So-
I have a question
for anyone that would like to
weigh-in
on the matter.
I have been waffling over
whether or not to open an
Etsy shop.
I have been getting feedback
from several people that
Etsy sales are
WAY DOWN;
that Etsy is not what it used to be.
I have already corresponded
with some of you and I would
like to hear other's opinions, too.
Do you SELL on Etsy?
If so--how are your sales?
Do you BUY on Etsy?
Do you BUY like you did in the past?
I have been trying to
figure out the cost of mailing,
packaging and TIME factored in
and I am wondering if it is
more profitable to just take
my USED and/or VINTAGE
items to a local consignment shop.
Are you more inclined to buy
handmade, created goods on Etsy
as opposed to buying vintage items?
IF you have a moment,
I would love your feedback
and I thank you in advance for
any opinions you might offer.
edited to add: Someone mentioned
selling on Facebook and/or
on the blog itself.
Whaddayathink?
edited to add: Someone mentioned
selling on Facebook and/or
on the blog itself.
Whaddayathink?
Have a wonderful upcoming week!
65 comments:
I have not bought from ETSY in a long, long time so I don't have a clue. Might be a fad thing like ebay was. Could you do both and then you would have your test market for you and your area.
I buy some things on Etsy still. But I HATE to pack and ship, so I don't sell there myself. Interesting to see what you poll shows :)
I use Etsy. Took a while to get any sales. I may go a month with none but then have a couple sells a week. Not getting rich. I see other shops selling like hot cakes and cant understand. Im still trying to figure out how to get my shop noticed. Vintage? If suggest consiegnent would be more benificial. Good luck.
Her is my shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LiLiDi
Lisa
I still buy handmade goods and love them. I don't buy vintage items anymore because I can usually find them in a store for less with No shipping fees! I haven't sold on etsy! Big decision because if you do it, you really need to do it well! Hugs to you!
I've never sold on Etsy, but I've purchased several things on there. I've heard sales are a bid down too, which surprised me because I've always been able to find exactly what I was looking for on their site. I'm not sure what to tell you. If you have a ton of stuff, maybe try out Etsy and see how it goes. It's hard to figure out what would be best with factoring in shipping, etc. I guess I'm not much help. :) If you do decide to open an Etsy shop, I'd definitely advertise it on your blog and even Instagram. And be sure to use hashtags on instagram like #etsy #smallbusiness #vintage and stuff like that. Some people use Instagram just to search for vintage items they're looking to buy and they find them by searching hashtags like that. Good luck!
I hope you keep getting comments-seems very difficult to know what will work for you.
I started on Etsy in the last couple months and I like it a lot... I have tried FB marketplace and its flakey :-)
Oops its me again, I only sale small items that are easy to ship. Etsy has an option where you print your shipping lable right from the site. Purchase it, print it and slap it on the package. Its then ready to hand to the postman. Each item is 20 cent to post and last 4 months. Etsy takes a very small percentage of sales.
Lisa
Enjoy shopping etsy for vintage items....feed sacks,kitchen items, bird figurines, and patterns. Have shopped ebay but I'm not into the bidding so I prefer etsy. I'm not on face book so I would miss your sale but your blog would work fine. Not sure how you would work out purchasing on a blog. Also, I've never had a problem using pay pal. Patty Mc
I'm no help, since I've neither bought or sold on Etsy. Did consider selling there but it would have been a headache with the shipping
so decided to forget it.
A couple of my friends stopped having a etsy. Cost of mailing, etc was costing to much. A couple of my friends post on facebook and they seem to do well. I am afraid that I am not help, sorry.
Have a terrific week.
Hugs,
Mary
No Etsy shop for me, but I have bought from Etsy a number of times and I have always been pleased with the items. I had not heard about Etsy sales being way down.
I have bought and sold on ebay. Easy to do, but I never did well selling. Guess I don't have the right things. Bought on etsy, but never sold. I buy craft/handmade things. Not really into vintage.
I don't have an erst site...but set up a sitter site off my WordPress blog. Since I pay for my blog my 2nd site is free. So no fee's like etsy and,eat charge. I set my own fees and like the freedom of not having someone control my business.
Etsy....sister. I hate auto correct...
OK. I love Etsy...
I don't sell, but I do buy!
