The Best Etsy Alternatives for Selling Your Crafts

Since its launch in 2005, Etsy has become well-known as the place to go for handcrafted, one-of-a-kind items from a wide variety of creators. Unfortunately, over the last few years, that rosy reputation has changed a bit. A couple of years ago, buyers began noticing an influx of mass-market goods that were noticeably not handmade. More than one person has felt that Etsy had become less about selling handmade crafts and more about drop shipping — enterprises that advertise and sell a product and then pass the order on to a third party, which ships it.

There was discontent online from sellers as well, due to both the increased number of manufactured goods and increased expenses such as mandatory market plans. Then, in April 2022, Etsy announced it was raising seller transaction fees from 5 percent to 6.5 percent. As a result, a number of Etsy sellers went on strike between April 11th and 18th of that year. And in March of 2023, when the Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, Etsy responded by holding back the fees of some of its sellers, an action that was feared to be disastrous for smaller craft businesses.

Since then, Etsy has moved to try to restore its reputation as a place for handmade crafts rather than cheaply manufactured goods. As pointed out in a recent article in The Information, the company seems to be caught between trying to attract consumers with lower prices and maintaining its reputation as the place where they can find handcrafted gifts. All this, of course, doesn’t make things easier for the relatively small vendors who are trying to get their products recognized in a very crowded market.

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As any retailer knows, it takes a lot of time and resources to sell products, either online or off — resources that you may not have, especially if you are not running a full-time business. You have to create a professional-looking website where you can show off your wares to their best advantage or showcase them in a venue where potential customers can find them. You have to track your inventory so you don’t accidentally accept a sale you can’t fulfill, especially if you sell at more than one site. You need to be able to accept sales from credit cards, PayPal, or other financial institutions, add tax and shipping fees, and offer approximate ship dates. You have to pack up your items (or arrange to have them packed) and send them out. If you accept returns, you have to deal with refunds and shipping fees.

In other words, even if you’re a very small shop, selling online can be complicated, especially if you’re trying to do it completely by yourself.

If you want to support your favorite Etsy craftspeople — and they’re either no longer at Etsy or you don’t want to use the site — there may be other ways to contact them and/or buy from them. This is where your search engine is your friend.

You can also contact them through Etsy:

1. Go to your Etsy Favorites (the heart icon at the top right), or if you haven’t been keeping a Favorites list, click on your personal icon and go to Purchases and reviews.

2. Find the name of the vendor and select it. This should take you to the main page for that vendor.

3. Scroll down to where you see Contact shop owner (usually on the left side of the page), and send them a message.

Selling through Etsy solved that problem for a lot of creators. It is a single source that people looking for crafty items can go to; it supplies a sales page, a way to interface with your customers, and other retail services. And since all transactions take place through the Etsy platform and checkout system, it provides additional privacy between buyer and seller. But if Etsy has become a problem for you as a seller, what do you do?

Looking for alternatives

Unfortunately, Etsy — even in its current incarnation — seems to be unique. While there are several other outlets where craftspeople can get help marketing their wares, few have the full-service plans and outreach that Etsy boasts.

If you’re trying to sell your crafts, you can, of course, simply sell out of your own website. However, it takes time, knowledge, and skill to be able to build a retail site, not to mention to publicize it so that your customers can find you. If you’ve got those skills — or if you’ve got the wherewithal to hire someone with those skills — then that could be a solution. However, there are alternatives. They may not be the all-in-one solution that Etsy has been, but if you really want to find other markets — even if you’re not ready to abandon Etsy altogether — they might work for you.

Note that these are only a few of the available options out there. There are many different e-commerce sites and services available, and there are others besides these that may work for a smaller retail shop. But this will hopefully give you a place to start.

Etsy

Etsy is one of the most well-known sources for crafts. Screenshot: Etsy

As mentioned before, Etsy is best known for being the place to go for various crafts and handmade items, although this reputation is starting to fray a bit. However, Etsy does provide you with your own “shop,” a way to exhibit your items and get paid, and a variety of other services.

Fees

Etsy has a list of fees that includes:

• A 20-cent listing fee for a four-month listing

• A 6.5 percent transaction fee

• A 3 percent plus 25 cents payment processing fee

• A 15 percent offsite ads fee that is only charged when a purchase is made from an offsite ad — in addition, the offsite ads program is optional if you made under $10,000 in the last 365 days, although you do need to manually opt out

Trial period: there is no trial period for an Etsy shop.

