Amazon Handmade helps local business sell online

PHOENIX, Ariz. (FOX 10) - Around the holidays Amazon helps local businesses sell products world wide.

Business is booming at Gracefully Made Jewelry.

"Gracefully Made Jewelry started out as just a hobby, I started listing some things on line getting some sales and it became something really exciting, I thought it could turn into a business," said Katya Roacha.

Creator Katya Roacha never dreamed that business would grow as fast as it did.

"The more items I listed on line the more sales I was getting and then in 2015 we got onto Amazon Handmade and ever since then our business has doubled," said Roacha.

Gracefully Made is located in Sun City, but thanks to Amazon Handmade, Roacha can easily sell her jewelry online, quite literally opening a whole new marketplace.

"There's actually over a million small and medium businesses selling on amazon in the U.S. and over 19 thousand in Arizona with thousands of businesses in the Phoenix area alone, so customers can shop from a local, small business in Phoenix when they are on Amazon," explained Roacha.

A spokesperson for Amazon says small and medium sized businesses actually make up 50% of items sold on the site. On Black Friday alone, sales for those businesses went up 20%.

"We have hundreds of millions of customers shopping on amazon everyday so it gives a great opportunity for a small business to reach a customer base of that size," said Amazon spokesperson.

"We definitely knew that it was a huge opportunity but I don't think we really knew how big it was going to be for our business," says Roacha.

Roacha hired more employees for the busy holiday season. She's optimistic about what's to come, thankful Amazon will keep sales booming.

"I think when you think of Amazon, you think of big business, big company, you don't realize there are lots of small businesses selling to local markets as well," said Roacha.

To shop Gracefully Made Jewelry, click here, and for more information on Amazon Handmade visit their website.