Ask my hubby. : )
But I have always found what I need...especially dresses and bows for Flynn...but also vintage items like teacups. I also buy the peg dolls that talented people make. I just ordered a speciality blanket today, and have found everyone very easy to work with. I should note that I live in a very rural area, with no major shopping for hours. So it is very convenient for me. Best of luck in whatever you decide!
I buy from etsy all the time. It is easy, and I have had no problems. Good luck.
I don't buy online, Diana, so my opinion wouldn't help. Good luck with what ever you decide.
I like buying from Etsy. My kitchen island took forever to come but I love it.
I've purchased so many things and have loved them all. I see that ebay has so much, too!
I know a couple of people who sell on etsy. I waffled with the idea for almost a solid year and finally gave up on it. I just don't have time. You might try setting up your own shop on your own website. Might be cheaper.
Diana, I don't have an Etsy shop, but have bought many beautiful things from there. Good luck with your decision. ♥
I've only bought one thing from Etsy. I guess I never think of it. All of my online shopping is through Amazon.
I LOVE etsy, and buy there often. Not sure about selling, though. I don't imagine people make much money unless they have high volume traffic. If you're just looking to sell a limited number of items, how about through your blog? You have a lot of visitors here, and then you'd be done when your items sold.
Diana, I am Sooo old school...I never do any thing to do with money on line. I have bought things from some bloggers...but I send a check and they send the product , after the check clears. LOL. Money orders are great. But I see many things I like on some etsy sites. I love antiques, homemade items, and books. I wish you great luck if you do have an etsy. I'll visit and work out a way of shopping.LOL. Blessings for a new fun filled week. xoxo, Susie
Diana,
No Etsy is not what it used to be.
I started selling on Etsy when it was still "handmade" only. It was all handmade and predominately US driven.
Overtime while I was there they started including vintage items as well....I joined that bandwagon and bought things at garage sales to sell in my shop...(it kinda paid for thread)...
Then, I noticed that there were lots more out of country products...
And then more from China.
Their prices for similar items....I could never compete with.
Then, there was shipping. Since I sold items that were different, I would have to go to the post office and find out how much something would be to ship...
then, the cost of paying Etsy for their online presence on top of it ....
Well after 6 years online at Etsy I closed my shop....
People will expect their items faster (that's the Amazon effect)...
I love Etsy....I support those who have shops and do buy from them....
But as far as having a shop....no.
Unless, you have similar items and shipping isn't hard for you....
It depends too on what you are selling....
Best thing to do, is check what you have to sell with what is on Etsy already....
Are there lots of stores like yours? do they sell the same thing? have a great shipping policy/return policy??
Good luck with your decision....
Let us know what you come up with....
And what would you sell??
Nancy
wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
I have bought a few things on Etsy but have never sold anything. I am probably one of very few that is not on Facebook ( I know gasp right!)so I have never made a purchase there. I think you should sell your items where you can get the most traffic and business. I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide.
I've bought some things on Etsy. My loom, for example. I think there are some very interesting shops there, but the trouble with starting to sell there is that there are already so many that are well established that it seems new shops just get lost in the crowd, unless they're really unique. Dennis and I are considering online sales. . .well, more than considering. We're going to do it, but it won't be through Etsy.
Hello Diana,
I just closed my Etsy shop which sold vintage items last week. Yes, views are way, way down from when I opened it 2.5 years ago. It is a lot of work for little return. Since every vintage item is different it is hard to judge postage and I have lost money if I need to send to the West Coast from the East Coast (unlike a jewelry seller who has roughly the same weight every time and cheaper postage). You need to take into account your time to photograph (5 good ones), list, package, and send out each item. I netted very little after time and fees.
Hope this helps.
I have to be honest - I have bought a couple things on Etsy and a couple of things on Facebook. I am not a regular tho. Sorry I am not more help. Sandie
When I retired, my plan was to open an Etsy shop for my handmade goods. But, I was turned off by the cost of shipping. And, it's gotten even more expensive.
