Discover More About Selling on Small Market

Shop features

You can add a shop logo & feature image to your individual shop profile page. By default we've created some shop policy templates to help you create your own delivery, returns and privacy policies. These can be edited, or you can choose to write your own, but they must comply with the Small Market terms and conditions.

We don't include the option to import products from other platforms, so if you’re already selling on other sites you’ll need to re-input the information. This is because much of the data entry is unique to the Small Market site, and the formatting is important to the success of the listings. We’ve worked hard to ensure the product pages are optimised for SEO and customer accessibility, and would like you to review the information you’re including to make sure it’s all relevant to our buyers.

One of the unlimited features that we offer is the ability for you to put your shop into holiday mode. You can enter date ranges or disable the shop temporarily, so that you can take a break whenever you need to. We also have an option to enter holiday mode but leave your products live, altering the dispatch date, if you’re going away for a few days it will still allow people to buy from you but we’ll make the buyer aware that your item will take longer to be dispatched. You do have the ability in the sellers portal to close your shop permanently. This can't be undone and any charges for that billing month will still be taken.

We have our own private discussion board allowing you to communicate with others seller and to keep up-to-date with Small Market announcements & updates.

Products Features

When you first sign up we will review all of your submitted products to ensure they meet our policies and standards, and give you any pointers about improving the listing. There are resources to help you ensure that your set-up and product photography will be approved by our team, and your shop page won’t go live until your first product is approved. We don't charge a listing fee for products, and if you don't make a sale in a billing month we will not charge you anything, which helps whilst you’re getting your products uploaded. Of course we hope you do have many sales, every month, and our fee structure is available to see in more detail here.

We’ve created different types of product variations so that you can use the best set-up to suit your products. You can choose to upload a single item, a product with multiple colours, sizes, or custom variants. You can include personalisation, and text inputs, as well as pre-determined dropdown boxes, and an option to include required fields. We have helpful user guide you can access inside the seller portal in the resource section to assist you with the set-up.

Stock can be controlled by variation or by product, allowing you to choose whether you wish to list the number of blank stock items you hold, or manage stock by item. We also give you the ability to allow items to be ordered when they’re out of stock, altering the delivery timing to include additional dispatch days. If your item is unique and listed as a single item, you can activate the option to remove it from the public marketplace when the item is sold.

Google Analytics has been integrated into the sellers portal, giving you access to your product viewing stats and traffic sources. This allows you to understand how buyers are finding your products, and target your marketing accordingly.

Customers will have the option to leave feedback on their purchases which we will encourage. Buyers will have the link on their shipping inserts and will be sent an email to a secure form, and you’ll receive the feedback before it goes live on the site.

How orders work

Inside the sellers portal, you will be able to manage all of your orders. This includes viewing the status of each order and in-depth details about payment charges and buyer details. We will email you when a new order arrives, and use push notifications so if you have enabled this feature you will be alerted on your desktop or mobile device. We offer each seller their own order numbers, allowing them to keep track of their own orders rather than global increase number. Inside the order details section you will be able to mark the order as approved, this will trigger an email to the buyer confirming the order.

You have the ability to cancel the order inside the order details section, this can't be undone and will refund the customer the full amount. The cancellation of an order will mean that the product stock level will be replenished. There is also the option to provide a partial refund if there is a dispute, but this will incur the Stripe transaction fees.

You will only have access to your own orders and other sellers items will never be included in your order details even if they were in the same customers basket. The site is specifically built to split orders up automatically once a payment is confirmed, keeping each sellers order separated.

Discount Options

You are completely in control of your own discounts, and although we will have promoted sales at key times throughout the year, participation in these will be voluntary. At any time you can choose to discount a single item by a whole or percentage amount or to offer free delivery, and you can create your own multi-buy discount for any product. We also offer the option to create a discount code for your shop which people can enter at the checkout, when setting these up you can control a whole or percentage discount, free shipping and expiry date with the extra option of setting up a minimum spend.

How Shipping works

When you mark an order as shipped you can include a message & tracking number which will be included in email to the customer telling them that their order is on the way. We generate branded shipping inserts for you to download, print and include within the parcel.

