I looked through the fees for all three marketplaces again and depending on your country, Etsy does charge a separate 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee. This is a standard fee that goes to banks and credit card companies, but looks to be included in the eBay and Amazon transaction fees. This makes Etsy's fees more comparable to eBay and Amazon, but it's still the lowest out of the 3. Thanks for those who brought this to my attention!
they are taking much more fees actually - 6,5% on the price for the item and on the shipping, often taxes (for customs) from the buyers which is not less and not every mail will land in the customs
As a long time eBay seller, when I saw everyone complaining about Etsy jumping 1.5% to HALF of what eBay took in fees from me, I was actually impressed that Etsy's fees were so low. Everyone is going to hate me for saying this but Etsy has the best fee package out of all the major internet marketplaces. Tim, thanks for deciding to make another video! I was starting to worry that RUclips was off the table for you. Keep it up and I bet your channel will blow up because the quality of your videos and what you give us in return for our time spent watching you is unbelievably good! Looking forward to the next one!
@@yasminc.89 This. Even though if it is cheaper in fees than Ebay and Amazon- those websites are not comparable. But small businesses are not able to afford these, especially creators.
Another mistake in my opinion is that you count eBays listing fee as $0.30 while the first 200 or 500 or so listings are free on eBay. So for most sellers there's no listing fee on eBay. The Esty's fees are also not just on the product price but includes the shipping price. I'm not sure if this is the same for eBay and Amazon. (Although I expect that it's probably the same, otherwise you can just have a low product price and a high shipping price to avoid fees.)
Etsy was founded on being a platform for small artist owned businesses. They created a successful platform from the work we did and then handed it to drop shippers.
As a consumer, I find it extremely annoying to have to sift through all the dropshipping products when I specifically searched for vintage pieces. If Etsy is not going to regulate these listings, at least open a category for them so they don't clog up other categories. That would also give visibility back to the handmade and vintage sellers.
Etsy has a huge grey zone products. Etsy basically doesn't fight against it cos it brings lots of money to them. I already talked to customer support and offered them to legalize at least commercial hobby goods as long as millions of them are already on Etsy.
I was going to make the exact comment. It feels like it's turning into freaking eBay with all of the junk that's being sold on there now. They really do need to filter this stuff out or outright deny it on the platform.
Thanks Tim for your thoughts on Etsy. Etsy used to be a platform for quality hand-made items where there was a level playing field for sellers. Now more and more shops are reselling cheap items that are mass-produced overseas. As a small shop making items by hand, I can't compete with those shops. I make unique items, but the resellers are sucking up a lot of the Etsy sales that don't end up going to the small shops selling true hand-made items.
Etsy hasn’t been a handmade platform for years now. While this can suck it’s like most things in our ever changing world. The focus has to be on what you can do not what you can’t.
etsy want to become as big as amazon or e-bay , due to this they are taking all sellers with junks products from china where big manufacture produce them, so how a person who does hand made product can compete with that huge monters. so you are right Ken and you are wrong curvatude
@@florharmon2558 Facts are wrong? It’s simple. Etsy is a billion dollar business with stakeholders to answer to. Sellers either figure out where they can fit in and work it or whine about it & continue to lose out. I know plenty of small businesses helmed by individual creators that make etsy work because they know that nothing stays the same and you have to learn to pivot or expect your business to plummet.
Thanks for all tips u shared .I have been looking at different sites to sell& I do enjoy shopping on esty. I would love to learn more about selling on esty. Sounds like this really would be successful. Yes the world is expensive out there. U have a great positive mind. Thank u for video!!😊🧡💛💯
So true! I even noticed that some "hand-made" jewelry Etsy shops are sneaking in and mixing in some Chinese stuff that I found on Ali Express, with their "hand-made" items!
Etsy was not working to stop drop shippers, small creative shops that make their items by hand can not compete with people selling trash made in another country with inferior materials. So the artisans leave the platform... tragic but tru
Hence why people need to start their own sites. You can't control these platforms. Spend time on your own platform and market yourself properly. You don't need to start using your own site...but once you've gained customers or social media followers you can start working on your own site.
I agree that making a unique product and branding help set you apart from your competitors. I have found that custom requests have opened my eyes. Those people are telling you what they want and they are not alone. I have created new listings based on these requests and they have turned into Bestsellers! Listening to your audience pays off, literally! Also, hard times come and go, sometimes you just have to ride the wave. Love your videos Tim! Don’t be a stranger!😀
Totally agree with you! I don't do custom orders exactly, like a one on one, only for that customer situation, but I have it stated in several places on my shop that I will take requests for items in general to go into my shop. People reach out all the time and many of those items are my best sellers. Listening the customers is key!
I actually started hating Etsy ages ago. Not as a shop owner, but as a shopper. I wanted a very specific type of handmade quilt. I would have paid just about anything, but my results were consistently drop-shipped cheap crap. Eventually, my MIL made what I wanted. Now this happened for several years and I gave up a year ago when my mother-in-law brought me my quilt that she made for me. So now that I am ready to have a shop, I really don’t want to open there, and recently I actually ran across some classes on Udemy on how to open a dropship business on Etsy. 😑
Yes, I hate the drop shipping stuff. I bought 2 items that were listed as coming from Michigan. When they shipped the tracking showed that it was actually coming from Turkey. When they arrived one item did not fit, the other did. So I had to contact the shop owner who was supposedly in Michigan, but the real maker was in Turkey. So they had to contact the maker in Turkey to ask what to do. I wanted my money back. They ended up not having me return the too small item but gave my money back anyway. I think they were afraid to make me pay return shipping to Turkey. I would have complained to Etsy and as a shopper I would have won because of their false statement about where they were shipping from.
You forgot the processing fee, which is 4.5% where I am. So that's 11% + 20c per listing on Etsy. I think most people would not mind the increase in commission fee if Etsy had better customer service. They have no live chat, no support line. Their moderation of sellers is all automated, leading to many new sellers getting banned for no reason. In other words, they are increasing their fees while cutting corners wherever they can. It's difficult to make a successful business anywhere, but Etsy aren't doing people many favours right now. It's a shame because otherwise it's a great platform.
I thought I was the only person going through this. My sales have decreased significantly. If it wasn’t for my recurring clients, I would have been closed/ broke already 😩
Yup, a much higher portion of my sales are from recurring customers now. Be grateful you have them! That means you have a good product and happy customers :)
ever since this year started my sales have decreased dramatically. last year usually get $600-800 a month on average but now i barely get $400. it's so frustrating honestly. 😭
Thank you for sharing this. With so many things going on, recession and slow sales, we can take this time to focus on learning and improving ourselves &/or our products. I agree with you - we should not waste our energy on being angry. My Etsy shop has been slow but admittedly, its due to my inability to post items regularly, market etc. Your videos encourage me to keep at it. Thanks!
