Answer
I sell on Etsy and my own website never got sales. Is it worth building a new one, or should I just stay on Etsy?
If Etsy already brings you sales, keep it as your main shop, and add your own website only when you will send buyers to it every week.
I sell on Etsy and my own website never got sales. Is it worth building a new one, or should I just stay on Etsy?
For most small shops, Etsy stays the main place sales happen. A new website is only worth it if you have a plan to bring people to it.
Staying on Etsy is a fair answer. So is using both. Moving off Etsy completely is the riskiest choice for a small shop.
Why your first website did not sell
Etsy shoppers arrive already searching for handmade and vintage goods. Your own website has no shoppers of its own, so every visitor has to come from you.
A site that nobody is sent to will sit quiet, however good it looks. A new design on its own usually gives the same result.
So the real question is not "which website?" but "will I market it every week?" If the honest answer is no, stay on Etsy for now.
What Etsy costs you per sale
Etsy fees are the main reason sellers want their own site. Here is what the Etsy Help Center lists for US sellers:
- A listing fee of $0.20 per item, and listings expire after 4 months.
- A transaction fee of 6.5% of the order total, including shipping and gift wrap.
- A payment processing fee of 3% and $0.25 per order in the United States.
- Offsite Ads at 15% of an attributed order if your shop has always made under $10,000 in any 365 days.
Shops under that $10,000 line can opt out of Offsite Ads. Once a shop passes it, the rate drops to 12% and taking part is required. The Offsite Ads fee is capped at $100 per order.
Your own site has costs too: a monthly plan, a domain, payment processing and the time you spend on marketing. Compare those with your Etsy fees before you decide.
Three honest options
- Stay on Etsy only. Best if Etsy sells steadily and you have little time for marketing. Spend that time on better photos, titles and listings instead.
- Use Etsy and a simple website. Best if you already have customers who come back, or followers on social media. The site catches repeat buyers while Etsy keeps finding new ones.
- Move to your own website only. Best only if most of your buyers already come from your own marketing. Otherwise you give up the traffic Etsy brings.
If you are starting from scratch, the first steps in how to start selling your art online apply to any handmade shop.
Keep the second site small and cheap
You do not need a big custom build. A few pages, your best products and a checkout are enough to start.
Etsy's own website tool, Pattern, costs $15 a month after a 30-day free trial. It imports most of your Etsy listings and charges no transaction fee, though payment processing fees still apply.
Shop builders such as Shopify, Squarespace, Wix and Big Cartel are other options, each with its own plans.
Before you pick one, read what happens if you stop paying a website builder, so a price rise does not trap you.
How a small shop's website earns trust
Buyers worry about scams on unknown sites, so make it easy to see you are real:
- Real photos of your products, your workspace and you.
- Clear shipping, returns and refund policies on their own page.
- A contact email, and a business address or location if you are comfortable sharing it.
- A checkout people already know, such as a familiar card or wallet payment page.
- Reviews from past buyers. Pattern can show your Etsy reviews on your site.
- A link to your Etsy shop, so buyers can see your history there.
How to send people to your website
Owning a customer list is the main long-term reason to have a site. Etsy controls its search, but your email list stays yours.
- Put a card in every order with your website and an email signup.
- Offer a small reason to buy direct, such as a bundle or a first look at new items.
- Post your work every week on one or two platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest.
- Send a short email when you add new products.
Judge the site by email signups and repeat orders first, not by sales in the first month.
When staying on Etsy is the right call
Stay on Etsy only if you have no time to market a second site, or if a monthly plan would cost more than the fees you would save. That is a sound business choice, not a failure.
You can still point your own domain at your Etsy shop, and revisit a site once you have regular buyers.
Comparison
| Option | Best for | Main cost | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy only | Shops that sell steadily and have little time to market | Listing, transaction, processing and Offsite Ads fees | You do not own the search traffic or the customer list |
| Etsy and Pattern by Etsy | Etsy sellers who want a simple site with their listings imported | $15 a month after a 30-day trial | Still tied to Etsy, and you bring the site's visitors |
| Etsy and a shop builder such as Shopify, Squarespace, Wix or Big Cartel | Sellers who want more design control and their own brand | Monthly plan and payment processing | You bring every visitor yourself |
| Own website only | Shops whose buyers mostly come from their own marketing | Monthly plan, domain and payment processing | You give up Etsy's built-in shoppers |
| Social selling on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest | Makers with engaged followers | Your time making posts | Reach depends on each app and can change |
| webmoz | Owners who want a website and weekly posts set up with guidance | Points, with no subscription | No marketplace audience, no Etsy sync and no promise of sales |
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell on Etsy and my own website at the same time?
Yes, and many small shops do.
Keep stock counts matching so you do not sell the same item twice. Pattern uses your Etsy listings, and with other builders, check how they handle Etsy stock before you start.
Will people trust buying from a small shop's own website?
Many will if the site shows you are real.
Use real photos, clear policies, a contact email, a familiar checkout and reviews. Linking to your Etsy shop also lets buyers check your sales history.
Should I opt out of Etsy Offsite Ads?
Only shops that have never made $10,000 in any 365 days can opt out.
Look at your margins. If a 15% fee on an ad sale leaves too little profit, opting out can make sense. Others keep it because Etsy shows their listings on search engines and social media.
Is it worth paying a monthly fee for a website that might not sell?
Only if you will market it every week.
Start with the smallest plan that works, judge it on signups and repeat orders, and check what happens to your site if you stop paying before you commit.
Sources
- help.etsy.comEtsy Help: What are the Fees and Taxes for Selling on Etsy?$0.20 listing fee, 4 month listing period, 6.5% transaction fee including shipping and gift wrap
- help.etsy.comEtsy Help: What are Payment Processing Fees for Selling on Etsy?US payment processing fee of 3% and $0.25 per order
- help.etsy.comEtsy Help: How Etsy's Offsite Ads Work15% and 12% rates, the $10,000 line, opting out and the $100 cap per order
- help.etsy.comEtsy Help: Pricing and Fees for Pattern$15 a month after a 30-day trial, no transaction fee, payment processing still applies
- help.etsy.comEtsy Help: What is Pattern?imports most Etsy content and inventory, shows Etsy buyer reviews, does not replace the Etsy shop
- webmoz.aiwebmoz: Pricingpoints, no subscription, 500 free points on every new account
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