Etsy
Pros
So what do we like about Etsy? It’s super easy to use, there are no monthly fees and it is very well known. You get access to all your sales and sats and can even print them off to see how you and your business are doing. Etsy does promote your store and get you some traffic but it is usually not enough. Traffic is also easily deciphered, you will be able to tell if the traffic is promoted by Etsy or from your website or a blog. Etsy also comes in an app so you can easily check your stores stats and how your products are performing on the go.
Cons
Although we do love Etsy it has changed over the years. It used to be a place for handmade unique one of a kind artsy items. If you go to shop on Etsy you can usually find multiple stores selling basically the same things for different prices. If you look at Etsy’s fees they seem very persuasive and small, but once you really start selling they start to add up. Your pricing really needs to be well thought out in order to cover the fees that come with it. They charge a listing fee of $0.20, a transaction fee of 3.5 % of the sale not including the shipping, and a processing fee of 3%+$0.25 when the item is actually sold. There is also not much opportunity to customize your Etsy store. Customers don’t really get a sense of who you and your company are. Etsy can also be very discouraging because your products are constantly being shown next to other people’s products.
Website
Pros
Having your own website allows you to sell directly to customers. You don’t have to go through Etsy and their fees and policies in order to make a sale. You also are involved in the design process and get to make your website as unique as you and your business want to be. On Etsy there are millions of other companies just like yours selling the same things. In order to get customers to notice you on Etsy you need to do a lot of promoting and advertising. Not that you won’t have to do the same for your business and your website but it is more of a competition when dealing with Etsy and trying to stand out. You can also share more than just a small bio about your business on your own website.
Cons
There are not many cons to having your own website because it really can’t hurt your business. It is really just a resource and tool for you and your company to grow.
Why not do both?
Etsy isn’t all bad it can actually be very beneficial for your business in getting noticed and discovered. Etsy can be a great start for businesses to see if people really like your product and if you should invest in making your own website and selling directly. However through our research we have seen it is hard to get noticed on Etsy. SO you really should be using all the tools available to you like instagram, facebook, ad twitter to advertise. Now all of these tool are amazing ways to start your business but what happens if instagram/twitter/facebook/etsy go away? You really need to invest in your business and get your own website or App. Your website/app isn’t going to go away and you really don’t need to rely on anyone else. Once you do have a website Etsy could also help you advertise your website and your products. Getting your products out there and getting as many eyes on them as you can is really what you want. So finals verdict is use both, or use Etsy as a stepping stone to getting your own website. When your products start flying off the shelves on Etsy come talk to our team at Giant Killer Pro and get started on making your own amazing website and/or App.