Accountability is a such an important attribute for entrepreneurs. I have to admit I haven't been putting 100% into me shop either. Thanks for watching! :)
Great to hear from you! I'd agree that its still worth it to set up an Etsy shop today - even though its slow going and kind of tough. I'm in the woodworking space, selling things like serving trays, tea displays/holders, valet trays, etc. The competition in that category is tough, too, and since a lot of wood products are 'one-of-a-kinds', its even harder to reach into whatever algorithm Etsy is using. I've tried carrying inventory, but the size of the items, space they take up, and sell through rate make that difficult. No matter what platform you are on, you will always have to adapt to however the market is changing. It can be a lot of work, but I like it, personally.
There are a lot of shops reselling products from aliexpress and copyright products. I don't blame long time and/or true handmade etsy shop owners for getting upset. Etsy gets a lot of money from etsy sellers which should be going back into cleaning up their marketplace from untruthful and dodgy sellers. I've even seen yt videos promoting for their subscribers to resell products on etsy. It's like "what???" Thanks for the video.
The platform has definitely changed over time. I do see them shutting down stores that are infringing on copyright from time to time, but they definitely still exist. Remember, Etsy gained 4.4 million sellers from 2020 to 2021, so they might have the resources or technology to identify these shops at this scale yet. Hopefully they can invest more into this and make some changes in the future. Thanks for watching :)
Hi Tim, I really appreciate how grounded and level headed your videos are. They are such a beautiful balance of honesty and encouragement and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this video this morning. I needed it. Thank you for the reminder to do our best and loosen our grasp on the things we don't have control over. You're wonderful :)
Tim. I really like your videos but this one just misses the mark. We are mad about the FEE's being charged. Etsy + every little thing (credit card, shipping supplies, postage, forced advertising or you are downgraded) factors into the price. There is just no room left for making money. Etsy's revenue is growing because they are charging us through the nose. Customers have the same mind set and pocket book (pay less) - - and we are in the middle.
I’ve been wanting to start a shop for a while now but have been letting all the negative hearsay make me hesitant. This video really empowered me. At the end of the day, it’s our mindset and our will that yields success! Letting others’ anecdotal chatter stop us from going for a goal is for the weak-willed. There are always circumstances that make any dream a risk; we should go for it anyway, or else live a life a dread, regret, and mediocrity. If what we were up to were quick & easy, everyone would do it.
Thanks for the great video! My shop has suffered since I got Star Seller back in Feb. Since then I've had low traffic, etc. One of the main reasons I went ahead and did my own site was because of Etsy's increase in site issues where customers couldn't place orders, etc.
I’ve been so hesitant to keep pushing with my shop because I feel the same way. If there’s already a ton of established sellers offering what I have, how do I break through? And I’m a person that loves making everything, so choosing a niche has always been a major struggle. I’m going to try your 3 tips and apply each one to each listing, thanks for the information!
Thanks for sharing and being transparent! I've wanted to start an Etsy shop for so long but scared about shipping, no buyers, etc. It's cool to see you go through the journey on YT and grow :D
As a customer, I don’t like how Etsy became. For the last 2-3 years, it became a platform for mass produced items. They make it difficult to find small unique businesses.
Very sensible! People can be too eager to quit rather than find solutions! It took me 6 weeks to get my first real sale. Then I got 3 in quick succession! Keep learning all the time 🙂
@@patsnationok1373 I try and face it rather than running away. Running away just postpones the anxiety. Facing it means I get stronger, and have a sense of achievement xx
Happy to see it’s not just me feeling a certain way about Etsy. My sales,views,shop favorites and visits have really declined this year to the point that I had to make sure that my shop wasn’t on vacation mode. It’s very frustrating to go from having some success to suddenly not being noticed or found.
Got problems? Unfair review? Bad buyers who want a freebee? Are you spending money advertising on etsy and getting only "bot" visits? Fact- Etsy does not care. Any phone numbers to contact etsy? Nope! There's no way to talk to a real person at etsy. Literally, small sellers don't mean anything to etsy anymore. And no seller protections for small artist/ sellers like me. And, it's just getting worse.
Awesome content!! Being angry won’t fix the issue!! Discover the problem Create a plan of action Implement the plan Assess the effectiveness of the plan
Oh, Tim! I have been waiting for your RUclips video for such a long time. Couldn't describe how happy I was when I saw the notification of your video uploaded. Please keep producing and posting videos. :)))
I love your raw perspective. I personally don’t have issues with Etsy’s fees. I do think Etsy’s customer service to their sellers needs to be so much better. The fact they push the importance of so many things for sellers it should go for the support of sellers. Trying to send them a simple message seems like a mission. I think sellers see they are so easy to take but not so easy to give or be open to support for sellers. And your right there’s no use getting angry. But it could see a company go really well to crash and burning. I’ve also seen them allow non handmade products and also shut stores down for doing the same.
Great video! I’m in a similar boat as you. 2020-21 was stellar! I had a few items pop off and now dozens of copycats. When the barrier to entry is low, the market saturates FAST. People love easy money with minimal effort
YES! People complain about the fees and I always offer up comparisons. I would love to not have any fees at all, but I’ll take Etsy’s over other marketplace’s fees!
I do not mind the fees I am so uncomfortable with doing my own sales tax right now so I would rather have them do it. My shop is new and weird lol so I have very few sales. so I do not see selling on a platform that has monthly fees to sell that is more then I make a month.
There are easy ways to do sales tax , believe it or not. The way that I'm doing it is to hold out, from every sale, about 1% above the current actual sales tax rate in my area. Keeping proper track of all business inputs, expenses, sales, and tips is a MUST. Boring, but vital. By physically setting aside in cash the amount needed to cover sales tax, at the end of the year you will have what is required for state sales taxes, plus a 1% amount to pay for someone to double check your work, or to give yourself a head start on other taxes. I do the same in other areas. What I expect from every sale is enough to cover the costs of materials, overhead, labor, shipping, and marketing for that particular piece, PLUS 33-50% more to fund expansion of stock. Whatever is left after that, I take as profit snd sock away. Example: item X sells for $40. Sales tax is 7.5%. Total sale amount is 40 x 1.075, $43.00. From that I instantly stash 8.5%, or $3.66, for sales tax, leaving $39.34 to cover costs and laborxand profit. My cost to build that piece was $18, including half an hour's labor ($8). 150% of 18 is 27, so I set aside $27, leaving $12.34 as nominal profit. I now have three 'accounts': sales tax, reinvestment, and net income. If you want to ensure that your income tax is also covered, make another for that. And while you can do your own tax stuff at the end of the year, I choose to pay a pro to make sure mine are done right.. Hope that helps!
You must create a brand Not just a product A loyal customer base Not just chase prices Amaze your customers! I love Etsy Stop complaining and blaming, We don’t curse the winter ❄️ More competition but more customers- as Etsy grows, your sales base grows Grow yourself first as you are growing your business
One thing you might not have thought of was google recently changed their search priority to target the biggest companies rather than the most relavant item. This likely is always placing amazon, ebay, etc above you on products, especially if youre just starting out. The top search priority makes or kills companies.
