Forget Etsy! Here Are 7 Alternatives For Selling Handmade Goods

Summary

This video explores various platforms beyond Etsy for selling handmade goods, emphasizing the potential to build a six-figure business. It introduces alternatives like Shopify, Amazon Handmade, Bonanza, Redbubble, eBay, Folksy, and JustArtisan, detailing their pros and cons. The script highlights the benefits of owning an e-commerce website for full control and direct customer relationships, ultimately advising sellers to choose the best fit based on their products and business goals.

Takeaways

• 😀 Etsy is a popular platform for selling handmade, custom, and vintage goods, with over 80 million active buyers.
• 🛍️ There are several alternatives to Etsy for selling handmade products, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
• 💻 Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows you to sell on your own website, with no referral fees and full control over your store.
• 📈 Amazon Handmade offers a large built-in audience but charges a flat 15% referral fee per sale.
• 🎨 Bonanza is a seller-centric marketplace with low commission fees and allows sellers to build relationships with customers.
• 🌐 Redbubble is a print-on-demand service that provides passive income for designers, handling printing and shipping.
• 🔍 eBay is a large marketplace known for auctions and fixed price listings, with a vast audience but potential for counterfeit issues.
• 🎁 Folksy is a UK-based marketplace with no commission on shipping and immediate payment via PayPal, but limited to UK residents.
• 🆕 JustArtisan is a new marketplace supporting independent artisans, with no listing fees but a higher commission rate.
• 🏆 The best alternative to Etsy depends on the type of products you sell and your business goals, such as control over your brand or customer relationships.
• 📈 Starting your own e-commerce website can provide more control and opportunities to build lasting customer relationships.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the video?

The video aims to educate viewers on various platforms where they can sell their handmade goods, emphasizing that Etsy is not the only option available.

Why is Etsy considered an excellent starter platform for selling handmade goods?

Etsy is an excellent starter platform because it has over 80 million active buyers and is well-known for its marketplace for handmade, custom, and vintage goods.

What are some of the advantages of using Shopify to sell handmade products?

Shopify allows you to own your own online store, giving you full control over its presentation, no referral fees, and access to customer information for marketing purposes.

What is the monthly subscription fee range for starting a store on Shopify?

The monthly subscription fee for Shopify ranges from $29 to $299, depending on the chosen plan.

What is Amazon Handmade, and how does it differ from Etsy?

Amazon Handmade is a selling program within the Amazon marketplace for artisans to sell handcrafted products. It differs from Etsy in that it has a built-in audience of over 300 million active users and charges a flat 15% referral fee per sale instead of listing fees.

What are some of the benefits of selling on Bonanza?

Bonanza offers low commission fees of only 3.5%, allows sellers to build relationships with customers by providing access to customer information, and makes it easy to import products from other marketplaces.

What is the main appeal of Redbubble for designers?

Redbubble is appealing because it is a print-on-demand service, meaning designers can upload their artwork and earn a markup on every product sold without handling printing or shipping.

What are some of the pros and cons of selling on eBay compared to Etsy?

eBay has a vast built-in audience and allows for auction-based listings, but it also has extra fees, a reputation for bargain hunting, and a limit on the number of products new sellers can list.

What makes Folksy unique compared to other marketplaces?

Folksy is unique in that it charges no commission on shipping fees, allows unlimited item listings with a small monthly fee, and provides immediate payment to sellers via PayPal.

What is JustArtisan, and how does it differ from Etsy?

JustArtisan is a newer handmade marketplace that supports independent artisans and allows the listing of digital goods. Unlike Etsy, it does not charge a listing fee but has a higher selling fee of 7.5% per sale.

What is the main takeaway from the video regarding selling handmade goods online?

The main takeaway is that while Etsy is a popular platform, there are multiple alternatives that offer different benefits and drawbacks, and ultimately, having your own e-commerce website can provide more control and customer relationship building.

