If you shop online a lot, chances are that you’ve probably shopped from Etsy or Ebay. It doesn’t matter whether you are a seller or customer, almost everyone is familiar with both the marketplaces online. Infact, both Ebay and Etsy fall as the second most preferred marketplace by both sellers and customers after Amazon.
That’s why a lot of sellers fall in a dilemma when choosing the best platform to sell products on. If you don’t wish to sell at a big marketplace like Amazon, then either of the options are good for you, especially if you have an existing Shopify store and are planning to expand your reach. If you’re wondering if selling on etsy v/s ebay is worth it then keep reading!
We take this opportunity to clear your dilemma by giving you a clear picture of both the platforms. So let’s uncover things one by one.
Etsy vs eBay: Types Of Sellers
The sellers vastly differ in both the cases. The first and most obvious fact about Ebay is products. Various sellers, both wholesalers and retailers sell a myriad of products online. Remember the days when Ebay was as popular as Amazon for online shopping? It’s because the platform sold everything and anything.
You can find a number of new and second-hand products on Ebay, as long as it’s in a decent condition, you can buy it. Things like wholesale items, vintage items, handmade tools etc, you can find everything under multiple categories.
Etsy on the other hand provides a chic twist to online shopping. It allows creators and sellers to display handmade and antique products and advertise them. Rather than a marketplace, it is a boutique that allows small sellers to showcase their arts and crafts. It doesn’t support mass products and is generally known for hosting small shops with promising items. So most of the things you find here would be either handmade or antique. Therefore to conclude in simple terms:
Ebay: Mass-produced items, vintage, second-hand items, wholesale items etc
Etsy: Handmade and artsy items under 20 years of age by small sellers
eBay V/S Etsy: What’s The Difference?
| Particulars | Ebay | Etsy |
|---|---|---|
| Etsy VS eBay: Seller Tools | Ebay has in-built seller tools and facilities like Promotions Manager,Seller Hub, File Exchange and more, along with more 3rd party tools | Etsy sellers rely on third party apps like Etsy on Sale, Backsty, Around.io, Wix, Google Trends etc. Here’s more information for help |
| Etsy VS eBay: Fees | Ebay charges two types of seller fees: – A selling fee levied on listing of an item and it depends on what you sell – Sales fees when the item is sold and the price is usually 10% of the product’s price |
Etsy nominally charges a fee of 0.20 US$ to publish a listing. Once the item is sold, a 5% transaction fee is levied on the sales price. A seller will also have to pay Paypal processing fees which makes the process expensive. |
| Etsy V/S Ebay: Ease Of Use | Ebay is fairly easy to use. Almost anyone can sell on Ebay whether they have a new product or old one. You need to create an Ebay account to get started. | Etsy is super simple. All you have to do is create an account, set up a store name, stock your store, configure payment methods and other settings and you’re good to go! |
| Etsy V/S Ebay: Customer Service | Ebay not just allows customers to contact sellers with ease, but it also allows them to check a seller’s information before making a purchase. There are various toll-free numbers available where you can get help from both sellers and Ebay teams. | Etsy has an Opt-in email feature but it doesn’t allow email marketing, you need permission to send emails to your customers. But Etsy has various customer forums and customer service options. |
| Etsy V/S Ebay: Reach | Ebay has a global reach, 153.2 million to be precise (Statista). If you sell a product on Ebay, you can sell it across the globe. A mass audience is what provides leverage to Ebay. | Etsy, although niche, has a targeted audience, around 40 million. Much like loyal customers who are interested in a certain type of product. However, the platform is expanding rapidly. |
| Etsy V/S Ebay: Reliability | Almost all kinds of sellers are scattered on Ebay, most copycats with fake or me-too products. So finding a genuine source for a buyer is difficult. | Although Etsy is creative in its own sense, a lot of products there are unreliable or copycat products. Buyers often find genuine sellers and stick to them for purchase. |
Etsy V/S Ebay: Some Relevant Stats For You
Etsy
- 45.7 million people purchased goods from Etsy in 2019
- There were a total of 60.27 million buyers on Etsy in 2020
- Etsy’s annual marketplace revenue in 2020 is 1.3 bn USD
- There are approx 4.3 million sellers on Etsy in 2020
- The handmade category represents 85% of Etsy’s revenue
Ebay
- Ebay’s annual marketplace revenue in 2019 was 8.64 bn USD
- The United States form 35% of the sellers on Ebay followed by United Kingdom
- It has 185 million active users as on 2020
- As per a 2020 survey, Ebay was listed as the most popular marketplace in the United States with a total score of 6.53/10 (Statista)
- Ebay garnered 79/100 on customer satisfaction in 2019 in a survey conducted by ASCI
Etsy versus eBay: Which Will You Choose?
Etsy V/S Ebay, which one is easier to sell on? Well both have a competitive advantage in their own way. Almost both the platforms are similar in their offerings and usage. However, what differs is the target audience. It is important to look at the target audience of each platform before settling for one.
As mentioned above, Ebay is highly popular across the masses whereas Etsy is specifically targeted towards the niche audience that prefers handmade items from small creators. Both platforms have their own pros and cons. Here’s a quick look:
Etsy
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It is easy to list products on Etsy, you just have to follow a few steps to finish configuration and you’re all set to sell | Etsy doesn’t have official seller tools to help sellers promote and sell products. You will have to rely on multiple third party apps for each feature |
| Etsy has a decent reach in terms of audience | However, it will only be relevant if you’re selling the same kind of products as other sellers on Etsy |
| The customer base of Etsy is highly targeted so you have the potential and opportunity to create a loyal customer base | High fee and several charges on sales is what keeps sellers away from the platform. Also there is a threat of copycats plagiarizing your products |
Ebay
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The biggest advantage of Ebay is the customer base, you have tons of potential to reach to the masses, especially those located in the US | Ebay favours buyers over sellers so if there’s any conflict, you will likely have to bear the consequences since the platform favours buyers |
| It is easy to list products on Ebay and almost anyone can do it. You can duplicate some listings and sell your items in an efficient manner | The fees for sellers are extremely high, not the mention they differ from product to product. So if you’re selling high quality antiques, chances are you will have to pay a huge chunk of your sales to Ebay |
| Ebay is extremely safe, years of brand service and awareness makes sellers trust the platform more than anyone | The buyers can commit to pay for something but they may back out in the last minute. This makes selling highly unreliable for sellers. |
Final Pick- Your Choice
Our recommendation to you would be to analyse the type of product you wish to sell and study both the marketplaces to figure out the best possible outcome. Will you be able to make more profit on Etsy due to the nature of your products? Then go for it!
Do you wish to reach the masses in order to sell as many products as you can? Then go for Ebay! Understand the potential, gaps and opportunities in both the platforms to make a final decision.
Here’s A Little Help
As a brand that has helped sellers and marketers for decades, at Putler we’ve realised that any kind of selling requires a little extra effort. Analytical efforts to be precise. You can’t make marketing and sales decisions until you KNOW what’s happening with your store, right?
Advanced reporting helps sellers and companies understand their sales activities, audience behaviour and goals. Facts and figures give you an overview on how your business is faring and what you can do to make it better.
This feature is lacking in both the marketplaces- Etsy and Ebay. While you have third party tools that help you sell. You won’t be able to find a tool that incorporates all your store activities, data, facts and figures into comprehensible data in a single dashboard and in the simplest form of charts.
Until you look at Putler.