8 Etsy Alternatives for Your Online Store

You might be looking at Etsy to sell your handmade, print on demand, or digital products - or you might've already opened a storefront there. But while Etsy has grown to become a popular choice among independent sellers and creative entrepreneurs since it launched in 2005, it may not be the best fit for everyone due to its limitations, high competitiveness, and equally high fees. Let's take a look at the top Etsy alternatives for you to explore, from Fourthwall to Shopify, Amazon Handmade to Storenvy, and see which ones best suit your ecommerce business needs.

Why Consider Alternatives to Etsy?

There’s no doubt that Etsy does have some good services, including on-demand printing, shipping options, and, of course, the name recognition factor. However, it’s important to be aware of potential downsides or limitations of using Etsy that may affect your business. Here are three reasons why you might want to consider an Etsy alternative:

High fees

Etsy charges a 6.5% transaction fee and a $0.20 listing fee for each product you list, and some payment methods will also cost the seller payment processing fees. If you're brand new to Etsy, you may be required to pay a one-time shop setup fee of $15. Etsy Plus shops can additionally opt to pay another $10 per month to gain access to the Etsy Plus set of expanded tools; and if you want to purchase Etsy ads to promote your shop, that's yet another set of fees. These fees may seem small separately, but they can add up quickly.

Product limitations

Unlike many of the Etsy alternatives, Etsy itself has strict guidelines on what can be sold on its platform. 

Some examples of what you're not allowed to sell on Etsy include vintage items or collectibles newer than 20 years old; resold handmade items (things you didn't make yourself); digital items not made by you; services; rentals; metaphysical services or items; internationally regulated items; and any items that violate Etsy's Intellectual Property Policy (for instance, T-shirts made with copyrighted images from a popular movie.) This can be limiting for people interested in selling products within the above categories; it could be better to find a platform like Etsy but without those restrictions.

Saturated market

There are reportedly 8.3 million sellers on Etsy as of late 2023 - which translates to an extremely large number of Etsy shops and products competing for attention, exposure, and sales. Between this high saturation situation and the possibility of your merch not necessarily being in demand with Etsy shoppers (selling on Etsy generally requires a lot of research and meticulous keyword selection to get any traction), it can be very difficult for new sellers to get started on Etsy's site.

8 Etsy Alternatives to Consider

These Etsy alternatives all have some ecommerce traits in common, but their individual platform features can vary a lot from site to site. It's smart to do plenty of research with your own ecommerce goals in mind - are you selling handmade crafts? Print on demand items? Digital downloads? Vintage items or artisan goods? - and find the site whose features line up best with how you want your Etsy alternative store to look and function. Here are 9 Etsy alternatives to consider:

1. Fourthwall

Fourthwall is an all-in-one ecommerce platform that enables content creators like YouTubers, Twitch streamers, TikTokers, podcasters, musicians, and artists to launch their own website, on which you can design, source, and sell merch and services. You can even sell digital products or crafts - go ahead and bring your own handmade goods in to your Fourthwall shop! Fourthwall also allows creators of all sizes to sell memberships and premium video content, so it's an especially great choice for content creators who want to build both their store and community without up-front cost or inventory; and the wealth of additional features makes your Fourthwall site a much more full-featured site than what Etsy can offer.

2. Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is basically Amazon's answer to Etsy, and has a similar feel. Amazon Handmade has a lower fee structure than Etsy - when you make a sale, Amazon Handmade deducts a 15% referral fee - and if you get approved as an Amazon Handmade seller, the "professional selling plan fee" of $39.99 per month is waived. There's a registration process in order to get approved, but once you are, you can sell products in all of the approved Amazon Handmade categories, as long as you're selling handmade items (no purchased/resold or digital products.) Amazon Handmade offers access to Amazon's huge customer base, which is a bonus for sellers who want to take advantage of Amazon's wide reach.

3. Shopify

Shopify has become a go-to ecommerce platform for many online sellers, offering a variety of plans to fit the needs of different businesses, with features like inventory management and advanced Shopify analytics. Shopify plans start at $29 per month and Shopify site features increase as you purchase more expensive levels. Shopify's free store themes have support for effects like dynamic scrolling and hover; and you can use "Shopify Magic," Shopify's AI features suite, to generate product descriptions and schedule email communications. Shopify is also good for sellers who want to integrate their Shopify storefront with other social media accounts.