Outlines

00:00

🛍️ Exploring Etsy Alternatives for Handmade Goods

This paragraph introduces the topic of the video, which is about discovering various platforms where artisans can sell their handmade goods beyond Etsy. It emphasizes that while Etsy is popular, it's not the only marketplace available. The video promises to explore alternatives like Shopify, Amazon Handmade, and others, which can potentially help turn a crafting side hustle into a lucrative business. It also mentions the importance of listing products on multiple platforms to maximize sales.

05:01

🏪 Shopify: The E-Commerce Platform for Independent Craft Sellers

This paragraph discusses Shopify as an alternative to Etsy, allowing sellers to have their own online store with full control over the presentation and no referral fees. It outlines the benefits of using Shopify, such as owning the platform, having access to customer information for marketing, and avoiding Etsy's referral fees. However, it also points out the downsides, including monthly subscription fees, the need for upfront work to set up the store, and the responsibility of driving traffic to the site.

10:02

🎨 Amazon Handmade: A Renowned Marketplace for Handcrafted Products

The paragraph explores Amazon Handmade as another alternative to Etsy, highlighting its large user base and the benefits of selling within the Amazon marketplace, such as no listing fees, a built-in audience, and brand recognition. It also details the program's requirements, the referral fee structure, and the convenience of Amazon's shipping services. However, it warns of the strict application process, high commission fees, and Amazon's reputation for bargain hunting, which might not align with the handmade goods market.

15:02

🌐 Bonanza and Redbubble: Diverse Marketplaces for Unique Designs

This paragraph covers two additional marketplaces: Bonanza, which is praised for its low commission fees and customer relationship-building opportunities, and Redbubble, a print-on-demand service known for its unique designs and passive income potential for designers. Bonanza's benefits include low fees and ease of importing products, while Redbubble offers a user-friendly interface and no inventory management. However, the paragraph also addresses the downsides, such as Bonanza's lower traffic and Redbubble's competitive market and lack of customer relationship building.

🔍 eBay and Folksy: Established and UK-Based Marketplaces

The paragraph examines eBay and Folksy as further alternatives for selling handmade goods. eBay is noted for its vast audience, brand recognition, and flexible listing options, including auctions and fixed-price listings. In contrast, Folksy, a UK-based platform, is highlighted for not charging commission on shipping and offering immediate payment via PayPal. The downsides include eBay's extra fees and counterfeit issues, and Folksy's limited traffic and UK residency requirement for sellers.

🎉 JustArtisan: A New Entrant Supporting Independent Artisans

The final paragraph introduces JustArtisan, a new online marketplace that has gained support from former Etsy sellers. It allows the sale of digital goods and has no listing fees, but it charges a higher commission per sale compared to Etsy. The platform aims to foster a community of artisans and is open to feedback from sellers. The challenges include low traffic due to its recency and a higher commission fee, but it presents an opportunity for early adopters to grow with the platform.

🤝 The Importance of Building Customer Relationships

In the concluding paragraph, the video emphasizes the importance of owning an online store to build lasting relationships with customers, which can increase repeat purchase rates. The speaker invites viewers to subscribe to the channel for more content and offers a free six-day mini course on selling physical products online, providing a comprehensive guide for those interested in e-commerce.

Keywords

💡Handmade Goods

Handmade goods refer to items created by artisans through manual labor and skill, often reflecting unique craftsmanship. In the video's context, these are the core products that individuals aim to sell online. The script mentions various platforms where these goods can be marketed and sold, emphasizing the potential for artisans to turn their crafts into a profitable business.

💡Etsy

Etsy is an e-commerce platform well-known for handmade, custom, and vintage goods. It serves as a marketplace for over 80 million active buyers looking for unique, non-mass-produced items. The video uses Etsy as a starting point to discuss other platforms, positioning it as a 'starter platform' for artisans looking to sell their work.

💡Side Hustle

A side hustle is an additional source of income outside of one's primary job. The video suggests that selling handmade goods can turn into a lucrative side hustle, potentially even a six-figure business, depending on the scale and success of the sales across various platforms.

💡Shopify

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows users to create their own online stores. It is highlighted in the script as an alternative to Etsy, offering full control over the store's presentation and the absence of referral fees. The video mentions the benefits of using Shopify to build a personal brand and drive sales without platform-imposed limitations.