I do sell my handmade soaps on Etsy, as you know, and I like it. It seems a steep learning curve at first, but once you've got it down, it's very simple to manage and the shop looks nice. I seem to get more sales on Etsy than I do on my website (HomemadeSoapnSuch.com), but I am told that is because people trust Etsy more than a personal website. As far as vintage items, I'm not sure. I know there are several vintage sellers on Etsy, as there are in almost every category, but I would think it would be more profitable to sell there than in a consignment shop. EXCEPT that you have to take five photos, good photos, of each item and write a detailed description. That can get time consuming. Then there's Ebay also. Lots of people sell on Ebay. I think it depends on what you have to sell. And of course the consignment shop means you don't have to weigh each thing and decide what shipping costs should be. So, I guess the bottom line is: I DON'T KNOW. I direct people from both my blog and my Instagram account to my Etsy shop and my website shop. Then again, I know what it's going to cost to ship my items, so it doesn't vary a lot and I ship Priority Flat Rate or First Class. Just open an Etsy shop and also an Ebay account, put some things up, and see how it goes. I will say, though, that when it comes to an Etsy shop, the more items you have for sale the better, for it looks more like a legitimate shop. On Ebay, you're selling individually so it doesn't matter. For what all this is worth.... :-)
Well, I'm not sure that people do buy that much from etsy any more. And what you said is so true about the mailing, packaging, and time factor. If it's just a hobby, then I'd say why not? But if you want to make extra money, with all the cool things you have the consignment shops might pay you a little something for them. And garage sales, they are so popular here, and people do really well with them. Sometimes vintage shops will buy things. I had a lead crystal sugar and creamer set that I don't use anymore, and the vintage shop said they buy it. Not for a whole lot, but it's something.
I hope whatever you decide, that it all works out for you, Diana.
love, ~Sheri
Hi Diana..
I buy on Etsy and I have had wonderful experiences there and I haven't heard anything negative about the sales. I love the selection and the prices seem reasonable. There are a lot of people selling so it's very competitive. But I say if it's something you'd like to try, go ahead and do it. My philosophy is that there's a lot of talent out there and I believe that there's room for everyone! I don't think it's much of an investment financially...if any. I'm going to try it soon. Just for fun and to see if my creations sell, of course...lol You never know unless you try :) Best wishes for whatever you decide. Have a blessed week.
Tamara
xoxo
Hi,
I do buy on Etsy. I have enjoyed my experiences with Etsy and the shops.
I do know the shipping can be a headache and the fact that your shop is always open.
Keep me posted on your plans.
Carla
Wow...lots of great opinions from lots of experienced ladies. I have purchased a few very speciality items from Etsy. I do most of my vintage or used items from thrift or consignment shops because I hate to pay for shipping. Also, sometimes, I am not looking for anything specific, I am just looking and something catches my eye. Your blog gets great traffic, I'm sure and you have many loyal readers, it sounds like it would be a good place to sell items. Decisions, decisions...Good luck!
Wish I could help but I am afraid I am one of those that doesn't buy too much of anything online. Very seldom do I to be honest. I have though in the past bought several gifts off Etsy and had no problem whatsoever. Two of my three daughters buy off Etsy and has had a positive experience. The only thing I've ever done was sell on some yard sale sites locally. Hope you find your balance my friend. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
I have an Etsy shop but have been so lazy in the past year until it is just barely open. I can't say that I ever made lots of money but it was helpful when I was busy listing.
I do shop there for time to time and have had no problems. I sure don't know and have never made enough money to advise you on it either but I have friends that do re purpose and one even sells rusty coke bottle caps...I tell her she could sell anything....guess it's a crap shoot...I hope you all keep us updated because I'd love to see your shop if you open one! xo Dolly
I may have bought one thing on Etsy since it has been a thing. Not saying its good or bad simply because of my lack of experience with it. It seems to still be a thing though. I'd say selling on facebook might be worth a try...you could do live posts (you need to advertise them in advance and tag interested people when (if) you go live and anyone interested can tune in then. I have been buying Paparazzi jewelry from a friend who sells this way on Friday evenings. Good luck!
I shop on Etsy all the time! I got a package today! lol I mostly buy handmade items, rarely vintage things because I have lots of thrift stores here. But it's a fun place to browse and find unique things. I love Etsy and think you would do real well selling there! Hugs, Diane
I've always been disappointed when surfing Etsy. I have never bought anything and do not plan to. I'm not big on Facebook, but have been using their garage sale just recently as it seems Craigslist is not that great any more and people are moving to Facebook. I have gone to other blog's sales stuff and loved some of it and would've bought things but I was really unsure of their security. So, to be clear...No on Etsy. Maybe on Facebook. Hell Yes on your blog.
