And though Etsy’s revenues remain strong, hitting $61.4 million in the most recent quarter, its mounting costs have given investors cause for concern. Etsy’s share price has slumped to half of the heights it saw shortly after its much-talked-about initial public offering in April. By contrast, Amazon shares have surged almost 75 percent this year, aided by strong sales figures, propelling the company past Walmart to become the world’s largest retailer by market capitalization, worth over $250 billion.

Enter Amazon, which says it is carefully vetting seller applications to determine whether their wares are strictly handmade. To list, artisans must give details of their manufacturing process, including what tools and machines they rely on. Outsourcing is not allowed. (Amazon invites sellers whose products do not qualify to list instead on Amazon Marketplace, a more general service.)

Amazon will start out with six categories — home, jewelry, artwork, stationery and party supplies, kitchen and dining, and baby — Mr. Faricy said.

One distinct advantage Amazon will bring is reach. Its 285 million active customer accounts dwarf Etsy’s 22 million, giving artisans access to far more traffic and potential customers.

And Amazon is also offering logistical backing to its sellers, allowing them to ship products, in lots, to one of the company’s many fulfillment centers around the country. Amazon will then ship out those products as part of its Prime service, which offers members unlimited free shipping for an annual fee.

Most sellers are likely to give Amazon a bigger cut of their sales for that reach, however. Etsy charges a 20-cent fee for each item a seller lists on its site and takes a 3.5 percent cut of the sales. For now, Amazon will charge no listing fee but take 12 percent of sales, which it says covers all costs, including payment processing, marketing and fraud protection.

“Amazon has all the capabilities they need to make their program a big success. They have all the marketing power in the world, and they’re already so global,” said Dani Marie, chief executive of Handmade Seller magazine and author of “The Handmade Entrepreneur,” a monthly guide to selling crafts online that is independent of Amazon.