I think a lot of the frustrations come from people who really work hard creating unique one of a kind stuff only to be drowned out by the thousands selling copy cat crap in an attempt to get rich quick. All the non artist, non artisan people just taking advantage of the market
What annoys me the most with Etsy is they will suspend or ban your account for copyrighted material while there are hundreds or other shops using the same material.
Started with Etsy and quickly moved to Shopify. Only had good sales when I drove people to Etsy myself. On it's own despite trying all the SEO tricks, I couldn't get traction on Etsy. Quit Etsy to focus exclusively on my Shopify.
I just made a very long post and for some reason it's gone. I think RUclips thinks I'm a spammer for posting such a long comment LOL. Anyway, I have another unrelated comment. When I made my own site, the best marketing was free on Pinterest. I would make free stuff like lock-screen and background images and digital calendars. That drove a lot of traffic to my site and helped me to market without paying. Good luck with your new site. Also, I'd love to see a video on your new equipment!
I feel like a lot of people are sleeping on Pinterest, me included! Definitely need to look more into and try it out for myself. Will make a video on the new equipment as soon I figure everything out!
I have had my Etsy shop since 2016. Every year my sales went up 40-50% then in 2020 my sales skyrocketed and went up 200% from the previous year. It makes sense because of lock downs people were home shopping. 2021 was the first year sales went down from the previous year. As a parent who is spending money only on bare necessities. Growing as much food as I can. Praying that food prices don't keep increasing. I am projecting sales to be way down this year 2022 because I'm sure many people are in the same boat. No money for extras. Kids are getting oranges and a candy cane for Christmas this year.
Hi Tim, great video. I would also like to mention that their customer support is terrible. I had my account hacked about 1 week ago and the person was able to change the bank account on file and Etsy doesn't even respond to my emails. All of my is compromised and they don't do anything about it.
Thank you Tim, your insights are useful and you were honest in everything you said. "No matter how angry you get, nothing is going to change", that is for every aspect in our life.
Thank you so much for this update! I just started my store a few months ago and your videos have helped so much. I haven't started selling on my own site cause I just don't know what's the best choice. Good luck with yours!
I'm on Shopify right now and it's pretty decent! They do charge monthly though, so you have to make sure you're selling enough to make it worth it. Wish you the best! :)
I guess the choice overload will also be a major disadvantage for major online markets. Consumers may subconsciously need some limit of choice to remain straightforward and non-reluctant to buy their stuff. It is important to know that people winning in your place is not necessarily a bad thing, and maybe someone was just worth the profit more than you (sounds painful but it’s very possible for all of us). I will give some keywords that may add value to businesses if you look them up and apply what you learn, though I’m still being theoretical myself but they are academically well considered: - Porter’s 5 forces - Buying personas - Value proposition Canvas I’m still researching markets and I’m happy for potential clean business competitors who succeeded and/or are on their way.
What it all comes down to is that you’re going into business. And not everybody is prepared to own their own business. Etsy is an “enabler”, but it is up to the shop owner to do everything they can to be the best business owner they can be. This means focusing 100% on the customer experience.
I got everything I needed to know from this single video. Thank you. I was taken by surprise when I saw the fees after about 10 years since last looking into a shop. That's how I got here.
Great insight, thanks for sharing! At the end of the day, Etsy is a for-profit business. They’ve likely had to enhance their infrastructure to keep up with the increased customer demand base not to mention their increased marketing to bring in even more customers. We can’t expect Etsy to absorb those added costs, it doesn’t make good business sense for them. As an example, we’re seeing effects of this in the economy today - when the cost of goods goes up, part of that increase is passed on to consumers. It’s simple economics. You broke down your points so well, loved it!
i think a lot of people just like to complain for the sake of complaining. kudos to you for providing statistics to back up your opinions. 10/10 video, tim!
Thank you for your video. I'm happy you posted again after several months. I have a handmade jewelry shop and a vintage one. My shops also boomed last year. But this year they really slowed down. A lot of people are experiencing the same. Probably has to do with the global crisis. We need to keep up, it's a cycle and those who will remain will be able to boom again after this crisis.
Yes, I have my own website and I did amazing in sales last year and this year it's totally dropped in sales big time. I think a lot of the sale issues going on has to do with the global crisis more so then the platforms themselves.
I closed my etsy shop. It was supposed to be for fun and I immediately felt pressure to produce things that would sell and stopped enjoying my hobby. I still shop on etsy but only from sellers that I know are making their items
Great video, i'm just getting started out on Etsy since January and only had a few sales but haven't really pushed my shop. Found you advice informative. Subscribed
For me as an Etsy seller at the time, it was the way the worded the email as well. They were basically like because we’re doing so well and making so much money we are going raise the prices for our sellers. And I was already not making much:/ but regardless I do think it is a good place to sell your craft goods because of who they are. It’s a good way to get your name out there. But I don’t feel like they care about me as a seller 🥺
This is EXACTLY what I did. I saw someone who sells a ton of signs and copied it. Almost exact replica. Only difference is that I went hard on my brand identity. I named myself something so catchy and unique that people remember ME rather than my competitor. My competitor is more serious with a plain look while I have a fun brand that gives out FREE stickers with every purchase.
Thank you for the great insights on the Etsy gig..... I appreciate your knowledge. I haven't opened my shop yet but felt the same way that you do, when I heard about the issues with Etsy. Everything you said is totally correct. 🙏
I started selling my California photography prints in 2013. Didn't really take it serious until late 2019. I have made $20,000 each year since just on my prints. People shouldn't gripe about the fees. I used to have a booth back in 1997 that cost $170 per month PLUS 10% to the owner. People now can sell to anyone on the planet and they gripe about a small percent to Etsy.
Yeah , I think it's okay if they charge this much percentage. Because we sellers are getting a big consumer base which is in millions. I calculated all the fees few years back and it was not more than 10% ( for my products ) and that's totaly okay . Just giving a them a little piece of cake is not gonna make me poor when I have the whole left for me .
Tim, could you please make a video on the nuts and bolts of Facebook ads and Instagram ads. For some who are as naïve as I am, it would be priceless. Thank you so much for your most sincere presence on YT. Rare commodity! 🙏
I'm angry with them because I just started a shop 3 days ago and they just shut it down for no reason! No email, no explanation, nothing! I had my first sale, then bam, suspended. I have no idea what I could have done, but it makes me mad!
I hear that you just have to contact Etsy, and that it happens to a lot of new stores because of I don't know some algorithm or something. But I hear that most people get it reinstated as long as there's no copyright issues or something like that.
