Best Places to Sell Handmade Candles Online
In this post
- The one idea that should decide every channel
- Amazon: distribution at a price
- Your own site: the only channel you own
- Etsy: the international and customer-experience channel
- Instagram and Facebook: discovery, not checkout
- Wholesale: the channel demand is already asking for
- Where we'd start if we were beginning today
- Frequently asked questions
The best places to sell handmade candles online are not a ranked list — they are a set of roles. Some channels distribute your product. One channel represents your brand. Most makers confuse the two, and it costs them.
We sell LAWA's sculptural soy wax candles across Amazon, our own Shopify store, Etsy, Instagram and Facebook. Each one earns its place for a different reason. Here is how they actually perform — fees, trade-offs, and the order we'd build them in.
The one idea that should decide every channel
Platforms rent you customers. Your site and your social accounts are the only places you own the brand. Treat each channel for what it actually is.
Amazon and Etsy are distribution. They give your candles exposure and reach you could not buy on your own. But you operate inside their rules and their fee structure, and the customer is theirs, not yours. Your website and your social presence are different — they are the brand itself. That distinction decides where focus belongs over time, even when the revenue says otherwise.
Amazon: distribution at a price
Amazon is LAWA's main source of revenue right now. We've put years of energy, time and ad spend into the platform, and Amazon's customer base grows every day. In the US, its influence on how people buy is large enough that most product businesses can't reasonably ignore it.
The reach is not free. On a typical order, LAWA pays a 15% referral fee, roughly 18% to advertising through Amazon's ad platform, and about 12% on shipping when the team fulfills the order in house. Those numbers add up fast, and Amazon — not you — sets the rules you operate under. We go deeper into the economics in how much money you can make selling candles.
One thing has changed since LAWA started on Amazon in March 2023: the candle category is far more competitive now. Entering Amazon's candle market today is harder than it was even two years ago. It's still worth being there. Just go in knowing the price of admission has gone up.
Your own site: the only channel you own
The Shopify store launched at almost the same time as Amazon, in March 2023. It currently averages 5–10% of monthly sales — because there is no dedicated ad spend driving new customers to it yet. Every sale there is organic.
Lower revenue is not a reason to neglect a site. It's a reflection of where the team's focus has gone so far, not a verdict on the channel. We have a plan to change that. Ideally, the majority of revenue would come from the store, because it's the one channel where LAWA is the only decision-maker. No marketplace fees of 45% or more, no rules dictating how the product is presented.
This is the deeper reason the site matters: your website and your social accounts are the brand. Amazon and Etsy are platforms that distribute it. That's why keeping your own store in proper condition isn't optional, even when it's not yet your biggest earner.
Etsy: the international and customer-experience channel
We registered LAWA's Etsy store early, but real activity there only picked up in 2026. We built it for a specific reason — to ship to LAWA lovers outside the US.
It's been fine. Not huge volume, and we know exactly why: zero ad spend, so everything is organic. But its real value has been customer experience. When someone abroad asks whether we ship to them, we no longer have to say "sorry, we don't ship to your country." We can point them to Etsy. Most of those orders come from Europe — Germany, France, the UK — with some from South America, and US buyers shop there too.
Instagram and Facebook: discovery, not checkout
The Instagram and Facebook accounts have existed since the beginning. The shoppable storefronts came online later, closer to 2024. A very low percentage of people actually check out directly through Instagram Shop.
We keep the social shops open anyway. As the brand, our job is to make every accommodation available to a wide range of people with different buying habits — not to optimize one funnel and close the others. Social's real weight is upstream: it's where people discover the brand and decide they trust it. The purchase often happens elsewhere.
Wholesale: the channel demand is already asking for
LAWA hasn't done formal wholesale yet — no boutiques, no marketplace like Faire. But the demand has already arrived on its own. People have emailed asking to order large quantities of candles directly.
That's the signal worth paying attention to. When buyers are reaching out to place bulk orders before you've built the channel, the channel is validating itself. For makers selling sculptural pillar candles with a strong visual identity, wholesale to shops and boutiques is a natural next step — and inbound interest is the cheapest market research you'll ever get.
Where we'd start if we were beginning today
We'd still tell a new candle maker to keep all sales channels available — but with clear eyes. Amazon's candle category is far more saturated than it used to be, so don't expect the easy entry of a few years ago.
We'd still recommend Amazon for distribution and a Shopify store as the brand's home base. And we'd add one the older guides miss: dedicate real attention to TikTok Shop. It's where discovery and distribution are converging fastest right now, and it's the channel we'd watch most closely if we were starting from zero. If you want the full picture on getting going, read how to start a candle business with a small budget.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to sell handmade candles online?
There's no single best place — each channel plays a role. Amazon offers the widest distribution and reach in the US, your own Shopify store gives you the highest margin and full brand control, and Etsy is strong for reaching international buyers. The smartest approach is using several channels for what each does well, rather than betting on one.
Is it worth selling candles on Amazon?
Yes, but understand the cost. Between the 15% referral fee, roughly 18% on advertising, and around 12% on self-fulfilled shipping, the fees are significant, and the candle category is far more competitive than it was a few years ago. Amazon is worth it for distribution and reach, not for control or margin.
Should you sell candles on Etsy or your own website?
Both, for different reasons. Your own website is where you own the customer relationship and keep the full margin, so it's worth building as your brand's home. Etsy is useful for organic discovery and especially for reaching international buyers without setting up your own cross-border shipping. LAWA uses Etsy mainly to serve customers in Europe and beyond.
Do people actually buy candles through Instagram Shop?
Only a small percentage check out directly in-app. Social platforms earn their keep through discovery and brand-building — people find you there and often complete the purchase on your website or a marketplace. It's still worth keeping a social shop open so buyers with different habits can choose how they want to buy.
How do you start selling handmade candles wholesale?
Watch for inbound demand first — if shops or individuals are already emailing to order in bulk, that's your signal. From there you can approach local boutiques directly or list on a wholesale marketplace. A professional, shelf-ready presentation and clear wholesale pricing matter most when pitching retailers.
Tagged in: Candle business, Handmade candles
