So basically I spent most of yesterday wrecking my head over the pros and cons of selling on Etsy vs Folksy and come to the conclusion that I should use both to do different things. I’m sharing my deliberations here, in case they are helpful to anyone else. And I’ll start with Etsy:

My Etsy home page

Etsy has a major international remit, cheaper listing fees and higher profile. For any craftster or independent seller it’s the place to be. However I lose out on the conversion rate and have to set my prices higher to compensate. Also Etsy is so big now that I worry about ever being found  there! Even so, this may be the best place for my embroidery to live as there are other sellers creating the kind of hoop art I aspire to. My fabric design and Irish designs could go here too, as they have international appeal.

My Folksy homepage

Folksy is aimed squarely at the UK market, so no conversion rate difficulties, and the site is smaller so I may be more easily stumbled upon. I’ve had a few easy sales here (mostly badges). However the listing fees are higher, and the average product price here is  lower than Etsy’s, (arguably due to craft having a perceived lower status in the UK).  I’m not sure how fair that perception is but I feel that less expensive items may sell better here but because the listing fees /commission is higher, I stand to lose more on small items. I’d have to aim to break even, rather than make a profit – or risk pricing myself out of the market. It’s a tough call, but I’d like to be part of the local craft revival and I think UK customers are happier to buy local too.

In conclusion, part of my difficulty is that I’m not really a ‘Maker’. My interest in craft is as an illustrator and designer who loves creating designs for print, fabric and embroidery. (And embroidery is a new way of drawing for me that I’d like to incorporate in to my arts practice). So my reasons for being on Etsy and Folksy weren’t so much about sales ( I don’t mass produce), but about being found, and sharing my drawings and designs with the world. A profile raiser if you will if, for generating future bespoke and freelance work. But I think I need to get smarter about how I use them, as right now they feel like an outgoing of little benefit.

I’m interested to hear how others have approached using these sites, and what you’ve found the pros and cons to be. As ever – your replies are invited in the comment box below!