Discovering probably the most appropriate platform for your enterprise is an important step when promoting merchandise on-line. Marketplaces like Etsy and eBay are two in style decisions for many who need to begin their ecommerce journey.
That will help you select between these two choices, we’ve lined and in contrast the important thing elements of Etsy vs. eBay on your on-line enterprise.
Let’s leap proper in!
Etsy vs. eBay: 5 important elements to contemplate
Etsy is a distinct segment market specializing in custom-made and classic gadgets with a inventive twist. eBay, alternatively, is a broader-scope platform. As a substitute of merchandise like custom hoodies, eBay prospects principally seek for mass-production gadgets, each new and used.
However earlier than leaping to any conclusions about whom Etsy and eBay are greatest for, let’s evaluation 5 important elements of every market—from the shopper base to customization alternatives.
Buyer base
Buyer base is a crucial issue to contemplate when evaluating Etsy vs. eBay. Whereas Each Etsy and eBay appeal to principally American prospects, it’s important to dig deeper and discover out which market has a bigger buyer base, what units Etsy consumers aside from eBay consumers, and the way buyer habits differentiates between marketplaces.
Etsy buyer base
With over 1 million energetic outlets promoting distinctive, handmade merchandise, Etsy’s reputation amongst sellers and consumers is rising yearly.
Nonetheless, Etsy is a distinct segment market and, subsequently, has a smaller buyer base than eBay. In 2023, Etsy had 96.2 million active buyers and seven.5 million energetic sellers, with a majority situated within the US (solely 34% of Etsy gross sales come from outdoors the US).
Supply: Running a blog Wizard
Right here’s extra to learn about Etsy customer base statistics:
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On common, folks go to 6.59 pages per session
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A lot of the visitors (58.13%) comes from cellular
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Direct search is the most well-liked search sort (46.35%)
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81% of purchases come from repeat consumers
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15% of Etsy consumers are girls below 25 years previous
Etsy sellers are primarily artists, designers, and crafters. Most Etsy consumers search for items in classes like handmade arts, crafts, jewellery, homeware, or {custom} clothes. One other in style area of interest is classic gadgets (aged 20 years and extra).

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eBay buyer base
eBay is the second-largest market in the USA, with round 885K shops promoting electronics, clothes, and equipment. It hosts 132 million active users and over 18.3 million sellers.
Supply: Statista
Different essential facts about eBay customers:
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eBay sellers (and consumers) principally come from the USA and the UK
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Greater than half (60%) of eBay’s visitors comes from cellular
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61% of eBay’s viewers is 35–64 years previous
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Over 60% of eBay customers are male
eBay provides a wide range of merchandise, virtually 80% of that are brand-new. Prospects principally seek for electrical items (cell telephones rating primary on this class), clothes, and jewellery.
Product varieties
One of many important variations between Etsy vs. eBay lies within the product varieties bought on these platforms. Let’s take a look at top-selling and restricted merchandise on Etsy and eBay that will help you determine which market is extra appropriate for you based mostly in your product sort.
Etsy product varieties
Based on collected data, the marriage theme is among the hottest traits on the platform. Different prime searches embrace Christmas, anime, out of doors, handmade, {custom}, child, video video games, and classic. The highest searched product coloration is pink.
Relating to best-selling product classes and {custom} merchandise on Etsy, handmade items like equipment are within the first place. The highest product on this class is beads ( purchased by 8 million consumers), adopted by pendants, charms, dangles, and drop earrings. Different in style product classes embrace clothes like clothes and custom t-shirts, in addition to dwelling decor—wall decor, work, and prints.
A dropshipping enterprise mannequin is allowed and extremely inspired on {the marketplace}.
Supply: Running a blog Wizard
Nonetheless, some product classes are restricted on Etsy, similar to:
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Alcohol, tobacco, medicine
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Animal merchandise and human stays
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Harmful gadgets like hazardous supplies and weapons
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Objects that promote, assist, or glorify hatred and violence
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Objects that promote criminal activity
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Nudity and mature content material
eBay product varieties
eBay sellers supply a fantastic vary of merchandise—from vintage cash to brand-new electronics and used equipment. By class sort, the most popular products are electronics and equipment (16.4% of all gross sales), adopted by clothes and niknaks (13.8%).
