With everything I am hearing about Etsy I was actually thinking about doing Amazon Handmade instead. Also I am working on a seashell bolero it is a free pattern I found on Devine Debris. She calls it Janice but for your shoulders. So now I have to see if there is a skirt or shorts or something to go with it.
I've only had downloadable PDFs with good experiences but 10% fees to Etsy is a ridiculous fee for sellers. I've been exploring other options. Thanks for sharing this. You hit on all the info I was questioning
I started selling on Etsy 15 years...the good 'ole days. It was wonderful in the beginning and I was painting (custom painted wooden wall letters) around the clock. I decided to close about a year ago. It was a fun ride, but I don't miss it at all. I agree with you 100% on every point.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I imagine it was very different 15 years ago! I would love to see your custom paintings if you're still doing it! 😊
Camryn, please consider making a step by step tutorial on making and uploading a digital pattern. I'm sure it'll be truly helpful to other crafters, and it's the kind of video that keeps generating views in the long run. P.S. If you're a crafter and generating your own traffic (giving cards during market or marketing on the social media), I think it's wise to direct them to your own website. Etsy is full of cheap, non-handmade stuff now, and it's just hard to compete with their prices. And like Camryn said, Etsy will offer similar items to your client without them figuring out that it's from a different seller.
I can definitely work on a video like this! What a great idea!:) That’s a great tip to share your personal website on business cards!💖 thanks for sharing:)
I just started my crochet business and I chose to go straight to my own website because I noticed (just as an Etsy shopper) the things you described on Etsy. Mostly the fact that “slow fashion” -which is what we are- seems to be expected to be “fast fashion” (quick and low price). That’s not the vibe I’m going for. No doubt I will have difficulties getting traffic to my site, but I’d rather stay true to my craft and let sales trickle in than to change my whole business model. 🥰
I think that’s so important, staying true to your craft!! I think you’ll be much happier with having control over your own shop, and it gives you the clarity of knowing that you can direct your own traffic via socials rather than the randomness of traffic through Etsy!
I'm glad I was able to add to you considerations! There are certainly some pros and cons, with the pros being more pronounced for people who are just starting selling! Starting your own website is amazing because it gives you full control, but it can be difficult to get enough traffic, especially at first! With Etsy, more traffic is coming through who might find your work, so you can see greater initial growth!
Yup, etsy sucks unless buying a digital download. They closed my selling account with no notice or reason given. Was devastating at the time. Found other ways to sell and ship. I sold vintage patterns from magazines and books, original pages only, no digital copies. Started my online business 2009, closed early 2023. Was too much online work. Been crocheting for 55 years and now will try to sell finished goods. Love all your youtube content. So much energy AND so much inspiration and information. Thank you!!
ETSY…. UGH! They are good for some people. They are good for starting an online handmade business easily and quickly without too much overhead right from the start. I started an Etsy shop a few years back to sell my fine art photography. It was a bit of work going in and setting up the listings, searching SEOs and figuring out prices so that I didn’t really lose any money after the Etsy fees were taken. Back then, the fees were lower and I even think the listing price may have been lower (but I am not positive on that). It took awhile but I finally made my first sale and then a few more followed. I was working a full time job at that point and didn’t have the time to put into my Etsy business. I have found if you really want to do well, you can’t rely on Etsy sending you traffic, it just doesn’t happen. You need to do your own marketing and SEO research, tweak your listings all the time and really put in a full 40+ hours worth of work into your shop every week. Then… then Etsy raised their fees. I can understand. They also said you need to offer free shipping (I think on items over $35 maybe) or you won’t make the first page or so in the searches. Ok great, so now I have to raise my prices to cover the cost of shipping, but then Etsy gets a portion of that shipping I tacked onto the price, so I have to account for that too. Now, because shipping is built into the price, Etsy gets paid for the cost of shipping. But wait…. Etsy also decided to add in the cost of shipping if it wasn’t free, into the amount they take their fees from. So, if my Item was $100 and shipping was $20, I would now have to pay their fee percentage on $120, even though that $20 goes completely to shipping and I don’t make a dime from it. This is where they lost me. That seems very unethical or at least shady and unfair. I closed my shop. I still read some of the Etsy facebook groups from time to time and the star seller thing, the mandatory advertising if you make over a certain amount of money, and the fees they take from the sales from their advertisements just put me off even more. I have even heard many people’s analytics showing they didn’t get a single sale directly from the Etsy advertisement but Etsy claimed their fee for that anyways. Don’t even get me started on their seller or customer service. Etsy once cared about the small business owners on their platform, now they have turned into a business that cares about how much more money they can put in their own pockets. This is why they allow almost anyone to sell on their platform now - greed. Ok… I could seriously write two more novels about this, but I will save anyone who actually read this far from having to read any more. Thank you for your videos!
This right here is EXACTLY why I left. Also, they did some thing with a percentage off, I wasn’t aware of it. It was part of the “advertising” I was pretty frustrated because, I didn’t get to pick the items discounted… I buy off Etsy a lot, no problems~the selling👎🏻
Oh my gosh, seriously never apologize for sharing! I love hearing all you guys have to say, and seriously: thank you for sharing your experiences! It helps inform myself and others! And I appreciate the supportive words you've given me! ❤️
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I have been on Etsy for about 6 months now, and almost all my traffic has been me sending my customers to shop there. Some of my friends even requested not to purchase through Etsy so that I didn't have to deal with the high fees. I would love to get more info about setting up a website through Square, since I use that for craft shows already.
Hi there, Ms. Camryn! First, let me say that your energy is so contagious! You are an absolute delight to watch. I just found your channel about a month ago, and I instantly subscribed. I have been binging your videos to get caught up. I did a small market today in a town about 30 miles away, and I had made several of the chickens, and even had them priced with price tags similar to the ones that you showed in one of your videos. Across the room from me there was another vendor who also had crochet items. When I was able to go over to take a peek, I instantly realized that she HAD to also be one of your subscribers. Looking at her setup and items (including the same chickens), I saw a lot of "you." Alas, I was right. Realizing we shared our opinions of you was almost like you were there. LOL. Just wanted to let you know that we here in Southwest Missouri are huge fans! Thank you for all you do! Blessings!
I absolutely love your videos so much they make me feel way more confident in selling my crochet! I’m having such a hard time on Etsy im better at markets plus I love them lol and I even have a small spot in a boutique store in my town but for some reason can’t get Etsy to bring in any new costumers I’m definitely going to look into the square site since thats what I use for payment too!Thank you for all the great advice you give 😊
Thank you so much for the kind words! And thank you for sharing your experiences! I totally agree that markets are the better experience overall for most people, and I encourage everyone to try them! 😊😁
I just recently found you and started watching your videos, and purchased the financial tracker you and your husband made (which I love btw). I just opened my business last month and also LOVE what I do. You have a lot of passion to help us “other makers” and I love that! Thank you for what you contribute to us. I was totally chuckling watching you crochet without looking and sharing your Etsy input. You are too cute! Look forward to gleaning from your experience 😊
Etsy is SAVAGE! It’s a full time job itself! I left Etsy a few months ago because my mental health was struggling and I just couldn’t keep up with the demand of Etsy.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Etsy can certainly be rough! I'm sorry you weren't having the best experience, but I hope you're able to find a better balance somewhere in the future! 😊😁
I started on etsy a couple months ago and have only had 2 sales. And one was my best friend. I've tried the etsy ads to get exposure but I've paid roughly 150 in ads and have only gotten one sale 😮 had a lot of people like my items but not any sales. I'm giving it a couple more months. But positive note, my first craft show is in 2 weeks!! We shall see what happens.
Currently working on a granny hexagon sweater! Love your videos. I’ve never done a craft fair but you are inspiring me to get myself out there. Thank you!!
Hi, Camryn. Thank you so much for your videos, I have been researching to see if Etsy is the way to go or should I choose another route. You aren’t the only one I have heard complain about Etsy. I will continue watching your videos. They are very helpful.
Thank you so much for the kind words!❤️ Etsy is a mixed bag at times, as some (like myself) advise more against it, while others have found success! But, yes, research around to find the best fit for you! 😁😊
debating whether to start a handmade items business (crochet, knitting, sewing), this video is super helpful, and oh! crocheting a sleeveless top for work while I listen!
Hi... I had an idea for a video that I would find really interesting/helpful. To sell at a lot of markets you need to have a business license. Could you please talk about the process of you getting yours and how it (if at all) complicates your taxes each year? That is the one thing holding me back from putting myself out there - making my taxes harder to do.
