My very first question, when I decided to open a shop, was which platform to choose: Etsy, Shopify, or to install my own? [Side note: I’m a former front-end developer, so I have the skill set to do this.]
After giving it more thought, I’ve dismissed the idea of creating my own platform because it is time-consuming. Every minute spent setting up a webshop is a minute taken away from creating art, so it’s not worth it.
I’ve heard that Etsy imposes significant fees on every sale, potentially leading to considerable costs. On the other hand, Shopify is not entirely free; it comes with a monthly fee of $32 USD or $24 USD if paid annually. Since Shopify does not support my currency (HUF), every month feels like a gamble for me due to the Hungarian Forint being considerably weaker compared to the Dollar. Additionally, I suspect that these prices do not include VAT, and unfortunately, the VAT in Hungary is relatively high.
There will come a point when Shopify becomes worthwhile, but perhaps not at the beginning. I made my first sale on January 4 and have sold a total of 20 items, earning 114.40€. However, Etsy deducted 23.54€. I am approaching the point where the earnings could cover the cost of Shopify. Unfortunately, my sales are not yet predictable, making it challenging to determine if February will be similar or not.
tl;dr: Currently, Etsy is worthwhile for me as a new seller, offering trust and a robust seller protection system. However, for long-term reliability and trust-building, considering platforms like Shopify (or similar) might be the best idea, especially given positive survey responses about both Etsy and individual webshops.