Great Video Tim, I have spent an afternoon looking at videos about selling digital products and got a feel for it, but your video gave me some faith that I can do this. I will start slow and see if I can at least make it pay it's own way to continue. I started out my current MMO path working for Satoshi (even smaller than pennies) so if I can turn any kind of profit I will be happy. Thanks for your encouragement.
How d you manage your business financially? Like calculating your sales, supplies and marketing and selling prices? I really trust your advice and knowledge! Love your genuine and honest videos! How much does it generally cost to begin sticker making business? Including subscriptions… basically everything!
Just lately I've been looking at Etsy shops in a variety of categories and been discouraged to even want a shop when seeing everyone doing pretty much the same thing! It has become boring to see people imitating one another especially in the printables section (which admittedly is not a real craft to my mind). They either purchase public domain items so you see out of copyright pics coming up all the time which are virtually the same. Then you have those selling patent printables again all looking the same. When line art was trending so many people had the same designs it was so maddening! People really want to make a quick killing not realising it's no longer that easy! It is the same in publishing on KDP where there are too many people copying one another. I believe being original is the way to go but it will require a lot of extra hard work and marketing before people are aware of the branding. Most people do not want to work hard not realising that putting in the extra time to be authentic/original will create dividends at the end!
My wife's Etsy shop started last year and it is still struggling to get just a few sales per month. Her products are fairly affordable, but the wholesalers clog up search results. I think I'm at the conclusion that needs to focus on making what there's no wholesalers for.
"most people [building their own website], because the journey is so long and so difficult...give up, before they even get their first sale" - YES. Been there and done with that! I made the mistake of thinking because I was a web developer plus a maker, I could do it. It's all about the audience - and that's how these guys get to name their commission.
Why not create your own brand with social media accounts and a basic website and then slowly convert Etsy customers over to directly doing business with you (e.g., via business cards in your Etsy-purchased packages)? This is what vintage clothing sellers on eBay/Depop have been doing for years. If you don’t decrease your dependency on a platform, you’ll slowly be consumed by increased competition and fees, etc like the things talked about in the video. If you’re doing the work to run a good Etsy store by taking good pictures and creating a stand-out brand, you’re honestly doing most of the work already that you’d need to develop an independent store. At the end of the day, the platforms want you to be subservient to them eternally. Why not create your escape route while also playing their game?
I started my store because I sew my own unique kids stuff. Now I’m competing with drop shipping and big companies. It’s disheartening but I’m not giving up!
If you sew, I’ve noticed that personalized items with kids names are making very good money. People still do appreciate hand sewn items and it’s actually becoming very trending again. Look into hand sewn name blankets etc.
I feel etsy’s community has been overridden by “artists” that does minimal rather than true craft artists. People can start an etsy shop solely just by selling prints that they do not own, and sit back and watch their money grow. I feel like it’s a platform for copy & paste sellers that may produce more crap than genuine artists that produces quality, original pieces of art (general art and products) I apologise before hand if this opinionated claim by me hurts anyone in the process, but I believe it’s true.
Right, all my printed items are made by art I created, painted, or drew. But I can not compete with the copy and past shops that post more because it is fast to copy and paste than it is to create stuff to list. Shirts that have one clip art word and nothing else sell 1,000 when something that took time to create does not. I see so many beautiful hard-working artists and crafters on Etsy and you all should have more of the sales.
Great video Tim. I was thinking about Etsy, and heard so many people disparage it that I was wondering if their complaints were valid. Like you point out, 6.5 percent is still very civil. Thank you for posting such an informative video - I would say it has been the best marketing video I have seen thus far.
I looked through the fees for all three marketplaces again and depending on your country, Etsy does charge a separate 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee. This is a standard fee that goes to banks and credit card companies, but looks to be included in the eBay and Amazon transaction fees. This makes Etsy's fees more comparable to eBay and Amazon, but it's still the lowest out of the 3. Thanks for those who brought this to my attention!
they are taking much more fees actually - 6,5% on the price for the item and on the shipping, often taxes (for customs) from the buyers which is not less and not every mail will land in the customs
The fees 😬
As a long time eBay seller, when I saw everyone complaining about Etsy jumping 1.5% to HALF of what eBay took in fees from me, I was actually impressed that Etsy's fees were so low. Everyone is going to hate me for saying this but Etsy has the best fee package out of all the major internet marketplaces.
Tim, thanks for deciding to make another video! I was starting to worry that RUclips was off the table for you. Keep it up and I bet your channel will blow up because the quality of your videos and what you give us in return for our time spent watching you is unbelievably good! Looking forward to the next one!
@@yasminc.89 This. Even though if it is cheaper in fees than Ebay and Amazon- those websites are not comparable. But small businesses are not able to afford these, especially creators.
Another mistake in my opinion is that you count eBays listing fee as $0.30 while the first 200 or 500 or so listings are free on eBay. So for most sellers there's no listing fee on eBay.
The Esty's fees are also not just on the product price but includes the shipping price. I'm not sure if this is the same for eBay and Amazon. (Although I expect that it's probably the same, otherwise you can just have a low product price and a high shipping price to avoid fees.)
Etsy was founded on being a platform for small artist owned businesses. They created a successful platform from the work we did and then handed it to drop shippers.
facts!
Sad too. I am curious where us artists should go now... 🙄
You either adapt or get left behind
@@racheljune688 start own websites thats best way
This.
As a consumer, I find it extremely annoying to have to sift through all the dropshipping products when I specifically searched for vintage pieces. If Etsy is not going to regulate these listings, at least open a category for them so they don't clog up other categories. That would also give visibility back to the handmade and vintage sellers.
Totally agree!
Etsy has a huge grey zone products. Etsy basically doesn't fight against it cos it brings lots of money to them. I already talked to customer support and offered them to legalize at least commercial hobby goods as long as millions of them are already on Etsy.
I can not agree more!
I was going to make the exact comment. It feels like it's turning into freaking eBay with all of the junk that's being sold on there now. They really do need to filter this stuff out or outright deny it on the platform.
Fully agree
Thanks Tim for your thoughts on Etsy. Etsy used to be a platform for quality hand-made items where there was a level playing field for sellers. Now more and more shops are reselling cheap items that are mass-produced overseas. As a small shop making items by hand, I can't compete with those shops. I make unique items, but the resellers are sucking up a lot of the Etsy sales that don't end up going to the small shops selling true hand-made items.
Etsy hasn’t been a handmade platform for years now. While this can suck it’s like most things in our ever changing world. The focus has to be on what you can do not what you can’t.
etsy want to become as big as amazon or e-bay , due to this they are taking all sellers with junks products from china where big manufacture produce them, so how a person who does hand made product can compete with that huge monters. so you are right Ken and you are wrong curvatude
@@florharmon2558 Facts are wrong?
It’s simple. Etsy is a billion dollar business with stakeholders to answer to.
Sellers either figure out where they can fit in and work it or whine about it & continue to lose out.
I know plenty of small businesses helmed by individual creators that make etsy work because they know that nothing stays the same and you have to learn to pivot or expect your business to plummet.
