selling on etsy

Should I start with Etsy or Shopify?

Opening your first online shop is such an exciting experience!

When I first started out as an Etsy seller in 2008 there were really only a couple of options for handmade sellers. Etsy is the one that has stood the test of time, but in 2024 you have a lot of choices when it comes to selling online and it may be difficult to choose one that best suits you, your products and your budget.

I sold my handmade goods on Etsy for many years and in the past 5 years I have moved almost exclusively into selling digital products. For me, digital products looks like hand weaving PDF patterns and ebooks.

This year, for a variety of reasons, I decided to open a Shopify store. This store contains the same patterns and ebooks as my Etsy store and the customer experience is quite similar. For now, I am keeping both stores open, and I will explain why as you read on.

Etsy has changed considerably since I opened my first shop there 16 years ago. Many of the changes (in my opinion) have not been for the better and that is why I have started my own store, on my own terms elsewhere.

I still do recommend Etsy for absolute beginners though, and we will have a look at the reasons why.

I’m going to take you through what I consider the pros and cons of Etsy and Shopify as well as how much my monthly fees cost.

Etsy Pros:

It is still a great option for absolute beginners. It’s easy to make an account and start listing products. All payments are processed for you and the templates are simple. Basically, you don’t need a lot of tech knowledge to get started.

One of the main attractions of Etsy for newbie sellers is the tiny financial outlay. The only initial cost you will pay is 20 cents to list an item.

If you don’t make any sales for the month all you will be asked to pay is the 20 cent listing fee, so this is great for beginners as there is very little risk.

The other huge benefit to having a shop on Etsy is that it is a marketplace. This is great for those who are just starting out and may not have a customer base already.

Etsy Cons

Once you make a sale you must pay fees. Any you may be unpleasantly surprised by how much those fees add up to!

Yes, you start out with your very low 20 cent listing fee, but once a sale is made there is a transaction fee of 6.5% (this is even charged on your shipping amount) followed by payment processing fees. The payment processing fees will vary according to your physical location.

I mentioned in the “Pros” section that Etsy is a marketplace, and that can really help to build a customer base. Conversely, that marketplace can work against you because you have so very many competitors and it can be hard to be seen and found by new customers. There are many things you can do to optimise your listings but if you want to increase your reach Etsy will expect you to pay more for that in the form of offsite (which you can’t opt out of!) and onsite ads.

Now, another way in which a marketplace on Etsy can be a disadvantage is that when someone clicks on your listing to take a closer look, Etsy shows additional listings below your listing from other sellers. Effectively, they are using your page space to advertise other sellers!

Here is a screenshot example: I clicked on a knitted rabbit pattern listing from the wonderful Little Cotton Rabbits. When I scrolled down the listing page a little, Etsy had lists and pictures of similar items from other sellers and then underneath that there are more listings from other sellers under “You may also like”.

Underneath that, there are even more collections of other products to browse and related searches to explore.

OK, I get it, Etsy is a business, they exist to make money and they don’t care if they make a percentage of your sale or from another seller. But it certainly doesn’t help me, the seller, if my page advertises other sellers and I am not compensated for that.

On Etsy, you can’t collect emails in an automated fashion to be able to build and contact your customer base. This means that If anything happens to your Etsy shop you can’t get in touch with existing customers and you also can’t use Etsy to build a mailing list (an essential part of any business startup).

You also don’t own your shop and can be removed from Etsy at any time without warning. This has happened to many sellers who inadvertently or mistakenly breached copyright and had their shops removed. It can be a laborious and time consuming process to get a shop back and results in lost revenue while you’re trying to sort out the issues with Etsy customer service (which can be frustrating, to say the least).

I understand why Etsy does deactivate or remove shops, as copyright can be a huge issue in the selling field, but they seem to throw everyone into the same pool without carefully looking at individual circumstances. An example of this would be if a seller had made a short product video for one of their listings, and in the listing the seller is wearing a branded t-shirt. This can be seen as an instant copyright breach and the seller can be penalised, meanwhile the seller is wondering what on earth happened, as they were just wearing what they were wearing that day when they filmed the video!

A beef that I personally have with Etsy is that it is unrecognisable from back when I started, when it was a truly handmade marketplace. It felt niche and special in those days. Now they allow “vintage”, “supplies” and even print on demand. It feels more like a commercial shopping centre.

