Migration process from Etsy to Shopify is simply importing products for a wider and newer reach. Etsy accumulated a total revenue amounting to $2.6 billion in 2022 and $2.3 billion in 2021 (source: statista). Meanwhile, Shopify recorded more than $4.6 billion in 2021 and later on announced a $5.6 billion revenue for the year 2022.
So, if you are thinking about moving to Shopify from your previous Etsy store, this blog is for you. Below we will tackle the difference between both platforms, the reasons for migrating as well as steps in properly moving your products.
Differences Between Etsy And Shopify
An Etsy shop has the same purpose as Shopify, which is to provide space for merchants to sell their products. However, the significant difference between the two is quite visible;
Shopify lets its users build an independent website or online store where they can reach target buyers. With Shopify, you can easily customize your store based on your preference, giving you the power to control your storefront.
Meanwhile, in Etsy, business owners work hand in hand with the Etsy platform and use it as the primary marketplace for their goods. Just like other online marketplaces such as eBay, Alibaba, and Amazon, your items will have to compete with different products that are also listed on Etsy. Here, you will have no actual hold on what design or customization to choose for your store as Etsy will be in control of those.
Here are some other things to consider when deciding what e-commerce platform to use between the two:
Listing and transaction fees
Etsy website and Etsy's mobile application charge a $0.20 fee for every item you list. For the transaction fee, Etsy collects 6.5% of the price you put for each listing as well as the total amount you charge for gift wrapping as well as shipping.
Fortunately, Shopify won't require you to pay any listing fee. Plus, there is a feature that allows you to use Shopify Payments, which means you will not be charged any third-party transaction fees for orders that are processed through Shopify Payments, Shop Pay, Shop Pay Installments, and Paypal Express, as well as on manual payment methods like cash, cash on delivery (COD), and bank transfers.
Subscription plans
Etsy Plus: $10 USD per month and is deducted from your monthly balance.
Shopify plans: Shopify provides three pricing plans; Basic Shopify costs $25 per month, Shopify for $65 a month, and Advanced Shopify amounting to $399 monthly. All allow you to add an unlimited number of products to your store.
Domain name and URL structure
New Shopify stores can use and acquire a custom domain with their shop name in it, which can be an advantage in establishing your brand. Shopify offers
For Etsy, you are obliged to include the word "etsy" in your domain name, still, you can always buy your own domain with your shop name and redirect it to your Etsy shop instead. So, suppose, someone types in your self-bought domain name, instead of them reaching your website, they will be redirected to your Etsy shop. In conclusion, there is no room for a unique domain in Etsy.
5 Reasons To Migrate From Etsy To Shopify
Reach New Customers
Though Etsy permits the listing of other goods, it is still known to mainly accommodate merchants that are selling handmade or vintage Etsy products. Etsy already has its loyal customers even before you create an Etsy account. The platform is prominent and established, so no one can blame you if you choose to remain there.
However, note that moving to Shopify will give you a high possibility of tapping more potential shoppers that are outside Etsy. Building your own online store lets you reach a more relevant market. Shopify is open to different kinds of business ideas, it is well-known for its various product categories.
Chance To Customize Your Store
Customization or personalization of your online shop lets you enhance your brand identity while also having the chance to provide a great shopping experience that is tailored in line with the needs of your customers. Shopify has tons of professional themes to choose from.
You don't have to input out-of-the-world codes because Shopify has a wide variety of templates available for you. Even if you have no extensive knowledge of designing and inserting certain website features, you will not get lost in Shopify. With a custom theme, you can easily work on the consistency of your branding from font sizes, headings, effects, color palettes, and other elements which you can achieve in Shopify, and PageFly, if you are looking for reinforcements.
Online store customization also provides better search engine optimization (SEO) performance. A customized Shopify theme gives more attention to assessing and improving your storefront’s entire structure, product description, website content, and metadata for high-quality SEO performance.
Establish Own Marketing Strategies
Using the Shopify store means having your own email list and audience. You can have more control of your marketing strategies because you are its sole owner. You can build retargeting ads or send emails to shoppers who have abandoned items on the cart.
Shopify comes with tools that will guide you in establishing your marketing goals, monitoring analytics, and going on with your techniques, so no need to worry about diving deeper into this aspect. Check out Shopify's marketing tools while building your e-commerce business.
Easy Access On Apps To Improve Your Business
Great deal of applications are available on Shopify App Store to enhance the overall management and function of your online store. There are those for email marketing, sales, and traffic analysis, assuring you that you will not be limited to just one. With these apps, you can easily improve customers' shopping journeys while also constructing a more robust backend foundation. Here are some Shopify apps we listed that will help you get ahead of the competition.
Wider Range Of Payment Options
Shopify luckily offers a really wide array of payment options that lets you receive shoppers' payments with convenience in an ultimately secure way — credit cards, co-branded debit cards, and even physical or virtual Shopify Balance cards are accepted.
You can also pay using Shopify Payments, Paypal, and any other Shopify payment providers that are available online.
Guide In Moving Products From Etsy To Shopify
Integrate Etsy account to Shopify or if you completely want to transfer your Etsy products to Shopify, then do the move of importing all data instantly. Let these steps below be your guide in moving to a brand new location in no time.
- First, transport your Etsy data as a CSV file from your Etsy shop manager. You have to carefully download the shop, customer, and product data, which will also include product descriptions, pricing, and more.
To download your listing data:
1. Log in to Etsy.
2. Find and Go to the Shop Manager.
3. Choose Settings.
4. Click Options.
5. Go to Download Data then hit Download CSV to save the file to your device.
The aforementioned steps in downloading the CSV file are quite easy, just follow the above instructions. The downloaded CSV file will automatically be saved as an Excel file. After the above you get the CSV file, it is now time to bring it to Shopify by following the directions below:
- Bring all your shop data into Shopify by using the Store Importer app which can be found in the Shopify App Store in order to fully upload your CSV file. You can visit this Shopify tutorial for an easier approach,
- Update your data to make sure it is well-imported. Observe how it is on your Shopify store display. You can always manually upload files if you notice the listing data fails to import.
You might also want to check out these article-related content for your future Shopify store:
Conclusion
Etsy listings are not entirely damaging to your business, however, the idea of migrating your products to Shopify is also not bad at all. In fact, it can really provide immeasurable advantages in your store when done properly.
Etsy has its known basic features that accommodate sellers who opt for an easier setup process and management. Though they can still make an upgrade if they somehow choose Etsy Plus, the advanced tools that Shopify can surprisingly offer are beyond your imagination. It can massively contribute to your online business growth and even if you want to open a physical store someday.
New Shopify store owners will surely enjoy this transition, especially if they are planning to work in a different environment that can assist them in their other business goals and practices.
