Should I Sell on Etsy, Amazon, eBay, My Website, or at Markets?

Lozs Art pop up shop

I wanted to take a break from my usual posts to share some thoughts I’ve been mulling over about the best places for artists and handmade sellers like myself to sell their work. If you’re in the same boat, maybe my journey will give you some food for thought too! I’ve been considering doing a video on this topic, but I’m still a bit camera-shy, so for now, I’m sticking to writing.

I began selling on eBay back in 2005. At the time, I was offering scrapbooking items and hand-painted glasses. It was a simpler time—sales came easily, and the platform wasn’t as crowded. However, profitability was a challenge, especially with postage costs in Australia making it hard to compete with international sellers. Later, I experimented with Etsy, where I sold a few of my early drawings and colouring books. 

Fast forward to the beginning of this year, when I decided to relaunch my business with a focus on mandala art, handmade and hand-painted giftwares, and products featuring my digital art. I revamped my website, which is hosted on WooCommerce, and initially concentrated my efforts on listing products on Bluethumb and Etsy. I thought it would be like the good old days—just put up some well-photographed items with catchy titles, and the sales would roll in. But the landscape has changed. These marketplaces are now incredibly saturated, and it takes a lot of effort to stand out and generate sales.

Through hours of research and countless YouTube videos, I learned that platforms like Etsy and Amazon aren’t as straightforward as they once were. Worse, they can shut down your shop without warning and hold your funds for months. That’s a risk I wasn’t keen on taking.

After investing time in setting up on Amazon and Etsy and creating a variety of products, I was disappointed by the lack of sales. With winter setting in, the option of selling at local markets wasn’t really available either. So, I reached out to a local café that is very popular, The Crooked Carrot Café, to see if I could set up a stall there. They agreed, and even though the winter weather wasn’t ideal, I found the experience really encouraging. People came up to chat with me about my paintings, and I made a profit! This feedback was invaluable, and it motivated me to tailor my products to their customer base. I even invested in a professional tent and created displays for my pop-up shop.

Yesterday, I set up my stall again despite the wind and rain, and I managed to make some sales and turn a profit. This experience has convinced me that selling in person, through pop-up shops at places like The Crooked Carrot, is a viable and rewarding option. With summer on the horizon, when the café gets busier, I’m optimistic that this could be my best sales outlet. I also think their customers match my ideal customers too. This cafe is halfway between Perth and popular destination in the Southwest of Western Australia, so many stop for quality food and coffee, and it is pet friendly too. This spot therefore exposes me to people from Perth who may also have a holiday home they would like to fill with artsy products, or are open to purchasing holiday gifts.

As for the online space, I’ve decided to step back from Etsy and Amazon. These platforms require a significant effort to drive traffic to your shop, so I think my energy would be better spent improving and promoting my website—so stay tuned for that! I’ll also be closing my Bluethumb listings due to their high commissions and similar challenges to Etsy and eBay. Managing multiple platforms is time-consuming, and I’d rather focus on what’s working. For now, I’ll keep my listings on Made-It Australia and Spend With Us, and I’ll work on promoting my products through their Facebook pages.

If you’re just starting or have a small business of your own, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What’s been working for you? Let’s share some insights!