A maker market site works best when it launches before your vendor application window opens, so makers can read the criteria and apply in one visit. Shoppers arrive with different questions: when is the next market, where do I park and who will be there. Confirm dates, booth rules and venue details, and the build can start.
How the launch unfolds
Day 1-2: You send dates, criteria and venue details, and we plan a home page with the next market date at the top and a separate route for makers.
Week 1: We write the makers and apply pages, and you confirm booth sizes, fees and deadlines.
Week 2: We build the visit page with parking and entrance notes and test the vendor application from a phone.
Launch: After your sign-off the site goes live, ideally the same week applications open.
What to gather before you start
- ✓Market calendar — each date, opening hours and whether it is indoors, outdoors or rain-or-shine
- ✓Vendor criteria — handmade standards, categories you need, booth sizes, fees and the application deadline
- ✓Maker lineup — names, crafts and a product photo for each confirmed vendor, shared with their permission
- ✓Venue details — entrance, parking, restrooms, step-free routes and whether dogs are welcome
- ✓Application setup — the form or tool you use, and what makers should send, such as product photos and links to their shops
The first month after launch
In the first month, post photos from the most recent market and add new makers as they are accepted. Mark applications clearly as open, waitlist only or closed so makers are not left guessing. Before the holiday season, post your winter dates early and ask makers to link to the site from their own shops and social pages. After each market, note which questions shoppers asked at the info table, such as cash or card, strollers or rain plans, and add short answers to the visit page. If a date moves because of weather or a venue conflict, post the change on the home page first.
Mistakes to avoid at launch
- ✓Hiding the next date — shoppers cannot tell when to come and make other weekend plans
- ✓Making makers email to learn the criteria — strong vendors apply to markets with a clear application page instead
- ✓Skipping parking and entrance details — shoppers circle the block and give up before reaching the first booth
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Keep reading
Websites for artisan marketplaces · What a maker market website costs · What to send your designer · Plan your website
