Over the past seven years, I've used sold my own artwork using both Etsy, then my own website. There's no denying that Etsy is an attractive and popular option for independent sellers, with some key benefits. There's no set-up costs, limited set-up time and it's fairly straightforward to use. Whilst this may sound great, there are some key considerations to bear in mind when using Etsy:
1. Limited Branding Options:
Whilst you can personalise your own shopfront on Etsy, the customisation and design options are extremely limited. Your online store is essentially very similar to the thousands over other stores that are on the e-commerce platform and it's hard to stand out.
2. Selling Fees
Even your own website will have a small processing fee for payments made by your customers. Etsy's fees are noticeably higher however, to cover the fact they don't ask for a set-up fee.
3. How do you stand out from the crowd?
There are literally thousands of sellers on Etsy now. It's so hard to stand out from the crowd when someone types in a search term.
So, how does having your own website compare?
Don't get me wrong - as I mentioned in my Instagram post, having your own website isn't necessarily the easiest option, but it can certainly be very rewarding. Here are some key considerations and benefits:
1. Set-up Time/Cost
A website definitely involves more set-up time than an Etsy page, and you may find the pricing information daunting. Luckily, there are lots of web-designers out there (like me!) that can organise and break this information down for you.
2 Customisation
The good news is, you can customise your website to completely align with your branding guidelines. There is plenty of space to get your brand across to the user, and tell the story of your business. I believe in the popular saying 'people buy from people', so this point is really key.
3. Brand Awareness
As opposed to shopping on Etsy, there's more brand awareness when users shop from you. They spend the whole purchasing journey with you and may have visited your site multiple times before converting to a customer.
4. Overall Ownership
Your website is quite literally your online home - you don't have to adhere to policies implemented by Etsy and in general, have more freedom and creativity.
there's no denying that Etsy is a great starting point, but if you're ready to up your selling game with a strong brand, memorable design and a website that converts users to customers, then look no further for assistance. My web-design packages start from £450 and a deposit option is available. Contact me today and let's discuss ideas!
Comments