How it works
How We Connect Makers and Customers
Our marketplace brings together passionate makers and buyers who value craftsmanship — no middlemen, just real connections.
Find Your Perfect Maker
Browse by category and explore makers' portfolios to see past work, reviews, and specialties. When you're ready, start a commission and collaborate with a skilled maker.
Makers apply to join the marketplace
We are a small community of experienced makers who create everything by hand — no dropshipping allowed.
We curate and verify our makers
We want you to know you're supporting real, vetted artisans, not mass producers or resellers.
Find exactly what you want
Connect with a maker directly or start a commission to bring your vision to life.
Your vision comes to life
Ask questions, request customizations, and build a connection with the person behind the product.
Step 1
Makers apply to join
We are a small community of experienced makers who create everything by hand — no dropshipping allowed.
Curated Experience. An application process helps maintain a high standard of craftsmanship.
Protects the Community. We filter out mass producers and dropshippers, ensuring the space remains supportive of genuine, independent makers.
Respect for Craft. The process honors makers by treating their work as something meaningful, not mass-market.
Long-Term Value. A curated, high-quality community attracts serious buyers and makers alike.
Step 2
We verify every maker
We want you to know you're supporting real, vetted artisans — not mass producers or resellers.
Build Trust. Buyers feel confident knowing makers are real people, not drop-shippers or resellers.
Support Makers. Verification helps prevent imitation, fraud, and unfair competition.
Set a Standard. Curation ensures every maker aligns with our values of creativity, craftsmanship, and ethical business.
Be Different. A curated platform stands out by offering a premium experience.
Step 3
Find exactly what you want
Connect with a maker directly or start a commission to bring your vision to life.
One-of-a-Kind Value. Custom items stand out in a world of generic goods — meaningful, memorable, and handcrafted with care.
Collaboration with a Maker. Starting a project opens the door to creative dialogue, turning a purchase into a co-creation.
Better Fit & Durability. Custom products often offer superior satisfaction and longevity.
Sustainable Choices. Custom means less waste and more intention — made when needed, not mass-produced.
Step 4
Your vision comes to life
Ask questions, request customizations, and build a connection with the person behind the product.
Direct Relationship. Build a connection with the person creating your piece.
Customization & Collaboration. Align on vision, materials, and timeline through direct communication.
Transparency. No middlemen means clear expectations on pricing, shipping, and details.
Human-Centered Commerce. Support meaningful transactions — not just financial, but relational and creative.
Common questions
Maker Marketplace is an online marketplace where buyers commission custom pieces, and buy handmade goods, directly from independent makers in the United States. It covers furniture, home goods, jewelry, leather, glass, metalwork and more. It lists over 55,000 products from more than 3,000 makers.
- Describe what you want: the piece, materials, size, budget and date.
- Makers who do that kind of work send proposals.
- You choose one and approve its price and spec, then pay a 50% deposit.
- The maker builds the piece and shows it to you by photos, a video call or a studio visit.
- You approve it and pay the balance. Maker Marketplace holds that payment while the piece ships.
No marketplace fee. The price you approve includes materials, labor and shipping. The only addition is card processing, passed through at just under 3%.
Your 50% deposit funds the maker's materials. You pay the balance only after you approve the finished piece, and Maker Marketplace holds that payment while it ships. If a dispute is resolved in your favor, Maker Marketplace can recover funds from the maker.
Yes, when you pay through Maker Marketplace:
- Your deposit funds the maker's materials.
- You pay the balance only after you approve the finished piece, and we hold that payment while it ships.
- Disputes resolved in your favor can be recovered from the maker.
Never pay a maker by PayPal, Zelle, wire or gift cards. Payments outside the platform aren't protected, and requests for them should be reported to support@maker-marketplace.com.
Our Maker Support team verifies every applicant:
- their portfolio;
- their identity and location;
- their online reviews and real-life references.
New makers start with a trial period, while we confirm their work and delivery meet our standards.
It depends on the piece, the materials and the maker. Smaller handmade goods often start around $100 to $500. Most commissioned furniture falls between $500 and $10,000. You see the full price in the maker's proposal before you pay anything.
Smaller goods can ship within about a week. Custom furniture and large pieces typically take four to twelve weeks. Each proposal states the maker's timeline.
- If it matches what you approved but isn't quite what you wanted, message the maker; our makers want you to be happy with the result.
- If it arrived damaged or doesn't match the proposal you approved, contact support@maker-marketplace.com and we will make it right.
Yes. Many makers list finished pieces you can buy right away, alongside custom commissions.
Yes. Companies order corporate gifts from one piece to 1,000 units, and designers and hospitality buyers source custom furniture through our trade program.
Nearly every maker on Maker Marketplace works in the United States, and each listing shows where its maker is based. If you need US-sourced materials, ask the maker before approving a proposal.
It is built for commissioning. You can post a project and receive proposals from makers who do that kind of work. Payments follow a deposit-and-hold process, and every maker is reviewed before they can sell. Dropshippers and factories are not accepted.
Ready to get started?
Whether you're looking for a custom piece or want to join our curated community of makers, we're here to help.
Start selling your custom goods
Our curated marketplace is where creativity meets community. Our customers value quality over quantity, and buying local over global.
Become a Maker