Etsy vs Ebay – Comparison For Handmade Item Sales
Etsy vs Ebay – Which Is Better For Selling Your Items?
Many handmade crafters have been faced with a difficult decision. Do handmade items sell well on Ebay as well as Etsy?
HandmadeMarketing.org found there are examples of sellers who make 90% of their income from Ebay and only a small amount through their Etsy shop. However, there are just as many examples of Etsy sellers who have had terrible experiences with Ebay.
This article aims to help sellers decide if Ebay is right for their Etsy shop.
EBAY: The Facts
Ebay has more than 50 million registered users and is the 20th most popular website in the world. This means that the number of potential buyers on Ebay is much higher than on Etsy.com. This can mean the potential for much higher sales if a seller is utilizing Ebay.
Ebay has two different ways for selling products:
- Ebay Store. Some sellers can have an Ebay Store which is very similar to having an Etsy Shop. Sellers with Ebay stores generally sell multiple products for a set price.
- Auction Model. The alternative avenue for selling products on Ebay is the auction model. This is, by far, the more famous and popular way to sell items on Ebay.
Why embrace the auction model? The result of auction model is items which are getting a lot of views can take advantage of competition to drive up the prices of their products. The excitement of participating in an auction often leads bidders to pay more for a product than they normally would.
Ebay sellers are encouraged to start the bidding on their products low, often only $.01. This price is set low to encourage the bidding process to begin and allow the force of competition to create a fervor over their product.
However, the auction model can lead to disaster for sellers. If they have decided to sell a product that has a lower amount of searches, or is too competitive the auction model, bidders can win auctions for extremely low prices.
If the seller chooses to protect themselves by setting a reserve price for their auction (a lowest possible bid), there is a chance no one will make a bid on the item. This leaves the auction expired with the product unsold. Sellers are left paying the cost for listing their item… and no sale. Re-posting the handmade item is an option, but the fees can quickly add up.
Even when your item sells, Ebay takes a large percentage of the final sell. Although that number is always changing, our team has seen it rise as high as 20%.
ETSY: The Facts
The appeal of listing your products on the Etsy website far exceeds the lower listing fees and the longer periods of time you can advertise your products.
The biggest appeal for handmade sellers to use Etsy.com is the targeted buyers that visit the website. Potential buyers viewing Etsy value the fact that Etsy products are handmade. Although Ebay viewers may enjoy an Etsy product, many may not recognize the value in having a handmade item over a manufactured product.
Not only do buyers on the Etsy website will recognize the added value that personalization brings, but they are willing to pay more for it.
In fact, many buyers on Etsy are also sellers themselves. There tends to be a feeling among Etsy sellers that they are are selling to themselves. Some feel the Etsy marketplace is too small. This complaint often leads Etsians to ask for Etsy to market more to outside consumers.
AND THE WINNER IS….
When choosing Etsy vs Ebay, what’s the best pick? Here are some factors to consider:
- Time Selling. Our team thinks Ebay is a great way to take your Etsy business to the next level. However, Ebay is not good for a selling platform when you are starting out with your own business.
- Pricepoint. If your handmade items are sold for a price that would be competitive with a manufactured product, Ebay may be a good option. Your handmade items must also stand on their own without needing the additional recognition of being handmade. However, many Ebay searchers are interested in finding used items and great deals, which could clash with Etsy vintage sellers.
- Your Following. Where do you seem to have a good following? A good number of “hearts” may increase your chances of attracting potential buyers on Etsy.com On Ebay, the competition is much more intense. It is essential to have a high seller feedback rating with a lot of previous sells in order to entice people to bid on your auctions or buy items in your Ebay stores.
- Item Category. Remember, every category is different when deciding if Ebay is right for your craft. While some common Etsy items like jewelry and dresses may do well selling on Ebay, other categories like handmade soap may not be received in the same way. If you think you may have a handmade item that could succeed in Ebay, look for sellers selling similar items and research how their products are doing in Ebay auctions. Then, if you decide there is a market for your goods, make an investment of several months to build up a positive feedback. You may have a way to take your Etsy business to a larger market and increase your market and, in turn, sales.
Have you tried selling your handmade items on Ebay? Do you think Ebay is right for the handmade market? Why do you keep your shop at Etsy.com and avoid Ebay? Do you know of a better selling platform than both Ebay and Etsy for online craft sales?