I had a similar nightmare experience with Etsy and my wedding dress. I ordered a dress in November for a February “Valentines” wedding. The seller was from China and apparently the country’s entire production shuts down for 7 days in January which as a result, backs shipments up 40 days. I had no communications with the seller the entire month of January and received my dress the day before my wedding. Had to buy a different dress since I didn’t know if I would get the original in time and Etsy was NO help with anything!!😡
Been thinking of starting a crochet business and debating about Esty, haven't watched the video yet so I'm excited 😊 currently crocheting 100 Soap Saver bags of Operation Christmas Child boxes this year, 60+ finished
Thank you for sharing your experiences as a seller and buyer. I have purchased a number of items to support small business and have never had an issue. I do have a friend, however, that was a seller and she was not happy and also stopped selling on that platform.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, too!! I still shop on Etsy sometimes because I know there are many small business owners on there, and I love supporting them! But, I do see many issues on the platform, and I believe moving to markets or other, better platforms is the healthiest decision for many 😁😊
I am so excited you have signed up for your first market!! You have to let me know how it goes! ❤️ And please never hesitate to reach out with any questions! 😁😊
I was about to open an etsy shop and then I was browsing on your Insta telling you'll be uploading a video about why you left Etsy and it was so timely 😅😅 I've been waiting for this upload since you announced it early this week 😂😂 thanks!
Oh my gosh, that is so funny! 😂😂 What timing! While I certainly haven't had the best experience Etsy, that doesn't mean others haven't found success! There are certainly benefits of Etsy, especially for people just starting to sell online! If you are curious about it, I would encourage you to learn more about it to see if you want to try it! 😁😁😊
This is why I follow you, and recommend you for advice in general, because of your transparency. Your webinar helped me so much, and I am waiting to connect back to Instagram but I'm so grateful to God for you, and your heart for the profession, and us. Camryn we're stitches 🪡🧶 for life...
You’re so sweet! Thank you so much for sharing this:) I love being able to share my experiences (both good and bad) if it can help fellow makers!!💕 thanks for being a crochet bestie :)
Just subscribed!! Thank you so much for making this video. I was thinking about selling on Etsy. After this video nope they are not what I thought. Thank you you just saved me from all that hassle. I would rather keep selling on marketplace and other platforms. Thank you again. I will keep Etsy for buying patterns.
I ordered my wedding bouquets (bridal and bridesmaids) from a Russian seller on Etsy. She was wonderful, really responsive, just overall great and a few days after I received the flowers her account was gone. I tried to leave a review and I literally couldn’t. I felt so bad😢
Sorry to hear of your wedding dress experience as a shopper. Etsy has done good by me on the odd occasion I’ve needed customer service but I watched your vid regarding understanding more about Etsy as a possible seller. I have heard that they can remove or suspend your account at anytime if you break their rules, ie selling copyright items when you don’t have the licence etc. You have told me some pros and and now I’ve made up my mind not to join Etsy. Thankyou for sharing.
I am so sorry to hear that you went through this with Etsy. I do feel bad for the seller as well. The world has gotten so political. I was on the fence for a long time if I should not should not get rid of Etsy. I opened my Shopify store about 4 years ago but kept my Etsy store as I got my own store together. Sadly I have not been able to keep up with my Shopify Store because my mother got sick and I took care of her on and off till just 2 months ago when we lost her. Now I'm trying to get back into my crafting and will again start to work on my store. I know for sure after all you went through this will push me into closing my store all together. There are way to many bad stories about Etsy and so many things that are not handmade.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I think your decision to move away from Etsy was the right one, and I'm glad to hear you've decided to get back into crafting! I am very sorry about your mother, though, and I am here to help you in any way I can! ❤️
It's so beautiful! I made one hat and actually 2 toddler snuggled with the Velvet and it is so hard to work with but people like it. In dino form I can use that evil yarn. No way will I make any hats or anything else velvet. Working on a raffle Afghan. ❤❤ love listening to you. Cause I am trying to stay focused.😅❤ you the bomb!!
I agree there's too many on Etsy selling stuff that's not handmade. It's no longer for just crafters. I've got a couple patterns up on Ribblr but it is not user friendly and you can only sell items that you've made from another Ribblr persons pattern. So I'd like to know what craftsy is about? Any info on Craftsy?
I had a similar experience with buying knitting needles on etsy. I did not get my money back or my product. Paypal was awesome and refunded me. The seller had awesome reviews for about 2 years and then after my experience her reviews went down hill, but they didn't suspend her until 6 months later.
Just found your channel and I just started my channel this year and making more items to eventually try to sell. After hearing your story I will have to find another site. Thanks for your story. Congratulations 🎊 on your marriage
Thank you for the congratulations! I am so excited you started your own channel!! While I certainly did not have a great experience with Etsy, others have. I encourage you to take my words into consideration, but check it out for yourself!😁😊
I have had my etsy shop for a long time now...used to get a lot more organic traffic then I do these days (more from required ads now)...still have to think about what to do moving forward. Good to hear others thoughts on if for sure! I do my first market in September, I think I'd like to do more in-person for sure! I get a lot of local word-of-mouth business too. And have a small space in a local craft mall. We'll see what the future holds! Also...can you share how you are doing the blanket? I have a ton of this yarn from scrunchies but would love to try something else with it! Thanks for another awesome video!
I'm so excited you're doing your first market! You'll have to let me know how it goes! 😊 I think you'll find greater success at in-person markets! As for Etsy, I recommend you just research other potential platforms! If you're having success on Etsy, I don't think you'd be wrong to stay. But, I think there may be other platforms you could also find success on, if not more success!
I was thinking about Etsy!! But i really hadn't heard anything positive. Everything you mentioned, were my concerns! Sealed the deal! I'm out! THANK YOU!!❤
Every platform can do that. Couple years ago, I opened my Instagram account for my garden hobby. I posted one picture of my own flower and few days later received email that my account was suspended due to community rules violation. Well, I am from Russia, lived here in USA for 20 years so I guess just being here that long I do violate community rules.
I am very sorry to hear that happened to you! And you're right, there are situations with every platform, and we must individually form our opinions on them!
I have sold better at markets and wondered why I needed to be on Etsy. When my store was closed I just didn’t bother to try to reopen it. I had a 5star rating. Contacted customers within minutes of them purchasing and just never got people buying from my shop even after spending hours making my descriptions full and using keywords.
I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about them, people getting shut down for no reason and no contact as you had. Love your chickens, do you sell the pattern?
That sounds like an awful experience! Do you still shop on Etsy? I sell on Etsy and it works for me! I factor in the fees to my pricing and my customers pay shipping. I love that most of the time I don't ever have to speak to my customers or ask them to pay me. Makes things super simple and takes out the back and forth that I used to have when I would have people message me to order.
It's awesome you're doing so good on Etsy! It's really wonderful to hear :) Thank you for sharing your experience! ❤️ Mine certainly wasn't the best experience! 😂 I do still browse and shop on Etsy, although to a lesser degree. I know my experiences aren't universal, and I know it's a great place for many sellers such as yourself! Plus, I know the majority of people selling on there are small business owners, and I love to support them! 😊😁
@@camryns_cute_creations thanks for the response! I understand shopping less because of the dress incident and I do know that I am pretty lucky that I am doing so well on Etsy. Either way, I love you and all of your content! :-)
I opened an Etsy store when it first came on the scene. I don't know if they've been taken over but I didn't like how things were heading and decided I didn't trust them anymore.
That's a totally understandable position to take! It's important for us all to consider our own circumstances and make the best decisions for ourselves! Thank you for sharing!
Hi, i just found your Chanel and i love your Videos. I started a Crochetbusiness this year and im struggling at making any sales online. I'm on Etsy right now, but i don't like it there. But i also started a separat Onlineshop and i didn't had any sales there either. On Etsy a still had 1 or two orders per month. So i recently closed my Onlineshop, cause i couldn't pay the monthly costs anymore. So i'm now depending on Etsy again. I also sell on Markets, but this isn't going well too. Its a little demotivating right now, but i'm working on it. Your Videos motivate me so much and i appriciate your Tipps and advise. Greatings from Germany 😊👋
Greetings from the USA! :) Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself with me! I totally understand it can be demotivating to hit a rut like you've described. A piece of advice I can give right now regarding your onlineshop is to look into developing a social media presence where you can grow an audience and then direct them to your shop! Etsy does have its own natural traffic, but as you've said it isn't great. If you can build your own traffic and then send them to your shop, that will translate into greater sales! If you ever have any questions, I'd love to help! :)
So sorry you had a bad experience, especially with your wedding dress. I was fortunate to have a great experience when I ordered mine on Etsy and it was $300 and it came from Nigeria! I’d never tracker an order so close in my life. My mother told me years later that she had a backup dress because she was scared mine wasn’t going to come. Also unfortunately Etsy probably had no choice but to cut off Russian sellers at that time due to Sanctions the US put forth. I work in finance and when countries are under Sanctions we have to literally suspend or close these accounts and no transactions are allowed.
