Etsy - Find Something Unique

Over the past few years I have visited the Etsy website. Sometimes it was to find a "New Item", other times it was to just find out more about Etsy.

You may be wondering, what is Etsy? According to Wikipedia, "Etsy is a website that provides the general public with a way to buy and sell handmade items as well as vintage items and craft supplies. Handmade items cover a wide range including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, edibles, bath & beauty products, and toys. The site follows in the tradition of open craft fairs, giving sellers personal storefronts where they list their goods for a fee.[1] It has been compared to "a crafty cross between Amazon and eBay",[2] and to "your grandma's basement".

In the simplest of terms Etsy is a place to sell the stuff that you make. It's about unique and handcrafted products. It isn't about "Big Business." So far I have to say that I love it from both a buyers and sellers standpoint. I have found many incredible items on the site over the years (still need to make the first purchase). This week I started my voyage into the sellers world.

Here are a few reasons why I love it from a sellers standpoint.

1. The fees are reasonable. Twenty cents to list and item and 3.5% if your item is sold. I think that's pretty fair!

2. The user interface is easy to use. It's simple to update information, create new items and to manage your store.

3. They send you a bill twice a month. This makes it easy to manage your store and then pay the fees at one time.

4. You can offer multiple ways for payment from those buying your products. I personally only except paypal on the site, but they make it easy to except other payment types. I may broaden my payment types in the near future.

5. The use of Etsy Mini makes it easy to integrate your store into your website.

6. You can pay a little bit more and showcase your items in the ... "Showcase" of your choice.

Overall I've been incredibly impressed by Etsy. I'm looking forward to buying and selling more on Etsy. If you get a chance, take a trip over to my shop at http://mlwoodward.etsy.com

Over the next few weeks I will keep you posted on my venture into Etsy!