Comments on: Etsy Shop vs Other E-commerce Sites: Your Opinion Wanted

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:21:07 +0000

My biggest question is this: I have a unique gift basket business…where I use a box or basket, fill it up with goodies, wrap it up, and sell. Even though I design the gift basket, most of the items I put in the basket or not homemade. Can I still sell it on Etsy?

By: Kathy Crabbe

Kathy Crabbe — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:00:52 +0000

I’ve had an Etsy Shop since 2008 for my art and intuitive readings/astrology reports and have been happy with it BUT I’ve had quite a few customers over the years NOT ABLE to figure out Etsy and manage check-out so I direct them to my website instead…so yes, definitely a good idea to offer both!

KathyCrabbe.com
Artist/Astrologer

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 20:40:43 +0000

There are also image suppliers that sell high quality printable images to use in your etsy creations. If you’re looking for inspiration or a new source of material, some of these images aren’t very expensive, like http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageRetroAntique

By: Your Opinion Wanted: Opening Up A Shop Despite The Competition | Handmade Success | Marketing + Social Media Training for Creative Entrepreneurs

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 07:31:21 +0000

[...] receiving such wonderful feedback from Angela’s questions about Etsy vs Other E-Commerce Sites I received the below question from [...]

By: Tracy B.

Tracy B. — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:22:44 +0000

I’d suggest opening an Artfire shop. Artfire is GREAT! It’s only $12 a month for a store… no listing fees, no final value fees… list as much as you want…. great advice in the forums…. and great/prompt communication from Artfire staff… all for a flat cost of just $12.00 a month.

I spent 2 years on etsy, had over 100 items listed, communicated in the forms, made treasuries, tried the “relisting game”, spent $ advertising my store, etc. and it still took many months before I got the first sale, and very few after that (I would go months without any sales). On Artfire, I have my first sale within 3 weeks of opening and have gotten sales every month this year.

Of course, it’s good to have more than one shop, so you could try both if you’re able to make enough product to keep up multiple shops.
I do still have a few items listing on etsy, but sales there are still as slow as they’ve always been. On the other hand, I have a friend who can hardly keep up with her etsy sales, so I guess maybe it depends on what type of item you sell. So, try them both and see which works for you!

By: Judy Evans

Judy Evans — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:08:26 +0000

I have an etsy shop and a website. My website offers me options that I can’t get with etsy, such as showing as many sold items as I want so customers can see what’s available for custom orders (not just what’s sold on etsy). The link to etsy is seamless, when a customer clicks on a photo of what’s for sale, they are automatically sent to that item on my etsy site. I think having a website is a way to show customers that you’re a professional.

By: helen

helen — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 11:46:00 +0000

I’ve used Etsy and Big Cartel, and sometimes both. Right now I’m just on Etsy again (with my own separate non-selling site) but am always looking for a better e-commerce situation that works for one-of-a-kind items.

I also really dig Big Cartel. Every change they rolled out while I was there was well-tested, well-communicated, and much needed. (I wish I could say the same for Etsy.) And their customer service was great. But the Paypal-only-ness of Big Cartel is keeping me away. I really hope they’ll upgrade to a credit card gateway soon, even if it’s just Paypal Pro. I’ll go back the moment they do!

You do have to understand that even though there’s a shop directory and good SEO, Big Cartel is not a community with built-in traffic like Etsy. You’ll need to bring your own audience, but the people you bring , the branding, and the money are all yours yours yours! But if you go into it knowing what to expect, I really recommend it.

By: Tiffany Whipps

Tiffany Whipps — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:23:37 +0000

Hi Angela!

I’ve recently been in the same boat only the other way around. I built my website and opened a Big Cartel with a custom domain to park at my site as my e-commerce. I’ve been selling on Etsy for the past 2 years and my sales are good there but my new Big Cartel site wasn’t paying for itself. You are right to worry about branding with Etsy it also takes a lot of work and time to be found. For me I decided to go with a big Etsy mini on my web site for my shop page and ditch Big Cartel. I don’t think it hurts to have both and I wouldn’t close your other shop until you’ve explored Etsy further. Best of luck!!

By: Kristin

Kristin — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:34:15 +0000

I am working on a rebranding of my business, and when I am finished I will have one of each. My plan is to do something a little bit different on the etsy shop than on the domain website to keep things fresh (since I do things with my product ordering in more than one way). I think it’s a great idea to have both, if you can afford it.

By: Karen Floyd

Karen Floyd — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:16:02 +0000

I agree with Claire on your question : “Is it better to just have a website with a link to the Etsy shop?” If you have a client that is on your website and would like to make the purchase I would say keep your ecommerce site for the economical standpoint as well.

Good Luck and thanks for the great question!!!