If you’re a crochet business owner, you may have heard about Etsy as a platform for selling your handmade goods. But is it worth it? Here’s what I’ve learned in my short time selling on Etsy!
First, what is Etsy? Etsy is an online marketplace that specializes in handmade and vintage goods. It allows independent sellers to create their own online shops and sell their products directly to customers around the world. The platform has become popular among crafters and artists, as it provides an easy and affordable way to reach a large audience.
This means you have the potential to reach a large number of customers who are already interested in what you’re selling.
Some people argue that Etsy may not be the best platform for crochet businesses. They point out that the market for crochet products can be oversaturated on the platform, making it harder to stand out from the competition. And while it is true that there are a lot of crochet sellers on Etsy, you can stand out from the competition by finding a niche that is in demand, or a product that no one else is selling. Check out our blog on how to use branding to stand out: https://jacksyarn.co.uk/2023/03/09/branding-standing-out-from-the-competition/
Another common complaint about Etsy is related to their fees. On first glance Etsy seems very cheap with it costing only $0.20 to list an item to sell. Most people forget that there are other fees too. These fees only apply IF your item sells. They include fees for Etsy, for payment processing and all applicable taxes. Most of these fees will apply no matter what site you are selling on. There are also Etsy fee calculators available online to help you price your items to make sure you still make a profit after all fees are taken.
There are also many benefits to selling your crochet on Etsy. Here are a few:
- Large audience: Etsy has a massive audience of shoppers who are specifically looking for handmade and unique products. This means you have the potential to reach a large number of customers who are already interested in what you’re selling.
- Easy to use: Setting up an Etsy shop is relatively easy, and the platform provides a lot of tools and resources to help you get started. Once you you receive an order, Etsy takes care of all the sales tax and vat that maybe owed on the items. They also make it easy to ship internationally by being registered with customs agencies around the world.
- Low start-up costs: Compared to starting your own website or storefront, selling on Etsy can be relatively affordable. The platform charges fees for listing and selling your products, but these fees are typically lower than what you would pay to set up your own website or storefront.
- Opportunity for growth: With the right strategy and marketing, you can grow your crochet business on Etsy and reach more customers over time. This can lead to increased sales and revenue.
In conclusion, whether or not it’s worth selling your crochet on Etsy depends on your individual business goals and strategy. While some argue that the platform can be oversaturated, there are also many benefits to using Etsy as a sales channel. With its large audience, easy-to-use interface, low start-up costs, and potential for growth, it’s definitely worth considering as a platform for selling your handmade crochet products
Jack's Yarn Crochet Designs 
2 replies on “Is it worth selling on Etsy?”
I’m a purchaser, for now. My issues with Etsy are as follows: 1. site is NOT secure/lacks privacy (one’s name is a link that any rando can click on and message. mine have been requests to pirate my purchased patterns to them); 2. purchases easily duplicated (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve repurchased an item I already own); 3. horrible navigation (no way to jump to a certain page in favorites and purchases); 4. popularity contests don’t help consumers (no way to delete list of items Etsy wants me to review. I no longer post reviews because of the lack of privacy); 5. no way for consumers to contact Etsy (only sellers can do so), especially when they’re sold pirated merchandise; 6. too many pirated patterns for sale (still under copyright); 7. terrible search function (if I only want crochet patterns of certain things, there’s no way to easily specify); 8. too many needlework products (mostly yarn, craft supplies, needles, hooks) are being resold from Amazon at higher prices.
For all these reasons, I avoid Etsy if at all possible (I use Amazon, Ravelry)
I am thinking of becoming a seller and Etsy does NOT make the cut based on all the issues I’ve run into as a consumer. Ko-fi is my 1st choice; Ravelry is my 2nd, Crazy Patterns is 3rd. I will only be selling digital patterns, so Etsy is a bad option for me, imho.
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Sorry about the delay in replying! You really do make some good points! I’ve been very lucky not to have received any spam messages so far, but I’ve heard lots of people talk about them. I really like that feature on Ravelry where all your downloads are in a library, I do hope Etsy bring that in too. I sell on both platforms, and despite advertising both together 90% of the people choose to buy through Etsy. And I think I have benefitted from the traffic that Etsy brings. There’s lots of work for Etsy to do so that they keep loyal customers, I hope they invest in customer service too. Thank you for your thoughts, some really good points!
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