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Artisan Markets Overrun by Resellers: Handmade Goods Struggle to Compete
15 Aug
Summary
- Resellers buying mass-produced goods online and reselling them as handmade
- Local artisans unable to compete with low prices of resold items
- Market organizers taking steps to verify handmade claims and combat resellers
As of August 15, 2025, artisan markets across Australia are grappling with a growing issue of resellers infiltrating their spaces. These resellers are purchasing mass-produced goods online and then reselling them at markets, often misrepresenting the items as locally handmade.
Market organizers and local artisans have been increasingly vocal about this unfair practice. Peggy Byrne, the owner of the Bowerbird design market in Adelaide, recently encountered a stallholder whose crocheted goods she suspected were not actually handmade. Tiziana Ferrero-Regis, an associate professor of fashion at Queensland University of Technology, explains that markets are where people go to find unique, handcrafted items, making the rise of resellers particularly problematic.
Georgia Richards, a former vendor of handmade ceramics, has seen many markets "overrun with resellers" who claim their mass-produced goods are handmade. Jo Harvey, the manager of the Kirribilli markets in Sydney, has also noticed resellers "slapping little 'handmade' signs on everything," which she believes is unfair to the artisans who invest significant time and effort into their creations.
In response, market organizers have taken steps to combat the influx of resellers. Kirribilli markets now require vendors to provide videos or photos of themselves making the products to prove their authenticity. They also use Google Lens to cross-reference images against online marketplaces like Temu, Alibaba, and AliExpress, where resellers may have purchased their goods.
Emma Morris, a founder of the Makers and Shakers design market, has also experienced an increase in applications from resellers, noting that the "business model" has become increasingly pervasive. Resellers often sell their goods at much lower prices, making it challenging for small-scale artisans to compete.
As of August 15, 2025, the issue of resellers in artisan markets remains an ongoing challenge, with market organizers and local crafters working to maintain the integrity of these spaces and ensure that handmade goods are truly celebrated.
