Originally Posted by
Gerald Boggs
I'll never understand why people feel negatively about Amazon. I'm both a seller and buyer on Amazon and am quite happy with both.
As a seller, I sell my products all over the US, which changes my market from a few hundred to many millions. I don't have to pay to list my products, I only pay if I sell and Amazon tells me what I'll pay before I sell. Where as at a craft show, I have to pay up front and if I don't sell anything, I don't get a refund.
As a buyer, I like Amazon for it's solid customer support; one time I had a flawed product and the seller didn't answer my messages, Amazon stepped in without me asking, and gave me a full refund. No one makes anyone buy from Amazon, we buy from/through Amazon because it works.
On a side, my success with selling on Amazon and Etsy means I can live anywhere in the US and still do business. I've thought abut building a mobile forge and in between playing tourist, stop at road sides, work, and then ship the orders at the next post office.