you | 15% | After purchase: care instructions, a thank-you note, and a review request sent the same way to every buyer. — Builds reviews and repeat orders. |
| Market schedule | 15% | Where you will be next, with dates and a reason to stop by. — Links offline and online customers. |
What to post about
- New batches
- Gift deadlines
- Custom-order slots
- Care
- Market dates
Openings that work
- Deadline: 'Order by [date] for [occasion] delivery'
- Scarcity: 'Twelve candles in this batch' (only when true)
- Thank-you: 'Your mug is on its way. Here is how to look after it.'
How people find you here: A QR insert card in every parcel; a sign-up table with a paper list and a QR code at markets; an Instagram link sticker; an unticked opt-in box at own-shop checkout. Do not copy Etsy buyers' emails without their opt-in.
How a viewer becomes a client: Link to the exact product page on your own shop, or to the Etsy listing if the item is only there.
Benchmarks: Klaviyo 2026 (all industries): flows are 5.3% of email sends and nearly 41% of email revenue; flow click rate 5.58% against 1.69% for campaigns. No craft-specific figure was found.
Avoid on Email newsletter
- Never add Etsy buyers to a marketing list without their opt-in; consent rules apply in the EU and UK (GDPR, PECR) and the US (CAN-SPAM).
- Never send an 'order by' date you cannot meet.
- Never discount every week; keep offers for slow weeks (guides say).
TikTok · support
Process, packing and satisfying clips can travel to people who never searched for the item (guides say). TikTok still has the highest engagement of the four networks Rival IQ tracks, after a 34% fall across industries (Rival IQ 2025). It is a support channel because the footage is the same as for Reels. TikTok Shop is optional for makers with steady stock (6% referral fee on most categories, TikTok Shop Seller University, Oct 2024).
Rhythm: 3 videos a week from the same process footage, plus one comment-reply video.
| Format | Share | How a good one is built |
|---|---|---|
| Satisfying process loop | 40% | 10 to 20 seconds of one continuous process (pouring, glazing, stitching), no talking, text on the first frame saying what is being made, the reveal in the last 2 seconds. — Needs no voice, so it is quick to film and works with sound off. |
| Pack an order with me | 25% | A real order, step by step: wrap, note, label, box. Text names the item and the personalisation. — Real orders prove demand. |
| Comment reply: custom order | 20% | Reply to a question such as 'can you add a name?' with a video of the item having the name added. — Turns a question into content and shows custom work is possible. |
| Stall build and sold-out Saturday | 15% | Setting up a craft fair stall in 30 seconds, the day's best sellers, what sold out. — Connects markets and online. |
What to post about
- Process
- Packing
- Custom orders
- Market days
- Materials
Openings that work
- Silent reveal: 'Making a mug from a lump of clay'
- Reply: 'Reply to @name: yes, I can add your dog's name'
- Count: '200 orders to pack before Friday'
How people find you here: The item name and the occasion in on-screen text, spoken words and caption (guides say TikTok search reads all three).
How a viewer becomes a client: Link in bio to the shop or the listing. TikTok Shop only if you have steady stock and can ship fast.
Benchmarks: Rival IQ 2025: cross-industry TikTok engagement fell 34% yet is still the highest of the four networks. TikTok Shop US referral fee: 6% for most categories, 5% for five precious-jewellery subcategories (Seller University table, Oct 2024); an unconfirmed 2026 report says 8% (beBOLD 2026).
Avoid on TikTok
- Never post a gifted-product video without the disclosure inside the video (FTC Disclosures 101).
- Never open TikTok Shop for a made-to-order item you cannot ship fast.
Channels to leave for later
- YouTube — Long tutorials turn a shop into a teaching channel, which is another business. Reuse process clips as Shorts only if it costs no extra time (judgement). Exception: makers who sell patterns or kits.
- X — Rival IQ 2025 found X engagement down 48% across industries. Gift buyers for handmade goods are not there.
- LinkedIn — Not where gift buyers are. One exception is corporate gifting, where a short direct message to a company can win a custom batch (guides say).
- Facebook — Rival IQ 2025 found Facebook engagement down 36% across industries. Local community groups and fair event pages may help on market days, but group rules vary and were not checked (judgement).