Prime-selling clothes and attire on eBay embrace males’s clothes, footwear, and equipment. The most effective-selling gadgets on this listing are t-shirts, activewear, jackets, coats, and pants.
Ladies’s clothes can also be in style on eBay. The vast majority of listings characteristic tops, blouses, clothes, and t-shirts. Like on Etsy, dropshipping is allowed on eBay, too.
Watch out, although, eBay restricts these classes:
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Grownup gadgets and alcohol
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Used clothes
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Cosmetics
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Coupons and reductions
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Bank cards, shares
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Medicine and firearms
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Meals and consumables
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Tobacco and e-cigarettes
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Reside creatures
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Companies
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And others
Charges
Each marketplaces cost vendor charges. Nonetheless, the costs and charge insurance policies of Etsy vs. eBay differ. With out a nearer look, eBay wins right here because it provides free month-to-month listings. Nonetheless, whereas Etsy doesn’t supply this, it has an easier charge coverage than eBay.
Etsy charges
Itemizing charges on Etsy are $0.20. When you make the itemizing, it’s legitimate for 4 months (the renewal charge can also be $0.20 per itemizing).
Etsy sellers with the Etsy Sample retailer received’t be charged the renewal and transaction charges. In case you don’t have a Sample, Etsy costs a 6.5% transaction charge on every merchandise bought. Sustaining an Etsy Sample retailer prices $15.00/month (together with area charge, in case you purchase it from them).
Additionally, you’re required to pay a transport charge (relying on the merchandise’ data, vacation spot, and carriers’ insurance policies). Non-obligatory Etsy vendor charges embrace the Etsy subscription charge ($10 a month), Etsy Funds (3% + $0.25 for every transaction), and Etsy adverts.
eBay charges
eBay’s charge system is extra difficult than Etsy’s. eBay sellers have 2 important charges: insertion charges (or itemizing charges) and remaining worth charges (charged after your merchandise sells). The quantity of those costs will depend on your merchandise’s value, itemizing class, your efficiency as a vendor, and itemizing upgrades (in case you’ve made them).
These charges additionally depend upon whether or not you’ve gotten an eBay retailer (accessible with month-to-month and annual subscriptions). Retailer subscription charge monthly ranges from $7.95 to $2,999.95.
With an eBay retailer, you get greater than 250 free listings a month. With out the shop, you’re restricted to 250 free listings. After you’ve used that, you’ll must pay $0.35 per itemizing.
Advertising instruments
Promoting and promotion are nice methods to drive guests to your retailer and improve gross sales. Each Etsy and eBay supply varied efficient built-in advertising instruments and helpful sources for sellers, each free and paid.
Etsy advertising instruments
Etsy promotes the significance of group amongst its sellers. Etsy encourages members to share their distinctive tales and assist one another by means of free Etsy group boards, the place everybody can ask for assist, recommendation, or suggestions.
Other than boards, Etsy organizes free dwell webinars and provides a free Etsy Vendor Handbook, filled with sensible recommendation on key matters like images, advertising, and extra. In case you’re focused on how to get sales on Etsy, there’s loads of data accessible totally free.
On the subject of promoting and selling your Etsy retailer, Etsy has a number of choices, together with onsite and offsite Etsy adverts. Etsy onsite adverts goal particular key phrases and seem inside Etsy’s search outcomes and product itemizing web page.
In case you select these adverts, you’ll pay when somebody clicks on them. Offsite adverts are displayed outdoors Etsy—on social media channels, and different search engines like google and yahoo (like Google). On this case, you’ll be charged an promoting charge if a customer clicks in your offsite advert and orders inside 30 days. Nonetheless, adverts aren’t the one software to advertise your store on Etsy.
Supply: Sellbrite
Listed below are 5 exterior instruments for Etsy sellers:
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eRank: for key phrase evaluation, itemizing optimization, and store evaluation
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Marmalead: for Etsy search engine marketing
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Seller-Way: for itemizing and store evaluation, search engine marketing, competitor’s outlets and gross sales evaluation, traits, and bestsellers, and itemizing design concepts
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EtsyHunt (extension): for key phrase efficiency overview, view of core product/store data (weekly gross sales, whole gross sales, favorites, date, transport, and so on.)