We have based the delivery calculations on Royal Mail charges, this means the cost is worked out by weight and parcel sizes. If you wish to use a different courier service you can edit the parcel costs. You have the ability to manage your shipping setup this includes setting up prices for international shipping zones, and you can choose to set free shipping for any of the specified delivery weights. If you find you’ve overcharged on shipping costs and want to offer a refund there is an option to do partial refunds inside the order details page.

We’ve also created an feature to set up local postcode areas that you want to offer free delivery to. This is particularly useful if you’re a regular market trader and want to offer collection options to your customers.

Stripe Payment System

Stripe is an online payment system that allows us to take secure payments through Small Market from the customers and transfer the payments directly to our sellers. It's the most secure market payment method available and gives us the ability to payout to multiple sellers from a single basket transaction. Stripe also offer many protections to help beat fraud, protecting our customers and sellers.

When you register for Small Market and have access to the sellers portal, it will ask you for your Stripe details. If you already have a Stripe account you’ll be able to connect that, or if you haven’t yet registered you’ll find a link that will help you create a Stripe account that will be connected to the Small Market platform. You will need to complete the Stripe integration before you can list any products. Once your application to Stripe is complete they will need to validate your bank details. You can still use Small Market whilst this is being completed, but the payout from Stripe will only be processed when your details are validated. If you’re not a registered business you can still use Stripe, when setting up your account just select the option "Individual/Sole Trader”. There are Stripe transaction fees which are unavoidable and these are detailed in the charges. The same transaction fee will apply on any other market platform as it’s not something that we control. When a payment has been confirmed by Stripe it can take 3 - 7 working days before money appears in your bank account.

If you need to access your Stripe account to change any of your details, you will find a link inside the sellers portal. This link is only available for a set amount of time and will expire, so please don't bookmark this address and always use sellers portal to access your connected Stripe account.

Our fees

The fees part is always a bit complicated, but we’ve tried to simplify it as much as possible whilst giving you the best possible deal. There is a pricing calculator included as part of our seller tools, so once you’re signed up you can choose to include any charges in the price of your product if that’s how you’d prefer to do it – we’re here to help you make your craft business as profitable as possible.

The secure payment service is run by Stripe, and you’ll need an account with them to sell on Small Market. It’s easy to sign up, and we provide you with all of the links to complete your setup during the registration process.

We’ve chosen to use Stripe as a payment provider as in the UK it’s the interface most suited to marketplace sales. It means that we can include a single basket allowing the customer to checkout from multiple shops at the same time, increasing your chances of being included in a complete basket checkout. This improves the customer experience, and means that they’re more likely to purchase from multiple sellers, which is good news all round. It does mean that there are some unavoidable charges, which we pass on to you directly during the sale. We’re not profiting from this system - it’s just genuinely the best available option.

*The only other thing that you need to know is that Stripe charges are higher for Outside UK cards, but we allow you to choose which regions you post to so that you’re in control of who you sell to.

Frequently asked questions

What happens when I make a sale?

When your product sells we'll send you an email informing you of the order details. We encourage you to celebrate with your happy dance! You’ll then visit the seller portal to track the order, print your shipping inserts and let your customer know their lovely order is on the way.

Are there any items I can’t sell?

Small Market has been designed to support independent makers, and all items on our site must be handmade. Therefore we don’t accept anything unsuitable for a craft market including any reseller, explicit or prohibited items. All items are reviewed before being published to the live market and our judgement is final.

Is there a limit to the number of items I can sell?

No, we don’t restrict the amount of products you can list or sell, providing they all adhere to the selling conditions. And there are no listing fees.

Who deals with customer interactions?

As the seller, you will be fulfilling customer orders and dealing with any issues that arise. Great service is one of the big draws for customers buying from independent makers, and you should try to keep your customers informed as their order progresses. If there are any issues please try to resolve them quickly and fairly, and let us know if you are unable to - we’re always happy to help. Happy customers are important to you, other sellers and to Small Market.

What are the restrictions for the photographs I submit?

You must be the owner of all product photographs, whether these are taken yourself or by a photographer. We understand the nature of handmade products allow for minor variations, but images need to be of your products. Images displayed on the site are all in a square ratio, but our editor will allow you to crop your images as you upload them.

How do I get paid?

Payments will be managed and processed by Stripe and commission fees with be invoiced on a monthly basis. Stripe process your payouts and let you know when a payment is due.

Can I become a seller from outside the UK?

Sorry we are only for UK sellers, but you can purchase many of our products from anywhere in the world.