BuyIndie, a new handmade selling platform launched on 5 November, opening its doors to buyers and sellers. The platform allows independent handmade sellers across the UK to advertise and sell their wares without paying listing fees or commissions. The site stocks a wide range of items from pottery to handmade jewellery, all made by people in the UK. It was created by Susan Bonnar, who founded The British Craft House, an exclusive application-only selling platform. She started BuyIndie to allow all makers and sellers to access an affordable platform without needing to apply, after finding that a lot of creatives were losing money due to the high costs of other platforms. BuyIndie charges £6 per month to sellers to open their shop, or they can pay £60 annually. Susan has also set up a Facebook support group to provide a safe space for vendors and to allow them to share experiences and tips.

Susan said: ‘The next step for makers tends to be setting up a website, which is often pretty costly with monthly fees ranging between £20 and £40, no tech support meaning that if anything goes wrong, they have to fix the tech issues themselves. Other selling platforms are often hugely oversaturated and charge listing fees and commissions, so there isn’t an affordable enough option for people. Not to mention whether products are made ethically or sustainably.’