- Threads — No evidence was found that it sells handmade goods. Cross-post only if it is automatic (judgement).
- Reddit — Seller and craft subreddits are for peer talk and showing finished work; do not promote a shop in any sub until its sidebar rules are read (judgement).
- Quora — Purchase intent for handmade gifts shows up on Etsy, Pinterest and Google, not in Q&A (judgement).
- Google Business Profile — Online-first. Add a profile only for a studio shop or a regular stall address. Home-based makers can use a service-area profile that hides the address.
Google and the blog
Support channel. An own-shop blog catches searches that Etsy listing pages do not rank for: how to care for the item, what to write on a personalised gift, gift guides by recipient. Etsy ranks listings, not blog posts, so for an Etsy-only shop the blog is optional. Query examples below are typical phrasings, not volume-checked.
| Article | Searches like | How the winners are built |
|---|---|---|
| Gift guides by recipient and occasion | “personalised gifts for mum”, “handmade gifts for him”, “unique first anniversary gifts”, “gifts for a gardener” | Grouped by recipient and budget. Each item has a photo, what makes it personal, material, processing time and the order-by date, then a link to the listing. Update the date every year and add delivery cut-offs. |
| Care and use guides | “how to clean sterling silver”, “how to care for a wooden cutting board”, “how to wash a hand knitted jumper”, “how to burn a candle so it does not tunnel” | The answer in numbered steps with photos, what to avoid, how often. End with 'when to replace it' and a link to the item. Reuse the text of the care card from the parcel. |
| Personalisation help | “what to write on a personalised gift”, “how to choose a name font for a sign”, “baby shower gift ideas personalised”, “what to engrave on a wedding gift” | Examples with photos of finished items, a short decision list (name only, date, quote), how proofs and approval work, typical lead time. |
| How it is made | “how is a hand poured candle made”, “how is a ceramic mug made”, “handmade vs mass produced”, “what does handmade mean” | Steps with your own photos, materials and sourcing, time per piece, why the price reflects the time. Say only what is true; Etsy's labels (Made by, Designed by) have to match. |
| Where to find us: market and fair pages | “christmas markets [city] 2026”, “craft fairs near me [month]”, “handmade market [city]” | Dates, address, what you will bring, map link, parking, opening hours. Keep one page per season and update it. Link to the organiser. |
When searches peak: US Mother's Day is the second Sunday in May and NRF's 2026 survey put spending at a record $38 billion (all gifts). UK Mothering Sunday is three weeks before Easter, usually in March. Judgement: publish gift guides 6 to 8 weeks before each date. For Q4, photograph and list the holiday range by early October, publish gift guides in October and state last-order dates in November. Birthdays and weddings are year-round and grew double digits in Q2 2026 (Etsy), so keep 'personalised birthday' and 'wedding' pages live all year.
Local search: Only for makers who sell at regular markets or have a studio shop. A Google Business Profile for the studio, or a service-area profile that hides the address if home-based. List market dates in posts, ask for Google reviews with a QR card at the stall, and make sure each organiser's exhibitor page links to your site (guides say).
Where businesses in this niche get featured and linked
- Craft fair and Christmas market organisers: exhibitor lists link to your site
- Maker guilds and craft associations (for example the American Craft Council, the Crafts Council in the UK): member directories and show listings
- Local gift-guide bloggers, neighbourhood newsletters and local lifestyle magazines
- Wedding blogs and supplier directories (for favours, signs and stationery)
- Local boutiques and gift shops that stock handmade items (consignment or wholesale; Faire for wholesale)
- Podcasts about small business and making: guest spots
- Material suppliers that feature customers' work
The year in this niche
| When | What matters |
|---|---|
| January to February | Valentine's Day gifts. Engagement and wedding-planning season starts. Plan the craft fair calendar and send applications; judgement: many fairs close applications months ahead, so check each organiser. |
| March | UK Mothering Sunday (three weeks before Easter, usually in March). Spring markets restart. Easter. |
| April to May | US Mother's Day (second Sunday of May): NRF 2026 shows $38 billion in total and $284 per person, up from $34.1 billion in 2025. Graduations. Outdoor craft fair season begins. Etsy reported solid growth for Mother's Day, Father's Day and graduation in Q2 2026. |
| June | Father's Day. Weddings in full swing. Summer markets. |
| July to August | Teacher gifts and back-to-school. Photograph and list the holiday range. Apply for holiday markets. |
| September to October | Halloween and autumn decor. Holiday items go live. Gift guides and Pinterest holiday boards go up in October. |
| November | Black Friday 27 Nov 2026, Small Business Saturday 28 Nov, Cyber Monday 30 Nov. Holiday fairs. State last-order and last-ship dates on every listing. |
| December | Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year gifts. Last-order dates for personalised items, repeated daily. In January send thank-you emails and review requests. |
Partners who share your audience
- Other makers: bundles, shared booths at fairs, Collab posts. Pick makers with a similar price point and a different product.
