I love selling stuff on the internet. For a while, eBay was my default site for selling things. I’ve been selling since the early days of the internet, and eBay was pretty much the only place you could sell things. Back then, only big businesses like Amazon had their own online stores.
Fast-forward to the present day, and we have so many options when it comes to selling online. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling: if there’s a market for it, there’s going to be an appropriate website for you to sell on.
I still use eBay a lot, but I’ve also started using Etsy more and more. With all the options available to use, it’s easy to get confused and overwhelmed when trying to decide on the appropriate place to sell your items.
To help you decide, I’ve written this article, which compares both sites and talks about what each one is good for. Let’s go!
Overview
I’m an action figure reseller, but I also enjoy creating custom figures. I use both sites for different aspects of my hobby: eBay is for reselling old collectibles, while Etsy is for selling my custom creations.
Ebay is an auction site, and one of the best places to buy and sell rare collectibles. Even with Facebook Marketplace becoming more of a thing, I still sell more stuff over on eBay. I think people are confident buying on eBay because of the site’s feedback system.
Etsy is a marketplace for vintage and handmade items. If you are into arts and crafts, this is the place to sell your creations.
There’s some overlap between the types of products being sold on each website. For example, the vintage items being sold on Etsy are usually mass-produced items like old encyclopedias, cassettes, and movie posters, which can also be found on eBay. There are also artists who choose to sell their works on eBay.
Once you become more familiar with each platform, you can try mixing up your inventory. But for now, just remember that eBay is for collectibles, while Etsy is for handmade items.
Corresponding Fees
Ebay and Etsy are quite different when it comes to fees. Ebay is pretty notorious for charging fees during every step of your auction. For example, eBay charges an insertion fee, then gets a cut from the final selling price. And check this out: eBay even gets a cut from your shipping charge. Paying all those fees can be painful, but that’s the price you’ll have to pay to sell on the biggest auction site out there.
To help offset the cost, I recommend adjusting your prices accordingly. It sucks having to pass the cost on to my buyers, but that’s business. If you sell regularly, you can look into opening an eBay store. You’ll get a few perks when you open a store, including a set number of free listings per month.
Etsy, on the other hand, is super-easy to deal with. You won’t have to pay any membership fees when you open your Etsy store. Listing an item costs only $0.20, and will stay active for up to four months. When the item sells, Etsy will get a 3.5% commission.
Earning Potential
I’ll say it straight-up: eBay offers the most potential for earning. There are more buyers on eBay, and these buyers are usually willing to pay a premium for rare or collectible items. (Ebay knows this, and that’s why they charge so many fees)
And don’t forget that eBay is an auction site. If you list a sought-after item, you can expect bidders to go on an all-out bidding war. I listed some Star Wars figures when the new movies came out, and was able to sell them for over three times the sticker price!
The smaller user base of Etsy can still work in your favor. People here are generally more appreciative of unique items, and the talent that went into creating them.
I also tend to develop close professional relationships with buyers of my custom figures. Many of these buyers have approached me for more custom toys. These commissions came outside of the site (meaning I didn’t have to pay any fees), but I wouldn’t have gotten them if it weren’t for Etsy.
The Verdict
Both eBay and Etsy are totally legit. They’ve got their pros and cons, but as long as you’re aware of their fees, you can’t go wrong with either.
It all boils down to what you’re selling, and using the appropriate site. Like I mentioned a while ago, eBay is generally better for collectibles, while Etsy is better suited for handmade items.
Your Turn
This article is based on my experience selling stuff on eBay and Etsy. Now it’s your turn to share. Have you sold anything on either site? What did you sell, and how good were your profits?
Let’s hear your stories!
Fast-forward to the present day, and we have so many options when it comes to selling online. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling: if there’s a market for it, there’s going to be an appropriate website for you to sell on.
I still use eBay a lot, but I’ve also started using Etsy more and more. With all the options available to use, it’s easy to get confused and overwhelmed when trying to decide on the appropriate place to sell your items.
To help you decide, I’ve written this article, which compares both sites and talks about what each one is good for. Let’s go!
Overview
I’m an action figure reseller, but I also enjoy creating custom figures. I use both sites for different aspects of my hobby: eBay is for reselling old collectibles, while Etsy is for selling my custom creations.
Ebay is an auction site, and one of the best places to buy and sell rare collectibles. Even with Facebook Marketplace becoming more of a thing, I still sell more stuff over on eBay. I think people are confident buying on eBay because of the site’s feedback system.
Etsy is a marketplace for vintage and handmade items. If you are into arts and crafts, this is the place to sell your creations.
There’s some overlap between the types of products being sold on each website. For example, the vintage items being sold on Etsy are usually mass-produced items like old encyclopedias, cassettes, and movie posters, which can also be found on eBay. There are also artists who choose to sell their works on eBay.
Once you become more familiar with each platform, you can try mixing up your inventory. But for now, just remember that eBay is for collectibles, while Etsy is for handmade items.
Corresponding Fees
Ebay and Etsy are quite different when it comes to fees. Ebay is pretty notorious for charging fees during every step of your auction. For example, eBay charges an insertion fee, then gets a cut from the final selling price. And check this out: eBay even gets a cut from your shipping charge. Paying all those fees can be painful, but that’s the price you’ll have to pay to sell on the biggest auction site out there.
To help offset the cost, I recommend adjusting your prices accordingly. It sucks having to pass the cost on to my buyers, but that’s business. If you sell regularly, you can look into opening an eBay store. You’ll get a few perks when you open a store, including a set number of free listings per month.
Etsy, on the other hand, is super-easy to deal with. You won’t have to pay any membership fees when you open your Etsy store. Listing an item costs only $0.20, and will stay active for up to four months. When the item sells, Etsy will get a 3.5% commission.
Earning Potential
I’ll say it straight-up: eBay offers the most potential for earning. There are more buyers on eBay, and these buyers are usually willing to pay a premium for rare or collectible items. (Ebay knows this, and that’s why they charge so many fees)
And don’t forget that eBay is an auction site. If you list a sought-after item, you can expect bidders to go on an all-out bidding war. I listed some Star Wars figures when the new movies came out, and was able to sell them for over three times the sticker price!
The smaller user base of Etsy can still work in your favor. People here are generally more appreciative of unique items, and the talent that went into creating them.
I also tend to develop close professional relationships with buyers of my custom figures. Many of these buyers have approached me for more custom toys. These commissions came outside of the site (meaning I didn’t have to pay any fees), but I wouldn’t have gotten them if it weren’t for Etsy.
The Verdict
Both eBay and Etsy are totally legit. They’ve got their pros and cons, but as long as you’re aware of their fees, you can’t go wrong with either.
It all boils down to what you’re selling, and using the appropriate site. Like I mentioned a while ago, eBay is generally better for collectibles, while Etsy is better suited for handmade items.
Your Turn
This article is based on my experience selling stuff on eBay and Etsy. Now it’s your turn to share. Have you sold anything on either site? What did you sell, and how good were your profits?
Let’s hear your stories!