I have always been pleased with what I have found on Etsy, sometimes hard to find items. I have had good experience with my Etsy finds, purchases etc. That being said.. I don't buy there much. I think there are rules about selling on facebook or blog, so while I like the idea, be careful and make sure you don't get in some sort of trouble.. whatever that would be, lol. Maybe no trouble at all... check into it.
I buy from etsy. I sell on ebay - much bigger market and have been doing it nearly 18 years. My daughter had a business on etsy b/c she said sales just pretty much stopped. Etsy is way pricier than ebay, but it is because it is laborous to hand make things. People are dumb and expect mass produced crap in China and complain about unique artesian things being pricey can go to Wally World and pay nothing.
Etsy is worth it if it is something you make.
Selling on ebay is what I do for all my vintage stuff, even modern things, too - anything - and there is always the thought to just get a dot com - so many bloggers do that. Only prob there is it is a niche smaller market.
Depends how much you have and what prices you will be asking.
Be warned - it isn't a huge money maker after all the work involved - and you have to house it. If it is larger items consign them. If it is stuff like teacups and decor things small enough to mail safely go with ebay, that's my thoughts. Consignments take half usually - so I only do with furniture and heavy things.
OK, there's my novel, sorry so long. Hugs and love. ♥
2nd try to comment!
My girls think I should sell my crochet on ETSY...not my thing!
I like to crochet for friends and family....and who could figure out the pricing and shipping! 🙄
Selling on the blog and even IG are good ideas....
Good luck....and have a great week....
Cheers!
Linda :o)
Hi... Etsy is fun to buy from, but I only have done it for a very few items! I hate doing all the packaging and mailing things for the regular stuff like Bithdays.But Older things on Etsy do not interest me! I think a consignment shop would be way less hassle! But you have more energy them me LOL
Hugs, Roxy xo Or on a second thought you should think about renting a booth for a few months!
I tried it for awhile...a huge amount of prep and unless you are constantly uploading new items you just get lost...
In the end I most likely lost money / should have just done a yard sale :)
I have not shopped Etsy in a long time. I have known people who did sell on Etsy but I think it depends on what you sell. People I know who shop Etsy usually use it for jewelry shopping. I know ebay still does well for many. One friend (she passed a few months ago) was selling antiques and such on ebay and got rid of her shop. She would set a start price and many would go for more! Then there are the antique/crafty "malls" where you rent a space and work a few hours each month. I am not sure what is best.
No help on this front...not an Etsy shopper. However, I would check our your shop if you should choose to do so. xoxo
I'm selling handmade cards easy, but yet to get much success..I also in search of ideas or ways to increase my sell.. But you need to do some kind of marketing..
That is a hard one for me to answer. I do sell on Etsy and I buy there also. I have encouraged you in the past to open a shop but I have to say that it is ALOT of work and a lot of learning to get a shop up and running. I am on the computer everyday promoting my items on teams and Pinterest and my blog. I don't think it is worth having a shop with under 500 items for SEO reasons so it is hard to keep that up. There is so much competition. I have been doing it 5 years and I am not sure about sales going down....my income has increased each year (not to the point of living off of it!) to the point that it is affecting our combined income and putting us in another tax bracket! My husband is not happy about not getting as much back from taxes! I think you have to weigh all of that. It is a lot more work to list items than to put them in a consignment shop. Or how about your own booth in a vintage shop?
Shipping has gotten so expensive. If you have to ship a long distance it really gets costly especially if has some weight to it. I rarely buy from Etsy and I've followed some bloggers who sold things through it but gave up on it. I've used Craigslist for a variety of things. I've tried consignment shops with mixed results. I sold things on eBay too but don't like the listing fees and the shipping costs.
Wow, what an interesting array of opinions! First of all, I shop on Etsy regularly and love supporting individual shop owners and finding unique, handcrafted items. And as a shop owner, Etsy has totally exceeded my expectations. I first spent three months researching everything I could about Etsy before I even opened my wreath shop. I've continued to work hard learning about SEO, improving my wreaths, mastering shipping and providing the best possible customer service. I just hit the two-year mark a few weeks ago. I make consistent sales, have a good income and now consider my shop a full-time job that I love! I'm sure there are many factors that affect the success or failure of an individual shop. And a little luck along the way certainly helps. But it can certainly be fun and rewarding! ... If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask!
Never been on Etsy, or ebay. I'm trying to buy and consume less of everything. What the heck do I need more stuff for when I already have way to much of everything? #justsaying
I have bought a few things thru etsy and the experience has been good. For me personally, I have better success with local consignment shops for household items and items that would be costly to ship.