💡Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is a program within the Amazon marketplace specifically for artisans to sell handcrafted products. The script positions it as a significant alternative to Etsy due to Amazon's vast user base and built-in audience, which can offer high visibility for products. However, it also discusses the challenges, such as the application process and higher commission fees.

💡Bonanza

Bonanza is an online marketplace that focuses on building relationships between sellers and customers. It is presented in the video as another alternative to Etsy, with a lower commission fee and the ability for sellers to access customer information. The script points out Bonanza's seller-centric approach, which is beneficial for building a brand and customer loyalty.

💡Redbubble

Redbubble is a print-on-demand company that enables designers to sell their art on various products without handling inventory or shipping. The video describes Redbubble as an easy and passive income source for designers, with the platform taking care of production and distribution, allowing artists to focus on creating unique designs.

💡eBay

eBay is a global online marketplace known for its auction-style listings, but also offering fixed-price sales. The script mentions eBay as a platform with a large audience and brand recognition, allowing sellers to reach a worldwide customer base. It also discusses the flexibility of selling both new and used goods on eBay.

💡Folksy

Folksy is an online marketplace particularly popular in the UK, known for its handcrafted gifts and supplies. The video describes Folksy as 'UK's Etsy' and highlights its unique features, such as no commission on postage and immediate payment to sellers via PayPal. However, it also points out limitations like the requirement to be a UK resident and lower traffic compared to larger platforms.

💡JustArtisan

JustArtisan is a newer entrant in the handmade online marketplaces segment, launched in 2020. The script positions it as an alternative for ex-Etsy sellers, emphasizing its focus on supporting independent artisans. It allows the listing of digital goods and has no listing fees, although it charges a higher commission fee than Etsy.

💡E-commerce

E-commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods or services using the internet, and the platforms that facilitate such transactions. The video's theme revolves around e-commerce, discussing various online marketplaces and strategies for selling handmade goods. It emphasizes the importance of understanding e-commerce platforms to maximize sales and build a successful business.

Highlights

Etsy is a well-known marketplace for handmade, custom, and vintage goods with over 80 million active buyers.

Etsy is not the only platform for selling handmade products; alternatives exist for crafting a six-figure business.

Shopify allows selling crafts on your own website with full control and no referral fees.

Amazon Handmade offers a selling program within Amazon's marketplace with a large built-in audience.

Bonanza is a seller-centric marketplace with low commission fees and access to customer information.

Redbubble is a print-on-demand company with a focus on quirky designs and passive income for designers.

eBay is a large online marketplace known for auctions and fixed price listings.

Folksy is a UK-based marketplace for handcrafted gifts with no commission on shipping.

JustArtisan is a new handmade marketplace supporting independent artisans with no listing fees.

Maximizing sales involves listing on multiple marketplaces to reach a wider audience.

Shopify requires a monthly subscription fee and includes free credit card processing.

Amazon Handmade has no listing fee but charges a 15% referral fee per sale.

Bonanza does not charge listing or monthly store fees but has a smaller user base than Etsy.

Redbubble assigns base prices to products and allows sellers to adjust their markups.

eBay has a unique selling system with auction-based and fixed price listings.

Folksy allows unlimited item listings with a one-time fee for unlimited free listings.

JustArtisan is artisan-centric and allows the listing of digital goods alongside handmade items.

Owning an e-commerce website provides more control over branding and customer relationships.

