Etsy is the best-known marketplace for handmade and craft goods, but it is not built around buyers in India. Recent seller guides report that new Indian shops can sell only to international buyers, are paid in US dollars through Payoneer and need a GSTIN. If most of your customers are in India, you need somewhere else to sell. This guide compares the alternatives for handmade, craft and digital sellers. We make Checkout DM, one of the options, so we say where it is not the right tool.
Why Indian sellers look beyond Etsy
- Domestic sales. New Indian shops are reported to be limited to buyers outside India, so you cannot sell to customers at home through those shops.
- Setup. Guides report that new shops need a GSTIN, a Payoneer account and a one-time US$10 set-up fee.
- Fees. Etsy charges a US$0.20 listing fee and a 6.5% transaction fee. For Indian shops, the payment processing fee is reported as 5% plus ₹25 per order, and Payoneer charges its own fee to convert payouts to rupees.
- Changing rules. Etsy has changed its India rules several times since 2023, so check Etsy’s own pages before you plan around them.
Our guides on Etsy vs Instagram selling for Indian sellers and selling without Etsy fees go deeper on Etsy’s costs. This guide is about where else you can sell.
Decide by where your buyers live
| Where your buyers are | Good places to look |
|---|---|
| Mostly in India | Instagram DMs, Indian marketplaces, your own store |
| Mostly abroad | Etsy if you qualify, your own store with an international payment gateway, global marketplaces |
| Buying digital products | Instagram DMs with delivery by link, your own store |
Option 1: Instagram DMs with a checkout tool
If you already post your work on Instagram, buyers are probably already messaging you to ask about prices. A tool like Checkout DM turns those chats into orders. It shows your catalog, collects the delivery address, sends a checkout link and takes payment straight to your own account by UPI, bank transfer or QR code, or through Razorpay, Stripe or PayPal. There is no commission or transaction fee on any plan.
Best for: handmade and craft sellers with an Instagram following in India. Where it falls short: it does not bring you strangers searching for products the way a marketplace does, because you bring your own customers through posts, Reels and Stories. From the Creator plan, you can also share a Storefront link anywhere, such as WhatsApp, Telegram or YouTube, and buyers do not need Instagram.
Option 2: Amazon Karigar and Amazon Handmade
Amazon Karigar is Amazon India’s programme for artisans and craftspeople, launched in 2020, and Amazon India told Rest of World in 2024 that it had 1.6 million vendors. Amazon Handmade is a separate programme with an approval process, where products must be made by hand. Amazon gives you a very large audience, but being listed is not the same as being found, so you still need clear listings, good photos and sensible prices. Check eligibility, fees and the approval steps on Amazon’s seller pages.
Option 3: Flipkart Samarth
Flipkart Samarth was launched in 2020 to bring artisans, weavers and handicraft producers onto e-commerce. Flipkart described support for onboarding, cataloguing and account management, plus reduced commission where eligible. Eligibility rules apply, so check Flipkart’s seller pages for the current terms.
Option 4: Meesho
Meesho is best known for fashion, home goods and everyday items aimed at price-sensitive buyers. That makes it a better match for low-priced products than for premium handmade pieces. We compare it with Amazon and Instagram in Meesho, Amazon or Instagram: where should a small seller sell.
Option 5: Your own store
A store built on Shopify, WooCommerce or an Indian store builder gives you a branded home on the web and full control of the customer relationship. You are also responsible for bringing visitors to it. Our guide to Shopify alternatives in India compares these routes on cost and effort.
Option 6: Digital products sold from your Instagram
Etsy is also a major place to sell digital downloads, but digital items from new Indian shops are reported to be unavailable to buyers inside India. If your product is a template, printable, course or preset, you can sell it straight from Instagram. Checkout DM can deliver a digital product by link after payment on every plan, and the Creator plan at ₹499 a month is digital-only, with Comment-to-DM, free digital products you can give away and a public Storefront. See how to sell digital products on Instagram.
The options side by side
| Option | Best for | Buyers come from | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram DMs with Checkout DM | Sellers with an audience | Your own posts, Reels, Stories and shared Storefront links | You build the audience yourself |
| Amazon Karigar or Handmade | Artisans who want large reach | Amazon’s shoppers | Approval, fees and heavy competition |
| Flipkart Samarth | Artisans, weavers and handicraft producers | Flipkart’s shoppers | Eligibility rules and marketplace fees |
| Meesho | Low-priced fashion and home goods | Meesho’s shoppers | Price-sensitive buyers |
| Your own store | Brands that want control | Search, ads and social traffic | You bring all the traffic |
| Etsy | Sellers targeting buyers abroad | Etsy’s marketplace shoppers | International buyers only for new Indian shops, plus fees and Payoneer |
You do not have to pick only one
Many sellers combine two: a marketplace for reach and Instagram for loyal customers, or Etsy for international orders and Instagram for buyers at home. Whatever you choose, work out your real margin after fees first. Our guide to pricing products on Instagram shows how, and Checkout DM’s pricing starts at ₹0.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Can Indian sellers sell on Etsy?
Recent seller guides report that Etsy resumed onboarding new Indian shops around June 2025, but new shops can sell only to international buyers and need a GSTIN and a Payoneer account. Check Etsy’s own pages for the current rules.
What is the best Etsy alternative for Indian handmade sellers?
It depends on your buyers. For customers in India, the main options are Instagram DMs, Amazon Karigar, Flipkart Samarth and your own store. For buyers abroad, consider Etsy or your own store with an international payment gateway.
Is Instagram a good Etsy alternative?
It can be if you can build an audience. Customers find you through posts, Reels and Stories, and with a DM checkout tool the conversation can end in a paid order. It does not bring strangers searching for products the way a marketplace does.
Can I sell digital products without Etsy?
Yes. You can sell digital products from Instagram with delivery by link after payment. On Checkout DM, every plan can deliver a digital product, and the Creator plan is built for digital-only sellers.
Does Checkout DM charge a commission like Etsy?
No. There is no commission or transaction fee on any plan. You pay a flat plan price, and payments go directly to your own payment account.
