If you create handcrafted goods or curate vintage collectibles, you are aware that Etsy is an excellent ecommerce platform for turning your hobby into a successful business.
The website gives sellers an excellent platform to start and grow a business. Etsy makes it simple for makers to get started by providing them with a website builder called Pattern in addition to a ready marketplace.
However, Etsy can only grow your company so much. Since it owns your customer list, your options for branding, retaining customers, and retargeting are restricted. Additionally, Etsy creates competition amongst creators by suggesting other sellers at the bottom of a product page who have comparable offerings.
To help you sell on other websites or on your own ecommerce site, we've compiled a list of Etsy alternatives.
Etsy Overview
Source: Etsy
Since its founding in 2005, Etsy has grown astronomically. It is currently one of the most well-known e-commerce sites for vintage items and handcrafted goods, and both consumers and makers are starting to recognize it.
The Etsy store's success serves as evidence of how effective online marketplaces can be when they concentrate on offering high-quality goods and services that satisfy consumers.
However, this success has also led to a need for Etsy alternatives for buyers and sellers. While Etsy is an excellent platform for buying and selling handmade items and vintage products, it may not be the best choice for everyone.
Furthermore, if you have handmade items to sell online, there are other options available.
Similar services are offered by numerous other online marketplaces, some of which are more affordable or practical than Etsy and others of which offer more specialized features.
Why Switch to Etsy Alternatives?
1. Sellers want to stand out from the competition
Since Etsy suggests sellers who sell comparable products even when a potential customer is on a particular product page, it can be difficult for sellers to stand out from rivals.
Customers looking at a particular candle, for instance, only need to scroll to the bottom of the product page to see listings of other sellers' candles under "Similar items on Etsy," as shown below.
Source: Etsy
Therefore, Etsy sellers who choose to participate in a paid promotion will still be placed against other sellers.
2. Sellers want more marketing options
Many conventional ecommerce marketing strategies are inapplicable to Etsy sellers.
Although paid promotions are an option, Facebook remarketing and marketing tools are not provided by the platform. Additionally, after a sale is completed, sellers are not allowed to contact customers or gather email addresses from buyers.
Put differently, you are unable to send automated emails or retarget ads to clients through any of your sales channels.
3. Sellers want to expand into non-handmade items
Only vintage goods, handmade products, and craft supplies may be sold on Etsy's marketplace.
Therefore, successful Etsy users who simply outgrow the ability to hand-make every item or sellers who wish to expand into wholesale offerings will not be able to use Etsy going forward.
It can be difficult to expand your e-commerce business with an Etsy shop when faced with restrictions like these.
4. Sellers want to diversify their marketplaces
While some Etsy sellers may still want to use the marketplace, others want to reach a wider audience by selling on other ecommerce platforms.
9 Best Etsy Alternatives for Sellers
Building Websites: Alternatives to Etsy
Table link: Feature Comparison
1. Shopify
shopify.com
Price: Monthly plans start at $39, plus transaction fees
Now with their promotions, you can start a free trial and enjoy Shopify for 3 months for $1 only.
Read more: The Ultimate Guide For Top Eco-friendly Dropshippers
With Shopify, you can sell products online, through social media, and in physical stores or pop-up shops. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive range of business tools and resources, such as local delivery tools, Shopify POS, an advanced point-of-sale system, and merchant loans through Shopify Capital.
With hundreds of customizable templates, Shopify's multi-channel solution is easy to use and can be tailored to match your branding. Shopify offers flexibility with plans and pricing tiers to support a range of business needs. It also resides on your domain, so you own your store and customer list. Furthermore, Shopify provides integrated marketing tools and robust analytics to retailers. Actually, a large number of merchants on Shopify today began on Etsy and moved over when they were ready to expand.
Include Etsy and Shopify in your multi-channel marketing plan. With the help of their Etsy integration, Shopify offers merchants the ability to customize their own branded experience and support a multi-channel strategy.
Utilize the expanding collection of free Shopify apps to enhance the functionality of your store and increase online sales.
2. Squarespace
squarespace.com
Price: Monthly plans start at $23. There are no Squarespace transaction fees for Squarespace Commerce plans (Basic and Advanced). They charge a transaction fee of 3% on sales in the Business plan.
Its drag-and-drop design tools and user-friendly templates make it a good choice for novices. Squarespace is one of the simpler alternatives to Etsy if you're looking to migrate because it also lets you import your Etsy site and preserve your products and product URLs in the process.
Squarespace offers robust inventory management capabilities to sellers, who can also leverage integrated social media tools for product promotion. Squarespace provides a tiered pricing structure that changes according to the features you require. For instance, the service's most expensive tier offers the option to sell gift cards or subscription products.
One of the simplest ways to build your own online store is with Squarespace, an Etsy alternative. However, Squarespace takes longer to set up and requires more patience because it's a full website builder, whereas Etsy only offers a specific ecommerce tool. If you are able to afford it, you should think about investing in external web design and development resources.
3. Wix
wix.com
Price: Monthly plans start at $16, plus transaction fees
With drag-and-drop editing and an intuitive template design, Wix is a website builder with e-commerce capabilities. Additionally, you can alter the templates to reflect your branding.
With Wix, you can keep track of orders, process credit card payments and PayPal, make promotional coupons, and configure shipping and tax policies for various regions. Wix provides phone support, a knowledge base, an active community, and tiered monthly pricing plans.
Although Wix offers many more marketing tools than Etsy, you are primarily limited to using their templates. Additionally, SEO features are necessary if you want to attract organic traffic to your website.
4. Big Cartel
bigcartel.com
Price: Free for up to five products; plans start at $9.99 for up to 50 products.
The platform provides various marketing tools, a custom domain name option, and customizable templates to match your branding.