Transcripts

in this video you'll learn about all the

different places that you can make money

selling your handmade goods and etsy's

not the only game in town and you can

turn your crafting side hustle into a

six-figure business

now etsy is well known as a marketplace

for buying and selling handmade custom

and vintage goods if you want to sell

your own arts and crafts etsy is an

excellent starter platform with over 80

million active buyers however etsy is

not the only option when it comes to

selling handmade products so this video

will explore etsy alternatives and sites

like etsy that are as good or better for

making money now to maximize your sales

you'll want to list your handmade goods

on as many marketplaces as possible so

etsy alternative number one shopify

shopify is an ecommerce platform that

allows you to sell your crafts and

handmade goods on your own website by

starting your own online store in

shopify you own the platform and have

full control over the look and feel of

your site and unlike etsy there are no

referral fees and you can easily build a

beautiful website to showcase your work

to potential buyers and drive sales now

to build a store in shopify you must pay

a monthly subscription fee of 29 to 299

depending on the plan that you choose

free credit card processing is included

with shopify payments and there are no

transaction fees for more information on

costs watch this video on shopify

pricing now if you're serious about

making money with your handmade goods

you must have a shopify store to

showcase your crafts here are the pros

of having a shopify store they're no

selling fees when you own your own store

you get to keep all the profit and you

don't have to pay any referral fees you

also have full control unlike etsy you

have full control over the presentation

and display of your products you also

have access to your customers etsy does

not provide access to your customers

contact information but with your own

online store you can generate repeat

sales with email marketing sms marketing

and other promotional channels now here

are the downsides of shopify there are

monthly fees shopify charges a monthly

fee that starts at 29 a month there's

also more upfront work to set up you

will need to learn how to build your own

website with shopify's tools and drive

your own sales and there's no built-in

audience unlike etsy you will have to

drive your own traffic to your website

to make sales etsy alternative number

two amazon handmade now amazon handmade

is a selling program within the amazon

marketplace where artisans can sell

handcrafted products such as jewelry

stationery toys and artwork with over

300 million active users amazon is the

most popular online marketplace in the

us

data gathered by statista shows that

amazon dominates the us e-commerce

market with a 41 market share now unlike

other marketplaces there is no monthly

listing fee on amazon handmade however

amazon deducts a flat 15 referral fee

per sale

now here the pros of amazon handmade

there is a built-in audience amazon has

an enormous built-in audience that

provides visibility to your products

there's also no listing fee amazon

handmade charges no monthly listing fee

unlike etsy which charges 20 cents per

item the listings don't expire and

artisans only pay amazon once a sale is

made amazon also has a ton of brand

recognition customers trust amazon

because it's a renowned brand that

provides fraud protection shoppers feel

more confident when making purchases

from unfamiliar brands it's also very

convenient amazon takes care of shipping

through their fulfillment by amazon

program and sellers can also opt for fba

to fill their orders from other sources

but here are the downsides of amazon

handmade there are sign up requirements

the application process is strict and

approval takes up to two weeks amazon

handmade only accepts sellers with fewer

than 20 people in their organization

there's also high commission fees amazon

levies a 15 commission on every product

and this value is considerably higher

than etsy's 6.5 there's also a

reputation for bargain hunting amazon

isn't the first choice for customers

looking for handmade goods and amazon is

generally known for selling inexpensive

off-the-shelf products there's also

limited categories amazon handmade has a

total of 16 categories digital

downloadable and electronic product

categories are currently unavailable on

amazon handmade you also don't get paid

right away amazon pays every two weeks

unlike etsy which pays after every

purchase

etsy alternative number three is bonanza

bonanza is a seller-centric online

marketplace that allows sellers to build

a relationship with their customers

bonanza has five million active monthly

visitors with most of them in the us and

the rest from abroad founded in seattle

the company has over 40 000 sellers and

22 million listings now bonanza also

doesn't charge a listing fee or any

monthly store fees however it's worth

noting that bonanza has a significantly

smaller user base compared to etsy which

has 95 million monthly visitors

however bonanza is a great marketplace

to further diversify your sales

here are the pros of bonanza there's low

commission fees bonanza charges only 3.5

percent which is much lower than etsy's

6.5 commission

sellers can also choose from

