As much as we love talking about our Indie Untangled show at Rhinebeck, did you know that we have our very own online Marketplace?
Our online Marketplace is where artisans and designers post when they’re about to stock their online stores with new goodies, if they’re having a special sale, opening sign-ups for yarn clubs, or releasing a pattern.
It’s the perfect place to reach engaged crafters and buyers, whether your fiber business is brand new or 10 years old. Our Marketplace is open year-round, helping you share your products and news with dedicated yarn-loving customers beyond the rush of fiber festival season. There’s no application process, no waiting for show applications to open, and no need to rely solely on ever-changing social media algorithms to reach the right audience. Whenever you have a new product, sale, club opening, pattern release, or event to share, our community is ready to discover it.
If you have been wanting to learn more, today I am going to dive into all the details and the most frequently asked questions that I receive, so you can make the most out of our online Marketplace for your fiber business.
NOTE: In this blog post, I will be sharing actual posts from our Indie Untangled online Marketplace. All sales, coupon codes, discounts, and events may be over by the time this is published. So, to learn more about each vendor, click the images shown or their name to get the most up-to-date information about what they are currently offering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ok, for all of you who may be new to our Indie Untangled online Marketplace, let’s begin with some of the most frequently asked questions.
Why should I advertise on Indie Untangled?
Indie Untangled reaches thousands of knitters, crocheters, and other fiber crafters every day, with a large and growing audience of website visitors and Instagram followers.
Our email newsletter, which goes out every Friday at 8 a.m. Eastern, delivers the latest fiber world updates to a list of 8,000+ subscribers. It’s an audience that is extremely active, with open and click rates that are significantly higher than the industry average.
In addition to the newsletter, your featured products can get in front of more than 22,000 engaged crafters, with hashtagged posts and stories with a link directly to your website.
What should I post about?
You can post to the Marketplace with all sorts of news:
- You’re having a shop update or a sale
- You just released new colorways or a new pattern
- You’re opening sign-ups for a yarn club
- You’re hosting a fiber-related retreat or event
- …or anything else that you think your fellow fiber enthusiasts would like to hear about!
You can submit a Marketplace post once a week with 1-6 images, with the option of upgrading your posts, all for a reasonable rate that provides unparalleled return on investment. Upgraded posts are featured more prominently in the newsletter and boosted on Instagram.
How do I become an Indie Untangled online Marketplace vendor?
Simply fill out the Vendor Submissions Form with your first post. Once you do, your shop will appear in the Marketplace vendor directory. From then on, every new post you submit will automatically be archived under your shop. That’s it — you’re officially a vendor!
What are others saying about the Indie Untangled online Marketplace?
So many things, but below are just a few comments from some of our vendors.
- “The posts in your newsletter provide the highest return on investment we’ve seen.” — Dawn Prickett, owner of Twice Sheared Sheep
- “Sales from your newsletter were double what I generated on my own for this shop update.” — Scarlet Tang, owner of Huckleberry Knits
- “I am awestruck! Both for the kind words in your newsletter and for the amount of orders I am receiving!” — Sara Maternini, owner of La Cave à Laine
Making the Most Out of the Online Marketplace: My Top 5 Tips
Now, if you are a member of our online Marketplace, first off, thank you so much for joining! Second, you may be wondering how to make the most out of the Marketplace. Well, after seeing hundreds of businesses join the online Marketplace over the years, below are the top 5 tips that I would recommend for getting the best return for your fiber business.
1. Fill Out All Marketplace Information
When creating the Marketplace, we wanted the submission process to be as simple as possible. While many fields are optional, we recommend filling out every section you can. Complete listings look more professional, provide customers with helpful information, and make it easier for them to learn about your business and make a purchase.
Some fields that are especially important include:
- Shop URL (if you’re promoting a specific product, collection, or event, it’s best to link directly to that page)
- Vendor email address or contact page
- Logo image
2. Add Tags
You never know how someone will use the search bar in our Marketplace. Due to that, we recommend adding at least two tags to your post so your content can have a better searchability in our Marketplace.