I've had a negative experience with Etsy but quite opposite to yours. I bought a pattern and the designer's country was mentioned as Australia. When I opened a file, I realized she was from russia. As Ukrainian, I would hate to send my money to russia where the designer pays taxes and the money are used to produce missiles and then to kill my people (my brother in law was killed by one of those). So, the designer was using VPN to avoid sanctions and was misleading the buyers. I reported her immediately but have never got any feedback from Etsy. The seller is still selling on Etsy. I contacted her to verify her country, she immediately admitted and returned my money. Etsy somehow has double standards when to support sanction and when to violate them. I liked to buy on Etsy from different crafters and artisans, not doing it anymore.
Now you have to type YES in a box acknowledging you know you’re just buying a pattern - btw crazy for those chickens on your shelves - look larger than the Mabel the chicken pattern - what pattern is that ❤
I’m glad they added that feature so there’s no misunderstandings on patterns!:) Those are Mabels! I used the go for faux yarn on some of them so they turned out a little fluffier :)
Star seller is the worst. I only sometimes make enough to be a star seller in my product shop during the winter. My pattern shop will never be a star seller cause shipping is a factor, and it’s all digital products. I’ve got Etsy until I can get enough traffic to my own shop, and I have a Ko-fi for commissions.
You poor thing! What a terrible experience! I had a very poor experience this past holiday season myself. Thankfully it was only $20, and I did get some of it back, but the whole experience was just crappy.
Im on the fence with Etsy. Other than one thing, i dont sell much on it. The kne thing that does sell, sells really well so im not sure what to do yet. Any suggestions? The fees are kind of killing me, but it's my main "website" other than Square. I havent sold anything on Square yet...
I think there’s no harm trying out some other options (like square and social media) while staying on Etsy for a while! Once you start growing those platforms you’ll definitely be able to hop off of Etsy if you want!:)
LOL your energy is off the chain. At first i was your to joyful almost waited to watch later ... Then you talking about way i left Esty..... I feel the same about what i cal sweat shops selling on there. Then you said things peeps my age would say 😮. Soooo yeah 💯👍👍👍👍👍👍 Yeah i owed them , om hows that work? Nope later, bye-bye.then they did the $25.00 thing. Ok im gone.
Hey Camryn, thanks for sharing your experience with Etsy. Their policy is absolutely NOT friendly to people they make money from, and for that amount of money they could easily generate traffic, but they just don't give a rat's ass... Can you please make a video on how to link your website with Square and also talk a bit more about inventory (for those who twice older than you and can't keep up with all these technologies 😆) Really appreciate all your work !
I feel like I am being nickel and dime to death on Etsy. I just don’t know where to go. Also I got your velvet beanie pattern and I’m having the hardest time. I have done very advanced amigurumi and I can’t make a damn beanie to save my life. I’ve bought 3 patterns and still nothing clicking. If you have a video to look up that would help would be just lovely! I just want to make one for my granddaughter ❤
Hi there! If you send me an email, I'd love to talk at length about the issues your facing with the beanie :) I'd love to make sure you can make one for your granddaughter!
@@camryns_cute_creations omg I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to bother you! I am super sarcastic so sorry if it sounded snotty. I will email you from the pattern. Again so sorry I was just being funny cuz it is playing with my head! A damn beanie! Go figure! Thanks Doll!
❤ what size do you make the little baby blankets? I'm so having trouble. I even went to my daughter's and measured things. The chair. Where it sits. And great for car seats and stroller blankets
Oh my gosh Cameron when I found out that Etsy was allowing everybody to be on there that it wasn’t you didn’t have to have handmade. Oh, that took me to the roof.
I signed up for Etsy last October but if I’m being honest I’ve heard such negative and positive things about them, so I never posted anything yet. I have 3 little ones and a SAHM and it’s so hard to work on what I need to do but the income would help so much. I just don’t even know now, how do you feel about other social medias to sell on?
Sorry, i tend to ask questions as I think about them before finishing any videos, I really do apologize for that but I’d love to hear more about Square!
This information was top tier! I have a website on wordpress and thinking about selling on there even though it's a lifestyle blog. And would be a different name than my crochet "business" name. Do you still have wordpress? If so, who is your hosting provider? Thanks!
I love your videos and hearing your experiences! I'm sorry you had such a rough time with Etsy. How do you handle collecting sales tax and paying that to each state you ship to if you're not on a platform like Etsy that collects it for you?
I keep meticulous records of every sale I have and, when tax season comes around, I have those sales accounted for by state. It does get rather complicated when different counties within states have slightly different regulations. There are also some stipulations within tax law that allow certain companies to only be responsible for the taxes of the state they are headquartered in! I would suggest you talk to an accountant if you need some answers for your own business because tax law can get a little overwhelming!
Oh wow, you really did have a terrible experience with Etsy - and while you were a seller too! That's just unacceptable! I totally get why you're not on there anymore. I personally chose Shopify when I started my business in May. I was concerned with starting on Etsy for many of the reasons you mentioned. One thing to consider if you're a maker is whether you'll want/need your own website in the future to sell digital products/courses, start a blog, or grow an email list. Of course you can also use social media, but you run into the same problem of over-saturation and lack of control. I'm not sure if Shopify will be worth it for me long-term, but it was really easy to set up and it has a ton of great features (more than Etsy, I would guess). I want to start applying for markets now that I have all of my legal/license stuff squared away, but I'm still figuring out my inventory and working up the courage. Your videos + posts definitely help! Thanks, Camryn!
Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m really excited your taking the step to start applying for markets! As you move forward, never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! ❤️ And thank you for the kind words! ❤️ I’m glad I’m able to provide valuable information! 😁
Etsy doesn't work for me, I haven't had a sale for almost a year I think, and the last one I had was pennies cause of fees. But I do not have a following (or money) to be able to just swap to a website and know I'll get sales... Cause I probably wont lol and would loose more money
Moving to your own site is definitely an investment!! I would recommend first looking at other potential platforms (like Shopify) and then looking into how to grow your socials and generate your own traffic! Once you feel like you are driving enough people to your shop on your own, THATS the perfect time to open up your own site!
@@camryns_cute_creations to be fair, looking at my etsy traffic, it's me who sends people there! Like when it goes up its cause I've posted in a fb group, or reddit etc. It's just getting those sales.. but ty!!
How horrible for both you and the seller. The seller didn’t choose to be part of the horrid situation their country is in, but she sure paid for it. ☹️
What's the difference between selling on Etsy for 9.5% instead of setting up at a booth? Say you pay $100 for a booth, if you do great and get x8 back on that you did $800 that day, 9.5% of that profit would be -$76, plus the gas it took you to get there, plus food, plus having a helper with you, plus your personal time it took to set up that day. Yes, the fees seem high but compared to booth fees it's about the same, and you don't have to leave your couch. No sense in not selling on there, it's just another revenue stream. Don't limit yourself to just one source of income.
I agree with you on the fact you shouldn’t limit yourself to one stream of income! Personally I’ve found that craft show fees are much more worth it in my business and because of my personal experience I chose to leave Etsy! But if it’s working for you and your business totally keep doing it! :)
@@nildadel9795 let's do a hypothetical. You sell an item on Etsy for $100 with free shipping. After your transaction fee of 6.5%, a shipping fee of 6.5%, a processing fee of 3% plus $0.25, a listing fee of $0.20, a cost to ship say $5, and Google ads of 12% you would be left with $64.10. Now let's say you did a craft show for $20 and did that same $100 in sales. You would have your booth fee of $20, payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30, food let's say $10, and gas to get there let's say $5. After all your expenses you would be left with $61.80. So yeah comparable. Obviously, these numbers will vary based on what you sell that day but not every craft show is great and you may be tempted to buy something you would have not bought that day either. So again this is something to keep in mind, don't limit yourself to just craft shows. Etsy is a great platform for a lot of sellers.
Etsy takes 24.5% ... not 9.5%! The Off-site Ads are 12-15%, starting at 15% and only reducing down to 12% if you have $10k or more sales per year. So yeah ... I am NOT going to give away 24.5%! 🤣
The low prices on Etsy are just ridiculous. The other day I saw a "handmade" baby mobile with 4 Amigurumi Elephants and other decorations for 20 Dollars! Are you kidding me? Best wishes from Switzerland
Oh my, your etsy shopping experience sounds so painful.. I sell on ebay and I can talk on the phone to a person within a minute as a seller. They are super polite and supportive. So much that it is an absolute pleasure getting help and talking to them. I upcycle clothes, improve them, repair and mend them. Anything to avoid landfill and give things a new life. I think I will give etsy a miss....
I have not had luck with Etsy. I do most of my business on FB and Insta but my sales have become stagnant. I have a full time job and 2 teens so markets are limited with my time. I am considering being a vendor at a local business but the fees are 25% so I’m afraid I will either lose money or price myself out of the market. Any thoughts?