Shopify Pros

Shopify has a professional, clean and customisable look. Even if you don’t customise anything it still looks great and is easy to navigate.

It’s easy to setup and use and payments and ordering are simple processes

One of the best and most important part is that your own shop on the internet, you own it and can collect emails of your customers. You set your own parameters and no one can take the shop from you.

You can have a domain name of your own choosing for your shop, so it’s easy for customers to find.

Shopify Cons

You need to have a way to get eyes on your shop, Shopify is not a marketplace. If you already have an audience (especially in the form of a mailing list) it won’t be hard to share your shop link. But if you’re starting from scratch it’s going to be much harder for potential customers to find your shop.

The monthly fee that Shopify charges as hosting fees is charged whether you make sales or not. This can be a big disadvantage to a newer seller unless you get a lot of sales right away.

In addition to the monthly hosting fees, there are other fees that you will likely have to pay for customisation. This is not something that I realised when I first signed up for Shopify – I assumed that everything would be covered by the monthly fee. I use some apps for things like displaying customer feedback and social media icons.

Speaking of fees, I’m going to share some of my financials for both Etsy and Shopify to give you an idea of what to expect. Please note that my sales for both can vary immensely from month to month, this is particularly relevant to the Etsy figures considering they take a percentage of earnings.

FEES – Please bear in mind that these are my figures. Yours may look quite different.

Etsy per month -For me, the monthly fees range from $50 – $1600 (yes, really!!)

Shopify per month – $42 per month plus apps of around $20 = total of $60 a month

When you compare these figures you can probably see why I started the Shopify store. Overall, for me as an established seller with a very healthy customer base (over 12,000 sales on Etsy at the time of this article) Shopify fees work out at a much more affordable rate and are not dependent on my total sales for the month.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON SHOPIFY-

I wanted to share my thoughts as a newer user of Shopify. My sales in my Shopify store have been slower than I had hoped, but that is business in general in the present climate. I’m seeing slow sales in the Online Weaving School, my Etsy store and my affiliate links. There is a lot of economic uncertainty and inflation remains high, this is all having an impact on my business.

Also, having been on Etsy for 16 years, customers are comfortable with seeing and buying from me there. They are familiar with the process and they know where to find me. Not everyone likes change and I completely understand that.

Hopefully people will start to use my Shopify store more as time goes on as I would prefer to continue moving away from Etsy.

If you are interested in starting your own Shopify store, be sure to use my link to sign up! You can get your first month for just $1 when you sign up for a free trial, which is a great way to try out Shopify and see what you think.

Or if you are wondering about different avenues you can take for getting started selling your handmade products, check out there articles:

3 ways to start selling online for free!…

Do you want to start selling your weaving?…

3 Etsy essentials…

My 11 income streams…

What I would do differently if I started selling now…

I hope you found this article helpful in making a decision for yourself and your own needs as a seller or potential seller.

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

3 Etsy Essentials

by Kelly Leave a Comment

There can be a lot to learn when you make the decision to open an Etsy shop to sell your handmade products. However, rather than trying to learn “all the things” I always recommend to new sellers that they narrow it down to the most important things.

There are the obvious must haves like ensuring you are selling a quality product at a price that is fair to both you and the buyer, having policies in place and shipping on time.

In my experience as a handmade Etsy seller over the past 15 years and after almost 10,000 sales, I think there are 3 essentials that will best set you up for success on Etsy.

Before I talk about my recommended essentials, I’d like to point out why I think Etsy is a great place for beginner (and veteran) sellers.

Etsy has been around for a long time now and unlike some online platforms, you won’t have to jump through hoops to set up an account, list some items and start getting sales. The process is very simple and doesn’t require special technical knowledge.

Etsy takes care of all the payment processing for you and although they do take a percentage of each sale as commission, it takes that additional stress off you when you’re starting out.

Etsy is a marketplace, meaning shoppers can search for what they are wanting to buy. It’s a great way to get found and start building a customer base.

According to Capital One’s Research Report, there are over 100 million people worldwide using Etsy to buy and sell. They say that there are 277 million visits by shoppers every month to the platform. That is a lot of potential eyeballs on your products!

Now let’s have a look at my 3 Etsy essentials!

Photos

This is an absolute non negotiable for Etsy success. The only real downside to selling online is that the buyer does not have the ability to see and touch your handmade item in person. Your goal should be to bring that in person experience to them as much as possible. Excellent photos are a must.

