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If you’re an Etsy seller, you might have wondered about other places to sell. There are a lot of platforms to use to set up shop in different places so that you don’t have “all your eggs in one basket.”
Etsy has traffic that comes to you, so if you try another platform you may or may not get the same benefit. Some marketplaces are set up to easily set up a shop, but they don’t send you very much traffic.
I surveyed the sellers in the Artisan Shopping Directory to see where else they would suggest to sell if you’re an independent artist, and there were a lot of suggestions that I had never heard of. Read on to see the entire list of suggestions:
Etsy alternatives for all sellers.
Etsy alternatives for Vintage sellers.
Etsy alternatives for Handmade sellers.
Etsy alternatives for selling Wholesale.
Etsy alternatives for Art and Graphics sellers.
Etsy Alternatives for Print-On-Demand sellers.
Etsy alternatives for all sellers.
For anyone selling anything online, there are a lot of general-purpose ways to reach customers, including some established marketplaces and some social media networks. However, the best thing that you can do for your business if you want to build something sustainable is to set up your own website.
1. Your own website– Having a website that’s owned and run by you personally (or by someone you hire) is something that will give you freedom from being dependent on a platform. Because relying on someone else’s website to be your only source of income is risky, having your own website, even as a backup, is important. There are sites like Shopify that are designed for ecommerce sites, so it’s not hard to set one up.
2. In-person shows– Selling at markets, conventions, expos, galleries, or whatever other in-person venue that’s available can be a lucrative way to make money, but it does take planning and effort. It won’t be something that everyone is interested in doing, but if you’re someone who enjoys dealing with people one-on-one, it can be a good option. Make sure to investigate any markets that you want to join, since some are better than others.
3. Instagram– Using Instagram’s selling feature lets you tag products from a website and lets you send viewers directly to your site. It’s not easy to set up, but it’s a good option if you want to have an extra way to get people to your site without advertising.
4. Facebook – Selling in a Facebook group, a business page, or on FB marketplace is an option that works for a lot of people. It takes some coordination to do live sales, but once you get the hang of it it’s not difficult. The most difficult thing is probably getting people to watch, so you do have to promote the sales.
5. Cratejoy (subscription bo xes)– Cratejoy is a site that lets you sell subscription boxes, so if you have that service it’s an option. Even if you don’t do that now, but you could, it might be worth trying it out!
6. Mercari – Mercari is a marketplace that has both handmade and, basically, used clothing or resale items. It looks like you could list pretty much anything on there, so it would work for most Etsy sellers.
7. Poshmark – Poshmark is a marketplace for used clothing and housewares that seems to be brand-heavy. Probably good for vintage sellers who have branded clothing.
8. Youtube – Having a YouTube channel to demo your products or talk about your niche is a good idea for a few reasons, but it takes time to build an audience. It’s handy to be able to point customers to a video when they have specific questions, especially if you get the same questions all the time. I get a lot of traffic to my website by doing product demos on YouTube.
9. Bonanza – Bonanza is a marketplace that’s been around for a while and it has a lot of categories. Worth looking into, but you probably have to drive a lot of your own traffic.
10. TrueGether – A marketplace that looks more like eBay than Etsy. Probably best for clothing and home goods.
Etsy alternatives for Vintage sellers.
Vintage sellers have a few outlets to sell on
11. eBay – We all know eBay and that’s it’s strength. You can sell anything on it, but you’re also subject to its rules and return policies. It also attracts a lot of scammers and bargain-seekers, so watch out!
12. RubyLane – Exclusively for vintage, this is a site that would be a good option in conjunction with Etsy even if you don’t want to leave Etsy altogether. I know people who sell on Ruby Lane who make more sales there than on Etsy because it’s all vintage, where Etsy will mix non-vintage into search results.
Etsy alternatives for Handmade sellers.
Etsy has really slacked off on protecting the idea of “handmade” in the last few years, but it’s hard to find platforms that are dedicated to handmade sellers. Some of the following have specific target markets but if you look through you can probably find a few to look into.
13. Amazon Handmade – Amazon Handmade has a huge reach, but it’s Amazon, so that’s both good and bad. Make sure to investigate all of the fees and terms that you have to follow before setting up a shop there. Amazon is also tricky because you can set up a regular shop on Amazon (not just on Amazon Handmade) and they may or may not promote handmade as handmade. Their reach is unparalleled, though, you can’t argue with that.
14. GoImagine – A relatively new platform that’s purely for handmade items, it doesn’t have the reach of Etsy but it does restrict its inventory to real handmade. They donate their profits to charity so it has a charitable giving element to it.
15. MadeByHer – A platform for female artists.
16. Not On The High Street (UK) For handmade sellers in the UK.
17. Spouse-ly (made by military wives, veterans and first responder families.)
18. Storenvy – A marketplace for what looks like mostly clothing and home goods, but it does have some other categories.
19. MadeIt (Australia)- For Australian sellers, this site says that it’s for “Unique handmade gifts, made in Australia.”
20. Ravelry (fiber arts)- Ravelry is a well-known site for knitting and crochet patterns, as well as other fiber arts.
21. Folksy (UK)- A marketplace for handmade sellers.
Click here to get the keyword tracker.
Etsy alternatives for selling Wholesale.
22. Faire – Faire is a wholesale site where you can list your products and retailers can purchase from you directly. Faire takes a large percentage of the sale, so it’s not going to be for everyone.
23. Abound – Another wholesale marketplace to check out.
24. IndieMe – Curated wholesale
Etsy alternatives for Art and Graphics sellers.
25. Fine Art America – For wall art and POD products made from your artwork. You don’t have to be located in the US!
26. CreativeMarket – A marketplace to buy and sell graphics, fonts, clipart, etc.
Etsy Alternatives for Print-On-Demand sellers.
Print on Demand services usually let you set up a shop on their websites as well as integrating with other platforms, but they don’t send customers there. You’ll have to send traffic to the shop, so it’s definitely not going to be passive income. You also need to be aware that certain POD sites have a reputation for being places where intellectual property theft runs rampant, so investigate before listing things!
34. Art of Where (Canada)
There are other places online that are specific to certain products, so if you know of other platforms that I haven’t listed, feel free to send me a message on my yo utube channel to let me know!
Kara Buntin has run a home-based business since 1999, and has a background in art, theater design, and cake decorating. She's a top Etsy seller with over 46,000 sales on Etsy and her own website, and helps other home-based business owners with their business goals and SEO.
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