Do you have to stay set up at the local business (like a craft show) or will you just drop off your products and they sell for you (consignment)? If it’s consignment that’s a great rate actually!:)
i crochet. I am working on a top hat for a snowman patern i designed as well as making a star for a christmas tree i designed, and a pink rabbit from the creature abcs bysarah zimmerman. :P
ETSY SOUNDS LIKE WORKING FOR INSTACART. I HAVE A POOR RATING THAT HAS BEEN ON THERE FO OVER 9 MONTHS. TOO MUCH OF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS ARE TOO NEGATIVE FOR ME TO WVEN CONSIDER THEM. IM LIKE YOU. I NEED TO CONTROL HOW I OPERATE MY HAND MADE ITEMS. GOOOD FOR YOU!!! 😊
Ciao Camryn Ti scrivo dall'Italia questo e il mio secondo commento.mi piace molto come esponi i tuoi prodotti e un bellissimo insieme di colori trovo il tutto davvero bello da guardare.Complimenti. Anch'io lavoro all'uncinetto e davvero una bellissima passione e ricevere complimenti e sapere che quello che fai piace e proprio una soddisfazione. Quindi rimane da dire un buon lavoro a te e a tutte le persone che ti seguono .per il momento un grosso ciao.(ho provato a mandarti un email per chiederti delle cose ma non riesco provero ancora) buona serata.ciao
Hey there! Hello from America! :) I've always wondered what the crafting scene was like in Italy! I'd love to hear about it from you sometime! I haven't seen an email from you, yet! The "Contact Me" function on my website might not be working properly, so it might be best to email me directly!
Etsy is actually attempting to remove dropshipping and resellers using AI. It's going to be a bumpy road though. They need more staff, they only have just over 2000 people.
I had a good laugh about the reviews. I also tend to see people give 1 star when it's clearly their fault, like expecting things to be big, but it was clearly written in the title/description and/or shown in the picture how big or small the item is. Or they will give sellers bad review for things that are out of the seller's control, like delivery time. 😅😅😅 I also heard of a seller complaining 'coz somebody bought a certain size for their kid. Turned out the kid was on the big size, hence the dress did not fit. I'm like, come on... where did common sense go? 😅 I have kids, and they tend to be on the chubby side when they're infants. Hence, I would buy a size bigger than the general size. And also consider that they tend to grow fast. Like, even if they're only 5 mos old, I would buy size 6-9 or 9-12 mos.
ETSY is horrible-In my opinion. I had 3 different stores I had to close/reopen because I had my images stolen! I report them via email because cust. service # no longer works. They emailed me back and say they will suspend those accounts. Then the thieves reopen with another store name with MY same pictures! I reported over 10 shops that stole my images. Literally, I'm in the images on other people's ETSY stores! Then ETSY started emailing me telling me to politely contact those store owners and ask for them to stop using my pictures. I was concerned that my customers think it is my shop since it is my products (with me in the pics) and ordered from those shops and have a bad experience. I don't know how those shops will complete the sales because my products are homemade. My actual product can't be duplicated. So how would they actually send the product? This was another of my concerns. ETSY was no HELP. In my current shop, I have watermarks all over the pictures and no one is purchasing them when I use to be a top seller with my products. I was told by a buyer my images are too cluttered now and they can't see the details through light watermarks. ETSY says to buy ETSY ADS to have my products shown to customers again. I am working on building my own website, it takes a lot of time that I really don't have. Hence, that is why I was using ETSY in the first place.... Easy to use, BUT not worth the problems.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I agree that Etsy offers certain conveniences, but many of the user and seller problems can often outweigh those benefits! 😁😊
That is terrible!! Not a fan. I feel you. Etsy has caused me numerous issues. Too many stories to explain! Not once have I ever been able to contact customer service. Why ?? I have a shop..so why ? I’m close to just closing- it’s causing me more stress than it’s worth.
I think you should like into other platforms, like Square or Shopify! Or, if you generate the majority of your own traffic, look into creating your own shop!
Etsy has certainly made decisions which disproportionally affected certain groups! Under any circumstances, it is unfortunate to see artists and makers be punished for decisions that were not theirs.
I’m struggling on where to offer my products online. Square’s website is a chink of change, but Etsy is pretty difficult and you only get some reduced shipping if buy packets of their shopping labels from what I can figure out. I’m wondering if just doing a Facebook and instagram account along with email would be enough for me to send customers to. After all, it’s just me crocheting as fast as my little fingers can go (🐢🐌😂).
I want to hear your experience with Etsy too! Good or bad, share with us here! (I hope you've had better experiences than I did! LOL)
With everything I am hearing about Etsy I was actually thinking about doing Amazon Handmade instead.
Also I am working on a seashell bolero it is a free pattern I found on Devine Debris. She calls it Janice but for your shoulders. So now I have to see if there is a skirt or shorts or something to go with it.
I've only had downloadable PDFs with good experiences but 10% fees to Etsy is a ridiculous fee for sellers.
I've been exploring other options. Thanks for sharing this. You hit on all the info I was questioning
I started selling on Etsy 15 years...the good 'ole days. It was wonderful in the beginning and I was painting (custom painted wooden wall letters) around the clock. I decided to close about a year ago. It was a fun ride, but I don't miss it at all. I agree with you 100% on every point.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I imagine it was very different 15 years ago! I would love to see your custom paintings if you're still doing it! 😊
Camryn, please consider making a step by step tutorial on making and uploading a digital pattern. I'm sure it'll be truly helpful to other crafters, and it's the kind of video that keeps generating views in the long run.
P.S. If you're a crafter and generating your own traffic (giving cards during market or marketing on the social media), I think it's wise to direct them to your own website. Etsy is full of cheap, non-handmade stuff now, and it's just hard to compete with their prices. And like Camryn said, Etsy will offer similar items to your client without them figuring out that it's from a different seller.
I can definitely work on a video like this! What a great idea!:)
That’s a great tip to share your personal website on business cards!💖 thanks for sharing:)
I just started my crochet business and I chose to go straight to my own website because I noticed (just as an Etsy shopper) the things you described on Etsy. Mostly the fact that “slow fashion” -which is what we are- seems to be expected to be “fast fashion” (quick and low price). That’s not the vibe I’m going for. No doubt I will have difficulties getting traffic to my site, but I’d rather stay true to my craft and let sales trickle in than to change my whole business model. 🥰
I think that’s so important, staying true to your craft!! I think you’ll be much happier with having control over your own shop, and it gives you the clarity of knowing that you can direct your own traffic via socials rather than the randomness of traffic through Etsy!
That part! Staying true to the crafting is what makes it unique.
I’ve been going back and forth with whether I should I do Etsy or my own website. You definitely mentioned some things that I’m thinking on now!
I'm glad I was able to add to you considerations! There are certainly some pros and cons, with the pros being more pronounced for people who are just starting selling! Starting your own website is amazing because it gives you full control, but it can be difficult to get enough traffic, especially at first! With Etsy, more traffic is coming through who might find your work, so you can see greater initial growth!
Yup, etsy sucks unless buying a digital download. They closed my selling account with no notice or reason given. Was devastating at the time. Found other ways to sell and ship. I sold vintage patterns from magazines and books, original pages only, no digital copies. Started my online business 2009, closed early 2023. Was too much online work. Been crocheting for 55 years and now will try to sell finished goods. Love all your youtube content. So much energy AND so much inspiration and information. Thank you!!
ETSY…. UGH! They are good for some people. They are good for starting an online handmade business easily and quickly without too much overhead right from the start. I started an Etsy shop a few years back to sell my fine art photography. It was a bit of work going in and setting up the listings, searching SEOs and figuring out prices so that I didn’t really lose any money after the Etsy fees were taken. Back then, the fees were lower and I even think the listing price may have been lower (but I am not positive on that). It took awhile but I finally made my first sale and then a few more followed. I was working a full time job at that point and didn’t have the time to put into my Etsy business. I have found if you really want to do well, you can’t rely on Etsy sending you traffic, it just doesn’t happen. You need to do your own marketing and SEO research, tweak your listings all the time and really put in a full 40+ hours worth of work into your shop every week. Then… then Etsy raised their fees. I can understand. They also said you need to offer free shipping (I think on items over $35 maybe) or you won’t make the first page or so in the searches. Ok great, so now I have to raise my prices to cover the cost of shipping, but then Etsy gets a portion of that shipping I tacked onto the price, so I have to account for that too. Now, because shipping is built into the price, Etsy gets paid for the cost of shipping. But wait…. Etsy also decided to add in the cost of shipping if it wasn’t free, into the amount they take their fees from. So, if my Item was $100 and shipping was $20, I would now have to pay their fee percentage on $120, even though that $20 goes completely to shipping and I don’t make a dime from it. This is where they lost me. That seems very unethical or at least shady and unfair. I closed my shop. I still read some of the Etsy facebook groups from time to time and the star seller thing, the mandatory advertising if you make over a certain amount of money, and the fees they take from the sales from their advertisements just put me off even more. I have even heard many people’s analytics showing they didn’t get a single sale directly from the Etsy advertisement but Etsy claimed their fee for that anyways. Don’t even get me started on their seller or customer service. Etsy once cared about the small business owners on their platform, now they have turned into a business that cares about how much more money they can put in their own pockets. This is why they allow almost anyone to sell on their platform now - greed. Ok… I could seriously write two more novels about this, but I will save anyone who actually read this far from having to read any more. Thank you for your videos!