Thanks for all tips u shared .I have been looking at different sites to sell& I do enjoy shopping on esty. I would love to learn more about selling on esty. Sounds like this really would be successful. Yes the world is expensive out there. U have a great positive mind. Thank u for video!!😊🧡💛💯
So true! I even noticed that some "hand-made" jewelry Etsy shops are sneaking in and mixing in some Chinese stuff that I found on Ali Express, with their "hand-made" items!
Etsy was not working to stop drop shippers, small creative shops that make their items by hand can not compete with people selling trash made in another country with inferior materials. So the artisans leave the platform... tragic but tru
Exact. Selling crap on platform for handmade products. Etsy has to have competitors!!!!
I got scammed 3x by etsy for something promised made by hand but later i found out it was aliexpress shit.
@@DigitalLobstershow Handmade can not cost cheap, it is unpossible! Aliexpress, alibaba products poisoned the market by quality and prices!
Hence why people need to start their own sites. You can't control these platforms. Spend time on your own platform and market yourself properly. You don't need to start using your own site...but once you've gained customers or social media followers you can start working on your own site.
But people are buying the trash because it’s lower cost. So your product has to differentiate itself somehow.
I agree that making a unique product and branding help set you apart from your competitors. I have found that custom requests have opened my eyes. Those people are telling you what they want and they are not alone. I have created new listings based on these requests and they have turned into Bestsellers! Listening to your audience pays off, literally! Also, hard times come and go, sometimes you just have to ride the wave. Love your videos Tim! Don’t be a stranger!😀
Such a great point! Thanks for watching :)
Totally agree with you! I don't do custom orders exactly, like a one on one, only for that customer situation, but I have it stated in several places on my shop that I will take requests for items in general to go into my shop. People reach out all the time and many of those items are my best sellers. Listening the customers is key!
Good advice.
It’s good to learn what people want but still do your style of artistic interpretation. Good balance.
Yeah custom shops do super well or if you do commission work!
I actually started hating Etsy ages ago. Not as a shop owner, but as a shopper. I wanted a very specific type of handmade quilt. I would have paid just about anything, but my results were consistently drop-shipped cheap crap. Eventually, my MIL made what I wanted. Now this happened for several years and I gave up a year ago when my mother-in-law brought me my quilt that she made for me. So now that I am ready to have a shop, I really don’t want to open there, and recently I actually ran across some classes on Udemy on how to open a dropship business on Etsy. 😑
Yes, I hate the drop shipping stuff. I bought 2 items that were listed as coming from Michigan. When they shipped the tracking showed that it was actually coming from Turkey. When they arrived one item did not fit, the other did. So I had to contact the shop owner who was supposedly in Michigan, but the real maker was in Turkey. So they had to contact the maker in Turkey to ask what to do. I wanted my money back. They ended up not having me return the too small item but gave my money back anyway. I think they were afraid to make me pay return shipping to Turkey. I would have complained to Etsy and as a shopper I would have won because of their false statement about where they were shipping from.
I have a hand made quilt available,made by a very special person in my life,it's been stored for 11 years it deserves a special home!
they not worth it
Traitor
@@SuperJupiter33That's so special I'm sure. 💙
You forgot the processing fee, which is 4.5% where I am. So that's 11% + 20c per listing on Etsy.
I think most people would not mind the increase in commission fee if Etsy had better customer service. They have no live chat, no support line. Their moderation of sellers is all automated, leading to many new sellers getting banned for no reason. In other words, they are increasing their fees while cutting corners wherever they can. It's difficult to make a successful business anywhere, but Etsy aren't doing people many favours right now. It's a shame because otherwise it's a great platform.
I thought I was the only person going through this. My sales have decreased significantly. If it wasn’t for my recurring clients, I would have been closed/ broke already 😩
Yup, a much higher portion of my sales are from recurring customers now. Be grateful you have them! That means you have a good product and happy customers :)
If you ever think that you're the only one one Etsy, come to the seller forum. You'll find company for every ailment.
ever since this year started my sales have decreased dramatically. last year usually get $600-800 a month on average but now i barely get $400. it's so frustrating honestly. 😭
Thank you for sharing this. With so many things going on, recession and slow sales, we can take this time to focus on learning and improving ourselves &/or our products. I agree with you - we should not waste our energy on being angry. My Etsy shop has been slow but admittedly, its due to my inability to post items regularly, market etc. Your videos encourage me to keep at it. Thanks!
Accountability is a such an important attribute for entrepreneurs. I have to admit I haven't been putting 100% into me shop either. Thanks for watching! :)
Great to hear from you! I'd agree that its still worth it to set up an Etsy shop today - even though its slow going and kind of tough. I'm in the woodworking space, selling things like serving trays, tea displays/holders, valet trays, etc. The competition in that category is tough, too, and since a lot of wood products are 'one-of-a-kinds', its even harder to reach into whatever algorithm Etsy is using. I've tried carrying inventory, but the size of the items, space they take up, and sell through rate make that difficult.
No matter what platform you are on, you will always have to adapt to however the market is changing. It can be a lot of work, but I like it, personally.
Yeah there's a big difference between working for work's sake, and work that's really rewarding. If you like it, keep at it. Wish you the best :)
There are a lot of shops reselling products from aliexpress and copyright products. I don't blame long time and/or true handmade etsy shop owners for getting upset. Etsy gets a lot of money from etsy sellers which should be going back into cleaning up their marketplace from untruthful and dodgy sellers. I've even seen yt videos promoting for their subscribers to resell products on etsy. It's like "what???"
Thanks for the video.
The platform has definitely changed over time. I do see them shutting down stores that are infringing on copyright from time to time, but they definitely still exist. Remember, Etsy gained 4.4 million sellers from 2020 to 2021, so they might have the resources or technology to identify these shops at this scale yet. Hopefully they can invest more into this and make some changes in the future.
Thanks for watching :)
Yup, ads on RUclips how to resell🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
@@TimKoa,
True, hopefully they make the positive change at Etsy.
Hi Tim, I really appreciate how grounded and level headed your videos are. They are such a beautiful balance of honesty and encouragement and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this video this morning. I needed it. Thank you for the reminder to do our best and loosen our grasp on the things we don't have control over. You're wonderful :)
Thanks for watching Alissa :)
Tim. I really like your videos but this one just misses the mark. We are mad about the FEE's being charged. Etsy + every little thing (credit card, shipping supplies, postage, forced advertising or you are downgraded) factors into the price. There is just no room left for making money. Etsy's revenue is growing because they are charging us through the nose. Customers have the same mind set and pocket book (pay less) - - and we are in the middle.
I’ve been wanting to start a shop for a while now but have been letting all the negative hearsay make me hesitant. This video really empowered me. At the end of the day, it’s our mindset and our will that yields success! Letting others’ anecdotal chatter stop us from going for a goal is for the weak-willed. There are always circumstances that make any dream a risk; we should go for it anyway, or else live a life a dread, regret, and mediocrity. If what we were up to were quick & easy, everyone would do it.