Here's my two cents about Etsy. I have an empty Etsy shop right now. However, I noticed that sales started declining about a year ago. I think it is due to the fact that China produced goods are now sold on Etsy and being passed off as "vintage or homemade." I believe that you would do better by offering items for sale on your Blog or FB page. Hope this helps.
hugs,
Sissie
Hi Diana, Well I'm sure you are getting all sorts of answers here, so I'll throw in my opinion too. I haven't bought or sold on Easy, though I know many who do and their products are really good. I'm not sure why I haven't gone there, except that I often put off buying things for our decor if there are other pressing bills.
Also, for you my friend-please keep my best friend Barbara in your prayers-at the beginning of the month she was diagnosed with a very slow growing breast cancer. So she is dealing with all the emotions that comes with that, figuring out treatment(which she has scheduled)and on top of it, her hubby had a heart attack in March and had 6 stents put in. They live in Ca. Her faith is minimal at that. Thanks dear one!
Hugs,
Noreen
Yes, Etsy is not what it used to be, but I do shop Etsy from time to time.....Have you thought about just placing a "shop" on your blog?
Well, let me add one final entry. I have kept quiet and wanted to read most of your comments. I have had my Etsy store for almost 10 years....it was fun, especially when I sold something....oh then I did the Etsy tap dance all day! But those days of tap dancing were few and far in between....in almost 10 years, I had only 65 sales. Just had one a few weeks ago. I am thinking of ending my career on Etsy at the 10 year mark which will be next February. I tried selling some of my vintage stuff too....just a few sales there too. I am not a very good business type person and did not do a lot of PR. Can't tell you the last time I put up some new cards...just been renewing for the time being. Well, that my point of view. Oh and another thing that bugged me about Etsy......they are always constantly changing their site, so I was always on a learning curve trying to figure out where to go and what to do, they are always constantly changing things around, I guess to supposedly make things easier and user friendly. Anyways.....with social media the way it is, who wants to buy a card anyways, if the card is $3.50 after packaging and postage and fees, you don't make much and actually lose money in the end.
I love Etsy. As both a buyer and seller (not lately, because I am lazy) I have found it to be a wonderful experience and have never had an issue, nor did I when I sold on eBay for almost 10 years. Happiness and success is in the heart of the beholder. I recently bought new, monogrammed Christmas stockings from a fabulous seller on Etsy. I doubt they could be copied and sold from China. It all depends on what you are looking for/selling. Do your homework, promote your site, be fair and honest and you will succeed.
I love Etsy! I have bought tons of stuff there through different vendors. I love the package in the mail surprise when it come... my daughter loves it too.
I love Etsy. I always find what I am looking for. I love the mom and pop shop aspect of it.
I've had an etsy shop for years, for my vintage handmade jewelry. I used to promote it heavily on the blog and I got regular sales. Then I stopped promoting it and sales dropped off. I wasn't upset however since it was just a hobby. My Irish Dance charm bracelets all sold pretty much as soon as I could make them but I have not had time for jewelry making for some time. It's inexpensive so why not give it try? xoKathleen
Hmmm... I opened an Etsy shop about year ago? I put 5 bucks shipping on everything, because nothing I sell weighs more than 5 lbs lol I sold one thing in all this time, so I don't think it's the best way. They ask you to join all these weird things, but I don't know how to do all that, so I sit in the dark. It seems like eBay might be better? I'm not sure, but unless you're computer savvy, I don't think it's possible to make a living from it. Honestly, I'm lost LOL I hope you can find a better way and let me know ;)
xo
Oh! I buy from them all the time though :)
There are some very interesting viewpoints to consider in your post. I guess it all comes down to - how do you want to spend your time?! My mother needs to downsize and I have suggested she donate it to a charity thrift store and use her time differently.
My gut is telling me it might not be for you Diana. I've bought a few things on etsy, but not for a very long time. I found my blog designer there and she was fabulous, but as for actual merchandise, it's been a while since I've bought anything. I think it's very difficult to make money unless you're willing to put a lot of time and effort, and really, are you? I don't hink that's your goal anyway, but maybe I'm misreading your intent. If you have some larger items to sell, how will you ship them? If everything is small and easily shipped, that could factor in as a positive, but I think it's really easy to get lost in the sauce over there.
xxx
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