HOW IT WORKS
Start selling online
We celebrate the joy that comes with buying small and the uniqueness of browsing through independent shops. The idea for Makers was born in 2019 in the Isle of Man. Today, as then: We love local small handmade shops.
One of the biggest obstacles of starting up an online business is acquiring an audience to get sales. Makers.im provides a marketplace specifically for craftspeople, artists, and Makers of all kinds to sell their goods without needing a brick-and-mortar store or an individual e-commerce platform.
With Makers.im, your audience is already here and waiting to purchase your fabulous handcrafted goods.
Simple, affordable, transparent and secure
No monthly fees*, listing fees*, or commission**. It doesn’t cost a thing to list as many items as you want a month and you only pay after your stuff sells.
* The card fees also attract an additional flat fee of £0.30 per transaction. Card processing fees are dynamic. The values above are subject to change and sellers will be notified of the changes by email as they happen. We process payments securely with PayPal or through our own payment gateway. Funds from your sales on Makers.im will be deposited automatically into your PayPal account.
** You will pay no commission if you are an exclusive seller on Makers.im. This means that you do not sell on any other Isle of Man shopping site. This excludes your own personal website, Etsy/eBay/Amazon store, or your own social media profiles. If you’re NOT exclusive, we’ll impose a flat rate 20% commission on all of your orders (excluding postage charges) + the card processing fees above.
WHAT DO YOU GET AS A SELLER?
Features & options for selling with your Makers.im shop
Simple, Variable or Downloadable products
When you list your products on Makers.im, you have three options for how you want to list your product. Each product can have an image gallery with it so you can upload photos of different options etc. Also, there are options for stock management if you require it so you never sell more items than you’ve physically made.
Simple – a basic product with one selling price and optional (chargeable or free) customisation options e.g. engraving names, or some other personalised customisation.
Variable – a product which is available in different styles, colours or sizes. These can also have optional customisation options. Different product variations can be different prices.
Downloadable – gives you the option of being able to add products which users can download once they’ve purchased it.
Create money off or percentage off coupons
We’ve all seen it while shopping online: that little coupon code box that shows up in the cart or during checkout. With Makers.im, you can create your own for your shop.
- X% off: Codes for these discounts take a certain percentage off and can apply to your whole order for your shop, or only select items.
- £X off: These will take a fixed pounds amount off the order with your shop. Alternatively, they could apply to one single item.
Any of these code types can be applied to no-minimum purchases, but generally you would create the coupons to require a minimum order amount in order to be redeemed. Codes can apply to most items you sell, or only to specific items or categories.
The important thing to remember is that these codes only apply to items in your shop – they are not site wide.
An example for coupon usage: if you’re at a local market and you want to actively encourage a sale on an expensive item, you could create a 5% off coupon valid for 48 hours after the event has finished for customers to purchase from your online store.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common questions about selling on Makers.im
How do fees work on Makers.im?
Joining and starting a shop on Makers.im is free. There are NO selling fees just a payment processing fee. It costs nothing to publish a listing in the marketplace. Once your item sells, the only amount you pay is a payment processing fee. Details of these can be found above.
What do I need to do to create a shop?
It’s easy to set up a shop on Makers.im. You create a Makers.im account (if you don’t already have one), set your shop location, choose a shop name, create a listing, and set a payment method (how you want to be paid). It’s as easy as that.
How do I get paid?
Funds from your sales on Makers.im will be automatically deposited into your PayPal account. We encourage sellers to use a PayPal Business account and not a Personal account, as personal accounts are subject to monthly receiving limits. PayPal Personal accounts are fine if you’re just starting out though.
Do I need a credit or debit card to create a shop?
No, a credit or debit card is not required to create a shop. To be verified as a seller you have to register a PayPal account when you sign up. You will not incur any charges until you open your shop, publish your listings and sell your first item.
What can I sell on Makers.im?
Makers.im provides a marketplace for crafters and artists to sell their handmade creations or reworked vintage goods. The only thing we ask is that everything you sell is made or reworked on the Isle of Man and that it complies with Section 1 of our Seller Policy and our Prohibited Items Policy.
Are you ready?
Partner up with Makers.im to kick-start your home or small Maker business
With Makers.im, your audience is already here and waiting to purchase your fabulous handcrafted goods.