- Craft fair and market organisers: apply early and ask what sold at that fair last year.
- Local gift shops and boutiques: consignment or wholesale. Keep your prices equal to your own so you do not undercut them.
- Wedding and event planners, venues and florists: favours, signs, stationery, custom orders.
- Companies buying client or staff gifts: custom batches with a minimum order.
- Micro-creators in home, wedding and gift niches: send a piece with a disclosure brief (FTC; ASA).
- Material suppliers and local makerspaces that share your work.
Rules that apply
- US (CPSC): every children's product must be tested by a CPSC-accepted third-party lab and the maker or importer issues a Children's Product Certificate. CPSC lists more than 600 accepted labs, and the CPSC pages read here list no exception for handmade. Small batch manufacturers can register with the CPSC for relief from some third-party tests; revenue and unit caps apply, so check cpsc.gov. Tracking labels go on the product and packaging where practicable. Children's products are those made for ages 12 and under (CPSC Third Party Testing page; CPSC Small Business Resources page).
- EU: the General Product Safety Regulation (EU) 2023/988 applies from 13 Dec 2024. In short: the maker's name and postal and electronic address, plus product identification (type, batch or serial number), on the product or its packaging; safety information and instructions in the buyer's language; online listings that show the same details; an EU-based responsible person for makers outside the EU.
- EU and UK toys: toys carry the CE mark under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC; UK rules differ (UKCA or CE).
- Etsy (platform rule): every item must be made, designed, handpicked or sourced by the seller, and the listing shows a 'Made by', 'Designed by', 'Handpicked by' or 'Sourced by' label (Etsy CEO message on Creativity Standards). Etsy's house rules (read through a search summary;
- US: 'Made in USA' needs 'all or virtually all' of the product made in the US, so a hand-finished item from imported materials needs a qualified claim (FTC, Complying with the Made in USA Standard).
- US (FTC) and UK (ASA, CMA): gifted items sent to creators must be disclosed as ads in the post itself (FTC Disclosures 101, 2019; ASA influencer cheat sheet).
- US (FTC): the Rule on Consumer Reviews and Testimonials, in force 21 Oct 2024, bans fake reviews; incentives for reviews may not depend on a positive result; asking only customers you expect to be happy can break the FTC Act (FTC Q&A on the rule).
- Skincare, soap, candles, wax melts, food and anything worn on the skin have their own rules: US FDA and CPSC; the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires a safety assessment and notification before sale; EU and UK CLP labelling applies to candles with hazardous fragrance ingredients. Check before listing.
- Email and SMS: opt-in consent in the EU and UK (GDPR, PECR); an opt-out in the US (CAN-SPAM) and written consent for marketing texts (TCPA).
What to measure
- Etsy: listing views, favourites, orders and conversion rate per listing. No primary benchmark was found, so compare your listings with each other.
- Orders by source: Etsy search, Etsy Ads, Offsite Ads, Pinterest, Instagram, direct, email.
- Etsy Ads: spend, orders and revenue per ad against the same listing before ads.
- Fees as a share of revenue: 6.5% transaction fee, 3% plus $0.25 payment processing, ads (Marmalead, Feb 2026). For context, Etsy's own take rate (revenue as a share of sales) was 25.9% in Q2 2026 (Etsy Q2 2026 letter).
- Repeat-buyer rate and the share of orders from your own shop and email.
- Newsletter sign-ups per 100 orders from the insert card.