4. iCraft

iCraft claims to be "the place for everything handmade," so if you're looking to sell crafts in your ecommerce store, you might want to take a look at this platform. iCraft has been growing in the ecommerce marketplace for the past 12 years, and focuses on handmade items only - no resellers, dropshippers, or anything mass-produced. iCraft categories include jewelry, clothing, accessories, home decor, games, and artwork. You can start your Etsy alternative store on iCraft for $10 per month with unlimited products and no product renewals required, and they reportedly have plans in the works (2024) to redesign and modernize their existing iCraft site.

5. Mercari

Mercari is an Etsy alternative that lets sellers list a wide variety of products, from electronics and home goods to fashion and beauty. Mercari can be an interesting choice for those who want to sell online to a new audience; they also recently swapped out their fees, now charging buyers for each item purchased instead of charging the sellers (you do have to pay a $2 transaction fee for each payout transfer to your checking account.) Mercari's simple interface and basic instructions - take photos, describe the item, set your price - makes it easy to list your goods, and then all you do is ship them from your end once each item sells. And speaking of those items, you can sell "just about anything," according to the Mercari site. 

6. eBay

Like Etsy, eBay is a popular ecommerce website that has been around since the early days of online shopping - in fact about 10 years earlier than Etsy itself. eBay allows sellers to sell pretty much anything, and the site has a large following of loyal shoppers. eBay is a good choice for sellers who want more flexibility in what they can sell. You can now open an eBay store on the site, complete with its own name, inventory, and your business logo, if you so choose; stores start at $4.95 per month for a starter store, which includes 250 item listings per month; you'll pay an additional small fee per listing if you exceed that amount. As an eBay store owner, you'll also get access to tools to manage and promote your seller listings. 

7. eCrater

Your free ecommerce store on eCrater - "capable of selling any product," according to the eCrater site - features a host of features, from a selection of themes/templates and colors  to custom categories, feedback reviews, support for promo codes, and your own return policy and FAQ. Like Etsy, you can include up to 10 photos per product listing, and the eCrater site also includes social sharing buttons, store widgets, and a solid range of payment options from direct credit card processing to money orders, cashier's checks, PayPal, and Stripe for smooth selling online. Products uploaded to seller stores are often also advertised in the eCrater marketplace for extra exposure.

8. Storenvy

Storenvy is a platform and website builder that focuses on handmade and unique products. It offers a customizable storefront and a variety of features, including built-in marketing tools and social media integration. Calling their users' Storenvy stores "indie brands," the Storenvy site allows creators to start for free, listing up to 20 products; the lowest priced paid plan (up to 100 products) starts at $4.99 per month. Storenvy's Social Marketplace is how your products can get discovered; Storenvy customers who "Watch" your store will be notified every time you add new products to the Marketplace. The Storenvy shopper community also votes on their favorite products by "Envying," which can get you even more exposure in search results and on Storenvy's trending feed.

But Wait - Don't Forget Your Social Media Platforms

There's one more Etsy alternative that might seem a little unexpected. In addition to platforms like Fourthwall, Shopify, Ebay, and the others listed above, social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok also offer opportunities to sell products - even YouTube is part of the shopping game now!

These socials, just like the other Etsy alternatives, allow you to showcase your products, and many even offer integrations with external storefronts and marketplaces. For many of you, your socials already provide a built-in audience, so leveraging your existing social reach by integrating your shop and promoting your products can grow your customer base from a whole new angle.

Discover the Fourthwall Difference

There are many Etsy alternatives available for sellers to choose from, each with their own unique features and benefits. But if you're a content creator looking to launch a shop and a website, sell products, and offer memberships to your supporters, Fourthwall is a top choice, as it offers all of those features plus a whole lot more.

Fourthwall allows artists and creators to monetize their creative works - physical goods, print on demand items, and digital products - in a fun and hassle-free way. With advanced marketing tools, in-depth analytics, video thank-you notes for your customers, and endless ways to customize your Fourthwall site, store, and products, there's no better time to put Etsy back on the shelf and get your ecommerce journey started on Fourthwall!