It's not uncommon to meet people who are convinced that running an online store is a piece of cake, and less work than a traditional job. While that may be true for a rare few online sellers, most successful merchants - especially those peddling art or crafts they create themselves - work harder and longer hours than other jobs might require. But for many of them the other benefits of being self-employed outweigh the extra work.
Etsy is a E-Commerce Website for Selling and Buying Handmade Items
While eBay used to be the main marketplace for sellers looking to distribute their items without setting up their own e-commerce site, much of their handmade and craft market has moved to Etsy.com. Launched in 2005, they describe their purpose on the website as "reconnect[ing] producer and consumer, and swing the pendulum back to a time when we bought our...shoes from the cobbler."
Many of the sellers see an Etsy shop as a ticket to an easy self-employed income, and don't realize that simply listing items on Etsy isn't enough to sell them. While Etsy does offer a simplified listing system and a search system for buyers to search the whole site, there's often so much competition that items sink to the bottom of a category and are never seen by prospective buyers.
Sellers intending to make a profit like a traditional business would produce must treat their store as a traditional business, says user Magickal Realism on the Successful Selling Tip List on Etsy Wiki. Promotion and advertising, fresh and interesting stock, and professional packaging are all parts of the success formula. Etsy sellers who treat their shop as a hobby can only expect to get hobby scaled returns on their efforts.
Etsy is New, Smaller than Other Venues, and Has Some Technical Issues
Etsy only launched a few years ago, and in many ways is still going through its growing pains phase. For example, the search function is still being redesigned. Finding a specific item, such as a red sweater, can be tricky for those unaware of the search tool's issues, and may frustrate buyers when yarn, earrings, and purses all come up in that search.
The rules are still being tweaked, and while most attempts to make the site's focus handmade items by an individual seller, some wholesalers and scammers still slip under the radar. The checkout process has also drawn criticism for most of Etsy's existence - buyers must create an account before purchasing, and payment is handled off-site by services like PayPal. The payment integration isn't complete, so many honest buyers end up thinking they've paid when the seller is still waiting for the money.
Etsy can be A Good Tool, But Those Determined to be Fully Self-Employed Should Diversify
Etsy has issues, but overall it is a good fit for many crafters or artists looking to sell their work directly to customers. Making a real income does require at least as much work as a traditional job, and often more. Serious entrepreneurs should also diversify their web presence - an Etsy shop is much more likely to produce real profit when it is part of a system that includes other e-commerce sites and a website run directly by the seller.
Sources:
Etsy.com, Accessed November 11th 2009.
EtsyWiki.com, Accessed November 12th 2009.
Jessica Kolifrath - Jessica is a creative free-lancer, energy worker, and writer based in Atlanta, GA. She's studied Psychology and Sociology collegiately, ...
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