Artisans Cooperative Launches Handmade Marketplace Beta
Just in time to celebrate National Co-op month, the Artisans Cooperative is launching the beta version of their handmade marketplace Etsy alternative!
NEHALEM, OREGON, October 2, 2023 – Artisans Cooperative has launched a groundbreaking online marketplace for handmade goods owned by and operated by its users. The group presents a revolutionary new way for worldwide buyers and sellers of arts and crafts to interact as a “co-op alternative to Etsy.”
Their announcement comes during National Co-op Month, a time when cooperatives around the world are raising awareness of the cooperative business model: a trusted, proven, and ethical alternative.
The marketplace opens its doors to shoppers looking for authentic handmade goods and to artists, crafters, and makers looking for a new selling platform. For sellers, it offers transparent, community-written policies and a simple sales commission with no listing fees. For both artisans and general supporters, it offers the opportunity to become co-op business owners with voting rights and financial rights.
With over 70 shops and 1,200 items on day one, and more being added daily, Artisans Cooperative offers an array of unique, handcrafted items for shoppers seeking something truly special. Built in less than a year using Shopify technology, the marketplace is a fully-functional Beta.
Artisans Cooperative was born out of the 2022 Etsy Seller Strike movement as members were inspired to build a better handmade marketplace for the online creative community following the collective loss of trust in Etsy management.
Earlier this year, they received support from the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives to obtain a grant from the USDA and joined the Start.coop Accelerator Program to help them make this new marketplace a reality.
"We are excited to provide a platform that rewards the artisans and their craft as the true value builders of a marketplace," said Erin Sapre, a potter in North Carolina and Secretary of Artisans Cooperative.
“Finally, a marketplace that rejects the conventional methods that have held me down for years, and promises changes in which I can thrive as an artist,“ said Aurora Herman, a paper and digital artist doing business as Auralis Creations in Cork, Ireland.
Check out the handmade items already for sale in the Artisans Cooperative marketplace and here's how you can join if you are a handmade artisan!
Lizzy | Artisan Member