commission-based tiers where bonanza

advertises products on behalf of sellers

on channels such as google shopping it's

also really easy to import your products

bonanza makes it easy for sellers to

import products from other online

marketplaces like amazon ebay etsy and

shopify bonanza also provides shipping

integrations to connect your shop to

third-party shipping couriers like ups

fedex and usps

but the best part is that bonanza allows

you to build customer relationships

unlike other marketplaces bonanza gives

sellers access to customer information

and this helps sellers build

relationships with their customers and

establish a brand so overall bonanza is

very merchant-centric bonanza helps

merchants build a codeless e-commerce

website when they're ready to make the

jump as well

here are the downsides to bonanza

there's low traffic and inventory

bonanza has few listings and doesn't

attract a large audience compared to big

name competitors like etsy and amazon

sellers must upgrade to higher tier

memberships and offer bonanza a bigger

cut of their sales to access bonanza's

supported ads

there's also delayed inventory syncing

merchants have complained that inventory

syncing from ebay and amazon to bonanza

is kind of glitchy so if you sell the

same products on bonanza and other

marketplaces your inventory counts may

not update in real time but the biggest

drawback is low sales merchants have

complained of low sales on bonanza

compared to larger marketplaces like

amazon and ebay however if you sell

quirky or unique products bonanza can be

an excellent option to explore that's

the alternative number four redbubble

now founded in 2006 redbubble is a

print-on-demand company that helps 728

thousand designers sell their art

globally redbubble is known for its

quirky and standout designs and has

almost 2 million unique monthly visitors

now the process to list artwork on

redbubble is simple once a customer buys

a product with the seller's artwork

redbubble prints a design and ships it

to the end customer now redbubble

assigns every product a base price and

adds a markup value for sellers and the

typical markup is about 20

but sellers can adjust their prices at

any time now red bubble partners of

brands and lets artists create and sell

licensed fan art designs through their

redbubble partner program now here are

the pros of redbubble it's a great side

hustle redbubble can be a great source

of passive income as designers don't

have to do anything after uploading

their designs the company takes care of

the printing and shipping it's also

really easy to use redbubble has a

user-friendly interface and an easy

artwork upload process

and there's unlimited potential here

once an artist uploads a design it stays

on redbubble forever the designs can be

a recurring source of income as long as

the listing is active on the platform

and redbubble offers a large number of

products they offer more than 60 types

to print on and sellers can put their

creations on all or choose specific

product types you don't have to deal

with inventory redbubble manages

printing and shipping on the seller's

behalf and print on demand is an

excellent option for those who want an

e-commerce store without the headache of

managing inventory and then finally

there's no listing fee redbubble doesn't

charge any fees whatsoever designers

just get a cut from their sales but here

are the downsides to redbubble there's

no control over inventory because

redbubble takes care of everything

except design sellers have no control

over product material or print quality

you also don't get paid right away

redbubble pays on the 15th of every

month unlike etsy which pays after every

sale there's also a lot of competition

because selling on redbubble is free

there's a lot more competition and

designers need to create unique and

trendy designs to stand out from the

competition

you also don't get to establish a

customer relationship redbubble does not

provide any customer details which makes

it impossible to build a relationship

with customers ncl term number five is

ebay now ebay a well-known etsy and

amazon alternative is the third largest

online marketplace with a 4.2 market

share in the us

now ebay has a presence in more than 180

countries and has 182 million active

monthly users now ebay stores allow

merchants to sell new and pre-owned

products in categories such as toys

automobiles collectibles and pet

supplies now ebay also has a unique

selling system that lets shoppers bid on

products in an auction now this feature

can help sellers sell products far

higher than their original selling price

here are the pros of ebay it's got a

huge built-in audience like amazon

amazon has a vast audience and sellers

can reach buyers around the world

there's also great brand recognition

ebay is the third largest e-commerce

store in the us with established brand

authority as a result shoppers are

willing to buy from unknown brands on

their platform there's also a lot of

different ways you can list your

products sellers can list their products

in an auction based or a fixed price

listing

auction based listings work great for

collectibles whereas fixed price

listings work well for everyday items

it's also really convenient for shipping

ebay collaborates with shipping partners

so merchants can sell their products

