Frequently Asked Questions

MakeNation is a marketplace connecting people who need custom physical items made (requesters) with skilled craftspeople and makers who can create them.

Whether you need a custom furniture piece, a prototype for an invention, 3D printed parts, metalwork, or any other physical creation — our community of makers can bring your ideas to life.

Creating an account is easy:

• Click "Join" on the homepage
• Enter your name, email, and create a password
• Choose whether you want to be a Maker (you can always add this later)
• Click "Create Account" and you're ready to go!

Creating an account and posting requests is completely free. Makers can browse the job board and submit bids at no cost.

We only charge a small service fee when a project is successfully completed and payment is processed through our platform.

Once you're logged in, you'll see the request form on the homepage:

• Give your project a clear title
• Select the most relevant category
• Write a detailed description of what you need
• Add keywords, budget range, location, and deadline (optional)
• Upload reference images if helpful
• Click "Post Request" to publish

After posting your request, makers will join the discussion and may submit bids. Here's how to choose:

• Review each maker's public profile and portfolio
• Check their ratings and reviews from past projects
• Ask questions in the discussion to understand their approach
• Compare bids based on price, timeline, and proposed approach
• When you find the right fit, accept their bid to start the project

Yes! As long as your request hasn't been marked as "Closed", you can edit the title, description, budget, deadline, and other details.

Just go to your request's detail page and click "Edit Request". Note that significant changes should be communicated to any makers who have already shown interest.

Requests go through several stages:

• Open: Your request is visible and makers can discuss
• Accepting Bids: You've opened formal bidding with a deadline
• In Progress: You've selected a maker and work has begun
• Completed: The project is finished
• Closed: The request is no longer active

You can become a maker in two ways:

• Check the "I want to be a Maker" box when creating your account
• Or go to your Account page and click "Set Up Maker Profile"

Then complete your maker profile with your business name, bio, skills, and portfolio images. A complete profile helps requesters trust and choose you!

When a requester opens bidding on their request:

• You'll see a bidding section with a countdown timer
• Enter your bid amount and any notes about your approach
• Your bid is only visible to the requester, not other makers
• The requester will review all bids and choose a maker
• If selected, you'll be notified and can start private communication

Tips to attract more work:

• Complete your profile: Add a professional bio, list all your skills, and upload portfolio images
• Be responsive: Quick, helpful responses in discussions show professionalism
• Build reviews: Great work leads to great reviews, which attract more clients
• Watch relevant requests: Use the star button to track requests in your specialty
• Set competitive prices: Research market rates for your skills

The Makers Board is your hub for finding work. It shows all open requests from users looking for makers.

You can filter by category, status, and sort by date, budget, or deadline. Click any request to view details and join the discussion.

The first 1,000 makers to join MakeNation are designated as Founding Makers and receive special benefits:

• 50% off platform fees forever — Pay only 5% instead of 10% on all transactions
• Founding Maker badge — A special badge displayed on your profile
• Early adopter recognition — Show clients you believed in MakeNation from the start

Once 1,000 makers have signed up, this program closes permanently. You can choose to hide your badge if you prefer, but you'll keep the discount forever.

All payments are processed securely through Stripe with full escrow protection. Here's how it works:

• Payment Secured: When you accept a bid, full payment is collected and held securely in escrow
• Work Begins: The maker starts work knowing payment is secured
• Item Shipped (50%): Half of the payment is released when the maker ships the item
• Delivery Confirmed (50%): The remaining half is released when you confirm receipt

Your money stays protected in escrow until your item ships, ensuring complete peace of mind.

MakeNation charges a 10% service fee on completed transactions. This fee is deducted from the project total when payment is initiated.

This covers platform maintenance, customer support, payment processing, and escrow services. There are no fees for posting requests, browsing, messaging, or bidding.

Makers receive payments through Stripe Connect:

• Complete a quick onboarding process to verify your identity and bank account
• Funds are released at each project stage (see "How do payments work?")
• Payouts are deposited to your bank account, typically within 2-7 business days

You can track all your earnings and payouts in your transaction history.

Consider these factors when setting prices:

• Material costs and overhead
• Time required (hourly rate × estimated hours)
• Complexity and skill level required
• Market rates for similar work
• Your experience and portfolio quality
• The 10% platform fee (5% for Founding Makers)

Be transparent in your bids about what's included and any potential additional costs. Remember that the platform fee is deducted from the total, so factor this into your pricing.

Look for these trust signals and badges:

• 🏆 Founding Maker badge: One of the first 1,000 makers to join MakeNation
• ✓ Verified badge: Earned by makers with 4.0+ rating and 5+ completed projects
• ⭐ Top Rated badge: Elite makers with 4.5+ rating and 10+ completed projects
• 👑 Pro Maker badge: Experienced makers with 50+ completed projects
• Reviews and ratings: Read feedback from past clients
• Portfolio: Quality and quantity of past work
• Response quality: Professional, detailed responses in discussions
• Completed projects count: Experience on the platform

If you encounter any issues:

• First, try to resolve it directly through communication
• Document everything (messages, agreements, photos)
• If you can't resolve it, visit our Support page for conflict resolution
• Report serious violations using the report function

We take disputes seriously and will mediate when needed.

Cancellation policies depend on the project stage:

• Before payment: You can cancel freely with no penalty
• After payment, before shipping: 50% refund to you, 50% to the maker for work started
• After shipping: The maker has already received 50%; you can cancel and receive the remaining 50% back
• After delivery confirmed: No refunds (project complete)

This policy protects both parties - makers aren't left unpaid for work started, and customers aren't charged for undelivered items.

We take data protection seriously:

• All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS)
• Passwords are securely hashed
• We comply with GDPR and other privacy regulations
• You can request your data or deletion at any time

Read our full Privacy Policy for details.

If you see something that violates our community guidelines:

• Contact us at support@makenation.com
• Include relevant details, screenshots, and user information
• We'll investigate within 24-48 hours

We have zero tolerance for harassment, fraud, or illegal activity.