In addition to selling handmade goods, I buy a lot of handmade items. I have had many wonderful experiences buying from Canadian artisans, and I am usually very impressed with the products that I buy.
Experience has taught me that there several things I can look for to make sure I have a positive experience when buying handmade every time:
- At craft shows, you can tell how serious someone is about their merchandise by the presentation. Is it displayed in a pleasing manner, or is it just plunked on a table in a big pile? Artisans that make an effort to display their work attractively are more likely to be in it for the long run, take pride in their work, and are likely to put the same care and professionalism into making their products.
Enthral Designs craft show set up
- Are the products packaged or labelled? Does the packaging or label include an address, phone number or website so that you will have a way to contact the seller if you have a problem with the product, or need to exchange it?
Product nicely packaged. Contact info on back.
- Does the seller have a business card or brochure? This can indicate whether or not they view their business professionally and if they have invested any money in marketing themselves. Sellers that are just there to make a quick buck will not put the effort or money into marketing because they are just in it for the short term.
- If you ask a question, is the seller knowledgeable enough about the product to answer it? If they can't tell you about the product's construction or components, that might be an indication that either they haven't made it themselves, or that it is poorly made. When you communicate with the artisan, are they polite and patient? Are email communications professional in tone?
- When you are buying handmade items online, are the photos of the product crisp and clear? Does the artisan make an effort to give you different views and at least one close up shot of the product?
Good pictures are worth a thousand words!- Is there a clear set of shipping, return and customer service policies. I will not buy from any online venue that does not clearly list these. If they don't have them listed anywhere, that should be a big, flashing red flag.
Click to read an example of shop policies.
- Do they have a short biography or shop profile? Do they have a blog you can read or another website? All of these things will help you determine if the seller is legitimate, gives you insight into how their products are made, and helps you judge if they conduct themselves in a professional manner.
- Do they have customer feedback or testimonials posted on their website or online venue? Are they willing to forward some to you? If you are making a really substantial purchase, are they willing to give you customer references? The same goes for custom work. They should be able to provide pictures of past projects, and customer references for custom work.
- Are the descriptions of their items complete and detailed? Is there enough information for you to be sure of the size of the product?
- Is the price and all other costs associated with the product (taxes, shipping) made clear to you?
I hope this will help shoppers have positive experiences when they buy from the many talented artisans out there.
Overall, most artisans are passionate about their work and are only too happy to go the extra mile for a customer. Handmade products have the benefit of being unique and high quality. Additionally, you are supporting a real individual when you purchase a handmade product. Shopping for handmade artisan goods is rewarding and extremely gratifying.
If you have any more suggestions for ensuring a positive experience when shopping for handmade goods, please feel free to leave them as a comment.
I've been the lucky owner of one of Pegg's rugs for the past 7 months. I love this rug. Who gets so excited about a rug? Me! And likely you if you're lucky enough to own one. If you are the owner of one of these hand woven rugs you know exactly what I mean!
These rugs are hand woven from recycled sweaters and t-shirts. They are thick and lush and oohhh so comfy under your feet. And really so cozy that I've found my 3 year old sleeping on it! Wouldn't you want to curl up on something so squishy too! 
Of course there are more then just these beautiful rugs in Pegg's shop. At Fiveforty you'll also find so many pretty things. I've also purchased a gorgeous sun catcher which I had purchased for a gift but almost kept for myself. It was a perfect gift though and was so well received.
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