Amazon Handmade

Amazon offers a little-known crafts store of its own, called Amazon Handmade. Screenshot: Amazon

Retail giant Amazon has a special shop called Amazon Handmade, where customers can find crafts and other handmade goods. On the one hand, this is Amazon, so there are a lot of people going there to buy things. On the other, Amazon Handmade doesn’t seem to be as well known as Etsy (I didn’t know about it until I started researching this article).

Fees

Amazon offers two general plans: Individual and Professional.

• Individual, costing 99 cents per item sold, is for beginners — basically, for those who expect to sell fewer than 40 units a month and don’t plan to advertise. However, you cannot be a part of Amazon Handmade if you’re on the Individual plan. You must be on the Professional plan.

• Professional is $39.99 per month and offers advertising, top placement on site pages, and other features. But for those who want to be part of Handmade and who are true craftspeople, there is an out. Once you’ve created a Professional Amazon seller’s account, you can apply to have the fee waived after the first month by qualifying for Handmade.

• Add to that the referral fees. Normally, the percentage depends on what you are selling. For example, if you’re selling jewelry, Amazon will take 20 percent of the total sale price up to $250 and 5 percent for any portion above that. However, if you qualify for Handmade, then Amazon will deduct a straight 15 percent referral fee for whatever you sell.

• Amazon will charge you for shipping as well but will then refund the amount — or a portion of it. Professional users get to determine how much shipping will cost; Amazon will charge them for it and then credit them for that amount. Individual users have to use a set shipping fee that Amazon charges; if their shipping costs are more than Amazon’s refund, they’ll have to eat that cost (or raise the price of their goods).

Trial period: there is no trial period for Amazon Handmade.

Shopify

Shopify is a well-known e-commerce platform. Screenshot: Shopify

Shopify is not a marketplace like Etsy or even Amazon — it’s an e-commerce platform for sellers who want to sell their products on their own sites. It offers a variety of services for a range of sellers, from individuals to large retailers. For example, the Basic plan includes shipping discounts and a point-of-sale app (for in-person sales). The Shopify plan adds several staff accounts and insurance; the Advanced plan includes a bunch of other features, such as custom reports and analytics.

If you’re thinking about selling out of your own website but want a way to more easily handle payments, sales tracking, shipping costs, etc., an e-commerce platform could be very useful, and Shopify seems to have relatively friendly small-shop services.

Fees

• The Basic plan starts at $39 / month or $348 / year. Credit card fees for online sales are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction; credit card fees for in-person sales are 2.7 percent plus 10 cents per transaction. If you don’t use Shopify’s payment services, you are charged 2 percent per transaction.

• The Shopify plan starts at $105 / month or $948 / year. Credit card fees for online sales are 2.7 percent plus 30 cents per transaction; credit card fees for in-person sales are 2.5 percent plus 10 cents per transaction. If you don’t use Shopify’s payment services, you are charged 1 percent per transaction.

• The Advanced plan starts at $399 / month or $3,588 / year. Credit card fees for online sales are 2.4 percent plus 30 cents per transaction; credit card fees for in-person sales are 2.4 percent plus 10 cents per transaction. If you don’t use Shopify’s payment services, you are charged 0.5 percent per transaction.

• There is also an Enterprise plan and a Starter plan for sellers who want to use social media to sell their wares. Shopify also offers shipping fees for the first 100 orders if you use the Shopify Shipping platform.

Trial period: there is a 3-day trial period for Shopify.

Big Cartel

Big Cartel specializes in individual artists. Screenshot: Big Cartel

Big Cartel is another e-commerce platform that is especially aimed at individual artists and small-shop retailers. Its plans seem to be somewhat less expensive than Shopify’s, but it doesn’t have quite as many features (for example, it doesn’t allow for returns). Still, if you’re looking for an easy-to-use e-commerce platform for your craft business, it’s worth taking a look at.

Fees

• The Gold plan is free and allows up to five products, one image per product, a basic online store, and a couple of other features. There is no discount on credit card fees, however, which are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents for each transaction.

• The Platinum plan costs $9.99 / month or $107.88 / year and allows up to 50 products and five images per product, includes Google Analytics, and can use a custom domain.