This 100%. ♥️ And you never know where that will lead you.
@@VirideSoryuLangley Maybe. In the end, she would still be more successful than you with your shop. 😘
I hope it works for you. Did not work for me at all. I instead lost money with membership and advertisements!
@@Vartikas.illustrations what membership did you join? You mean the Etsy shop fees?
I agree! I've been putting it off as well due to fear from all the negativity, but now I am just going to go for it and see what happens! :)
Thanks for the great video! My shop has suffered since I got Star Seller back in Feb. Since then I've had low traffic, etc. One of the main reasons I went ahead and did my own site was because of Etsy's increase in site issues where customers couldn't place orders, etc.
Congrats on your own site! It’s always good to be more in control of your business.
I’ve been so hesitant to keep pushing with my shop because I feel the same way. If there’s already a ton of established sellers offering what I have, how do I break through? And I’m a person that loves making everything, so choosing a niche has always been a major struggle. I’m going to try your 3 tips and apply each one to each listing, thanks for the information!
Yeah I can totally relate to wanting to do everything. Just gotta try one thing a time and see what works. Wish you the best!
@@TimKoa Thank you :)
girl(gender nuteral) they have 100 companies selling socks somebody will buy your stuff do everything you love the sky is the limit love
Do you think having a strong presence online helps with the success of an Etsy shop?
Thanks for sharing and being transparent! I've wanted to start an Etsy shop for so long but scared about shipping, no buyers, etc. It's cool to see you go through the journey on YT and grow :D
Finally after 5 months! welcome back Tim!
Good to be back! :)
As a customer, I don’t like how Etsy became. For the last 2-3 years, it became a platform for mass produced items. They make it difficult to find small unique businesses.
Glad to see you back! Thank you for being the voice of reason. As always, great rational thinking and educational content.
Very sensible! People can be too eager to quit rather than find solutions!
It took me 6 weeks to get my first real sale. Then I got 3 in quick succession!
Keep learning all the time 🙂
How do you deal with anxiety ?
@@patsnationok1373 I try and face it rather than running away.
Running away just postpones the anxiety.
Facing it means I get stronger, and have a sense of achievement xx
I love how calm you are everytime. Thank you for all your insights.
Happy to see it’s not just me feeling a certain way about Etsy.
My sales,views,shop favorites and visits have really declined this year to the point that I had to make sure that my shop wasn’t on vacation mode.
It’s very frustrating to go from having some success to suddenly not being noticed or found.
Got problems? Unfair review? Bad buyers who want a freebee? Are you spending money advertising on etsy and getting only "bot" visits? Fact- Etsy does not care. Any phone numbers to contact etsy? Nope! There's no way to talk to a real person at etsy. Literally, small sellers don't mean anything to etsy anymore. And no seller protections for small artist/ sellers like me. And, it's just getting worse.
Totally agree
Awesome content!!
Being angry won’t fix the issue!!
Discover the problem
Create a plan of action
Implement the plan
Assess the effectiveness of the plan
Start building your OWN website instead of relying on a company that outsources their workers and side with the customer with every case.
Oh, Tim! I have been waiting for your RUclips video for such a long time. Couldn't describe how happy I was when I saw the notification of your video uploaded. Please keep producing and posting videos. :)))
Thanks for watching Ty :)
I love your raw perspective. I personally don’t have issues with Etsy’s fees. I do think Etsy’s customer service to their sellers needs to be so much better. The fact they push the importance of so many things for sellers it should go for the support of sellers. Trying to send them a simple message seems like a mission. I think sellers see they are so easy to take but not so easy to give or be open to support for sellers. And your right there’s no use getting angry. But it could see a company go really well to crash and burning. I’ve also seen them allow non handmade products and also shut stores down for doing the same.
We’re rooting for you Tim. Good on you for the positive attitude and sharing your experience! All the best with your business.
Great video! I’m in a similar boat as you. 2020-21 was stellar! I had a few items pop off and now dozens of copycats. When the barrier to entry is low, the market saturates FAST. People love easy money with minimal effort
Hustlers should be put in hard labor camps.
@@MJ-oj2qv not really sure what you mean or how to respond to your comment 🤷🏼♂️
YES! People complain about the fees and I always offer up comparisons. I would love to not have any fees at all, but I’ll take Etsy’s over other marketplace’s fees!
I do not mind the fees I am so uncomfortable with doing my own sales tax right now so I would rather have them do it. My shop is new and weird lol so I have very few sales. so I do not see selling on a platform that has monthly fees to sell that is more then I make a month.
There are easy ways to do sales tax , believe it or not. The way that I'm doing it is to hold out, from every sale, about 1% above the current actual sales tax rate in my area.
Keeping proper track of all business inputs, expenses, sales, and tips is a MUST. Boring, but vital.
By physically setting aside in cash the amount needed to cover sales tax, at the end of the year you will have what is required for state sales taxes, plus a 1% amount to pay for someone to double check your work, or to give yourself a head start on other taxes.
I do the same in other areas. What I expect from every sale is enough to cover the costs of materials, overhead, labor, shipping, and marketing for that particular piece, PLUS 33-50% more to fund expansion of stock. Whatever is left after that, I take as profit snd sock away.
Example: item X sells for $40. Sales tax is 7.5%. Total sale amount is 40 x 1.075, $43.00.
From that I instantly stash 8.5%, or $3.66, for sales tax, leaving $39.34 to cover costs and laborxand profit.
My cost to build that piece was $18, including half an hour's labor ($8). 150% of 18 is 27, so I set aside $27, leaving $12.34 as nominal profit.
I now have three 'accounts': sales tax, reinvestment, and net income. If you want to ensure that your income tax is also covered, make another for that.
And while you can do your own tax stuff at the end of the year, I choose to pay a pro to make sure mine are done right..
Hope that helps!
You must create a brand
Not just a product
A loyal customer base
Not just chase prices
Amaze your customers!
I love Etsy
Stop complaining and blaming,
We don’t curse the winter ❄️
More competition but more customers- as Etsy grows, your sales base grows
Grow yourself first as you are growing your business
One thing you might not have thought of was google recently changed their search priority to target the biggest companies rather than the most relavant item. This likely is always placing amazon, ebay, etc above you on products, especially if youre just starting out. The top search priority makes or kills companies.
That's disheartening but not surprising
I think a lot of the frustrations come from people who really work hard creating unique one of a kind stuff only to be drowned out by the thousands selling copy cat crap in an attempt to get rich quick. All the non artist, non artisan people just taking advantage of the market
What annoys me the most with Etsy is they will suspend or ban your account for copyrighted material while there are hundreds or other shops using the same material.
Hi Tim, thanks for the update on your shop. It's good to see you're sticking with the platform.
