Handmade by Amazon is ready to take on Etsy

Amazon has become the one-stop online shop for just about anything you might want. Now the retail giant is adding another string to its bow: handmade, artisan products. At the moment, anyone looking to sell things they have made themselves has a few outlets to choose from, but Etsy and eBay are the two most likely contenders.

Now there is Handemade by Amazon, a new branch of the online store "featuring genuinely handmade items crafted and sold directly from artisans". This is where Amazon is looking to differentiate itself from Etsy -- everything must be handmade as this is an entirely "factory-free" experience.

At today's launch, Handmade at Amazon features over 80,000 handcrafted products from around the globe. With items available from more than 60 countries, goods are spread across seven categories -- Jewelry, Home Décor, Artwork, Stationery and Party Supplies, Kitchen and Dining, Furniture, and Bedding -- and some are even eligible for Prime.

Launching the new venture, Peter Faricy, VP for Amazon Marketplace, said:

We have designed a custom shopping experience for customers looking for handmade items by bringing together many of the best artisans in the world, and they're adding thousands of items daily. Knowing an item has a unique story behind it creates a personal experience that customers have told us makes owning handmade items special.

Head over to Handmade at Amazon to start shopping.