January 15, 2013

Selling Patterns Online: Etsy vs. Craftsy

Do you design your own patterns? And I am not just talking about crochet... do you sew, knit, make beautiful embroidery designs? Have you been thinking this is the year that you start selling your patterns online... or maybe you already have an online shop and have been thinking of offering patterns but not sure where to get started or which selling platform will work best for you... well today I will talk about my experience selling my Signature Infinity Scarf Pattern on both Etsy and Craftsy.



I released this pattern August of 2012, and since I was already selling my finished items on Etsy via Don't Get it Twisted Crochet I didn't even question where I was going to sale... and I have to say that making the decision to offer this pattern in my Etsy shop was one of the best decisions I made for my business in 2012 and offering the pattern on Craftsy had to be my 2nd.

Selling Patterns on Craftsy

I was introduced to Craftsy when someone who I admire in my crochet world was offering an online class on the Craftsy platform...I loved the class and how interactive things were but I really didn't explore Craftsy beyond the online class aspect not until I started seeing Craftsy come up more and more in my searches for different crochet patterns. So after a little research I decided to list my pattern on Craftsy...and the response was about the same as on Etsy. So which do I prefer... in all honestly I enjoy selling on both platforms for different reasons so I will just do a comparison and you can decide what platform may be best for you.

Etsy vs Craftsy for Selling Patterns

When my pattern sales on Craftsy...
§  Craftsy does not charge any fees to list patterns on their site the only fees I pay are Paypal fees which by the way is the only payment method that Craftsy currently accepts.
§  Craftsy also offers automatic downloads, when you purchase a pattern you can download you receive a link that will allow you to download the pattern in PDF format. The pattern is also available in your library on Etsy.
§  Craftsy does not allow designers to sale finished items on the site only patterns/tutorials.
When my pattern sales on Etsy...
§  On Etsy in addittion to Paypal fees I also have to pay a .20 cents listing fee every time my pattern sales. (I know .20 does not sound like a lot but trust it adds up quickly).
§  Etsy does not offer automatic downloads for pattern sales so every time my pattern sales on Etsy I am responsible for sending that pattern to my customer sometimes it can be done immediately and other times my customer has to wait hours for me to email them the pattern.
§  Because I also sale finished items in my Etsy shop I occasionally get a customer who believes they have purchased a finished item instead of a pattern, but I also get more exposure to my shop... someone who may be looking for a finished infinity scarf may have found me via my pattern listing.
As I stated I do enjoy selling on both platforms however if I were not selling finished items Craftsy would be my platform of choice. From a business standpoint it is a win/win for both the seller and the buyer. So what are you waiting for go ahead and get your pattern ready to sale; and if you are looking to make an easy crochet scarf to get you through the rest of winter then don't forget to get your copy of the Don't Get it Twisted Crochet Signature Infinity Scarf Pattern.
 


8 comments:

  1. Good list of comparisons. I think Craftsy is more oriented to a market like yours, so it's easier and more approachable to use. As for Etsy, the traffic is bigger, even if it's not as user-friendly as the former; it all evens out. I think using different platforms to promote your shop and increase your sales is also a good strategy.

    Premier Marketing Solutions & Networking, LLC

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  2. Well, I guess the biggest factor here is simply the bigger following that Etsy has, as compared to Craftsy. But Craftsy certainly has its perks, especially if the person is only interested in sharing her designs and patterns with people for a fee. Plus the fact that you don’t have to send the patterns manually is certainly a big thing. I would imagine that it would be quite a hassle, and it might even be best to just put up a link in your social media pages that divert to Craftsy, should they want the pattern and not the item itself. Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter. Cheers!

    Madeline Rice @ SEO Marketing Machine

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  3. Craftsy and Etsy are really some of the best online marketing platforms right now. Each has their merits, though it would seem though that Etsy is more convenient, as it allows the selling of products then and there. This means that it can sell more types of products, and not just handicrafts. However, Craftsy has an edge for pattern making for prints, embroideries, and what not, since it is more specifically configured for them. That being said, thanks for laying out the advantages of each platform, and thus helping us make an informed choice. Good day!

    Travis White @ Marketing Digest

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello, there's a new website.

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    Digital product marketplace is a plaform allowing authors, developers and designs to sell their work online in order to run an online business or earn a sustainable income from selling their product online.

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  5. Etsy now offer instant downloads. You as the designer upload your pattern when filling out the details. I am new to selling patterns on both craftsy and etsy. As yet I have had a quicker and more response from craftsy and very few views, but more favorited items from Etsy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Etsy now offer instant downloads. You as the designer upload your pattern when filling out the details. I am new to selling patterns on both craftsy and etsy. As yet I have had a quicker and more response from craftsy and very few views, but more favorited items from Etsy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I use Allavsoft to download videos courses from Craftsy, Lynda, Udemy, Coursera, Digital Tutors etc.
    Here is the easy guide http://www.allavsoft.com/how-to/download-craftsy-lessons-classes-videos.html

    ReplyDelete
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