You can present your handmade items best by ensuring your photographs are well lit (natural light is best when possible), clear (nothing will turn off a buyer like a blurry photo will!) and appropriate composition.

If you don’t have any experience with photography, don’t worry! Almost any smartphone these days will take very nice photos and they are basically point and shoot.

If you are brand new to photography or feel that you can make some improvements, I have an excellent free resource for you:

Photography for Weavers…

2. Customer Service

When selling online, customer service begins when you list your item, ensuring you have great photos and descriptions so that the buyer can make a well informed decision. For some transactions, that is as far as the customer service needs to go.

But quite often you will need to have some form of contact with the buyer. On Etsy, this happens through direct messaging. It’s a great opportunity to answer buyer questions and to assure them of their purchase.

This is your time to shine as a seller. Your job is to make the sale as easy and positive for the buyer as you possibly can. A happy sale means a happy buyer and this is crucial to a successful business. Why?

Well, firstly, a happy customer will tell others about you. Never underestimate the value of word of mouth advertising (and it’s free for you as the seller!) Secondly, a happy customer will leave you a positive review which will tell other potential buyers that your business can be trusted. And thirdly, a happy buyer will likely become a repeat and loyal customer. Win, win, win!

One simple move that you can make towards providing great customer service on Etsy is to check your messages regularly and respond to them promptly. A 24 hour time frame is good, but if you can reply sooner than that, even better. Buyers love a fast response – remember, they are waiting to make a decision on whether to buy or not, so that is time sensitive.

When you do respond to messages, make sure your reply is friendly and polite. Check your grammar and spelling. If the buyer has a problem, offer a resolution. It’s not always easy to convey meaning within the confines of text, so read over any of your messages before sending to make sure they are coherent and professional.

3. Description

Your description section can be so much more than simply describing the item you are selling. I think of it as one of the little pieces of real estate available in my Etsy shop. I use it to let shoppers know more about the item they are interested in, but I also use it to let shoppers get to know me a little more by the tone I use. It’s also the perfect space to tell a story about the item – the way it was made, what it means to you, how it will enrich the life of the buyer.

Here is an example of one of my actual listings for a PDF download pattern in my shop. The listing text is in italics and my commentary is in bold.

Description

Please note – this is a PDF pattern, not a finished item. (Telling the buyer exactly what they’re purchasing).

This project is designed for those who are familiar with the basics of rigid heddle weaving. (Is this skill level appropriate to the buyer?)

This wrap is inspired by and dedicated to Cheryl. Cheryl was a student of the Online Weaving School and a valued member of the private member’s group.

Sadly, Cheryl lost her battle with cancer in October 2021.

Weaving brought great joy to her life during her illness and I know she would have loved this wrap. (Telling the story of how the pattern came about and why).

When you complete this project, you can choose from either a long version (pictured) for luxurious multiple wrapping, or a shorter, more scarf like version. (Giving the buyer choices or variations).

You will need:

Rigid heddle loom with a width 16 inches or wider

1x 10 dent heddle

A stick shuttle longer than the width of the project or a boat shuttle

A warping board or frame for hybrid warping (if you are weaving the longer version).

A reed and threading hook

Tapestry needle

A fringe twister is very handy

Full yarn and materials list is given when you purchase the pattern. (Telling the buyer what they need for the project, so there are no surprises).

The printable PDF file is 30 pages long and includes instructions, lots of colour photos and video tutorial links to ensure your success. (Instilling confidence in the buyer that they can complete the project).

This PDF is not just a pattern, it’s a lesson!

In the additional resource pages, you will learn all about colcolastic yarn and the hybrid warping method.

Any questions? Simply message me and I’ll get back to you ASAP. (Ensuring support to the buyer).

What happens when you purchase a digital file? (Further information for a smooth transaction).

Following checkout you will receive an email from Etsy with a download link. If you don’t see the email in a timely matter, please check your spam/junk email folder.

If for any reason you are not able to access your file in this way, you can find it by logging into your Etsy account, clicking on your profile picture in the top right hand corner of your page, then choosing “Purchases and Reviews” from the drop down menu.

If you need further help, please feel free to message me 😊

I finish this listing my linking to my other available scarf patterns in my shop, using that available real estate to advertise my other products that could be of interest to the buyer.