Etsy is built on the promise of handmade goods. But AI-generated product photos and descriptions have gotten good enough that shoppers can’t always tell what’s real. Listings that look handmade might be AI-operated storefronts with no actual product behind them. Sometimes the item doesn’t even exist.
As a shopper, that bothered me. I wanted to support real makers, and I had no way to know who was real.
So I built a tool for it. Handmade Checker was the first product I built after years away from software, and it’s live on the Chrome Web Store.
What it does
Handmade Checker adds a “Check Listing” button to any Etsy product page. One click and it analyzes the title, description, and main product image, then gives you a clear verdict: Likely Handmade, Possibly AI-Assisted, or Highly Suspect. It shows the specific reasons behind every score so you can make your own call.
How it shipped
I built the first version in under two weeks. I submitted it to the Chrome Web Store and it failed review. I fixed the bugs in 10 minutes, resubmitted, and it was approved two days later. That whole loop - build, fail, fix, ship - reminded me why I love building software.
Free tier and Pro
The free tier gives you 10 checks a day, which is enough for casual shopping. Pro is $5/month or $48/year and adds 100 checks a day, detailed evidence breakdowns, a full check history, and auto-scan that checks every listing you visit.
It’s useful for shoppers who want to support real makers, and for Etsy sellers who want to check their competition.
Get it at handmadechecker.com - it installs directly from the Chrome Web Store.
I wrote a case study with more on the problem and the approach.
My Work → · Book a Call · tarlow@mossaistudio.com
Built and supported by Tarlow in Portland, OR. Shipping software since 2014.
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