Etsy alternatives

[Bubz]

Has anyone had success from selling with Etsy?

Anyone use alternative sites to Etsy?

Etsys fees seem like a lot. I have a square account and if you link the two to manage inventory etsy takes a fee from selling with square in person.

Ideally I'd like to sell in person too but honestly it's hard to do right now working 14 hr days, 5 days a week.

 

[MelissaG]

I have a go imagine shop but I honestly haven't used it. Right after I got it, I broke my ankle so haven't been able to do anything.

 

[AliOop]

I have a square account and if you link the two to manage inventory etsy takes a fee from selling with square in person.

What a rip-off!

But if you aren't selling in person right now, does it matter?

 

[Bubz]

What a rip-off!

But if you aren't selling in person right now, does it matter?

Not a huge deal but was disappointed with that fee.

I was hoping to use square for a one stop shop with some of their features like for inventory counts and was excited to see etsy synced with it but was floored that each sale in person is also on etsy so you're hit with the .20 relisting fee.

Etsy is nice since people go to that site looking for handmade stuff but the fees have gotten wild to me.

 

[AliOop]

That is just awful. I watched an expose on Amazon's fees, and how they control worldwide pricing. Apparently their bots crawl the internet watching your prices, and will remove your "Buy Now" button from your listing if you have it priced lower anywhere else - including your own website.

 

[Bubz]

That is just awful. I watched an expose on Amazon's fees, and how they control worldwide pricing. Apparently their bots crawl the internet watching your prices, and will remove your "Buy Now" button from your listing if you have it priced lower anywhere else - including your own website.

I believe it. Amazon has the money to do something like that. No clue how that's legal but the internet was no restrictions in the U.S.

If I can I'd like to avoid etsy but not sure if there are any viable other options out there. I wouldn't even say etsy is all handmade now with the ai art, drop shippers and how they allow outside production of products but then call that handmade.

 

[MelissaG]

Square pulled that on me. I disconnected etsy when etsy took part of the sales fee when I sold in person at markets. I've stopped selling on etsy altogether. It's not like I was making sales anyway.

 

[Firefly24]

There is Faire. You have to apply. You are selling wholesale to retailers looking to sell your items. I don't know what the fees are so if your interested check that out. As for Etsy, I shop there but would never sell because it's a pain in the you know what.

 

[MomInWA]

Square pulled that on me. I disconnected etsy when etsy took part of the sales fee when I sold in person at markets. I've stopped selling on etsy altogether. It's not like I was making sales anyway.

@MelissaG Well, that sucks! Yikes, what made them entitled to your market sales? Was it just auto-connected somehow? I like Etsy; do not like hearing this.

 

[MelissaG]

@MelissaG Well, that sucks! Yikes, what made them entitled to your market sales? Was it just auto-connected somehow? I like Etsy; do not like hearing this.

Exactly. I connected square when I first started so I could take payments using the same app. Imagine my surprise when I found etsy taking a cut of every sale I made through square no matter where I made the sale. I was livid. I'm glad I noticed after they only managed to get maybe $10 from me. I protested with both companies and was blown off. Now I don't sell through etsy, and the only thing I use square for is if my zettle doesn't work and to record that I received a payment from venmo or cashapp (they don't take a cut of that, it's just a paperwork thing). That kind of crap is how you lose customers.

 

[paradisi]

So, that's Etsy pulling the fee thing, not Square. And if you don't connect Etsy to Square, it can't do it.

Square doesn't take all those extra fees if you use them for an online shop.. but then you have to do your own advertising or in person shows to get the ball rolling.

 

[tonih]

That is just awful. I watched an expose on Amazon's fees, and how they control worldwide pricing. Apparently their bots crawl the internet watching your prices, and will remove your "Buy Now" button from your listing if you have it priced lower anywhere else - including your own website.

I've seen stuff on Amazon from suppliers and have gone on their websites and gotten it cheaper than Amazon, even with shipping and I have Prime.

 

[AliOop]

I've seen stuff on Amazon from suppliers and have gone on their websites and gotten it cheaper than Amazon, even with shipping and I have Prime.

I’m not saying it can’t be done. I am saying that once Amazon finds out (via their automated web crawling bots), they penalize the seller’s Amazon account by making it much harder, and sometimes impossible, to complete the purchase on Amazon.

This is well-documented by many sellers who have taken to social media to complain about this. Apparently Amazon does this mostly for high volume sellers, so a low volume seller may not experience the same penalties.

 

[paradisi]

I’m not saying it can’t be done. I am saying that once Amazon finds out (via their automated web crawling bots), they penalize the seller’s Amazon account by making it much harder, and sometimes impossible, to complete the purchase on Amazon.

This is well-documented by many sellers who have taken to social media to complain about this. Apparently Amazon does this mostly for high volume sellers, so a low volume seller may not experience the same penalties.

This.

The FTC is suing to break up Amazon's monopoly and give sellers some relief from Amazon's predatory practices.

Amazon is now taking about 50% or more in fees.

 

[MomInWA]

@paradisi

This.

The FTC is suing to break up Amazon's monopoly and give sellers some relief from Amazon's predatory practices.

Amazon is now taking about 50% or more in fees.

Good! Same thing for LiveNation. I’m not against making the big bucks. I am against making the big bucks while throwing the little guy under the bus.

 

[A-Polly]

That's interesting to know. Recently I saw some Bramble Berry products on Amazon, but the prices were higher than those directly from the BB website. The selection was pretty limited, and cost appeared to be around $4 or so more per item. Although if someone needed something quickly it might be worth it!

 

[AliOop]

That's interesting to know. Recently I saw some Bramble Berry products on Amazon, but the prices were higher than those directly from the BB website. The selection was pretty limited, and cost appeared to be around $4 or so more per item. Although if someone needed something quickly it might be worth it!

Yes, I should clarify that supposedly Amazon does take into account the difference in shipping that might or might not be paid on some sites, vs. Amazon with Prime, vs. Amazon without Prime. Just thinking of all that comparative math makes my head hurt.

 

[Tammyfarms]

I wouldn't even say etsy is all handmade now with the ai art, drop shippers and how they allow outside production of products but then call that handmade.

I used to enjoy shopping on Etsy but now it feels more like Amazon. It’s really time consuming to sift through the mass produced stuff and figure out what is actually handmade.

 

[MelissaG]

I used to enjoy shopping on Etsy but now it feels more like Amazon. It’s really time consuming to sift through the mass produced stuff and figure out what is actually handmade.

Yeah, I've spent the last three days on etsy looking for a soap dish that I'd like. I actually found several that were exactly the same as on Amazon from many different sellers but were much much cheaper on amazon. There's one with the price that's $12 for one including shipping. On amazon, it's 3 for $6. I reported that one to etsy. I thought they were supposed to be removing these. I just decided to buy the ones on Amazon since it's the same thing for a better price.