Sellers receive a fixed monthly fee based on how many products they sell. Customers purchase straight from your store and have the option to get in touch with you via a contact form.
The existing audience and customer base of Etsy is one of its greatest benefits. You can create your own website and online store with Big Cartel, but you're still in charge of generating traffic. Etsy might be a better choice if you don't have a plan or budget for drawing customers to your store.
5. IndieMade
indiemade.com
Price: Affordable plans range from $4.95/month to $19.95/month, and all come with a 30-day free trial and zero setup fees.
Since IndieMade was specifically designed with artisans in mind, it offers features tailored just for these kinds of sellers searching for Etsy alternatives. It's a cheap platform that facilitates content curation for your website. You can create an online store and also include a blog, an events calendar, photo galleries, news, and press.
You don't have to worry about data inaccuracies or overselling because IndieMade's inventory management tools sync in real-time with your Etsy inventory information. It is challenging for retailers with expanding product lines, though, because there aren't as many options for product variations as there are on Etsy.
Quick read: 22+ Best eCommerce Fulfillment Services for Your Online Store [Updating]
Online Marketplace: Etsy Alternatives for Buyers and Sellers
6. Amazon Handmade
sell.amazon.com
Price: Amazon Handmade requires a Professional selling account which costs $39.99/month + selling fees. This monthly fee will be waived for approved applications.
Handmade at Amazon offers makers an Amazon storefront to sell their items.
Source: Amazon
Benefits include Amazon-sponsored advertisements, no listing expiration, shipping via Fulfillment by Amazon, and intelligent analytics. However, the prices are greater than those of other marketplace platforms because, depending on the quantity of products listed, Amazon charges a monthly membership fee in addition to a commission for each transaction. The costs associated with Amazon Handmade are higher than those of Etsy.
Even though FBA is a convenient option, it's not always the best one, especially for handmade goods, especially for merchants who are new to multi-channel selling. Usually, these goods and experiences have an additional personal touch that FBA simply cannot match.
7. Bonanza
bonanza.com
Price: Sellers pay 3.5%–5% of the final sales price, including shipping, with a minimum of $0.50
Source: Bonanza
An Etsy alternative called Bonanza specializes in selling one-of-a-kind goods like crafts, collectibles, and artwork. In addition to offering sellers a ready-made customer base through its built-in market, Bonanza also lets you set up a standalone online store. On Bonanza, listing things is free of cost, but there are final value fees.
Source: Bonanza
Bonanza makes it simple to get started by importing products straight from Etsy. In addition, it comes with marketing and analytics tools and generates listings automatically on eBay, Nextag, and Google Shopping. Even with a smaller user base, it cannot compete with Etsy.
8. eBay
ebay.com
Price: eBay store subscription fee is ranging from $7.95-$349.95/month. Also, eBay charges selling fees and they are a final value fee % + $0.30 per order. They also charge a listing fee. The first 250 listings per month are free and then it’s $0.35 a month per listing.
Source: eBay
Since 1995, this website has existed, and let's face it, who hasn't placed an eBay bid? It's among the most well-known and established online marketplaces for trading, buying, and selling goods. It gives customers access to a wide range of products from vendors worldwide.
It facilitates the promotion of products across various categories and modifiable product listings. It's comparatively easy to navigate and utilize. It's also ideal for vendors seeking a platform to swiftly and readily connect with millions of customers. It is globally accessible, and the majority of the marketplace selling is handled by their mobile app.
9. Storenvy
storenvy.com
Price: You are subscribed to Storeenvy’s free plan by default. You can also upgrade your plan from $4.99-$24.99 monthly subscription fee.
Storenvy is a great Etsy alternative for those who are looking to launch their own store without spending a lot of money.
Its marketplace combines social network features with the best elements of an e-commerce platform; in addition to opening a store, you can engage with other buyers and sellers to increase sales.
The user-friendly interface, social media integration, POS integration, and product listing customization are all available to sellers.
It works best for small business owners who wish to open a custom store or begin offering free products on Storenvy's marketplace. It's also a great fit for sellers looking for a social shopping experience-focused Etsy substitute.
It has access to a sizable social media marketplace, social media integration, and an entirely independent online store.
Given that its average sale price is higher than Etsy's, the marketplace takes pride in providing high-quality products. The website frequently advertises its sellers' products on social media, which can increase the visibility of listings more than sponsored advertising on other marketplaces.
Comparison
How to Choose the Right Etsy Alternative for your Online Store?
As you can see, there are a lot of great Etsy alternatives for sellers out there that let you set up your own store. But which one is the right fit for your business?
In the end, the response will depend on your financial situation and specific needs. The following advice will assist you in selecting the ideal marketplace for your store:
- Determine what features you need: Make sure the platform has the features you require for your store in mind.
- Assess fees and pricing – Look at the costs of various platforms to make sure you're receiving a fair deal.
- Check out customer reviews – Deciding which platform is best for you can be aided by researching customer experiences.
- Determine ease of use – Think about how simple it is to set up and run the platform.
- Think about market size – When compared to smaller markets, larger ones frequently offer your products greater visibility and reach.
Etsy sellers and those just getting started should be able to select the ideal Etsy alternative for your business by keeping these pointers in mind.
You can also refer to this detailed checklist:
Conclusion
Etsy is a powerful ecommerce platform with a solid track record and well-earned success. Having said that, not everyone may find it suitable.
Review all 9 of these platforms thoroughly before choosing one. Check their features in great detail to make sure they complement your objectives.
Choosing an ecommerce store platform is a big commitment, so it’s worth spending some time weighing all your options before committing to one.
Explore more, check out: Shopify Explained: An 100% Unbiased Review From Inside (Updated)
