I have been selling crochet patterns on Etsy since 2016. And what a wild ride it has been! While not without its challenges (and a lot of hard work!), Etsy has provided me with the opportunity to turn my creative passions into a thriving business.
Are you thinking of taking the plunge and starting a store for selling crochet patterns on Etsy? Or other handmade items? There are definitely pros and cons to using this platform and it is worth taking a little time to understand what you running an Etsy store entails before signing up. I’ve listed my top pros and cons below to help you decide if selling crochet patterns on Etsy is a good fit for you.
Thinking of selling on Etsy?
Read my list of pros and cons below!
Pros of selling crochet patterns on Etsy
1. Global reach and large audience
Etsy attracts millions of craft lovers from around the world, giving you instant access to a niche audience that is already searching for crochet patterns and handmade items. To access an audience of this size on your own you would have to spend a large amount of money on advertising, website hosting and optimization.
2. Passive income potential (digital items)
Once a pattern is listed, it can be sold over and over again without you having to remake it,
3. Easy set up and low start up costs
Setting up an Etsy shop can be done in under an hour, with minimal costs. This is great for people who don’t want to invest a lot of money upfront for an online store. You are guided along each step of the set up process, which is fairly seamless.
4. Zero platform maintenance
Since Etsy is hosting the selling platform, they are responsible for maintaining it. In fact, they have whole teams to keep the engine running day and night! You do not need to be logging in to anything to apply updates or fix bugs (like you would if you ran your own WordPress based shop).
5. Secure payments and delivery systems
Etsy handles all the transactions securely and offers integrated shipping tools to make logistics easier for sellers. For digital products, items are delivered immediately.
6. In house tools
Etsy has lots of in house tools to manage a variety of things, from branding and marketing tools (e.g. setting up custom colors for your shop, sending coupon codes or running a sale) to sales analytics where you can see how each of your listings is performing.
7. Etsy takes care of the fees and taxes
This is a huge one for me. Did you know that if you sell products (including digital ones) that you are liable to pay taxes in many of the countries that you sell to? Even if it is just one sale! Many sellers outside of Etsy opt to ignore this fact and simply sell their digital patterns on their own sites without paying the taxes. Tax avoidance is a crime and I’m so grateful that Etsy makes sure that all the transactions in my store are legal.
8. Support for sellers
There are plenty of forums to ask questions and get support, and for those who meet the Star Seller requirements, you can chat directly with an Etsy support agent.
9. Global trends taken into account quickly
Things like changing tariffs or shipping limitations are quickly incorporated into the Etsy workflow. While these may be uncomfortable for sellers, Etsy makes sure that all the information and tools required to make the changes are available to sellers.
10. Affiliate opportunities
There are a number of opportunities to earn additional income through Etsy’s affiliate programs.
Cons of selling crochet patterns on Etsy
1. Saturated market
There are thousands of shops selling crochet patterns on Etsy. Standing out can be difficult and requires strong branding, unique designs and taking time to build a dedicated audience. I strongly recommend using other tools outside of Etsy (such as email marketing, social media marketing etc) to compliment your Etsy store.
2. Fees and commissions
Etsy charges listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing fees. These can add up, especially for lower-priced items.
3. Copycats and pattern theft
Sadly copycats, fake AI designs and pattern theft is rampant on Etsy. While there are tools to report stolen patterns, and usually the offending shops are taken down, it is not without it’s fair share of stress and admin overhead. This is one of my biggest cons for selling crochet patterns on Etsy. If you decide to start an Etsy store, be prepared to have your ideas copied or stolen!
4. Little control over the platform
Etsy makes all the decisions on the direction of the platform and the priority of the updates or bug fixes. That means that there may be some elements to your shop that you find frustrating that you cannot change, or changes that Etsy makes that you do not like. For example, at the moment, PDF patterns cannot be downloaded via the Etsy app. This causes frustration amongst buyers and creates lots of support requests which sellers need to attend to.
5. Easily affected by global trends an shifts
Global trends and shifts affect the Etsy algorithm, which may increase or decrease the visibility of your listing.
6. You do not own your Etsy shop
It is VERY important to note that Etsy reserves the right to take down your shop, permanently, at any time. Usually shops are taken down for breaking Etsy rules (which can be easily avoided if you make sure to regularly familiarize yourself with the Etsy terms of sale), however, innocent mistakes also do happen. It is imperative that if you use Etsy to sell crochet items, that you make sure to have additional income streams outside of the platform.
Should I sell handmade items on Etsy?
Selling crochet patterns on Etsy is both an exciting and strategic decision, but it’s not without its complexities. It isn’t for everyone! It is also important to note that success on Etsy does not come overnight. By weighing the platform’s built-in audience and global reach against its fees, competition, and limitations, you can make a more informed choice that aligns with your creative goals and business vision. If you are thinking of starting an Etsy shop, make sure to read through my top tips for starting at Etsy shop to help you along the way.