This right here is EXACTLY why I left. Also, they did some thing with a percentage off, I wasn’t aware of it. It was part of the “advertising” I was pretty frustrated because, I didn’t get to pick the items discounted…
I buy off Etsy a lot, no problems~the selling👎🏻
Oh my gosh, seriously never apologize for sharing! I love hearing all you guys have to say, and seriously: thank you for sharing your experiences! It helps inform myself and others!
And I appreciate the supportive words you've given me! ❤️
I love all your Mabel chickens in the background! 🥰😍
I'm so glad you like them!! I'm totally obsessed with them lately! ❤️
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I have been on Etsy for about 6 months now, and almost all my traffic has been me sending my customers to shop there. Some of my friends even requested not to purchase through Etsy so that I didn't have to deal with the high fees. I would love to get more info about setting up a website through Square, since I use that for craft shows already.
Thank you for sharing your experience!! ❤️ And I will be making that Square video soon, so stay tuned!!😁😊
Same here, would also like to know more about my own website and using square.
Hi there, Ms. Camryn! First, let me say that your energy is so contagious! You are an absolute delight to watch. I just found your channel about a month ago, and I instantly subscribed. I have been binging your videos to get caught up. I did a small market today in a town about 30 miles away, and I had made several of the chickens, and even had them priced with price tags similar to the ones that you showed in one of your videos. Across the room from me there was another vendor who also had crochet items. When I was able to go over to take a peek, I instantly realized that she HAD to also be one of your subscribers. Looking at her setup and items (including the same chickens), I saw a lot of "you." Alas, I was right. Realizing we shared our opinions of you was almost like you were there. LOL. Just wanted to let you know that we here in Southwest Missouri are huge fans! Thank you for all you do! Blessings!
Oh my gosh, that is amazing!! I wish I could have been there to see it! 😂 I appreciate the support and love you give 😊
Much better to sell in markets or craft shows. When people can feel the items they seem to sell better than just from a picture.
I absolutely love your videos so much they make me feel way more confident in selling my crochet! I’m having such a hard time on Etsy im better at markets plus I love them lol and I even have a small spot in a boutique store in my town but for some reason can’t get Etsy to bring in any new costumers I’m definitely going to look into the square site since thats what I use for payment too!Thank you for all the great advice you give 😊
Thank you so much for the kind words! And thank you for sharing your experiences! I totally agree that markets are the better experience overall for most people, and I encourage everyone to try them! 😊😁
I just recently found you and started watching your videos, and purchased the financial tracker you and your husband made (which I love btw). I just opened my business last month and also LOVE what I do. You have a lot of passion to help us “other makers” and I love that! Thank you for what you contribute to us. I was totally chuckling watching you crochet without looking and sharing your Etsy input. You are too cute! Look forward to gleaning from your experience 😊
Etsy is SAVAGE! It’s a full time job itself! I left Etsy a few months ago because my mental health was struggling and I just couldn’t keep up with the demand of Etsy.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Etsy can certainly be rough! I'm sorry you weren't having the best experience, but I hope you're able to find a better balance somewhere in the future! 😊😁
Holy cow that's a HORROR story. I think you handled it really well, I'm so glad you got refunded!
It was a really unfortunate way for everything to go down!
I started on etsy a couple months ago and have only had 2 sales. And one was my best friend. I've tried the etsy ads to get exposure but I've paid roughly 150 in ads and have only gotten one sale 😮 had a lot of people like my items but not any sales. I'm giving it a couple more months. But positive note, my first craft show is in 2 weeks!! We shall see what happens.
And your experience with that dress... that's awful. I don't blame you for shying away from etsy.
Thank you for sharing your experience! And that's awesome that your first show is coming up so soon!😁😊
Currently working on a granny hexagon sweater! Love your videos. I’ve never done a craft fair but you are inspiring me to get myself out there. Thank you!!
That is so exciting that you want to try markets, or even just selling your beautiful works!! :)
Hi, Camryn. Thank you so much for your videos, I have been researching to see if Etsy is the way to go or should I choose another route. You aren’t the only one I have heard complain about Etsy. I will continue watching your videos. They are very helpful.
Thank you so much for the kind words!❤️ Etsy is a mixed bag at times, as some (like myself) advise more against it, while others have found success! But, yes, research around to find the best fit for you! 😁😊
debating whether to start a handmade items business (crochet, knitting, sewing), this video is super helpful, and oh! crocheting a sleeveless top for work while I listen!
I think it'd be so amazing for you to pursue a handmade items business!! :) And a crochet sleeveless top sounds so cute!
Hi... I had an idea for a video that I would find really interesting/helpful. To sell at a lot of markets you need to have a business license. Could you please talk about the process of you getting yours and how it (if at all) complicates your taxes each year? That is the one thing holding me back from putting myself out there - making my taxes harder to do.
Totally! It’s hard to figure out all that stuff at the beginning and I can definitely make some videos with help on these subjects!:)
I had a similar nightmare experience with Etsy and my wedding dress. I ordered a dress in November for a February “Valentines” wedding. The seller was from China and apparently the country’s entire production shuts down for 7 days in January which as a result, backs shipments up 40 days. I had no communications with the seller the entire month of January and received my dress the day before my wedding. Had to buy a different dress since I didn’t know if I would get the original in time and Etsy was NO help with anything!!😡
I’m so sorry that happened!! You are certainly not alone in experiencing a distinct lack of communication from Etsy regarding order issues!
Been thinking of starting a crochet business and debating about Esty, haven't watched the video yet so I'm excited 😊 currently crocheting 100 Soap Saver bags of Operation Christmas Child boxes this year, 60+ finished
That is so incredible what you are making and doing ❤️❤️ Truly a kind soul 😊 I am so excited you're thinking about opening up a shop to sell on!
Thank you for sharing your experiences as a seller and buyer. I have purchased a number of items to support small business and have never had an issue. I do have a friend, however, that was a seller and she was not happy and also stopped selling on that platform.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, too!! I still shop on Etsy sometimes because I know there are many small business owners on there, and I love supporting them! But, I do see many issues on the platform, and I believe moving to markets or other, better platforms is the healthiest decision for many 😁😊
You have given me the confidence to sign up for my 1st market.Had already decided to close my etsy.Have had no luck with them at all. Thanks again.
I am so excited you have signed up for your first market!! You have to let me know how it goes! ❤️ And please never hesitate to reach out with any questions! 😁😊
I was about to open an etsy shop and then I was browsing on your Insta telling you'll be uploading a video about why you left Etsy and it was so timely 😅😅 I've been waiting for this upload since you announced it early this week 😂😂 thanks!
Oh my gosh, that is so funny! 😂😂 What timing! While I certainly haven't had the best experience Etsy, that doesn't mean others haven't found success! There are certainly benefits of Etsy, especially for people just starting to sell online! If you are curious about it, I would encourage you to learn more about it to see if you want to try it! 😁😁😊
This is why I follow you, and recommend you for advice in general, because of your transparency. Your webinar helped me so much, and I am waiting to connect back to Instagram but I'm so grateful to God for you, and your heart for the profession, and us. Camryn we're stitches 🪡🧶 for life...
You’re so sweet! Thank you so much for sharing this:) I love being able to share my experiences (both good and bad) if it can help fellow makers!!💕 thanks for being a crochet bestie :)
Just subscribed!! Thank you so much for making this video. I was thinking about selling on Etsy. After this video nope they are not what I thought. Thank you you just saved me from all that hassle. I would rather keep selling on marketplace and other platforms. Thank you again. I will keep Etsy for buying patterns.
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience! Etsy can certainly be frustrating, and I do encourage looking at other platforms! 😊😁
I ordered my wedding bouquets (bridal and bridesmaids) from a Russian seller on Etsy. She was wonderful, really responsive, just overall great and a few days after I received the flowers her account was gone. I tried to leave a review and I literally couldn’t. I felt so bad😢
Aw I'm sorry :( That is a hard situation! ❤️
I made 3 pickles & was able to start a 4th one in the time frame! Thank you for your advice & tips on Etsy!
