Etsy, what is it? Everything you need to know before buying or selling on it.
If you have searched for handmade jewelry, unique gifts or digital templates online you are very likely to have encountered Etsy on your screen. However many people seem to be confused about what Etsy is, if it works in India and even if it is safe to use.
Let’s explain this in simple and clear terms.
What is Etsy?
Etsy is an online market place that is very similar to Amazon or Flipkart with one crucial difference – everything sold on Etsy is handmade, vintage or creative, it does not cater to mass-produced factory items. Etsy was first launched in 2005 in the U.S and now has over 90 million buyers in 90+ countries. Below is some of the type of items you can find on it;
- Handmade jewelry and accessories
- Personalized and custom artwork and portraits
- Wedding decoration and stationery
- Digital goods like Canva templates, planners, printables etc.
- Vintage items (items over 20 years old)
Simply put – Etsy is a website that creative individuals from around the world use to sell their creations.
What's an Etsy Shop?
Just as buyers have a separate buyer account on Amazon, the seller account on Etsy is called an Etsy shop-your individual presence or store on the website. You can:
- List your products with images, descriptions, and prices.
- Allow buyers to place custom orders.
- Chat directly with customers before and after a sale.
- Get product reviews from customers to build a reputation.
- Personalize your shop with a banner, logo, and shop bio to build your brand.
Whether you are sewing, painting, designing graphics, or writing, an Etsy shop allows you to transform your talent into an income generating venture.
What's Etsy India?
This is an issue where a lot of users seem to get confused. There is no ‘Etsy India’. Etsy is a worldwide platform accessible to all, just the same as in any other country. In India, using Etsy enables you to do two things-purchase products from global sellers from around the world or set up a store of your own to sell products worldwide. You can also choose to sell digital goods which would not need to be shipped and would bypass customs completely. Though, yes, some considerations would have to be made regarding payment methods and currency conversion, generally Etsy caters completely to both Indian buyers and sellers.
Is Etsy legit?
Absolutely. Etsy is a publicly traded company based in America – and is traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol “ETSY.” This isn’t some fly by night website that you stumbled upon.
Here are a couple of things that ought to settle your mind:
- In business since 2005 – which is 20 years of service
- 90 million+ active buyers in the world
- A secure payment method in place – Etsy uses its own payment gateway
- A buyer protection policy – so should the worst occur, you can receive a refund
- Thousands of Indian sellers are already successful running businesses from this platform
So if you were wondering if Etsy was a scam – then it really isn’t. It is considered one of the worlds most trusted creative marketplace.
Is Etsy Safe?
This question can be answered best when viewed from two different perspectives – buyers and sellers.
Buyers:
- Uses SSL encryption – so your details are always secure.
- If the item doesn’t turn up, or looks nowhere near what you were promised, Etsy’s Purchase Protection provides buyers with a full refund.
- You can even read reviews from previous customers – so you have a good idea who you are purchasing from.
Sellers:
- Payouts are made through Payoneer or a direct bank transfer – both extremely reliable methods in India.
- Clear seller guidelines and policies that protect sellers from unfair arguments.
- For the inevitable unfair review, fake buyer, or fraud – the seller support staff is available to assist you.
The take away message: Etsy is indeed safe, providing you apply a modicum of common sense when you buy. Read the reviews, check out the seller’s rating, and everything will be fine.
Is Etsy Free to Start selling on?
It is entirely free to open a shop (buyer and seller) on Etsy.
When it comes to selling, here is the current fee structure:
Fee Type | Price |
Listing Fee | $0.20 per listing (approximately 17p) |
Transaction Fee | 6.5% of your total sale |
Payment Processing | About 3% + $0.25 per sale |
Now, don’t close this tab, the above is not meant to scare you. Especially if you are selling digital products (templates, printables etc.) your costs will be considerably lower with zero shipping.
And most importantly, you pay the listing fee ($0.20) once upfront, and all the other fees (transaction, payment processing) will only be incurred when you successfully sell your item. So, if you are just starting, the financial risk is quite minimal.
So, Is it Worth Starting on Etsy?
If you…
- have a creativity skill and wish to monetize that skill,
- wish to work from home and want to have control over your time,
- wish to generate a passive income for yourself,
- wish to have a bit of international market,
and much more…
Then you may go ahead with Etsy as there lies an actual scope of income there. You may find so many people from India selling dollars, and succeeding in International market on Etsy. Getting started is also very simple and very cheap. And if you need help setting things up or don’t know how to start then you can avail professional Etsy account management services.