Etsy Vs. Indiemade

I have been getting a lot of emails lately from people wondering what I think of Indiemade, why I have both shops, and if I think they should start an Indiemade site. I thought it might be a good time to lay it all out on the table and share my experiences here. These are only my opinions and of course, you should do your research completely before making a decision either way. 

Here's a screen shot of my Indiemade site.  It's pretty right? :)
I like the look of it, I like the big banner, I like the layout. Everything is easy to read and not confusing.  I can post links to my tutorials, ebooks, etsy shop, blog etc. 

Here's a screen shot of my Etsy shop. Yep. Looks like a typical Etsy shop. Looks pretty much like EVERY OTHER Etsy shop. 

Yep. It's boring. I can't include links to blog, Indiemade shop, ebooks and tutorials. Can't incorporate anything really other than my Etsy listings.

So why Do I Keep it? 

Well, one word. TRAFFIC.







Etsy is a marketplace.  It's like an online mall and a shopper can go there when they're looking for "handmade jewelry". They can peruse a bazillion shops, all selling "handmade jewelry". 

Indiemade is not a marketplace. It's a host for a personal website. There is no way to search "handmade jewelry" from a bazillion shops. As an Indiemade site owner, it's your job to link the store up in other places like social media sites, etc. 

My opinion is: It's great to have BOTH.  Especially if what you're selling is your job and NOT just your hobby. As an artist, you want to have a professional website and not just an Etsy shop.

As a seller, this is what I like about Indiemade:

Also- Indiemade rivals etsy when it comes to customer service. They actually respond to queries and are HELPFUL! I've received responses from customer service always within 24 hours!

 Purchasing:

A misconception about Indiemade- you need to be a member to purchase from an Indiemade store.  FALSE!! You don't need to login to purchase something from an Indiemade store! I just purchased something from a fellow indiemade store owner and all I had to do was fill in my name, address, phone number, email and then the site redirects me to Paypal to complete the transaction!

You also can pay using a credit card instead of a paypal account by merely clicking the link at the sign-in screen to says "pay with credit card"!

I think if you are new to selling, Etsy is a great option to get up and running.  Once you have maintained a following using your Etsy shop, blog and social media- it's a good idea to branch out with an Indiemade shop.  My thoughts are this-- if you are new to selling, don't start just an Indiemade store out of the blue and expect fantastic results- unless you are a social media guru who knows how to promote the heck out of your business.

Another thought....  Because Etsy is more of a marketplace, chances are high that shoppers will tend to "comparison" shop for items.  Therefore they tend to buy based on price and not quality.  Just another reason why it's good to have a website!

These are just things that were at the top of my head and is no way comprehensive but I just wanted to jot some things down in case you were wondering about  these topics.  Feel free to comment on this post if you have other thoughts or additional facts to share. 

Will I ever leave Etsy for good? Hells No.  Would never risk it, as I do get quite a few views on Etsy each day and each view is a step towards a possible sale in the future.


 Please check out some of these great examples of other Indiemade stores:

http://tesoritrovati.indiemade.com/
http://www.humblebeads.com/
http://moiraklime.indiemade.com/

To read more about starting an Indiemade shop, click here.
To read more about starting an Etsy shop, click here.