I am not impressed with Etsy, it has become harder and harder to be found. Also, there are so many people on there that are not artists and nothing is done about it. I have been on Etsy since 2014 and all of my pieces are one of a kind, and I still do not get much traffic. They are also constantly changing the algorithm.
I started my Etsy shop about a year ago and not only are there a ton of hidden fees and costs associated with using them to host your shop, but even when you pay extra for advertising it does absolutely nothing. It was a waste of time, energy, effort, and money!
One of the most antiquated systems online.
SEO for hand made items are good
Just be aware and careful. Show, promote and advertise heavily as a “handmade” product because Etsy has now become a drop shippers paradise. Place an order and watch it come from Amazon or EBay only to find it cheaper on those platforms. Good luck with filing a case! No customer support available for buyers or sellers both - the concern is just not there since Etsy hit the NASDAC and rang that bell. Everything changed and the fees go up and up, the seller support goes down. Then the seller community had to DEMAND an explanation about the SVB meltdown. Not sure how a publicly traded company can put seller payment funds in a non FDIC bank? Who is the financial genius who decided that because they should be fired. So it’s all these little things that Etsy takes absolutely no responsibility for and now they care-less about that handcrafted seller item that made them “Etsy”; because they know their biggest payers are those foreign drop-shippers - they have pages and pages of merchandise listed which means really big fees for Etsy. Now how that company short changes the customer is no concern of theirs. So many customers complaining about shop notification is “handmade” but the item is shipped from China mostly. Now, more and more Amazon drop shippers are showing up because Amazon is cracking down! Just be aware of the many pitfalls to Etsy selling.
Forget any form of seller support as it doesn't exist ... when it works it works fine fir the most part, but it can be rather buggy & issues seem to drag on forever without Etsy taking much interest in fixing them.
While I have made a number of sales on Etsy, unfortunately it has been a disappointment overall. I think their charges are too high for me to make a profit. So far, I do much better at craft fairs. Shipping especially is a challenge. If I charge what is my actual cost, Etsy tells me it is too high. Also, they push free shipping when that is just an impossibility for me.
They do not help small craft business to grow and they except sellers who carry cheap manufactured jewelry from China. Can’t compete with their prices. They use to stand for quality handmade crafters. Not anymore.
I have been selling on Etsy since 2009. There have been many changes since then but I have found it to be the easiest to work with. I have wonderful repeat customers, thanks to Etsy.
I sell vegan mineral makeup, and there are only a few other shops that have been there as long as I have. https://kmms.etsy.com