eBay has found a new way to offer handcrafted and American made goods on its site in what looks like a bid to compete with Etsy. eBay sent emails to shoppers this week introducing Martha Stewart on eBay, featuring the tagline, “Shop American Made – unique holiday gifts handpicked just for you.” The email included the message:
“American Made products handpicked each month by the editors at Martha Stewart Living – discover what we’re coveting now. Celebrate the Maker. Support the Movemenet. Shop the Market.” The email included a “Shop Now” button linking to a page featuring items ranging from bottles of lemon infused vinegar to greeting cards.
The featured products are for sale by ID-verified eBay sellers with low and zero feedback with a Martha Stewart American Made logo appearing next to their User IDs. Sellers included quincandy, pieboxchicago, fe-lion_studios, christophepournystudio, studio-carta and jnolanjewelry.
One seller of greeting cards, Velvet Raptor, is selling under the Martha Stewart American Made brand using the eBay User ID velvet_raptor. Under a section called About the Maker is included the following description: “Style hungry consumers looking for this generation’s heirloom have found it in these meticulously designed and constructed books and cards boasting part-silk velvet in fresh hues. All Velvet Raptor products are produced in the US and are environmentally responsible. Select velvet products are de-bossed by hand at the Velvet Raptor studio using a cast iron press has been used in the book binding process for over a century.”
Turning to the Martha Stewart American Made website sheds more light on these sellers:
“The American Made Awards honor makers from across the country for innovation and excellence in their field. From reprising a lost art form and impacting a community to pioneering an industry, each maker is honored for their role in pushing the American Made movement forward.” The editors of Martha Stewart Living” choose winners each year.
You can view the Martha Stewart American Made portal on eBay.