When you fill out the Vendor Submissions form, we do list 17 tags that you can use. Obviously, you want to pick the ones that best apply to your submission post, and we don’t want “tag stuffing,” meaning you select all the tags for your post. Instead, look over each tag and see if you can pick two tags for your post. As an example, if you are having a fiber event, you could pick both the “events and classes” and “fiber” tag for your post.
3. Use High-Quality Product Photos
As I mentioned earlier, you can upload up to six images to a Marketplace post. These images can be of whatever you are promoting; however, I highly recommend uploading all six images whenever possible. This is because the more high-quality images you upload, the better chance you have of a customer clicking through on your listing. Also, if you are having a sale or hosting a workshop, upload more than just an informational graphic. For example, show images of what items are included in the sale or what you are making in the workshop. Remember, we creatives are visual people, so the more images you share, the better.
Finally, when it comes to photos in general, below are some things to keep in mind if you are sharing a new product.
- Show yarn colors or products accurately
- Include multiple angles
- Add lifestyle or project photos when possible
Please note that Indie Untangled does not allow AI-generated artwork or copyrighted material to be uploaded to the Marketplace. Customers come to Indie Untangled to discover the work of independent makers, and authentic photos of your products help build trust and showcase the care, creativity, and craftsmanship behind what you create.
4. Write an Engaging Marketplace Listing
Much like uploading high-quality photos, you’ll want to create a Marketplace listing that grabs attention and gives customers a reason to click through.
When filling out the Vendor Submission form, you’ll be asked to provide “post content.” This can be as short or as detailed as you’d like, but the most effective listings tend to be:
- Easy to read
- Informative
- Engaging
Most importantly, focus on what’s new. Marketplace posts work best when you’re announcing a new product, collection, colorway, pattern, yarn club opening, sale, event, or shop update. Rather than highlighting your everyday offerings, give customers a reason to visit your shop right now.
Instead of simply saying “shop update this Friday,” tell customers what’s included: a new colorway inspired by a recent trip, a limited-edition project bag, or sign-ups for a seasonal yarn club.
There are many ways to make your listing stand out. Consider using short paragraphs, bullet points, emojis, or other formatting that makes your post easy to scan and enjoyable to read. Looking at recent Marketplace posts from other vendors can also provide inspiration.
Finally, don’t overlook your title. Each listing includes a post title, and a strong title can make the difference between someone scrolling past and someone clicking to learn more. Think of it like a blog post headline: clear, specific, and designed to spark curiosity.
5. Post Often About EVERYTHING Going On In Your Shop
What makes our Marketplace unique is that it’s not just a place to post about sales. You can use it to share all kinds of news from your knitting, crochet, or fiber business. We’ve found that vendors who post regularly tend to see the strongest results because they stay visible and give customers more opportunities to engage with their brand.
Above, I mentioned a few examples of what you can post about. If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out these recent Marketplace listings from fellow vendors:
- Don’t put those knits away just because it’s Spring – Flora Adora Fibers
- Stud Button Spotlight: Best-Selling Styles from MDSW! – JUL Designs
- Purl Tide: Knitting with a View
Final Thoughts & Words of Encouragement
When I started Indie Untangled, my goal was simple: to help connect makers and customers in the indie fiber world. I wanted knitters, crocheters, spinners, and weavers to discover talented artisans creating beautiful yarn, fiber, notions, and accessories, and to make it easier for those artisans to reach the people who would love their work.
Our online Marketplace is one of the ways that vision has come to life, and I’m incredibly grateful to the vendors who help make it such a vibrant and inspiring space.
I hope these tips help you get the most out of your Marketplace listings. And if you haven’t joined us yet, we’d love to welcome you. The Marketplace is open year-round, and we’re always excited to introduce our community to talented new makers.
Click here to learn more and become a vendor.
Are you part of our online Marketplace? If so, I would love for you to share your experience in the comments below!
