Etsy or Ebay?

[DeFluffy]

Can anyone come and talk to me about this please?

Ive been on Ebay for years but don't sell handmade items on there, just dds old toys and clothes.

I've just joined Etsy and have been selling my handmade brooches. I've been on about two weeks and have sold 2 so far.

Would it be worth putting them on ebay or are prices too low there? Does anyone else here use Etsy and know how to make it work?

I think my product is fine, I sold 15 brooches at the only school fete i've done so far so think that is ok.

Is it possible to actually make a full time wage from selling on Etsy?

Many thanks for sharing your stories (hopefully!)

I buy from both Etsy and Ebay and also from Folksy.

I tend not to buy handmade things off Ebay, as in general I have found the quality to be lower.

I also think the I tend to get better quality items off Folksy than I do off Etsy, but maybe that's just down to the individual items I've bought to date.

Interesting thank you. I was wondering if I sold my brooches on Ebay it might sort of 'devalue' them. I haven't tried Folksy yet, I have an account but haven't started selling.

Defluffy, I've been looking at etsy too but was put off by the fact that everything is done in US dollars. How do you find that?

its ok pheebe, paypal just converts it for you so its fine.

if you want it all in uk, try folksy instead, same as etsy but uk based (i think its probably a bit smaller too)

I agree with Moosemama about the quality thing. Prices on Ebay seem lower too. I really like Folksy because it is smaller - much less daunting to navigate and probably less competition for you as well.

Forgot to say yesterday, there's also Misi which is another british site.

I have bought the odd item off there as well, but generally prefer Folksy.

oo thank you id never heard of misi.

will definitely have a look later and try to get my folksy site up and running, it all just takes so much time when id rather be sewing!

DeFluffy - do you sell wholesale/trade? I'm about to open a small shop in SW London and interested in stocking good quality handmade stuff for kids. Drop me a line if you're potentially interested - [email protected]

Watching this thread with interest as in the middle of setting up Etsy profile at the moment... but finding it a bit daunting, might try Folksy instead

(Anyone else got experience of both?)

DeFluffy, just seen some of your brooches on your profile pictures and they are just the sort of thing I tend to buy as gifts off Folksy and Misi.

I did look at a few on ebay at Christmas, but they weren't anywhere near the same quality.

Yours look lovely, I would definitely be happy to buy them on either site.

I sell on Etsy and I do reasonably well. I have two stores, supplies (well, vintage haberdashery) and handmade. Supplies definitely does better, but I suspect that if I threw myself into the handmade, it would do OK.

I really do think that in order to sell you need to be doing the blogging thing - I don't especially advertise my store on my blog, but I think people are much more inclined to buy from you rather than one of 1,000 other faceless sellers if they feel they 'know' you and that you're a decent person. I also tweet, and tweet every time I list something, and have quite a lot of followers, so tend to get things seen (and sold) that way too.

Putting in an appearance on the Etsy forums can also be useful, but more so for supplies sellers, as it's obviously mainly sellers there.

can i ask a question about etsy - is it in america? do you have to sell in dollers? or can you choose to only sell to the uk?

Thank you for all your responses, very helpful.

rewardgirl - I certainly could sell trade, thank you, will send you an email. I've just made a new set of children's brooches and hair clips - lions, flowers, a chihuahua (!) and some babushka dolls.

Moosemama - thank you

hopefully - thank you that's very interesting. At the moment I'm snowed under with getting ideas, making them, photographing them and putting on Etsy plus running my fan page on facebook so lthough the thought of blogging too really appeals I don't see how I'd ever get the time!

Addicted - its a US site but you can sell worldwide. It is in US dollars but Paypal just converts it for you so no problem there. Try Folksy if you want a more UK focused site

this is me on facebook

Hope that link works and is allowed

Hopefully - what site do you use to blog and how do you find the time?

And also, hopefully, how do you pick up followers on Twitter?

Sorry, that's probably a stupid question, but I don't know how it works or why anyone would "follow" someone - do you invited them, or do they find you?

I buy from etsy and folksy,mainly etsy.I buy stuff on ebay all the time but I have never looked on there for craft type things,I would always look on etsy.

Hi hellymelly, why etsy more than folksy? Just better stuff, do you think?

Ooh Defluffy I'm going to "like" your page on FB now - so only 10 to go to reach 100!

Thank you!

I've only just started out (as you can see by my photos on etsy, they're terrible - I need to take all new ones!). I did the school fete first and was very nervous but happy when I sold 15 because it wasn't very busy so I thought 15 was quite good, then I started up on Etsy. Next step is to approach a couple of small shops round here that sell handmade items and see what they think. I don't really know how to approach them or what price you charge, or whether they do sale or return? I am totally clueless

I (also!) haven't a clue about Twitter, I have never really understood how it works so I'm not on there - any 'idiots guides to Twitter' welcome!!

I'm trying to get all the photos done again this weekend for Etsy so that people can see what the brooches look like properly, and I'm also going to try to list all the children's ones I've made.

Trying to do it around a 5 year old and a 6 month old baby is fun

I have found the etsy sellers a more professional and reliable,(with one rather nutty exception)and there is more choice.folksy also seems a bit overpriced at times.

Thanks Helly, I have opened a shop on Folksy but havent put anything in it yet because I need to have a nose around and get used to it first.

I found etsy first too,so I am used to using it,and folksy seems less well organised,but I should check it out again as its a few months since I bought anything.

wait till my shops up and running before you get your money out!