Marketplace search
Search products across many independent pottery websites
Example: if someone searches for “mug,” they can see matching listings from several potters and click through to each artist’s own site.
Maker directory
Every potter keeps their own brand, story, and online shop
Your marketplace acts like a searchable directory and discovery engine, not the merchant of record.
Advertising and revenue
Ways this portal can make money without selling the pottery directly
Featured maker spots
Sell highlighted placement on the homepage, search results, or seasonal collections.
Promoted collections
Create themed guides like “Mother’s Day mugs” or “Local planters” with sponsor placement.
Membership tiers
Offer free basic listings and paid plans for more products, photos, tags, and promotions.
Important implementation note
Cross-site search needs shared listing data
Because you are not hosting each potter’s store, the search on this portal should use a shared catalog of featured items from each maker. Each listing can include a title, category, tags, image, price, and a direct link to the potter’s own product page.
That shared catalog can be maintained manually at first, then later upgraded to CSV uploads, simple maker dashboards, or integrations with Shopify, Etsy, Squarespace, or custom websites where available.