In the world of handmade, Etsy appears to be the go-to place for all things creative. From handcrafted gifts to limited edition prints, it is one of the largest online marketplaces for artists to sell online. As of 2018, Etsy had over 34 million active buyers and over 2.1 million sellers on their website (1). That’s not just a huge audience, but it’s also a lot of competition! Although Etsy is a great way to get started, it might not bring you the success you desire right off the bat. So we’ve compiled a list of other online marketplaces and galleries that you can tap into to sell your work online.
Art For Your Cause
Art For Your Cause is an online gallery with a philanthropic twist. Artists align with nonprofits creating and promoting their art through specific causes. Also, buyers select a nonprofit in the checkout where they receive 10% donation for every sale.
Amazon Handmade
If Etsy has a lot of potential buyers, you can bet Amazon will have much more. Amazon’s Handmade store is for artisans who want to sell high quality, handcrafted items on any or all three of their North American markets. They charge no upfront costs, but they do charge a 15% referral fee when a purchase is made. That fee includes a lot of services, like payment processing, fraud protection, marketing, and support.
Zazzle
Zazzle is a unique place to sell online, with no monthly fees or listing fees. You can reach over 30 million shoppers and fulfill your own orders. Zazzle has two kinds of sellers, Designers, and Makers, so whether you want to put your art on products or sell handmade, Zazzle might just be for you.
ArtFire
ArtFire is a similar site to Etsy, with an online marketplace for selling handmade items, vintage goods, and craft supplies. They offer three membership plans to choose from, and all include US based tech support.
Big Cartel
Forbes Magazine named Big Cartel one of the best small companies in 2018. They give artists tools to create their own online store, with three membership tiers. Big Cartel doesn’t take commissions from sales, they simply charge a flat monthly rate based on how big and fancy an online store you want. And their free store templates are well designed and can make your art look pretty amazing.
eCrater
eCrater is another site that allows you to create your own online store, for free. They offer a variety of templates and a myriad of features. It’s a great start for those with little technical expertise or for those without a big startup budget.
Society6
Society6 is an online store that features cell phone cases, pillows, blankets, and just about everything else with your art printed on demand. You set your own profit margin and are given complete credit for your work. They also sell digital prints in nice frames, so it’s a great way to offer limited edition art without investing in materials upfront.
Zibbet
Zibbet offers those who do sell on Etsy a way to expand their sales channels without having to manage two stores. In addition to Etsy, you can sell on the Zibbet Marketplace as well as create a Stitch website, for those that want a stand-alone site to place their products. You can make changes or updates to products, inventory and more all from one place.
Shopify
Shopify is another all-in-one sales tool that lets you create an online store, manage point-of-sale, sell on major marketplaces like Amazon, and sell on social media site like Facebook. Starting at $30 per month, it isn’t the cheapest option, but it’s probably the most versatile for any e-commerce start-up.
IndieMade
IndieMade is another online store and website maker. Made specifically for artists, they have 4 memberships plans that include things like hosting, SSL certificates, and more.
Bonanza
Bonanza is an online marketplace and website maker that features and sells just about everything. An Etsy competitor, it is quickly becoming the next big thing in buying and selling online. Their fees are very competitive and the site is user-friendly.
Well, there you have it, eleven alternatives to Etsy. Getting started with selling your art online can be tough, but with all of these options, there is something for every skill level and budget. So no excuses, get out there and start selling!
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