Tell us what you think about the Etsy vs Ebay debate! Comment on this post or tell us your detailed marketing ideas. If our editors like your ideas, we will feature you on HandmadeMarketing.org and include a link to your Etsy (or Ebay!) shop as the source of the information. By telling the community your ideas, our hope is you see an increase of traffic to your shop while giving handmade craft sellers new ideas!
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
18 Responses to “Etsy vs Ebay – Comparison For Handmade Item Sales”
Leave a Reply
Follow us on Twitter
I have had a better experience with Etsy because my items are displayed in a more attractive light. The market place is small, but even with Ebay, you have to drive people to your site that may not normally browse and stumble upon your shop.
FANTASTIC!
Wonderful post, thanks for this.
I hate Ebay, It was frustrating (and expensive) esperience, trying to sell to all the buyers that are searching cheap elctronics.
Great post! Really love reading them, can’t wait for more.
I love Etsy for selling my items……on the other hand I like Ebay for buying crafting items that tend to be a little higher on Etsy. All in all I like them both for my crafting and selling needs.
i do etsy, ebay, and have my own website as well. i sell my handmade items on etsy because etsy buyers value handmade. i sell stuff i want to get rid of (including old jewelry) and stuff i pick up at garage sales on ebay because it’s all about a good deal. i have my own website because i like to be able to really manage the perception of my line.
a good idea is to mix it up a bit…
I am trying to start business online, just not sure what product, where to sell and so forth. I am curently homebound and i desperate need of guidance, but not another pay up front scam!!
I have one of each (Etsy and eBay shops) as well as a website. There are pros and cons to each site; for instance, Etsy is considerably less expensive, eBay gets more traffic. I think its good to diversify – but to have a consistent ‘brand’ if possible (the same shop name, avatar, etc.) wherever you’re set up around the web.
I have been selling on eBay for over 5 years now, and am looking to expand in to Etsy upon the recommendation of friends who are also artists. My best friend sells on both sites, and has seen an increase in sales by about 35% since selling on both sites.
I agree, eBay is expensive, and you have to suppliment your store with auctions to boost traffic to your store. My friends have told me that their products on Etsy will show up in a google search, eBay products do not always do so. Marketing your products is a business expense which is tax deductible. A lower tax bill in the spring is also very nice. So as for ebay or etsy – I say both.
I am trying to get my one of a kind handmade items out there.This is a difficult move for me.I’m just learning the inter net.It would greatly be appreciated if i could get more advice.My skills are unlimited.
I want to start my new business in selling handmade soap. I need some help on should i start my own website and do etsy. I bought a website maker called webplus x4 I am wondering should i start that first to sell my products and do etsy to, but don’t you need a domain name or what don’t know what to do please anyone out there can you give any suggestions?????
I went into etsy yesterday & read everything I could find in there about selling on that site & would recommend to you Julian to do the same. It’s always wise to research something like selling online so you can form a plan, instead of just jumping all over the place & getting nowhere. I have been on ebay for 5 years & I like it. Fees aren’t bad anymore since they’ve made so many changes. But as for soap, I would not recommend ebay for that. There’s so many listings for handmade soap up there that it’s to the point of ridiculous. I would try etsy for soap or even look into other available sites.
I sell vintage and upcycled items, and in general, have had more views on etsy. I am just getting started, but I would say that having a specific market on etsy really helps. If you have an item you known would be a hot seller, then an auction would probably be better. I have had to sacrifice price because it just did not get enough views. Just my opinion.
Great topic, and I like reading what others have experienced in this area. I would also be interested in a comparison of Etsy to Artfire.
I love ebay better, they have better customer support, better guidelines, better website, better buyer protection, people feel more secure to buy in EBAY, and seller NOW can list FREE at ANY price!!!
Ebay website has better interface and more user friendly, has more listing options, and is better promoted inline, as and well provides security for both seller and buyer, and ENFORCES it very well.
I paid almost $30 for Etsy showcases and other fees, and my store was closed without any notice and without any possibility to recover my listings…because my items do not look handmade.
I have violated some rules on Etsy last month, and can not re open my store even after I have fixed the problem. I sent picture of the process how I make my goods and ETSY support team have never replied to me..
Other stores with the same violation are still open though….
I loathe Ebay! They contain way too many charges. Took me out of business. When they first opened, I did $20,000 a month with them. Presently, fees are so high, I try to use free listing auctions now like GoodForge.com and some of the other freebies. Ebay lost my products for good!
Just had to take the two seconds to post a thank you. Read through through your site and really liked the material, bookmarked and I plan on returning soon!