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Ryviu: for managing and importing critiques from different websites like AliExpress, Amazon, Etsy, and so on.
eBay advertising instruments
eBay provides extra built-in advertising instruments than Etsy. These instruments present eBay sellers with tips for selling on eBay and assist you create, handle, and promote your listings, whether or not you’ve gotten an eBay store or not.
eBay sources embrace:
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Seller Hub: a free software for smoother enterprise operations
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Selling Templates: free reusable templates for streamlined and creation of high-quality listings
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Sales Reports (greatest for high-volume sellers): free reviews to handle and analyze your eBay enterprise
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Promotions Manager (for eBay store subscribers): a software for planning and finishing up promotions
As to promoting, eBay provides two kinds of promoting. The primary is model commercials—an advert banner you should buy to showcase your model. The second is promoted listings—an choice to characteristic your gadgets on the highest of the merchandise listing.
eBay promoting works on a pay-per-click mannequin (and if a purchaser purchases your merchandise inside 30 days). You too can use cross promotions and promotions for related gadgets.
Supply: eBay
Other than promoting, there are extra advertising instruments accessible instantly on the platform, like:
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E-mail advertising
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Vendor prime picks
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Branding
There are additionally dozens of exterior eBay instruments, apps, and extensions to assist sellers succeed, for instance:
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Jazva: for managing a number of eBay shops in a single dashboard
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ShelfTrend: for competitor analysis
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Inkfrog: for simple creation of gorgeous listings
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KeySearch: for search phrases discovery
Customization
A visually interesting store is extra more likely to succeed. When selecting which market to make use of on your on-line enterprise, think about the customization choices accessible to your on-line retailer on every platform. Each Etsy and eBay have some alternatives for personalisation, however the supplied instruments aren’t pervasive.
Etsy customization choices
Etsy’s customization choices are fairly restricted. Nonetheless, you may make an attractive and clear store look.
Etsy provides a chance so as to add your personal branding supplies like a brand, banner, your store’s story (with an possibility to incorporate a video), and the store proprietor’s photograph. As well as, the Etsy Plus subscription means that you can customise your featured space. All sellers can create their very own store insurance policies. Nonetheless, customization doesn’t transcend that.
eBay customization choices
Alternatively, eBay does supply a extra highly effective method for personalisation—HTML customization.
Other than basic items like your store identify, the eBay retailer subscription means that you can add your prime banner, brand, description, featured classes, advertising banner, retailer video, and retailer insurance policies.
So, whereas eBay provides some customization choices, they’re fairly restricted and require good technical data (HTML customization).

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The decision
Deciding between Etsy and eBay for your enterprise comes right down to your target market, merchandise, and enterprise objectives. Every platform is nice on your on-line enterprise, however relying on what you propose to promote and who your potential prospects are, one platform will go well with you higher than the opposite.
Let’s summarize the entire above to make the ultimate verdict.
Who’s Etsy greatest for?
In case you’re simply beginning promoting {custom} merchandise on-line or have a small enterprise specializing in creative, inventive, handmade gadgets, then Etsy’s the best alternative for you. With its smaller buyer base and appreciation in direction of craftsmanship, artistry, and individuality, Etsy’s well-suited for learners (because it’s tremendous straightforward to arrange an Etsy vendor account) and area of interest product sellers who worth a close-knit group.
Supply: Etsy
Who’s eBay greatest for?
eBay’s an enormous on-line market that works greatest for a broader vary of merchandise and bigger markets. It has an intensive attain and a various buyer base, so it fits varied niches and audiences. As well as, eBay provides versatile pricing by means of bidding, which makes it straightforward to set your value and adapt to market calls for.
Supply: eBay
Last notes
Each Etsy and eBay supply nice alternatives on your on-line print-on-demand companies. To decide on between an eBay or Etsy retailer, consider the options and benefits of every market, in addition to your merchandise, your target market, and your particular enterprise objectives and wishes.
What’s your best choice and why? Tell us within the feedback.