Monday, October 18, 2010

Etsy vs. ArtFire - A Buyer's Opinion????

We all have our personal preferences when it comes to where we shop. I'm looking for the opinion of buyers out there. Do you have preference between Etsy and ArtFire?

I have accounts on both sites, and I feel there are pros and cons to both of them:

Etsy - I've had my Stitchnmomma account for about 18 months now and have had the privilege of 135 sales to date. Granted many of them have been custom or reserved listings, but they are sales none the less.

ArtFire - I've also had my account about 18 months and am still waiting for my first sale. I do have some items listed on ArtFire that aren't available on Etsy.



Etsy - the buyer must have an Etsy account to be able to purchase

ArtFire - as long as you have a PayPal account or a credit card, you can buy whatever you want without having to set up an account with them.


Etsy - is becoming over-saturated in many categories and the choices can be overwhelming

ArtFire - is the new up & coming site for Handmade items with a smaller selection but crafters that are just as dedicated.


I could go on & on with pros & cons from the SELLER'S point of view, but I won't get on my soap box.

If you have an opinion as a BUYER please share, I'd love to hear it.
:)

7 comments:

  1. Hello Stitch, as a buyer, I prefer Etsy. I have found the few times I have shopped Artfire, to be less then customer focused. Also, I agree that Etsy is over saturated, but still one of the most popular sites for buying handmade. I am still looking for an alternate avenue myself, but do not feel Artfire or Zibbet can compare to Etsy at this point.

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  2. Hmm - I am also very interested to hear this from a buyer's prospective. Great post Stitch. As a seller, I am daily becoming disallusioned to Etsy but the size DOES mean it's a force to be reckoned with...but AF seems to be more welcoming of all asthetics (not just the moustach, owl, fox hipsters...) - please buyers, do give your opinion!!

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  3. I like the idea you don't have to be a member on Artfire.

    As a seller on Etsy I feel like I get lost in the crowd...tons of stuff.

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  5. I had found this some time ago. No need to download it, just go through the slides. Arrows are at the bottom of the screen. Etsy has over 4 million people shopping compared to Artfire, with I think it's 250 thousand. I know we are a small fish in a big sea, but Etsy has a huge audience.

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/34447177/Handmade-Market-July-2010

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  6. wow Sharon, that sure does make me think! 4 million is alot...its getting seen!

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  7. I'll choose Etsy, that works better for me. Also ListingDock.com, they are another excellent marketplace to showcase our items.

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