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Is It Worth It To Sell On Etsy?

Q: Is it worth it to sell on Etsy?

Well, it depends, but we always believe the answer will be yes. Successful sellers on Etsy can make a full-time income doing what they love. Others struggle and get angry at the platform Etsy is an online marketplace that matches buyers to craft, one-of-kind, vintage, or digital products. If your product offers value to the customer, then you will be successful. Did you notice the keyword there, “your product offers a value to the customer”? You can not just through up a product and hope it sells.

Q: When is Etsy NOT worth it?

1. Etsy is a marketplace just like Amazon, but different in so many ways. You cannot send inventory to Etsy warehouses and have them ship it Prime like Amazon. Etsy does not do that. They focus on the artisan seller not the manufactured product of the masses. 2. Etsy does require some work just like any other business. It is not an overnight success. It takes on average about a month to get your first sale. 3. Only sell products you want. If you want to sell products that only you would want, then Etsy is not for you. Etsy stores that are successful are the ones that make products that provide value to the customer.

Q: When is Etsy worth it?

1. If you want to start a business that you can work from home and grow. Etsy is a perfect platform for those who want a jump start an online business model. It easiest one to get started with for sure. 2. You want to make your future customers happy. Etsy shoppers love the platform because they feel they are helping a small business, and they are! The customers on Etsy are one of the best out there with being super thankful for the product you provided. 3. Willing to put in hard work. Etsy is one of the easiest platforms to start on as a beginner. But is does require some hard work and learning along the way. If you are patient and willing to learn and experiment this is a great platform for you.

Is it worth it to sell on Etsy? by OWLLytics

Etsy is one of the fastest growing online marketplaces right now. In fact, you’ve probably either shopped on Etsy yourself, or maybe even know someone who sells things on Etsy! With Etsy sales exploding, you might be wondering: Is it actually worth it to sell on Etsy?

We might be a little bit biased- but we always believe the answer will be YES!

Many successful sellers on Etsy make a full-time income, doing what they love.

Etsy is an online marketplace that matches buyers to one-of-kind, vintage, craft, or digital products. If your product offers a value to the customer, then YOU will be successful selling on Etsy as well.

Notice the keyword there: “if your product offers value to the customer…” You can’t just throw up a product and hope it sells, which is (surprisingly) a VERY common mistake new sellers make.

Let’s dig into this a bit deeper…

When is Etsy not worth it?

There’s LOTS of reasons you might want to start an Etsy business, and of course that’s going to be a bit different for every couple, family or individual. Some of the BIGGEST reasons people decide to start a business, however, include:

To save extra money
Replace their current (or lost) income
Afford more vacations and travel
Reach retirement sooner and live that LoFi life! (aka Labor Optional Financial Independence!)

Selling on Etsy CAN help you reach all of these goals- but there are some situations in which selling on Etsy might NOT be the best fit for you!

start up small business owner holding mobile phone and take photo of her product. freelance woman entrepreneur SME seller use smart phone to take picture and sell cloth on website. Online selling, internet marketing, e-commerce concept | OWLLytics

If you want something that works like an FBA store with rotating inventory, or are looking to GET RICH QUICK, then Etsy is not the right choice for you.

Don’t worry though, there are other platforms out there that can better help with those goals. *wink wink*

Woman in computer room thinking | OWLLytics

When IS Etsy worth it?

That being said, let’s explore some ways that Etsy might be a great fit for you!

If you want to start a business that you can work from home and grow steadily.
Etsy is a perfect platform for those who want a jump-start with an online business model. For many reasons (which we talk about in this article) Etsy is one of the easiest platforms for new sellers to get started with!
You want to make your future customers happy.
If customer service is something you value, Etsy’s a GREAT place to sell! Etsy shoppers love this platform because they supporting a small business, and they get a great, friendly buying experience! The customers on Etsy are often much more thankful for the product you provided than buyers on other platforms.
Willing to put in hard work for a long-lasting income.
Etsy is one of the easiest platforms to start on as a beginner. But it does require some hard work and learning along the way, especially at the beginning. If you are patienct and willing to learn, this is a great platform for you because you will be building a longer, more sustainable income that can last for years!

The types of products you can sell on Etsy:

There are 4 main types of products you can sell on Etsy:

One-of-kind products
Repeatable products
Supplies
Digital products

You can read more about different Etsy products and their pros/cons here.

Getting started with Etsy?

Setting up an Etsy account is extremely easy and only takes a few minutes. In fact, you can get 40 free listings on Etsy by using our referral link and make selling even EASIER!

(Get 40 free listings with this link)

Once you get your store open and set up, you can decide what types of products you want to sell, and get started with your first listing!

The cost of Selling on Etsy

There is typically a $0.20 listing fee to get your product set up in their platform and available for buyers to see and purchase. Once your item sells, you will be charged selling fees as well. And you can also opt into advertising fees.

We created this (pretty funny) video about the different fees on Etsy, including our arch-nemesis: the optional Off-Site ads)

This video goes in-depth on all costs associated with Etsy as a whole.

Conclusion

Etsy is not for everyone, and that is okay. There are many other platforms and ways to reach your dream of finding success online.

If you decide that Etsy is not for you, then there are other great platforms like Shopify and Amazon that can still provide you great results in the end!

But Etsy IS a great platform for starting out if you are willing to learn, looking to provide values to customers, and want to start business you can be proud of.

Etsy is easy to get started on and does not break the bank like other type of business models.

We also have a great course for beginners that walks you through finding a successful product(s), your Etsy store setup (even creating a logo!), pricing and strategies so you can be on your way to success faster than ever!

Either way, we hope you find a platform that best suits YOUR needs and brings you lots of happiness! Good luck!

Is it worth it to start selling on Etsy? by OWLLytics

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