Started with Etsy and quickly moved to Shopify. Only had good sales when I drove people to Etsy myself. On it's own despite trying all the SEO tricks, I couldn't get traction on Etsy. Quit Etsy to focus exclusively on my Shopify.
Shopify is great and if you can get your own customers that’s where you want to be!
I just made a very long post and for some reason it's gone. I think RUclips thinks I'm a spammer for posting such a long comment LOL. Anyway, I have another unrelated comment. When I made my own site, the best marketing was free on Pinterest. I would make free stuff like lock-screen and background images and digital calendars. That drove a lot of traffic to my site and helped me to market without paying. Good luck with your new site. Also, I'd love to see a video on your new equipment!
I feel like a lot of people are sleeping on Pinterest, me included! Definitely need to look more into and try it out for myself. Will make a video on the new equipment as soon I figure everything out!
I love your demeanour in how you present and disseminate information - you don’t shout at your audience, which I really appreciate!
I have had my Etsy shop since 2016. Every year my sales went up 40-50% then in 2020 my sales skyrocketed and went up 200% from the previous year. It makes sense because of lock downs people were home shopping. 2021 was the first year sales went down from the previous year. As a parent who is spending money only on bare necessities. Growing as much food as I can. Praying that food prices don't keep increasing. I am projecting sales to be way down this year 2022 because I'm sure many people are in the same boat. No money for extras. Kids are getting oranges and a candy cane for Christmas this year.
Hi Tim, great video. I would also like to mention that their customer support is terrible. I had my account hacked about 1 week ago and the person was able to change the bank account on file and Etsy doesn't even respond to my emails. All of my is compromised and they don't do anything about it.
Thank you Tim, your insights are useful and you were honest in everything you said. "No matter how angry you get, nothing is going to change", that is for every aspect in our life.
Thank you so much for this update! I just started my store a few months ago and your videos have helped so much. I haven't started selling on my own site cause I just don't know what's the best choice. Good luck with yours!
I'm on Shopify right now and it's pretty decent! They do charge monthly though, so you have to make sure you're selling enough to make it worth it. Wish you the best! :)
I guess the choice overload will also be a major disadvantage for major online markets. Consumers may subconsciously need some limit of choice to remain straightforward and non-reluctant to buy their stuff.
It is important to know that people winning in your place is not necessarily a bad thing, and maybe someone was just worth the profit more than you (sounds painful but it’s very possible for all of us).
I will give some keywords that may add value to businesses if you look them up and apply what you learn, though I’m still being theoretical myself but they are academically well considered:
- Porter’s 5 forces
- Buying personas
- Value proposition Canvas
I’m still researching markets and I’m happy for potential clean business competitors who succeeded and/or are on their way.
Great reply 🎉
What it all comes down to is that you’re going into business. And not everybody is prepared to own their own business. Etsy is an “enabler”, but it is up to the shop owner to do everything they can to be the best business owner they can be. This means focusing 100% on the customer experience.
I love your personality!! You’re so humble when delivering your information and you always share great tips!! Thank you for this insight!
Thanks for watching Krystal :)
Awesome video! "Don't get angry. Focus your time and money on things you CAN control," 👏👏👏
I got everything I needed to know from this single video. Thank you. I was taken by surprise when I saw the fees after about 10 years since last looking into a shop. That's how I got here.
Great insight, thanks for sharing! At the end of the day, Etsy is a for-profit business. They’ve likely had to enhance their infrastructure to keep up with the increased customer demand base not to mention their increased marketing to bring in even more customers. We can’t expect Etsy to absorb those added costs, it doesn’t make good business sense for them. As an example, we’re seeing effects of this in the economy today - when the cost of goods goes up, part of that increase is passed on to consumers. It’s simple economics. You broke down your points so well, loved it!
But free stuff! It's a human right and it grows on trees.
@@MJ-oj2qv 🤣 true, true
Beautiful perspective. I love your positive energy. Thank you for sharing such valuable insights!
Tim!! Happy you are back :) just went looking for new videos on your profile the other day
Happy to be back! :)
What a great attitude, the world needs more people like you. Thanks for this video! Keep smiling and speaking from the heart. Cheers
**Thanks for watching👆 send a direct message at the above number for more enlightement
I just want to say thank you for your knowledge and your attitude. And I wish you tremendous continued success with your website.
i think a lot of people just like to complain for the sake of complaining. kudos to you for providing statistics to back up your opinions. 10/10 video, tim!
Thank you for your video. I'm happy you posted again after several months. I have a handmade jewelry shop and a vintage one. My shops also boomed last year. But this year they really slowed down. A lot of people are experiencing the same. Probably has to do with the global crisis. We need to keep up, it's a cycle and those who will remain will be able to boom again after this crisis.
Yes, I have my own website and I did amazing in sales last year and this year it's totally dropped in sales big time. I think a lot of the sale issues going on has to do with the global crisis more so then the platforms themselves.
So glad to see you back Tim! Always love your content and positive vibes 🙏🏻
So refreshing to hear balanced opinions in a cohesive easy to understand format. Thanks!
Thanks for watching! :)
Thanks for the few videos I've watched so far. Helpful, and informative. Loving your attitude, too. 🙂
Use Pint rest (I have to separate the word because RUclips keeps deleting my comments) for traffic!
It's soooo worth it!
The rise in fees is also a big one that's making everyone mad.
I closed my etsy shop. It was supposed to be for fun and I immediately felt pressure to produce things that would sell and stopped enjoying my hobby. I still shop on etsy but only from sellers that I know are making their items
**Thanks for watching👆 send a direct message at the above number for more enlightement 👈
Great video, i'm just getting started out on Etsy since January and only had a few sales but haven't really pushed my shop. Found you advice informative. Subscribed
So happy you’re back! 😍
Glad to be back :)
For me as an Etsy seller at the time, it was the way the worded the email as well. They were basically like because we’re doing so well and making so much money we are going raise the prices for our sellers. And I was already not making much:/ but regardless I do think it is a good place to sell your craft goods because of who they are. It’s a good way to get your name out there. But I don’t feel like they care about me as a seller 🥺
**Thanks for watching👆 send a direct message at the above number for more enlightement 👈
This is EXACTLY what I did. I saw someone who sells a ton of signs and copied it. Almost exact replica. Only difference is that I went hard on my brand identity. I named myself something so catchy and unique that people remember ME rather than my competitor. My competitor is more serious with a plain look while I have a fun brand that gives out FREE stickers with every purchase.
And who doesn't love free stickers, right?
Would love to see you make a video talking about the graphtec!!
Yup! Video on the new equipment is on deck :)
@@TimKoa yaaaass!!!
Yes me too!
Thumbs up just because your positivity is contagious (and the video was very informative as well) thank you!
You're a FANTASTIC mentor!