That’s so awesome!! :) thank you!
that wedding dress story is wild 😮
It was not a fun one! And unfortunate, too, because I liked the design she had and was excited to support her! 😁😊
Sorry to hear of your wedding dress experience as a shopper. Etsy has done good by me on the odd occasion I’ve needed customer service but I watched your vid regarding understanding more about Etsy as a possible seller.
I have heard that they can remove or suspend your account at anytime if you break their rules, ie selling copyright items when you don’t have the licence etc.
You have told me some pros and and now I’ve made up my mind not to join Etsy.
Thankyou for sharing.
I am so sorry to hear that you went through this with Etsy. I do feel bad for the seller as well. The world has gotten so political. I was on the fence for a long time if I should not should not get rid of Etsy. I opened my Shopify store about 4 years ago but kept my Etsy store as I got my own store together. Sadly I have not been able to keep up with my Shopify Store because my mother got sick and I took care of her on and off till just 2 months ago when we lost her. Now I'm trying to get back into my crafting and will again start to work on my store. I know for sure after all you went through this will push me into closing my store all together. There are way to many bad stories about Etsy and so many things that are not handmade.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I think your decision to move away from Etsy was the right one, and I'm glad to hear you've decided to get back into crafting! I am very sorry about your mother, though, and I am here to help you in any way I can! ❤️
It's so beautiful! I made one hat and actually 2 toddler snuggled with the Velvet and it is so hard to work with but people like it. In dino form I can use that evil yarn. No way will I make any hats or anything else velvet. Working on a raffle Afghan. ❤❤ love listening to you. Cause I am trying to stay focused.😅❤ you the bomb!!
Thank you for the kind words! And yes, the velvet can certainly be a pain to work with sometimes, but it's my absolute favorite!! ❤️❤️
@@camryns_cute_creations your work is beautiful! I'm working on staying organized. 🙄
I agree there's too many on Etsy selling stuff that's not handmade. It's no longer for just crafters. I've got a couple patterns up on Ribblr but it is not user friendly and you can only sell items that you've made from another Ribblr persons pattern. So I'd like to know what craftsy is about? Any info on Craftsy?
I’ve heard of Craftsy but haven’t looked much into them! I’ll have to check it out :)
I had a similar experience with buying knitting needles on etsy. I did not get my money back or my product. Paypal was awesome and refunded me. The seller had awesome reviews for about 2 years and then after my experience her reviews went down hill, but they didn't suspend her until 6 months later.
Thank you for sharing your experience! That's weird that their reviews were positive for so long and then suddenly went down!
Just found your channel and I just started my channel this year and making more items to eventually try to sell. After hearing your story I will have to find another site. Thanks for your story. Congratulations 🎊 on your marriage
Thank you for the congratulations! I am so excited you started your own channel!!
While I certainly did not have a great experience with Etsy, others have. I encourage you to take my words into consideration, but check it out for yourself!😁😊
@@camryns_cute_creations thanks. Always love what I can do. ☺️
I have had my etsy shop for a long time now...used to get a lot more organic traffic then I do these days (more from required ads now)...still have to think about what to do moving forward. Good to hear others thoughts on if for sure! I do my first market in September, I think I'd like to do more in-person for sure! I get a lot of local word-of-mouth business too. And have a small space in a local craft mall. We'll see what the future holds! Also...can you share how you are doing the blanket? I have a ton of this yarn from scrunchies but would love to try something else with it! Thanks for another awesome video!
I'm so excited you're doing your first market! You'll have to let me know how it goes! 😊 I think you'll find greater success at in-person markets!
As for Etsy, I recommend you just research other potential platforms! If you're having success on Etsy, I don't think you'd be wrong to stay. But, I think there may be other platforms you could also find success on, if not more success!
i couldnt stop looking at the chicken army in the background 😂i want to make them all lol
They are simply too fun to make! 🤣 My husband always laughs when he sees how many I make and have around the house! 🤣🤣
I was thinking about Etsy!! But i really hadn't heard anything positive. Everything you mentioned, were my concerns! Sealed the deal! I'm out! THANK YOU!!❤
I'm glad I was able to contribute to your considerations!! Thank you for the kind words! ❤️😊
Every platform can do that. Couple years ago, I opened my Instagram account for my garden hobby. I posted one picture of my own flower and few days later received email that my account was suspended due to community rules violation. Well, I am from Russia, lived here in USA for 20 years so I guess just being here that long I do violate community rules.
I am very sorry to hear that happened to you! And you're right, there are situations with every platform, and we must individually form our opinions on them!
Im working on mini tote bags, trying to make use of the left over, scrap yarn.
I love this! I bet they’re turning out so cute :)
I have sold better at markets and wondered why I needed to be on Etsy. When my store was closed I just didn’t bother to try to reopen it. I had a 5star rating. Contacted customers within minutes of them purchasing and just never got people buying from my shop even after spending hours making my descriptions full and using keywords.
Etsy can be so frustrating sometimes, right?? But I totally agree: markets are where it's at!!!
Thank you for sharing your experience!
I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about them, people getting shut down for no reason and no contact as you had. Love your chickens, do you sell the pattern?
Totally! Such a bummer!!!
That pattern is form oak and Marlow on IG:)
That sounds like an awful experience! Do you still shop on Etsy? I sell on Etsy and it works for me! I factor in the fees to my pricing and my customers pay shipping. I love that most of the time I don't ever have to speak to my customers or ask them to pay me. Makes things super simple and takes out the back and forth that I used to have when I would have people message me to order.
It's awesome you're doing so good on Etsy! It's really wonderful to hear :) Thank you for sharing your experience! ❤️
Mine certainly wasn't the best experience! 😂 I do still browse and shop on Etsy, although to a lesser degree. I know my experiences aren't universal, and I know it's a great place for many sellers such as yourself! Plus, I know the majority of people selling on there are small business owners, and I love to support them! 😊😁
@@camryns_cute_creations thanks for the response! I understand shopping less because of the dress incident and I do know that I am pretty lucky that I am doing so well on Etsy. Either way, I love you and all of your content! :-)
Can u do a video on how to start up a square webcite please
That is an idea I’ve been thinking about! In the meantime, I’ve seen a couple of great videos from other creators I’d recommend you check out!
Hi there! I got your beanie pattern and they look great!!!! Question though...can you let me know where you get poms? Thanks and ❤️❤️❤️
Of course! So glad you love the pattern:) I get the poms from Amazon!:)
I'm using this video like a podcast while crocheting
I love that 😊❤️
I’m working on a sunburst granny square bucket hat to sell at my next market!
That sounds so cute! You have to let me see it when it's done! ❤️😊
I opened an Etsy store when it first came on the scene. I don't know if they've been taken over but I didn't like how things were heading and decided I didn't trust them anymore.
That's a totally understandable position to take! It's important for us all to consider our own circumstances and make the best decisions for ourselves! Thank you for sharing!
Thank goodness for pay pal! Got my money back too.
Pay pal is a really big help in those kinds of situations! 😂😁
Hi, i just found your Chanel and i love your Videos. I started a Crochetbusiness this year and im struggling at making any sales online. I'm on Etsy right now, but i don't like it there. But i also started a separat Onlineshop and i didn't had any sales there either. On Etsy a still had 1 or two orders per month. So i recently closed my Onlineshop, cause i couldn't pay the monthly costs anymore. So i'm now depending on Etsy again. I also sell on Markets, but this isn't going well too. Its a little demotivating right now, but i'm working on it.
Your Videos motivate me so much and i appriciate your Tipps and advise.
Greatings from Germany 😊👋
Greetings from the USA! :)
Thank you for sharing a bit of yourself with me! I totally understand it can be demotivating to hit a rut like you've described. A piece of advice I can give right now regarding your onlineshop is to look into developing a social media presence where you can grow an audience and then direct them to your shop! Etsy does have its own natural traffic, but as you've said it isn't great. If you can build your own traffic and then send them to your shop, that will translate into greater sales!
If you ever have any questions, I'd love to help! :)
So sorry you had a bad experience, especially with your wedding dress. I was fortunate to have a great experience when I ordered mine on Etsy and it was $300 and it came from Nigeria! I’d never tracker an order so close in my life. My mother told me years later that she had a backup dress because she was scared mine wasn’t going to come. Also unfortunately Etsy probably had no choice but to cut off Russian sellers at that time due to Sanctions the US put forth. I work in finance and when countries are under Sanctions we have to literally suspend or close these accounts and no transactions are allowed.
I've had a negative experience with Etsy but quite opposite to yours. I bought a pattern and the designer's country was mentioned as Australia. When I opened a file, I realized she was from russia. As Ukrainian, I would hate to send my money to russia where the designer pays taxes and the money are used to produce missiles and then to kill my people (my brother in law was killed by one of those). So, the designer was using VPN to avoid sanctions and was misleading the buyers. I reported her immediately but have never got any feedback from Etsy. The seller is still selling on Etsy. I contacted her to verify her country, she immediately admitted and returned my money. Etsy somehow has double standards when to support sanction and when to violate them. I liked to buy on Etsy from different crafters and artisans, not doing it anymore.
