Etsy vs eBay – Picking the Right Platform in 2023
Etsy vs eBay – which platform is the best for sellers in 2023? As eCommerce sales continue to grow and are expected to reach $1.06 trillion in the US, the debate on which platform to choose is more heated than ever. So, is it better to sell on eBay or Etsy? Let’s find out.
Platforms that occupy the same business space tend to clash and compete with each other. Mcdonald’s vs. Burger King. Coca-Cola vs Pepsi. Uber vs everyone.
The good thing about companies competing is that customers get to reap the benefits – we get better features, lower prices, and better buying experiences. Yay! Yet, the rise of different eCommerce platforms has opened a discussion about which one is better for sellers?
This article will cover all the essential information on selling on Etsy vs eBay. We’ll take a look at Etsy fees vs eBay fees, the pros and cons of their user experiences, and lots more as we help you choose: Etsy or eBay.
eBay vs Etsy: Overview
Etsy
A merchant’s decision to use Etsy for their online store means they’ll be tapping into an audience of over 95 million active buyers. And this will only increase as Etsy is the 4th fastest growing eCommerce company in 2021.
Etsy users prefer to purchase unique and creative items that resonate with the site’s craft market ambiance; handmade and made-to-order items in particular. It’s the perfect place for your print-on-demand merchandise.
eBay
eBay caters to an entirely different demographic. When someone logs into eBay, odds are they’re looking for a better deal than what would be available through conventional retail. The eBay marketplace offers both auction-based and fixed price sales models, depending on your preferences.
Unlike Etsy, eBay hosts the option to sell mass-produced and used goods to approximately 159 million active users worldwide. In other words, as long as it’s legal, just about anything can be sold on eBay.
eBay vs Etsy: What to Sell?
A merchant’s decision when considering an Etsy vs eBay dilemma largely depends on what type of seller they are. In other words, the products that a vendor sells will determine which is the right choice for success. So, what products to choose when selling on Etsy vs eBay?
What to Sell On Etsy?
Etsy is a beginner-friendly platform for selling one-of-a-kind, antique, or handmade products. If your store possesses a splash of creativity and authenticity, Etsy is the place for you. Some of the top-selling Etsy products are:
- Craft & Supplies
- Handmade Items
- Jewelry
- Wedding Items
- Accessories
- Paper & Party supplies
- Clothing
- Vintage Items
- Home & Living
- Art & Collectibles
What to Sell On eBay?
eBay, on the other hand, is more versatile in its product scope and restrictions. This platform allows the trading of new, used, old, wholesale, vintage, handmade, and other types of products. From tires and car parts to jewelry boxes, mobile phones, and baby clothing.
What makes eBay special is the possibility to set up an auction for items asking buyers to bid. If your products fall into multiple categories and you’re willing to auction them, eBay is the ideal platform to choose. Top-selling items on eBay are:
- Phone & Accessories
- Video Games
- Health & Beauty Products
- Home & Garden Items
- Computers & Tablets
- Clothing
- Crafts
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Selling On Etsy vs eBay: Ease of Use
While both systems have a fairly streamlined, user-friendly setup process, it largely is up to the entrepreneur to weigh the attributes of eBay vs Etsy – deciding which environment is better tailored toward their audience base.
Is it easier to sell on eBay or Etsy? When deciding, it’s important to register that both systems are heavily app and mobile-friendly. But there are some differences when it comes to user experience. So, Etsy or eBay: which of them is more user-friendly?
Selling on Etsy
Starting on Etsy is simple and easy. Create a seller account by entering your store name and uploading a couple of products. After that, Etsy will take you through the process step-by-step. List the products, add descriptions, images, shipping information, and your store is good to go.
Newcomers can also interact with other sellers in forums. The thorough Seller Handbook has all the necessary information on how to keep your Etsy store running. Here are some suggestions for success on Etsy:
- Add more product combinations
- Increase your activity and creativity
- Use keywords in titles and descriptions
- Make sure you don't break copyright and trademark laws
- Utilize image alt tags
Unfortunately, it is a bit difficult to be discovered on Etsy. To combat this, Etsy has been working hard on upping its advertising game.
This action was achieved through a near mandatory advertising fee on sales gained through Etsy ads. This development met with mixed reviews, with some Etsy merchants being labeled “furious”.
However, Etsy has analytical tools to help track visitors and sales. These can be utilized to better understand how the public reacts to given products, marketing, discounts, etc.
Selling on eBay
While Etsy needs you to fill in account information before listing products, eBay just needs an email address to get started. And they’ve even made the process easier by allowing merchants to create accounts using Google, Facebook, and Apple. Create a seller account, add a payment method, and the store is good to go.
Listing on eBay is straightforward and more customizable than Etsy. eBay even allows you to look for similar products and use them for your listings, thus saving time on adding information about size, color, etc..
While eBay does cater to a broader audience and attract more traffic on its own, there are still a few selling tips to consider:
- Use relevant keywords in titles and descriptions
- Add high-quality images
- Find the right products to sell for a good price
- Make sure packaging is top-notch
Etsy vs eBay Fees
It’s notable that the pricing structure for eBay is a bit more complicated than on Etsy, with more conditional, circumstantial occurrences. Therefore, fledgling entrepreneurs might be tempted to gravitate toward simplicity in the Etsy vs eBay battle.
