Selling Handmade Crafts Online in New Zealand

List products buyers can understand

Use plain names and say exactly what one purchase is: one 300g candle, a pack of six wax melts, a pair of earrings, a set of two mugs. If a product comes in sizes, colours or scents, give each option its own label and price.

Use your own photos in good light, and a line or two about what makes it yours: the wool you use, the clay, the scent notes, how big it really is. A buyer should know what is coming before they reach the order form.

Show what is ready and what you will make

Count what you have ready to send, and offer the rest as made to order with an honest wait time. Keep anything you have promised elsewhere out of your counts.

In Little Stall, each price option is “I have some ready” (a count that goes down as orders come in), “Made to order”, or “Not in my shop”. Sold-out items leave your shop unless you tick “Show sold-out items as Sold out”, and go back on sale as soon as you add stock.

Know the safety and labelling rules for what you make

You are responsible for making your products safe and labelling them properly. Candles need safety warnings. Soap, balms and skincare are cosmetics, which need an ingredient list. Toys and kids’ clothing have safety standards to meet, such as no small parts in toys for under-3s and fire safety labels on children’s nightwear. Food isn’t allowed on Little Stall unless you are registered under the Food Act 2014.

The Commerce Commission and the Environmental Protection Authority both have plain guides for small sellers, and are worth reading before you list something new.

Set postage, pickup and payment

Set your postage options and charges before orders arrive, and say whether local pickup is available and how it works. Give a realistic idea of when parcels will be sent.

Choose how buyers pay: bank transfer, cash at pickup, or card through your own Stripe account. The money goes straight to you. Little Stall is NZ$20 a year after a 14-day free trial, and takes no cut of your sales.

Check it on your phone, then share it

Open your shop on your phone and look at it the way a buyer would: every product, price and postage option. Make sure your business name and how to reach you are easy to find.

Share your shop link where people already follow your work: your Instagram bio, your Facebook page, your market sign and your packaging. A post about something new gives people a reason to click.

• Clear product and option names
• Honest stock counts and wait times
• Safety warnings and labels where needed
• Postage and pickup instructions
• A way to contact you