How to Set Up Your SCRAPD Storefront: A Step-by-Step Guide
Everything you need to launch a SCRAPD storefront that passes review and converts browsers into buyers.
Setting up a SCRAPD storefront takes four steps: apply with a clear maker bio and a few photographed pieces, pass a human review by our Nashville team, finish your listings and shipping settings, then go live. There is no instant publish - a real person checks your shop first - but if you arrive prepared, the whole process is straightforward and you launch ready to actually sell.
This guide walks the full path: what to have ready before you apply, how to write a bio that earns trust, how to photograph and list your first pieces, how to set prices and shipping, and how to pass review on the first try. By the end you will have a launch-day checklist you can work straight through.
Before you apply: what to have ready
The single biggest cause of slow approvals is applying half-prepared. Gather these before you start, and the rest of the process moves fast:
- Three to five finished pieces you are ready to sell - genuinely one-of-one handmade, upcycled, or reworked work.
- Clear photos of each piece, plus at least one process or detail shot per item.
- A short maker bio in your own words.
- A plain description of your materials and method for each piece.
- Prices you are comfortable with, and a sense of your shipping approach.
If you are coming from another platform, you likely have most of this already - though it is worth refreshing photos and rewriting descriptions rather than copy-pasting. Makers moving over should also read switching to SCRAPD from Etsy for the practical migration steps.
Writing a maker bio that builds trust
Your bio is the first thing both a reviewer and a buyer read. It does two jobs at once: it helps you pass review by showing you are a real maker, and it helps you sell by giving a buyer a reason to trust the person behind the work.
Keep it honest and specific. Write the way you would talk. A good bio answers three questions:
- What do you make? Name the craft plainly - “I rework vintage denim into one-of-a-kind jackets.”
- How do you make it? A sentence or two on process and materials - hand-dyeing, the kiln you fire in, the leather you source.
- Why do you do it? The short, real reason. This is what makes a buyer remember you.
Photographing and listing your first pieces
You do not need a studio or expensive gear. You need photos that look like real work, in real light. A smartphone near a window does the job - our smartphone product photography guide covers the technique in full. For each listing, aim for:
- A clean main shot of the whole piece on a simple, uncluttered background.
- Two or three angle and detail shots - seams, glaze, grain, hardware, wear.
- One process or in-studio shot if you can - this is strong proof for review and reassuring for buyers.
- For clothing, a scale or on-body shot so size reads clearly.
Then write the listing. Each description should name the source material, the process, and the unrepeatable details that make the piece one-of-one. Specificity sells and it also proves authenticity - our guide to product descriptions that sell breaks down the structure.
Setting prices and shipping options
Pricing
Price for your time, your materials, and the platform fee - not for a race to the bottom. Founding-50 makers pay just 5% commission, which means the fee barely moves your number; see the founding-50 commission explained for the math. The full method for arriving at a fair, sustainable price is in pricing handmade work on SCRAPD. The short version: do not undercharge to look competitive - SCRAPD buyers are here for one-of-one work, and they expect to pay a maker’s rate for it.
Shipping
Decide how you will pack and ship before you launch, not after your first sale. Weigh and measure your pieces, pick your carrier, and set shipping costs that cover materials and postage honestly. Fragile work - pottery, framed art - needs a real packing plan. Our shipping guide for handmade sellers covers materials, costs, and protecting fragile pieces in transit.
Passing human review on the first try
Every SCRAPD storefront is reviewed by a person in Nashville before it goes live. That is the curation that keeps the marketplace clean - and passing it the first time is almost entirely about preparation. Reviewers approve shops that clearly show:
- Genuinely one-of-one items, with no identical bulk listings.
- Real photos of real work - never stock images, catalog renders, or AI-generated images.
- A bio and descriptions in a real human voice, not copied from a supplier.
- Evidence the work is yours - process shots, consistent style, materials that match the craft.
If something is off, you will get specific notes rather than a silent rejection, and most flagged applicants pass on the second pass. To understand exactly what reviewers look for, read how SCRAPD curation works.
Your launch-day checklist
Once you are approved, work straight through this before you flip your shop live:
- Your maker bio is finished, honest, and in your own voice.
- Every listing has clear photos - main shot, detail shots, and a process shot where possible.
- Every description names the source, process, and one-of-one detail.
- Prices cover your time, materials, and fee - no panic undercutting.
- Shipping costs and packing materials are set and ready for your first order.
- You have read your shop as a buyer would - front to back, looking for anything confusing.
Tick all six and you launch ready to sell, not ready to scramble. After launch, our seller playbooks cover growing the shop from there.
How do I start selling on SCRAPD?
Apply at /sell with a maker bio and three to five photographed one-of-one pieces. A reviewer in Nashville checks your storefront, and once approved you finish your listings and shipping settings and go live.
How long does it take to get a SCRAPD storefront approved?
Because a real person reviews every shop, approval usually takes a few days. Applying with complete, ready-to-sell listings rather than placeholders is the fastest path to a one-pass approval.
Do I need professional photography to sell on SCRAPD?
No. A smartphone near natural light is enough. Reviewers and buyers want photos that look like real, in-hand work - clear main shots and detail shots matter far more than expensive gear.
How many items do I need to list to open a shop?
Three to five finished, one-of-one pieces is a solid starting point. It gives reviewers enough to assess your work and gives buyers a real storefront to browse on launch day.
What if my storefront does not pass review the first time?
You receive specific notes on what to change - it is never a silent rejection. Most applicants fix the flagged issue and pass on the second review.