So sorry this was your experience! And so sorry to hear about your brother in law. That's horrible and I can totally see why you reported the account!
@@camryns_cute_creations Thank you
Now you have to type YES in a box acknowledging you know you’re just buying a pattern - btw crazy for those chickens on your shelves - look larger than the Mabel the chicken pattern - what pattern is that ❤
I’m glad they added that feature so there’s no misunderstandings on patterns!:)
Those are Mabels! I used the go for faux yarn on some of them so they turned out a little fluffier :)
Star seller is the worst. I only sometimes make enough to be a star seller in my product shop during the winter. My pattern shop will never be a star seller cause shipping is a factor, and it’s all digital products. I’ve got Etsy until I can get enough traffic to my own shop, and I have a Ko-fi for commissions.
Thank you for sharing your experience!! I think transitioning to your own shop where you have full control is the best decision! 😁😊
You poor thing! What a terrible experience!
I had a very poor experience this past holiday season myself. Thankfully it was only $20, and I did get some of it back, but the whole experience was just crappy.
Situations like those are never fun!!
Im on the fence with Etsy. Other than one thing, i dont sell much on it. The kne thing that does sell, sells really well so im not sure what to do yet. Any suggestions? The fees are kind of killing me, but it's my main "website" other than Square. I havent sold anything on Square yet...
I think there’s no harm trying out some other options (like square and social media) while staying on Etsy for a while! Once you start growing those platforms you’ll definitely be able to hop off of Etsy if you want!:)
LOL your energy is off the chain. At first i was your to joyful almost waited to watch later ... Then you talking about way i left Esty..... I feel the same about what i cal sweat shops selling on there. Then you said things peeps my age would say 😮.
Soooo yeah 💯👍👍👍👍👍👍
Yeah i owed them , om hows that work? Nope later, bye-bye.then they did the $25.00 thing. Ok im gone.
Thank you for sharing your experience!! 😁😊
What are you working on? Do you recommend any super soft baby blanket patterns? I love velvet too!
I plan on releasing a baby blanket pattern soon! :)
Hey Camryn, thanks for sharing your experience with Etsy. Their policy is absolutely NOT friendly to people they make money from, and for that amount of money they could easily generate traffic, but they just don't give a rat's ass...
Can you please make a video on how to link your website with Square and also talk a bit more about inventory (for those who twice older than you and can't keep up with all these technologies 😆) Really appreciate all your work !
Hi there! Making a video talking about how to integrate your own website is a good idea, thank you for sharing! :)
I feel like I am being nickel and dime to death on Etsy. I just don’t know where to go. Also I got your velvet beanie pattern and I’m having the hardest time. I have done very advanced amigurumi and I can’t make a damn beanie to save my life. I’ve bought 3 patterns and still nothing clicking. If you have a video to look up that would help would be just lovely! I just want to make one for my granddaughter ❤
Hi there! If you send me an email, I'd love to talk at length about the issues your facing with the beanie :) I'd love to make sure you can make one for your granddaughter!
@@camryns_cute_creations omg I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to bother you! I am super sarcastic so sorry if it sounded snotty. I will email you from the pattern. Again so sorry I was just being funny cuz it is playing with my head! A damn beanie! Go figure! Thanks Doll!
❤ what size do you make the little baby blankets? I'm so having trouble. I even went to my daughter's and measured things. The chair. Where it sits. And great for car seats and stroller blankets
I usually make them in the crib-throw size!
Currently watching a bunch of your videos and making a bat commission piece 😂
A bat commission piece sounds so cool! I'd love to see some of your work sometime :)
I notice that with Etsy about blocking the Russian sellers .
Yeah, I'm not totally updated on if many affected individuals are back or not, but many seemed to be affected by it!
Oh this is outrageous. Russians are so creative! Stupid politics! Etsy should concentrate on the real issues. Best wishes from Switzerland ♥
@@by_katrin I do agree
Oh my gosh Cameron when I found out that Etsy was allowing everybody to be on there that it wasn’t you didn’t have to have handmade. Oh, that took me to the roof.
Etsy has definitely changed! I hope it refocuses itself back to being about handmade products! Thanks for sharing your experience :) ❤️
I signed up for Etsy last October but if I’m being honest I’ve heard such negative and positive things about them, so I never posted anything yet. I have 3 little ones and a SAHM and it’s so hard to work on what I need to do but the income would help so much. I just don’t even know now, how do you feel about other social medias to sell on?
Sorry,
i tend to ask questions as I think about them before finishing any videos, I really do apologize for that but I’d love to hear more about Square!
No worries at all!:) I will definitely be making more videos about square and even selling on other social media platforms! :)
Love that shirt! I'm working on a custom snorlax order
Thank you!! I love this shirt too :) And a Snorlax?? I would LOVE to see it when you finish it!! 😊😊
This information was top tier! I have a website on wordpress and thinking about selling on there even though it's a lifestyle blog. And would be a different name than my crochet "business" name. Do you still have wordpress? If so, who is your hosting provider? Thanks!
working on my mushroom satchel bags
Oh my gosh, mushroom satchel bags sound soooo cute!!❤️❤️ You have to let me see them when you're done!!😊😁
Soooo many chickens 😂 I've made my son 5 and he won't let them go like I planned lol
Oh my gosh, that is amazing! 🤣 The chickens are just too cute! 😊😁
i ordered something recently from Etsy that i thought was handmade and it ended up coming in an Amazon box!
Maybe seller reused Amazon box 😂.
I think they may have just reused an Amazon box they had! But I certainly hope it was the handmade product you ordered!
To make things worse the seller already bought and used all the materials to make that dress and it was no fault of her lost all that money.
I totally agree and place no blame on the seller!
I love your videos and hearing your experiences! I'm sorry you had such a rough time with Etsy. How do you handle collecting sales tax and paying that to each state you ship to if you're not on a platform like Etsy that collects it for you?
I keep meticulous records of every sale I have and, when tax season comes around, I have those sales accounted for by state. It does get rather complicated when different counties within states have slightly different regulations. There are also some stipulations within tax law that allow certain companies to only be responsible for the taxes of the state they are headquartered in!
I would suggest you talk to an accountant if you need some answers for your own business because tax law can get a little overwhelming!
Oh wow, you really did have a terrible experience with Etsy - and while you were a seller too! That's just unacceptable! I totally get why you're not on there anymore. I personally chose Shopify when I started my business in May. I was concerned with starting on Etsy for many of the reasons you mentioned. One thing to consider if you're a maker is whether you'll want/need your own website in the future to sell digital products/courses, start a blog, or grow an email list. Of course you can also use social media, but you run into the same problem of over-saturation and lack of control.
I'm not sure if Shopify will be worth it for me long-term, but it was really easy to set up and it has a ton of great features (more than Etsy, I would guess). I want to start applying for markets now that I have all of my legal/license stuff squared away, but I'm still figuring out my inventory and working up the courage. Your videos + posts definitely help! Thanks, Camryn!
Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m really excited your taking the step to start applying for markets! As you move forward, never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! ❤️
And thank you for the kind words! ❤️ I’m glad I’m able to provide valuable information! 😁
What yarn and hook size do you make your chickens. I can't get mine to look cute like yours?
I’m using an 8 mm:)
Bernat blanket yarn!:)
Etsy doesn't work for me, I haven't had a sale for almost a year I think, and the last one I had was pennies cause of fees. But I do not have a following (or money) to be able to just swap to a website and know I'll get sales... Cause I probably wont lol and would loose more money
Moving to your own site is definitely an investment!! I would recommend first looking at other potential platforms (like Shopify) and then looking into how to grow your socials and generate your own traffic! Once you feel like you are driving enough people to your shop on your own, THATS the perfect time to open up your own site!
@@camryns_cute_creations to be fair, looking at my etsy traffic, it's me who sends people there! Like when it goes up its cause I've posted in a fb group, or reddit etc. It's just getting those sales.. but ty!!
I am actually in the process of crocheting my wedding dress 😂
Oh my gosh, I truly hope you send me a picture of it when it's done! Or even some WIP pictures! I would love to see it! ❤️❤️❤️
How horrible for both you and the seller. The seller didn’t choose to be part of the horrid situation their country is in, but she sure paid for it. ☹️
I think it was an unfortunate situation, as well! And I don't blame her whatsoever for how it happened, either! 😊
What's the difference between selling on Etsy for 9.5% instead of setting up at a booth? Say you pay $100 for a booth, if you do great and get x8 back on that you did $800 that day, 9.5% of that profit would be -$76, plus the gas it took you to get there, plus food, plus having a helper with you, plus your personal time it took to set up that day. Yes, the fees seem high but compared to booth fees it's about the same, and you don't have to leave your couch. No sense in not selling on there, it's just another revenue stream. Don't limit yourself to just one source of income.
