warebythe wareby blog.
guides for local makers and the neighbors who shop with them, from two people who started a small bakery in minneapolis.
etsy vs amazon handmade vs wareby: where should you sell?
the two biggest places to sell handmade online, side by side on cost, who can sell, who buys and how much of the customer you keep. plus wareby, the marketplace built for makers whose buyers live nearby, home bakers and cooks included.
where to sell · 6 min read
shopify vs etsy: your own store, or a marketplace?
the biggest question for a growing maker: stay on etsy, where the buyers are, or open your own store, where the customers are yours?
where to sell · 3 min read
square online vs shopify for a small business
two ways to run your own online store, compared for small sellers: what they cost, what the free plan can’t do, and which is better if you also sell in person.
where to sell · 3 min read
hotplate vs square online for a home bakery
two popular ways home bakers take orders, compared: who pays the fees, how drops and preorders work, and which fits a market stand.
where to sell · 2 min read
etsy vs ebay for handmade and vintage
two big marketplaces with very different buyers: handmade and vintage lovers on etsy, deal hunters and collectors on ebay.
where to sell · 2 min read
wix vs squarespace for makers and small shops
two of the most popular website builders, compared for people who want to sell what they make: real costs, transaction fees and the free plans.
where to sell · 2 min read
shopify alternatives for small sellers
shopify is powerful, but $39 a month is a lot when you’re selling a few orders a week. here are the alternatives, and what each one costs.
where to sell · 4 min read
square online alternatives
square online is a solid free start, but its free plan has limits. here are the alternatives, and what each costs.
where to sell · 3 min read
facebook marketplace alternatives for selling locally
facebook marketplace is free and huge, but anyone can list and pickups aren’t protected. here are the other ways to sell to people near you.
where to sell · 3 min read
amazon handmade alternatives
amazon handmade takes 15% of every sale and doesn’t allow food. here are the other places to sell handmade, and what each costs.
where to sell · 3 min read
big cartel alternatives
big cartel is simple and made for artists, but its free plan stops at 5 products. here are the alternatives.
where to sell · 3 min read
castiron alternatives: where home bakers went next
castiron was a favorite of home bakers. here’s what happened to it, and the apps bakers use now.
where to sell · 3 min read
instagram shop alternatives, now that checkout is gone
instagram still sells your work, but it no longer checks people out. here’s where to send them.
where to sell · 4 min read
doordash for home bakers: the alternatives that are actually allowed
doordash, uber eats and grubhub are built for restaurants. here’s why most home bakers can’t use them, and what works instead.
where to sell · 3 min read
twin cities holiday markets and craft fairs, 2026
the christmas markets, makers markets and craft fairs in minneapolis, st. paul and nearby for 2026, with dates and hours checked on each organizer’s own page.
shop local · 6 min read
small business saturday 2026: when it is, and how to shop small
the saturday after thanksgiving is for the shops down the street. here’s when it is, where it came from, what’s happening in the twin cities, and how shops can get ready.
shop local · 3 min read
a local holiday gift guide: gifts from makers near you
gift ideas you can buy from bakers, potters, florists and makers near you, plus how to order in time and give food gifts the right way.
shop local · 3 min read
is it safe to buy from home bakers?
home bakers sell under their state’s cottage food law. here’s what that law allows, what it asks of bakers, and what to check before you buy.
shop local · 3 min read
how to find home bakers near you
the best bread and cookies in town might be coming out of a home kitchen down the street. here’s how to find them, and how ordering usually works.
shop local · 2 min read
where your money goes when you shop local
buying from the shop down the street keeps more of your money working near you. here’s how much, and why.
shop local · 2 min read
how much to charge for a dozen cookies
a price that pays for the ingredients, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
how much to charge for cinnamon rolls
a price that pays for the ingredients, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
how much to charge for a loaf of sourdough
a price that pays for the ingredients, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
how much to charge for cupcakes
a price that pays for the ingredients, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
how much to charge for candles
a price that pays for the materials, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
how much to charge for a crochet beanie
a price that pays for the materials, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
how much to charge for handmade earrings
a price that pays for the materials, your time and every fee, worked out with real numbers.
for makers · 3 min read
etsy fees in 2026, explained
every fee etsy charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 3 min read
shopify fees in 2026, explained
every fee shopify charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 2 min read
square online fees in 2026, explained
every fee square online charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 2 min read
hotplate fees in 2026, explained
every fee hotplate charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 2 min read
amazon handmade fees in 2026, explained
every fee amazon handmade charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 2 min read
facebook marketplace fees in 2026, explained
every fee facebook marketplace charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 2 min read
ebay fees in 2026, explained
every fee ebay charges, in plain words, and what it takes from an order at five different prices.
where to sell · 2 min read
how to start a home bakery in minnesota
minnesota lets you bake at home and sell to your neighbors without a commercial kitchen. here’s what you can sell, where, how to register, and what changes in 2027.
selling food · 7 min read
can you sell cottage food on apps like hotplate or doordash?
ordering apps, yes. courier apps, no. here’s the minnesota rule that decides it, and how to run pickup and delivery yourself.
selling food · 4 min read
how to sell at a twin cities farmers market
a vendor checklist from two people who sold under a blue tent: picking a market, applying, permits, sales tax, insurance, and what to bring on day one.
for makers · 6 min read
how to price handmade goods
a simple formula for makers and home bakers, worked through with real numbers for a candle and a dozen cookies.
for makers · 5 min read
what “verified local” means on wareby
every shop on wareby is checked by a real person before it opens. here’s exactly what we check, what local means, and why we do it.
about wareby · 3 min read
the best platforms to sell on in 2026, by what you make
there’s no single best place to sell. there’s a best place for what you make and who buys it. here’s how eight platforms compare, with what each one takes from the same $35 sale.
where to sell · 8 min read
the best platforms for local sellers
selling to your own town is different from selling to anyone, anywhere. here are the apps and places that work for local sellers, what each costs, and how neighbors find you on each.
where to sell · 7 min read
etsy alternatives: where else to sell handmade
etsy is still the biggest handmade marketplace, but its fees have climbed and it won’t let you send buyers anywhere else. here are the alternatives, what each costs on a $35 sale, and who each one suits.
where to sell · 7 min read
apps like hotplate: where else home bakers take orders
hotplate is good at drops: a preorder window, a text to your followers, pickup at a set time. here are the other apps home bakers and pop-ups use, what each costs, and which ones help new customers find you.
where to sell · 6 min read
how to sell food online from home
every state lets you sell some homemade food, and most let you take orders online. here’s how to do it legally, which apps work, and how to get orders into people’s hands.
where to sell · 6 min read
how to sell your crafts online, and to people near you
candles, pottery, jewelry, prints, knits: here’s where handmade sells, what each place costs, and the steps from your first photo to your first order.
where to sell · 4 min read
how to open your own online store, for free
you can open an online store today without paying a cent up front. here’s what each way costs once you start selling, the steps to open, and the part nobody prices in: getting people to visit.
where to sell · 6 min read
how to make your own website for your small business
most small businesses have a website now, but plenty of makers sell without one. here’s what a site needs to do for you, what it costs, and the quickest ways to get one.
where to sell · 6 min read
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