Etsy Help!!

[Thoughtsfortheday]

I wonder if anyone uses Etsy to sell homemade goods on could give me a bit of advice.

My mum and I have set up a little business page on Instagram to sell some of her lovely home knitting, it’s lovely stuff and quite cool/current, ombré wool, Embroidery wording, stitched pictures etc and there does seem to be a market for it though we are right at the start of the journey!!

I have half set up an Etsy account so I can link it through our Insta page but the fact that we are winging this is giving me the fear that I haven’t done enough research.

Is Etsy worth it, I’ve read they take a 4% fee but unsure if it’s taken once you have sold your item or just for putting the listing up, if it’s the latter would I be stupid to set one up just now until we have had a bit more interest on other platforms/word of mouth...

My sister also mentioned tax, what is the best way forward, should I set this up right from the start or do we only have to earn a certain amount before need to start paying...

Any other advice, words of encouragement would be welcomed, as someone that has been out of work for a long time due to having children the responsibility of this is blowing my mind a little bit!!

Etsy take a 15p listing fee, 5% when the item sells and 4% + 20p as a payment fee.
With regard to tax, you can turnover £1000 each tax year without registering, and that is regardless of other employment. That's turnover, not profit. If she is going to hit that amount then you can register with HMRC as self employed. She will only pay tax if she is earning over her tax code threshold, and that includes all other taxable earnings. She will only pay NI if she earns over £6475, profit.
Make sure you read up on the Consumer Contract Regulations as this must be complied with and if she is selling toys they must be CE certified.

@delilahbucket thanks that’s really helpful. 😊

You can join this thread if you want to meet more etsy Sellers

Any Etsy sellers want to chat / share tips?
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4195102-Any-Etsy-sellers-want-to-chat-share-tips

I would be very wary of starting a business on Etsy only.

Google Etsy shop closures.

They have a bad reputation for closing shops down with no warning. They dont apply their rules equitably. Best to spread your business overs several platforms.