Thank you for the great insights on the Etsy gig..... I appreciate your knowledge. I haven't opened my shop yet but felt the same way that you do, when I heard about the issues with Etsy. Everything you said is totally correct. 🙏
I started selling my California photography prints in 2013. Didn't really take it serious until late 2019. I have made $20,000 each year since just on my prints.
People shouldn't gripe about the fees. I used to have a booth back in 1997 that cost $170 per month PLUS 10% to the owner.
People now can sell to anyone on the planet and they gripe about a small percent to Etsy.
Yeah , I think it's okay if they charge this much percentage. Because we sellers are getting a big consumer base which is in millions. I calculated all the fees few years back and it was not more than 10% ( for my products ) and that's totaly okay . Just giving a them a little piece of cake is not gonna make me poor when I have the whole left for me .
Em Dee, I was thinking of doing this with my photography too and was wondering how do you protect your photography? I need to learn.
Reasonable to me! Very simple - diversify, maintain and look around. I don’t have a shop but business is business.
Tim, could you please make a video on the nuts and bolts of Facebook ads and Instagram ads. For some who are as naïve as I am, it would be priceless. Thank you so much for your most sincere presence on YT. Rare commodity! 🙏
I’m working on marketing my own website too! Google ads are very confusing to learn but worthwhile!
I'm angry with them because I just started a shop 3 days ago and they just shut it down for no reason! No email, no explanation, nothing! I had my first sale, then bam, suspended. I have no idea what I could have done, but it makes me mad!
I hear that you just have to contact Etsy, and that it happens to a lot of new stores because of I don't know some algorithm or something. But I hear that most people get it reinstated as long as there's no copyright issues or something like that.
Great Video Tim, I have spent an afternoon looking at videos about selling digital products and got a feel for it, but your video gave me some faith that I can do this. I will start slow and see if I can at least make it pay it's own way to continue. I started out my current MMO path working for Satoshi (even smaller than pennies) so if I can turn any kind of profit I will be happy. Thanks for your encouragement.
Great video! Thanks and Namaste. Wishing you much success with your business.
Thanks for this. I’m just getting started making and selling crafts, and needed a counter argument to all the unexplained hate.
I’ve been looking into making some extra money this year, so this video was very helpful! Thank you for your thoughts on this!
How d you manage your business financially? Like calculating your sales, supplies and marketing and selling prices? I really trust your advice and knowledge! Love your genuine and honest videos! How much does it generally cost to begin sticker making business? Including subscriptions… basically everything!
I randomly came across this video and I don’t even have an Etsy shop or anything but this was very interesting. You got a new subscriber :)
I think it has more to do with fees getting higher for the shops. Also adding more fees that weren’t there before.
I was happy to finally see another video! Thanks for you input on all "the stuff" with Etsy.
Thanks for watching!
Just lately I've been looking at Etsy shops in a variety of categories and been discouraged to even want a shop when seeing everyone doing pretty much the same thing! It has become boring to see people imitating one another especially in the printables section (which admittedly is not a real craft to my mind). They either purchase public domain items so you see out of copyright pics coming up all the time which are virtually the same. Then you have those selling patent printables again all looking the same. When line art was trending so many people had the same designs it was so maddening! People really want to make a quick killing not realising it's no longer that easy! It is the same in publishing on KDP where there are too many people copying one another.
I believe being original is the way to go but it will require a lot of extra hard work and marketing before people are aware of the branding. Most people do not want to work hard not realising that putting in the extra time to be authentic/original will create dividends at the end!
I get it
Sooooo true! Well said!!!
Congratulations on you Roland, I also purchase one in April
Nice! Yeah it’s so cool to print on. First step into the big leagues :)
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Great content and Amazing words at the end 👌🏼 “don’t worry for things we can’t control 🙏🏾👏🏻
**Thanks for watching👆 send a direct message at the above number for more enlightement
Thank you Tim, for the practical analysis and your insight.
Thanks for watching :)
Great tips, especially about focusing on thing within one's control. Thanks Tim.
**Thanks for watching👆 send a direct message at the above number for more enlightement
My wife's Etsy shop started last year and it is still struggling to get just a few sales per month. Her products are fairly affordable, but the wholesalers clog up search results. I think I'm at the conclusion that needs to focus on making what there's no wholesalers for.
maybe your wife should start a TikTok account showing off her products/the making of them? A lot of small businesses have done the same.
"most people [building their own website], because the journey is so long and so difficult...give up, before they even get their first sale" - YES. Been there and done with that! I made the mistake of thinking because I was a web developer plus a maker, I could do it. It's all about the audience - and that's how these guys get to name their commission.
Why not create your own brand with social media accounts and a basic website and then slowly convert Etsy customers over to directly doing business with you (e.g., via business cards in your Etsy-purchased packages)?
This is what vintage clothing sellers on eBay/Depop have been doing for years. If you don’t decrease your dependency on a platform, you’ll slowly be consumed by increased competition and fees, etc like the things talked about in the video.
If you’re doing the work to run a good Etsy store by taking good pictures and creating a stand-out brand, you’re honestly doing most of the work already that you’d need to develop an independent store.
At the end of the day, the platforms want you to be subservient to them eternally. Why not create your escape route while also playing their game?
Etsy turned from a haven for small businesses to Aliexpress.
I was waiting on a video from you. Glad your back 😀
Glad to be back :)
I’ve been on Etsy since a month! Zero sales. I hate Etsy!
Welcome back to RUclips. This video was in my recommended.
I started my store because I sew my own unique kids stuff. Now I’m competing with drop shipping and big companies. It’s disheartening but I’m not giving up!
If you sew, I’ve noticed that personalized items with kids names are making very good money. People still do appreciate hand sewn items and it’s actually becoming very trending again. Look into hand sewn name blankets etc.
@@gissellel663 Thank you I appreciate the advice! 🙂
I feel etsy’s community has been overridden by “artists” that does minimal rather than true craft artists.
People can start an etsy shop solely just by selling prints that they do not own, and sit back and watch their money grow. I feel like it’s a platform for copy & paste sellers that may produce more crap than genuine artists that produces quality, original pieces of art (general art and products)
I apologise before hand if this opinionated claim by me hurts anyone in the process, but I believe it’s true.
It is true.
The amount of terrible "Live, laugh, love" prints on there... god.
100% agree with you.
Facts!!!!
Right, all my printed items are made by art I created, painted, or drew. But I can not compete with the copy and past shops that post more because it is fast to copy and paste than it is to create stuff to list. Shirts that have one clip art word and nothing else sell 1,000 when something that took time to create does not. I see so many beautiful hard-working artists and crafters on Etsy and you all should have more of the sales.
Your videos are incredibly helpful, clear, content dense and…well thanks!
Great video Tim. I was thinking about Etsy, and heard so many people disparage it that I was wondering if their complaints were valid. Like you point out, 6.5 percent is still very civil. Thank you for posting such an informative video - I would say it has been the best marketing video I have seen thus far.