Let’s explore the fee differences for merchants to arm themselves with the best information on Etsy vs eBay fees and how to navigate them.
Etsy Fees vs eBay Fees – Simplified Breakdown
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When it comes to Etsy fees vs eBay fees, the main ones are straightforward and clear. However, it is worth mentioning the difference between Etsy vs eBay fees in regards to advertising. While those are optional, it’s worth looking at the important information on ad fees and how to benefit from them.
On-site ads are used to display your product advertisements across the platform itself. Etsy also offers offsite campaigns, displaying your product ads on multiple social media channels and search result pages, such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, and more. Merchants get charged 12% of all sales if they make over $10,000 USD in 12 months, or 15% if under, only when they make a sale.
eBay provides merchants with two types of advertising: brand advertisements and promoted listings. Compared to Etsy, eBay sellers know upfront how much their marketing will cost. Sellers are only charged when a customer clicks on a sponsored listing and buys the product within 30 days.
eCommerce Tools for Selling on Etsy vs eBay
Now that we’ve compared Etsy fees vs eBay fees, it’s time to take a look at the useful tools each platform comes with. While both platforms are interested in helping you grow your online store, their range of eCommerce tools varies greatly. You have to pick the one that corresponds to your vision on how to grow your business and audience.
While Etsy doesn’t offer multiple tools for optimizing the sales process, the biggest advantage of this platform is the easy-to-use approach, which doesn’t require any in-depth knowledge of eCommerce. Anyone can set up a business on this user-friendly platform.
Etsy offers a more relaxed community than eBay, making it the perfect place for beginners and small businesses. As far as tools go, here’s what Etsy has to offer:
- Digital Seller Handbook. Free practical advice and comprehensive knowledge on how to set up successful listings and sell well. Multiple articles on related topics on product pricing, searches, photography, and more.
- Community Forums. Etsy encourages sellers to support each other, help others succeed, share tips, tricks, advice, and even friendly critiques and feedback.
- Etsy App. The perfect tool for sellers on the go. Manage your business away from home and stay on top of everything.
- Third-Party Tools. Discover new products, improve your SEO and marketing, set up automated order preparation and shipping, manage email and social media marketing, image processing, and more.
eBay provides merchants with multiple seller tools that help optimize their business, track store performance, and analyze buyer satisfaction and store ratings. To help sellers reach their goals and improve the overall store performance, eBay provides:
- The eBay App. Allows merchants to operate tools, sales, and work on the go. It’s very user-friendly even for eCommerce beginners.
- Seller Hub. Helps with business and management optimization. It allows merchants to easily create listings, monitor performance, and analyze payouts.
- Listing Templates. These selling templates ease the process of product listing. No need to start each listing from scratch. Use templates and save time.
- Promotions Manager. This tool helps create promotions for targeting potential customers. It allows creating coupons, sales events, promotional shipping, discounts, and more.
- Sales Reports. Sellers get free reports that help track business, main drivers of sales, as well as guide the key business decisions.
- Selling Manager Tools. These tools help with creating, managing, and monitoring product listings. They track inventory, provide reports on sales activities, and automatically schedule listings and re-lists on unsold items.
Pros & Cons of Selling On Etsy vs eBay
After a thorough look at each platform, including Etsy vs eBay fees, performance, client base, and seller tools included, we can come to simple conclusions on the pros and cons of each marketplace. Let’s take a look at them and maybe help you decide which platform is more suited for your businesses.
eBay Pros & Cons
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Etsy Pros & Cons
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Etsy or eBay: Final Thoughts
Is it better to sell on eBay or Etsy? Eventually, merchants can be successful on both platforms by using the right strategy and approach. It all depends on what and how you wish to sell. Hopefully, this thorough guide has given you some ideas and answers.
Why Etsy?
For artists, creative merchants, and those who wish to sell handmade, unique, or vintage goods, the Etsy platform and audience are the way to go. The site is easy to use and beginner-friendly, especially for small businesses. But you’ll have to work harder on marketing, promotions, and reaching customers.
Why eBay?
If you wish to sell literally anything, use auctions, and reach a wide range of global audiences, eBay is the right platform for your business. However, you’ll have to manage high competition and fees along the way.
As always, the eCommerce success of a merchant is entirely up to how they operate. It’s all about finding and staying in tune with niches and target audiences. The good, bad, and ugly of both sides in the Etsy vs eBay contest are laid bare. But one thing is clear. Both entities are simply tools for merchants – powerful only when used correctly.
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Written by
Riley Tanner
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4 comments
The last time I researched Etsy vs. Ebay, I was unable to figure out how to calculate shipping costs. Ebay does that plus offers discounts. How does Etsy help me with that?
Also does Etsy collect sales tax?
Thank you
Hi Patricia,
If you are selling in USD on Etsy, then the shipping rates will be calculated automatically, same as on eBay. If, however, you plan on selling in any other currency, you will need to set them up manually. You can find more information here.
And, yes, Etsy collects Sales Tax on orders shipped within the USA.
Thanks very much for your very informative article. I’ve been trying to decide which marketplace to use to sell my art and antiques and I really appreciate how you laid out all the information side by side making both platforms easier to understand. I still haven’t quite made a decision but I’m getting closer. Thanks again!
Hi Pam, Thank you for your feedback, we are glad to hear you liked the article!
In case you need any help, feel free to get in touch with out Merchant Support team here.