Which one should you choose? Etsy or Shopify?
It’s hard to pick a winner, and it’s dependent on who you are, what your aim is, and what you sell. But in this post, I'll give you some points to conisder before you make a decision.
Product
Etsy is only for handmade goods, vintage goods and craft supplies. Those of you who make handmade goods would be all good to set up on Etsy, but no reselling allowed!
Shopify has no restrictions on what you can and can't sell, the sky if your limit!
WINNER: Shopify
Pricing
Etsy is a marketplace and so the fees are associated to each listing/item you are selling. With Etsy, you will be paying for listing fees ($0.20 USD for 4 months), transaction fees (5% for each purchase) and payment fess.
Shopify just has one fee each month, the plans range from basic to advanced, with basic starting at $29 USD per month.
WINNER:
Short-term and low risk - Etsy
Long-term - Shopify
Exposure
Etsy is EASY! No marketing required, or very minimal. If you have a great product, you barely need a social media account, of course, social media helps phenomenally. But put simply, Etsy will find hte customer for you. Those who go on Etsy are already prepared to purchase on Etsy.
With Shopify you are going ot a) have to work hard and b) pay for advertising if you want to make it. You have the sole responsibility of finding customers and this can be expensive and hard work.
WINNER: Etsy
Branding
Etsy promotes their own brand when you use their marketplace, this means cusotmers are more likely ot say "Etsy" when others ask them where they may have got their newest pair of earrings from. However, this makes things really easy to set up!
Shopify provides complete customisation, make your website look how you want it to look and customers are more likely to return and remember you as a brand.
WINNER: Shopify
The VERDICT
Etsy is a marketplace that is perfect for small-scale handmade sellers and testing the waters. If you want to test the eCommerce world, start with Etsy. It allows you to sell your products with little investment and commitment. You also don’t have to work very hard to find customers, as potential customers are already on Etsy.
Shopify is amazing for full customisation and establishing your brand. It has a higher cost, but it allows you to make your store your own. If you know that you want to sell long-term and if you know a thing or two about marketing, Shopify is the best option. The hardest part will be getting customers to your store, so be prepared to pay for ads.