I agree with you on the fact you shouldn’t limit yourself to one stream of income! Personally I’ve found that craft show fees are much more worth it in my business and because of my personal experience I chose to leave Etsy! But if it’s working for you and your business totally keep doing it! :)
Etsy is around 20% or more !
They gets fee for everything.
Even shipping fees 😢
I sale there and i don’t like the higher fees
@@nildadel9795 let's do a hypothetical. You sell an item on Etsy for $100 with free shipping. After your transaction fee of 6.5%, a shipping fee of 6.5%, a processing fee of 3% plus $0.25, a listing fee of $0.20, a cost to ship say $5, and Google ads of 12% you would be left with $64.10. Now let's say you did a craft show for $20 and did that same $100 in sales. You would have your booth fee of $20, payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30, food let's say $10, and gas to get there let's say $5. After all your expenses you would be left with $61.80. So yeah comparable. Obviously, these numbers will vary based on what you sell that day but not every craft show is great and you may be tempted to buy something you would have not bought that day either. So again this is something to keep in mind, don't limit yourself to just craft shows. Etsy is a great platform for a lot of sellers.
Etsy takes 24.5% ... not 9.5%! The Off-site Ads are 12-15%, starting at 15% and only reducing down to 12% if you have $10k or more sales per year. So yeah ... I am NOT going to give away 24.5%! 🤣
You're right, that is so much!!!
The low prices on Etsy are just ridiculous. The other day I saw a "handmade" baby mobile with 4 Amigurumi Elephants and other decorations for 20 Dollars! Are you kidding me? Best wishes from Switzerland
WOW!!! That’s crazy!!! I totally agree, it’s ridiculous! Makes me questions if they’re really handmade 🤔
Whatdo u think about Shopify?
I have personally never listed on Shopify, but I've heard many great things about it as compared to Etsy!
Working on a fidget toy :) Love your merch!!!
A fidget toy?? I think my husband would love that! 😂 You'll have to show me when it's done! ❤️
@@camryns_cute_creations Thank you for your response it made my day!!! I made an Instagram post and tagged you 🥰🥰🥰
Oh my, your etsy shopping experience sounds so painful..
I sell on ebay and I can talk on the phone to a person within a minute as a seller. They are super polite and supportive. So much that it is an absolute pleasure getting help and talking to them. I upcycle clothes, improve them, repair and mend them. Anything to avoid landfill and give things a new life.
I think I will give etsy a miss....
I have not had luck with Etsy. I do most of my business on FB and Insta but my sales have become stagnant. I have a full time job and 2 teens so markets are limited with my time. I am considering being a vendor at a local business but the fees are 25% so I’m afraid I will either lose money or price myself out of the market. Any thoughts?
Do you have to stay set up at the local business (like a craft show) or will you just drop off your products and they sell for you (consignment)? If it’s consignment that’s a great rate actually!:)
Did you create a different FB or your user you personal account?
a SQUARE VIDEO please 🥹
I'm definitely going to be making that video, so stay tuned!
Yes omg I went to Etsy years later and noticed the same thing. So many non handmade stuff mass produced from china…
Etsy has really started going in a different direction lately!
Hi Camryn, I'm working on a towel topper
Love your content and thanks for all your great advice
A towel topper?? You HAVE to let me see it when it's done!! ❤️ And thank you for the kind words! 😁😊 I'm glad I'm able to be valuable to you all!
i crochet. I am working on a top hat for a snowman patern i designed as well as making a star for a christmas tree i designed, and a pink rabbit from the creature abcs bysarah zimmerman. :P
Wow! I'd love to see some of your designs sometime! :)
maybe one day, @@camryns_cute_creations maybe one day.
ETSY SOUNDS LIKE WORKING FOR INSTACART. I HAVE A POOR RATING THAT HAS BEEN ON THERE FO OVER 9 MONTHS. TOO MUCH OF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS ARE TOO NEGATIVE FOR ME TO WVEN CONSIDER THEM. IM LIKE YOU. I NEED TO CONTROL HOW I OPERATE MY HAND MADE ITEMS. GOOOD FOR YOU!!! 😊
Ciao Camryn
Ti scrivo dall'Italia questo e il mio secondo commento.mi piace molto come esponi i tuoi prodotti e un bellissimo insieme di colori trovo il tutto davvero bello da guardare.Complimenti.
Anch'io lavoro all'uncinetto e davvero una bellissima passione e ricevere complimenti e sapere che quello che fai piace e proprio una soddisfazione.
Quindi rimane da dire un buon lavoro a te e a tutte le persone che ti seguono .per il momento un grosso ciao.(ho provato a mandarti un email per chiederti delle cose ma non riesco provero ancora) buona serata.ciao
Hey there! Hello from America! :) I've always wondered what the crafting scene was like in Italy! I'd love to hear about it from you sometime!
I haven't seen an email from you, yet! The "Contact Me" function on my website might not be working properly, so it might be best to email me directly!
Etsy is actually attempting to remove dropshipping and resellers using AI. It's going to be a bumpy road though. They need more staff, they only have just over 2000 people.
I had no idea they had such a small number of staff for such a large platform!! But I am glad they are taking steps to protecting sellers! 😁😁
I had a good laugh about the reviews. I also tend to see people give 1 star when it's clearly their fault, like expecting things to be big, but it was clearly written in the title/description and/or shown in the picture how big or small the item is. Or they will give sellers bad review for things that are out of the seller's control, like delivery time. 😅😅😅
I also heard of a seller complaining 'coz somebody bought a certain size for their kid. Turned out the kid was on the big size, hence the dress did not fit. I'm like, come on... where did common sense go? 😅
I have kids, and they tend to be on the chubby side when they're infants. Hence, I would buy a size bigger than the general size. And also consider that they tend to grow fast. Like, even if they're only 5 mos old, I would buy size 6-9 or 9-12 mos.
Thank you for sharing your experiences! I agree that Etsy can certainly be a frustrating place at times! 😁😊
ETSY is horrible-In my opinion. I had 3 different stores I had to close/reopen because I had my images stolen! I report them via email because cust. service # no longer works. They emailed me back and say they will suspend those accounts. Then the thieves reopen with another store name with MY same pictures! I reported over 10 shops that stole my images. Literally, I'm in the images on other people's ETSY stores! Then ETSY started emailing me telling me to politely contact those store owners and ask for them to stop using my pictures. I was concerned that my customers think it is my shop since it is my products (with me in the pics) and ordered from those shops and have a bad experience. I don't know how those shops will complete the sales because my products are homemade. My actual product can't be duplicated. So how would they actually send the product? This was another of my concerns. ETSY was no HELP. In my current shop, I have watermarks all over the pictures and no one is purchasing them when I use to be a top seller with my products. I was told by a buyer my images are too cluttered now and they can't see the details through light watermarks. ETSY says to buy ETSY ADS to have my products shown to customers again. I am working on building my own website, it takes a lot of time that I really don't have. Hence, that is why I was using ETSY in the first place.... Easy to use, BUT not worth the problems.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I agree that Etsy offers certain conveniences, but many of the user and seller problems can often outweigh those benefits! 😁😊
🎁🌹🌹🌹🎁
❤️😁
That is terrible!!
Not a fan. I feel you. Etsy has caused me numerous issues. Too many stories to explain! Not once have I ever been able to contact customer service. Why ?? I have a shop..so why ?
I’m close to just closing- it’s causing me more stress than it’s worth.
I think you should like into other platforms, like Square or Shopify! Or, if you generate the majority of your own traffic, look into creating your own shop!
@@camryns_cute_creations yes yes and yes
Woooah they blocked Russian artists??!! OMG that is so wrong. We're artists not politicians! Smh
Etsy has certainly made decisions which disproportionally affected certain groups! Under any circumstances, it is unfortunate to see artists and makers be punished for decisions that were not theirs.
thanks for sharing, working on monkeys
Oh my gosh, crochet monkeys are so cute! Please send me a picture of them when they're done! I love see everyone's work! 😁😊
And Etsy in Greek "ΕΤΣΥ" means "like that" lol I dont think I will use this platform for my business ......
It don’t work for me you have no control
I also feel like you have limited control on Etsy! That's why I like in person markets! 😊
I’m struggling on where to offer my products online. Square’s website is a chink of change, but Etsy is pretty difficult and you only get some reduced shipping if buy packets of their shopping labels from what I can figure out.
I’m wondering if just doing a Facebook and instagram account along with email would be enough for me to send customers to. After all, it’s just me crocheting as fast as my little fingers can go (🐢🐌😂).
I think social media is a great way to get started and sell products!:) I’d totally start there and you can always adjust as needed as you grow!:)