- Pin saves and outbound clicks per Pin, and the top boards.
- Per process Reel: shares, saves and watch-through. Instagram says Reels are judged on reshares, watching all the way through and likes (Instagram Ranking Explained, 2023).
- Market days: sales per hour, sign-ups per day, booth fee against sales.
- On-time shipping rate and message response time.
Sources
- Etsy, Inc. Q2 2026 shareholder letter (8-K) — Etsy, Inc. via SEC EDGAR, 2026-08
- A Message from Etsy's CEO: Strengthening our commitment to creativity — Etsy Community
- read through summaries) — Etsy Seller Handbook, 2025-08
- read through a search summary) — Etsy
- What should I know about Etsy's Creative Standards policy? (third-party summary of Etsy's rules) — Printify Help Center
- Etsy fees explained 2025 (page dated 13 Feb 2026) — Marmalead, 2026-02
- Mother's Day data (2026 survey with Prosper Insights and Analytics) — National Retail Federation, 2026
- Third Party Testing (children's products) — US Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Small Business Resources (small batch manufacturer registration) — US Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Product safety (General Product Safety Regulation overview) — European Commission
- Regulation (EU) 2023/988 on general product safety (official text; not readable here) — Official Journal of the European Union, 2023-05
- Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers — US Federal Trade Commission, 2019-11
- Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers — US Federal Trade Commission, 2024-10
- Complying with the Made in USA Standard — US Federal Trade Commission
- The influencer's cheat sheet to declaring ads on social media — UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA/CAP)
- Tips for Improving Your Reach — Instagram for Creators, 2023-05
- Instagram Ranking Explained — Instagram (Adam Mosseri), 2023-05
- Instagram for Creators: Frequently Asked Questions (read through a search summary) — Instagram for Creators
- 2025 Social Media Industry Benchmark Report (page text; charts not readable) — Rival IQ, 2025-02
- TikTok Shop Referral Fees in 2024 by Category — TikTok Shop Seller University (US), 2024-10
- TikTok Shop 8 percent referral fee (unconfirmed report) — beBOLD Digital, 2026
- 2026 email marketing benchmarks by industry (all-industry figures only) — Klaviyo, 2026
- Pinterest reveals the fashion trends set to define 2026 (reports Pinterest Predicts 2026) — The Industry Fashion
Questions
Asked about makers and craft shops
What is the best marketing channel for makers and craft shops?
Instagram, Pinterest and Email newsletter. Process videos show a person made the item, and Etsy itself says 'handmade is a point of differentiation to lean into' (Etsy Q2 2026 letter). Instagram favours original posts and shows Reels to people who do not follow you (Instagram for Creators, 2023; Instagram Ranking Explained, 2023). A Collab post with another maker or a gift shop is shown to both followings (Instagram…
How often should makers and craft shops post on Instagram?
3 posts a week (2 process Reels, 1 carousel), Stories on ship days and new listings, one Collab a month with a related maker.
Is X worth it for makers and craft shops?
Usually not at the start: Rival IQ 2025 found X engagement down 48% across industries. Gift buyers for handmade goods are not there.
Which months matter most for makers and craft shops?
January to February: Valentine's Day gifts. Engagement and wedding-planning season starts. Plan the craft fair calendar and send applications; judgement: many fairs close applications months ahead, so check each organiser. March: UK Mothering Sunday (three weeks before Easter, usually in March). Spring markets restart. Easter.
What advertising rules apply to makers and craft shops?
US (CPSC): every children's product must be tested by a CPSC-accepted third-party lab and the maker or importer issues a Children's Product Certificate. CPSC lists more than 600 accepted labs, and the CPSC pages read here list no exception for handmade. Small batch manufacturers can register with the CPSC for relief from some third-party tests; revenue and unit caps apply, so check cpsc.gov. Tracking labels go on the product and packaging where practicable. Children's products are those made for ages 12 and under…
What should makers and craft shops measure?
Etsy: listing views, favourites, orders and conversion rate per listing. No primary benchmark was found, so compare your listings with each other. Orders by source: Etsy search, Etsy Ads, Offsite Ads, Pinterest, Instagram, direct, email. Etsy Ads: spend, orders and revenue per ad against the same listing before ads.