5 things every market trader's website needs

Most market traders who get a website do it because someone told them they should. They end up with something that looks nice but doesn't actually help them sell. After working with UK craft fair sellers and food market traders, here are the five things that genuinely move the needle.

1. A way to take orders online between markets

The whole point of a website is to make money when you're not physically at a stall. If your site doesn't let customers buy from you online, it's just a brochure — and a Linktree does that job for free.

You don't need hundreds of products. Even ten or twenty items with proper product pages and a checkout is enough to start converting visitors into sales. The key is that it works on a phone, loads quickly, and the checkout isn't intimidating.

If you sell products that can be shipped, an online shop is non-negotiable. If you sell something that requires a conversation first (bespoke orders, custom jewellery, catering), a simple "Request a quote" form does the same job.

2. Your market schedule and where to find you

People who follow you on Instagram or find you through Google often want to come and see you in person before they buy. A dedicated page — or even just a section on your homepage — with your regular markets, dates, and locations removes a lot of friction.

Keep it updated. There's nothing more frustrating for a customer than driving to a market to find you're not there. A simple list or a calendar widget that you update monthly is all you need.

3. Your story — who you are and why you make what you make

Market traders have a massive advantage over big online retailers: you're a real person with a real story. Someone who discovered a family recipe, someone who started making candles during lockdown, someone who gave up a corporate job to sell at farmers markets. That story is your best marketing asset.

Your About page doesn't need to be long. Three or four paragraphs, a decent photo of you (not a professional headshot — a real one from your market stall works brilliantly), and a genuine explanation of why you do what you do. Customers buy from people they like and trust. Give them a reason to trust you.

4. Good product photos with accurate descriptions

This is where most small business websites fall apart. Phone photos taken in bad lighting, no context for size or material, and descriptions that just repeat the product name.

You don't need professional photography. You need good light (natural light by a window is free), a clean background, and a few different angles. For descriptions: include dimensions or quantities, materials, how it's made, and any practical information a customer would want before buying. If it's food, list the ingredients and allergen information — this is also a legal requirement.

Good product photos and descriptions reduce "is this actually what I think it is?" anxiety, which is the main reason people abandon checkouts.

5. A way to contact you directly

Not just a form. A real email address or a link to your Instagram DMs.

Some customers have specific questions before buying — especially for bespoke items, allergens, or bulk orders. If they can't find a way to reach you directly, they'll go elsewhere. A contact form is fine as the primary method, but showing an email address alongside it signals that there's a real person on the other end.

Avoid phone numbers unless you're genuinely available to take calls. Nothing creates a worse impression than a phone number that rings out with no way to leave a message.