[bitsm]

Getting paid up front is key for dealing with micro-businesses, so that's good. But I have a hard time believing that "crafty" and "high volume" mesh on any level.

Crafty businesses are homespun, bespoke businesses that rely on charm and a personal touch. Group buying single-handedly destroys that. Crafters are also very protective of their personal brands and would be very averse to doing anything that might lead to angry/disappointed customers.

So, I don't see this taking off. Have you talked to any crafters about this? Can you allay these types of concerns? And what types of handmade products lend themselves to being made in short timelines and high volumes?

[levirosol]

Help me understand your definition of "high volume". Based on the conversations we've had with crafters (admittedly, few and people we know at this point) we're talking volume on the scale of 10-20 items. Not 100's or even 1000's.

We will be talking with more crafters before solidifying the model.

Further backing this is the ability that Etsy and other craft selling sites give to their users for indicating a quantity.

As for products, it absolutely depends on the crafter. Items made with a pattern will work great. Knitted items, quilted items, wooden crafts, metal crafts, etc are all good. Even photography. It ultimately boils down to the crafter being able to reproduce an item with consistent quality.