locally and globally you can also sell

used goods ebay allows sellers to sell

second-hand products provided they are

labeled as such in the listing you also

get paid sooner sellers can choose to

get paid either daily or weekly but here

are the downsides to ebay there's a lot

of extra fees ebay charges a 35 listing

fee up front and then once a product

sells merchants are further charged 10

to 15

of the final order value it's also a lot

of piracy although ebay has partnerships

with law enforcement to fight piracy

there are still counterfeit products on

the marketplace

you're also limited by what you can list

new sellers have a listing limit of 10

products with a value of up to 500 per

month

and unfortunately ebay has a reputation

for being cheap ebay is like the go-to

place for bargain shoppers as a result

there's pressure for sellers to provide

lower pricing and free shipping etsy

alternative number six is folksy founded

in 2008 folksy is one of the biggest

online marketplaces with 10 000

designers artists and artisans residing

in the uk

folksy has

000 monthly unique visitors with 85 of

its traffic based in the uk so folksy

known as uk's etsy is famous for its

handcrafted gifts and supplies now folks

he charges six percent for every sale

but only on the items and not on the

shipping fees so here are the pros of

selling on folksy there's no commission

on postage unlike etsy and ebay folksy

doesn't charge any commission on

shipping you can also list unlimited

items now the first three listings are

free and then it's 15 pence per item

however sellers can pay just five pounds

a month to get unlimited free listings

you can also easily import your listings

folksy allows sellers to import product

listings from etsy easily sellers need

to have a folksy plus account to use

this service you also get paid

immediately once a customer buys a

product the seller receives the

compensation immediately via paypal

but here are the downsides to folksy you

have to be a uk resident folksy

restricts sellers outside the uk however

buyers can be from anywhere in the world

there's not a lot of traffic on folksy

either folks a doesn't have the same

reach as etsy however folksy can be used

to complement etsy or other marketplaces

the other downside is that it's

inconvenient to ship folksy doesn't have

fulfillment centers like amazon or ebay

and furthermore their shipping

integration software lacks features that

other marketplaces possess folksy also

has a pretty bad mobile app the folksy

mobile app is buggy and sellers need to

log in through their desktop to access

certain features and then finally

there's no currency conversion

international visitors do not have the

option to view pricing in their

respective currencies then finally we

have etsy alternatives just artisan

just artisan is a handmade marketplace

supporting independent artists makers

and entrepreneurs and they're the latest

entrant in the handmade online

marketplaces segment launched in june of

2020 just artisan has found mass support

from ex-etsy sellers

now just utterson doesn't allow

reselling all products must be

handcrafted by the seller or a small

group of sellers now products can be

listed for free on just artisan however

there is a selling fee of 7.5 on each

sale

now just artisan still has a long way to

go and as an early adopter you have the

opportunity to grow with the company now

here are the pros of selling on just

artisan you can sell digital goods just

artisan allows sellers to list digital

items in contrast to other marketplaces

like etsy there's also no listing fee

unlike etsy just artisan doesn't charge

a fee to list products on their platform

it's also artisan centric just artisan

aims to establish a community of

independent artisans and makers and

being an ex-etsy seller their ceo

listens to the input provided by sellers

and is open to making changes on the

platform

now here are the downsides there's very

low traffic because just artisan is

brand new their traffic is low and most

sellers sell on just artisan in addition

to other marketplaces there's also a

relatively high commission fee although

there is no listing fee just artisan

charges 7.5 for every sale and this

value is higher than etsy's 6.5 percent

so those are nine etsy alternatives and

the question is which one is the best

well the best etsy alternatives depend

on the products that you sell so for

example if you're a designer and you

don't want to hassle printing and

shipping products check out

print-on-demand companies like redbubble

or society6 ultimately your goal should

be to start your own e-commerce website

having your own online store gives you

more control over your brand and you

won't have to rely on online

marketplaces that increase their

commission fees on their own terms

now the most important aspect of owning

your own store is that you can build

lasting relationships with your

customers which will increase your

repeat purchase rate hope you enjoyed

this video now if you like what you saw

there's actually a lot more where that

came from if you subscribe to my channel

below and if you are interested in

learning how to sell physical products

online then click over here and take my

free six day mini course where i'll walk

you through everything that you need to

know to get started in e-commerce thanks

for watching