For many business owners, the Etsy marketplace is a platform that allows them to turn their talent and a few products into a lucrative business. Moreover, many sellers turn to Etsy to avoid fierce competition.
For example, if a customer searches for “craft supplies” in Google, thousands of searches may appear. On the other hand, creators and small businesses don’t find it challenging because Etsy has a niche market for this.
Some well-known Etsy competitors include Shopify, Big Cartel, and Amazon Handmade. Thanks to a seller pool that consists of more than 80% females, Etsy has carved out a niche in the market.
What is the Etsy marketplace?
Etsy is an American eCommerce company founded in 2005. Last year, Etsy had more than 120 million items in its marketplace.
Etsy is an online store that offers handcrafted toys, collectibles, art, home goods, antique furniture, jewelry, apparel, and seasonal products for independent artists and crafters.
The website of the Etsy marketplace
Furthermore, Etsy is quite different from Amazon. On Amazon, merchants can create, gather, curate, and sell everything. Meanwhile, the business owners on Etsy not only produce their goods but also manage their orders and inventory.
Besides, Etsy marketplace also serves as a middleman, providing smaller, independent entrepreneurs with a platform to connect with and draw clients.
4 things you need to know about selling on Etsy
Selling on Etsy can be challenging. However, Etsy provides you with guidelines for selling any item on the site. Moreover, you should keep in mind these basic requirements so that they will set you up for success on Etsy.
What can you sell on Etsy?
The Etsy marketplace is special and unique. Buyers come here to find and purchase items that are hardly found anywhere else. In short, Etsy allows you to sell handmade or vintage items, and craft supplies.
Handmade items are those that you, the merchant, have created or designed. Read their full Handmade policy here.
When selling handmade items, you have to make sure that:
- You have to create or design all the handmade items in your store. If you collaborate with any production partner, you have to disclose that person in your relevant listings.
- You also need to precisely describe every individual participating in the production of a product on the About page.
- You are using your own photos or videos to showcase your products. If you need more information about the accurate photograph requirements, you can read the best sizing for your photos!
Craft supplies are tools, ingredients, or materials primarily used for crafting an object or special events. Craft supplies could also be handmade, commercial, or vintage. Party supplies are included in craft supplies, and you can definitely sell them in the Etsy marketplace.
To learn more about craft supplies, read it here.
Craft supplies
Vintage items are some of the most special items on Etsy. If you want to sell these, they have to be at least 20 years old. Read more about Vintage items here.
The requirements that you must follow
If you have joined Etsy, your shop will represent you as a member of the Etsy community. However, you have to adhere to these rules before you join the Etsy marketplace. You have to:
- Provide accurate, honest information to visitors, Etsy, and in your About section.
- Respect your Shop policies.
- Not trying to avoid paying fees (fee avoidance).
- Not agree on pricing with other vendors.
To read more about the requirements, you should go to Managing your Etsy shop (Selling Basics).
Selling fees
To set up a store on Etsy, you need to have an account. Fortunately, there is no fee to set up an account. However, you have to pay fees when you list, sell, and deliver your orders.
To learn more about opening an Etsy shop, read here.
Selling fees
Once you have set up your store, you can create your first listing. It will cost you $0.20 to list an item for sale on Etsy. Each item you list will expire after 4 months before it is sold or deleted.
Furthermore, Etsy will take 5% of the sale price of the item from your store. However, if you accept Etsy Payments (including a $0.25 processing fee), the fees will go down to 3%.
Buying on the Etsy marketplace
Now that you understand the basics of selling on Etsy, let’s discover how to buy an item on this marketplace.
How to find an item on Etsy?
Like other marketplaces, Etsy organizes its products into categories to help customers narrow down their search queries. Besides, if you are looking for a specific item, you can use the search bar at the top of the page to find it.
Etsy also lets you browse the web based on keywords or the type of item by providing links to different shopping categories right below the search function.
The search bar on Etsy marketplace
How to purchase items on Etsy?
Unlike Amazon, you do not have to create an account to buy on Etsy. In other words, you can purchase items on this marketplace with or without an Etsy account.
In addition, you can add items to a virtual cart like other marketplaces before completing your purchase.
Regarding the payment method, Etsy accepts credit cards, debit cards, Etsy gift cards and credit, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and some bank transfer services. PayPal is also available on the Etsy marketplace. Some customers can even use their country-specific installment payment methods while shopping from this global retailer.
To learn more about buying on Etsy, go to How to Purchase an Item On Etsy.
Shipping on Etsy
All Etsy sellers are responsible for their shipping because they manage their inventory. Therefore, most sellers on Etsy ship globally, and you have various shipping methods to choose from. Sometimes, you’ll even receive free shipping options.
Most sellers on the Etsy marketplace ship globally
Unfortunately, you may encounter this annoying situation when you order from multiple sellers. It is because you’ll likely receive packages from different carriers at different times, even if you ordered them all at once.
However, Etsy has a solution for this. If the shipping issue occurs, they will provide you with a tool to check your order number and shipping confirmation. Moreover, you can use the chat box to contact your sellers directly to resolve the problems.
Final words
The Etsy marketplace is one of the biggest eCommerce companies in the world. If you want to start a business in this marketplace, you should read this blog carefully.