If you want to buy from or sell on a UK handmade marketplace, you have options. They are not equivalent. Here is an honest assessment of what distinguishes them.
For buyers: the authenticity question
The most important thing a buyer needs from a handmade marketplace is confidence that the products are actually handmade. This varies significantly by platform. Etsy, which once required handmade goods, has progressively relaxed its policies to the point where mass-produced goods are widely sold under handmade labelling. Identifying genuinely handmade products requires care and sometimes investigation.
Numonday requires all sellers to be making or designing their products themselves. Not On The High Street curates its sellers but operates at a higher price point with significant retail margin. Folksy focuses specifically on UK crafts with clear handmade criteria.
For buyers: the price structure
Platform commission is built into the prices you see as a buyer, even if it is not visible. On Etsy, sellers who pay 6.5% transaction fee plus payment processing often price accordingly or absorb the loss. On Numonday, where there is no commission, makers can price more competitively or retain more margin at the same price point. For buyers, this means the value at a given price is often better on commission-free platforms.
For sellers: the economics
This is where the differences are most significant. Etsy’s all-in fee structure (transaction fee, payment processing, listing fees, sometimes offsite ads) amounts to 12–20% of gross sales for many sellers. Not On The High Street takes 25% commission. Folksy charges listing fees and 6% commission. Numonday charges a flat £45 annual fee (just £3.75 a month) with zero commission.
At £5,000 annual sales volume, the difference between Etsy and Numonday is roughly £550–950 in fees. At £10,000, it is £1,100–1,900. For a sole trader, this is significant income.
For sellers: the control question
On platform-dependent marketplaces, changes to algorithms, fees, or policies can dramatically affect a seller’s business overnight. Etsy’s fee increases in 2022 prompted a seller strike because the impact on margins was immediate and significant. On a flat-fee platform, fee stability is guaranteed for the membership period.
What each platform is best for
Etsy remains the largest audience but has the most noise and the worst economics for sellers. NOTHS has strong brand recognition and affluent buyers but takes significant margin. Folksy is the most authentically UK-craft-focused but has the smallest audience. Numonday has the best seller economics and genuine handmade integrity, with a growing audience.
Most established UK makers use multiple channels — their own website, one or two marketplaces, and physical markets. The combination that works depends on what they make, their price point, and how much time they have for platform management.
Numonday: £3.75 a month, billed yearly at £45, zero commission, direct payment to your Stripe account. Over 4,000 UK makers already selling.
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