• The Diamond plan costs $19.99 / month or $215.88 / year and allows up to 500 products, five images per product, and includes everything the Platinum plan does plus inventory tracking and other features.

• The Titanium plan costs $29.99 / month or $323.88 / year and allows up to 1,000 products, five images per product, and includes everything the Platinum and Diamond plans do.

Trial period: there is no trial period for Big Cartel.

ArtFire

ArtFire offers a marketplace for handmade goods. Screenshot: ArtFire

ArtFire is an online marketplace for handmade goods, similar to Etsy and Amazon Handmade. It’s a bit less well-known than the other two, but it does offer a place where craftspeople can sell their wares and get the advantage of a curated marketplace. Like Etsy, it offers storefronts and a variety of services; unlike Etsy, it has a monthly fee along with a 9 percent transaction fee.

Fees

• The Standard Shop costs $4.95 / month and includes 250 active listings and a $0.23 listing fee per item.

• The Popular Shop costs $20 / month and includes 1,000 active listings and a $0.19 listing fee per item.

• The Featured Shop costs $40 / month and includes 2,500 active listings and a $0.15 listing fee per item.

• For all levels, there is a 9 percent transaction fee and a $0.30 fee plus a 2.9 percent payment processing fee for each transaction.

Trial period: there is a 14-day trial period for ArtFire.

Square Online

Square Online offers a way to create an online store. Screenshot: Square Online

Square Online is another e-commerce platform aimed at individuals and small retailers who want to set up their own online shops. It offers free tools that help sellers build an online store, manage inventory, process payments, and do other e-commerce tasks. Square Online is best known for its point-of-sale app, which allows you to accept payments on your phone or tablet.

Fees

• The Free plan includes a free online store, inventory management, and other features. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Professional plan costs $12 / month and includes a custom domain and other features. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Performance plan costs $26 / month and includes everything the Professional plan does plus additional marketing tools and other features. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Premium plan costs $72 / month and includes everything the Performance plan does plus lower credit card fees of 2.6 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

Trial period: there is no trial period for Square Online.

Bonanza

Bonanza offers a marketplace for a variety of products. Screenshot: Bonanza

Bonanza is an online marketplace that offers a variety of products, including handmade goods. It’s not as well-known as Etsy or Amazon Handmade, but it does offer a place where craftspeople can sell their wares and get the advantage of a curated marketplace. Like Etsy, it offers storefronts and a variety of services; unlike Etsy, it has a monthly fee along with a 9 percent transaction fee.

Fees

• The Basic plan is free and includes up to 50 listings and a $0.35 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Bronze plan costs $25 / month and includes up to 1,000 listings and a $0.30 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Silver plan costs $50 / month and includes up to 2,500 listings and a $0.25 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Gold plan costs $100 / month and includes up to 5,000 listings and a $0.20 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

Trial period: there is a 14-day trial period for Bonanza.

Zibbet

Zibbet offers a marketplace for handmade goods. Screenshot: Zibbet

Zibbet is an online marketplace for handmade goods, similar to Etsy and Amazon Handmade. It’s a bit less well-known than the other two, but it does offer a place where craftspeople can sell their wares and get the advantage of a curated marketplace. Like Etsy, it offers storefronts and a variety of services; unlike Etsy, it has a monthly fee along with a 9 percent transaction fee.

Fees

• The Basic plan costs $5 / month and includes up to 50 listings and a $0.25 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Pro plan costs $10 / month and includes up to 500 listings and a $0.20 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Elite plan costs $20 / month and includes up to 1,000 listings and a $0.15 listing fee per item. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

Trial period: there is a 14-day trial period for Zibbet.

Pattern by Etsy

Pattern by Etsy offers a way to create an online store. Screenshot: Pattern by Etsy

Pattern by Etsy is a tool that helps Etsy sellers create their own standalone websites. It’s not a marketplace like Etsy, but it does offer a way for sellers to create their own online stores and manage their inventory, payments, and other e-commerce tasks. Pattern by Etsy is best known for its integration with Etsy, which allows sellers to easily import their listings and manage their inventory from one place.

Fees

• The Basic plan costs $15 / month and includes a custom domain, inventory management, and other features. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

• The Professional plan costs $30 / month and includes everything the Basic plan does plus additional marketing tools and other features. Credit card fees are 2.9 percent plus 30 cents per transaction.

Trial period: there is a 14-day trial period for Pattern by Etsy.