Kathy sent me an e-mail and asked if I would do a post on Etsy. So I said, sure, why don't you send me some questions you'd like answered!
Kathy's questions are in italics.
How much work is it to maintain?
It really doesn't take that much time to maintain it. Once you get your shop set up, you basically just list new items, which doesn't take too much time. It gets faster after you've listed a few things.
It is easier than doing e-bay?
I think so. There are five easy steps to listing an item, and you are walked right through them.
Is it cheaper than doing ebay?
Yes, it is much cheaper than e-bay. Etsy charges 20 cents per listing no matter what the item costs, and you get five free pictures with that listing. E-bay, on the other hand, charges 40 cents per listing (if it is under $9.99), the first picture is free, and then 15 cents for each additional picture. The final value fees are less as well. Etsy charges 3.5% of the item's cost.
What kind of traffic does Esty get? As far as numbers and types of visitors.
That, I'm not really sure of. Etsy is hugely popular among crafty people. I have heard that it is mostly crafters buying from crafters, but I don't think that is entirely true. There are different ways you can promote your own shop (give-aways on your own blog, give-aways on other people's blogs, list your promotion on the Etsy forum, send an item to someone to review on their blog, etc.)
How long have you been doing it?
I joined Etsy in August of 2006, and didn't make any purchases until February of this year. My first items listed were in April, first items sold were in July.
Has it been worth it?
Yes, it has! I enjoy making the items for my shop. I have made profits on everything I've sold.
Some other high points of Etsy:
***Each listing is in your shop for four months or until it sells.
***I feel as though Etsy is a more relaxing way to sell your items. E-bayers can be obnoxious. I haven't run across that, or heard of, obnoxious Etsy buyers. (I'm sure they are out there though!)
***It is easy to give it a try! You can list a few things to see how you like it. If you don't like it, and your items don't sell, you've only lost a few cents trying.
***It is fun to buy from Etsy sellers. They really go the extra mile when packaging your sale.
I'm a newbie when it comes to selling on Etsy, but I've had a very pleasant experience thus far! If you have any more questions for me, I'd be happy to give a shot at answering them!
7 comments:
I've enjoyed buying from you on Etsy! ;o) Would you mind if I post about this blog entry on my blog?
I've considered opening an Etsy shop, but I have no idea what I'd make to sell. The idea of having one just appeals to me, I guess. I do enjoy looking at other people's shops, too.
I love selling on Etsy, and it is very easy. I agree with you, Tammy, about not finding obnoxious buyers. I have yet to run across a seller with any negative feedback. I think the atmosphere is so much different from Ebay because it is a crafting community where people have invested their time, energy, and creative talents in the items they sell.
Jennifer, go ahead! =) Susan, I know what you mean! Before I started, it just seemed like it would be so much fun! Heather, I love your little bags and I'm so tempted to buy one, especially since it's going towards your adoption!
I too have been considering selling on Etsy and your post just answered some of the questions I had. Where do you get your boxes to ship things in and how do you figure the postage/handling fees?
Enjoyed visiting your site.
Thank you for doing this Tammy!
Jo-Ann, I have shipped most of my items in padded envelopes. If you're going to ship Priority Mail, the post office has free shipping materials. Otherwise, you can get nice shipping materials at Office Max or an office supply store. I am terrible about figure out postage and handling fees! LOL In the end, it is nice for the shipping and handling to include: the actual postage, Etsy fees, and all shipping materials.
Kathy, you're welcome! Thanks for asking the questions! =)
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