Etsy EBay Bonanza Ecrater Poshmark Mercari Marketplace Platform

 

Etsy EBay Bonanza Ecrater Poshmark Mercari Marketplace Platform with LilacsNDreams. Welcome to all who are visiting!

Been thinking about, and trying to feel what platform is for me to sell on. There are so many choices out there. Trying to choose one, or which ones you would like to use can be confusing. Everyone says sell here, sell there, no this one is better, etc. You need to choose the platform that will benefit for you, and what you sell.

I started years ago with EBay. Back then it was fun, and I looked forward to listing things there. Things started changing, and honestly I was changing too. From EBay I moved onto Bonanza, Ecrater, Artfire, and I did land on Etsy where I spent more time there too. 

Things are changing again with Etsy. Fees, rules, how they are charging the sellers, advertising fees that are forced upon you according to the money you make. I was fortunate enough to be able to opt out from that. If you offer free shipping, advertising, and so on its suppose to help with your position of how you are found in searches. Honestly with what little bit I do I have been seen more by my internet actions than what Etsy has done. 

So many places, so many ways to put things together for you to sell. Using a platform you pay fees with, place that you could pay monthly plans with, and many things to consider. Maybe you wish to do Big Commerce where you can work with Facebook Marketplace, and Instagram being in same place. You could consider Shopify, or maybe Square Space too. Then there are ideas for your own website.

So, now you need to consider the shipping company or companies you would like to use. Trying to use the best rates possible with shipping costs being an issue for some right now. If you do some of your sales yourself you need to have a payment processor for completing transactions by collecting money paid. 

Wow! It can be overwhelming can’t it? I have a friend who has a store at EBay, she does well, and enjoys what she does. She has also been using Facebook Marketplace, and doing pretty good there. Less hassle, less fees, and rules to abide by. If you offer items for sale there you should also consider offering shipping with your items too. People notice a difference with sales there by offering shipping which makes it better. I also just found out that if you have an item to sell for over $500 on the Marketplace they do not permit you to offer the shipping. Why I don’t know, but I do find it odd. Some are able to get around that by noting their price for $123, and explaining their asking price is actually XXX amount. 

I’d love to have my own website which takes a little money for that. So, till then I use Etsy a little bit, I show things with my Blog/Site that I have, and I have been picturing items that I will be offering at Facebook Marketplace for sale. Wish I could do more, and be speedier about it too. Unfortunately, there isn’t much support from home to do these things. So, working at my pace, and time I have for me is limited some days. 

I apologize if the posting I offer today seems kind of short. I have been feeling a little under the weather today. Nothing serious. I think yesterday caught up with me riding around looking at properties for sale, checking some areas out for living, realtor in the morning being given information and ideas to look for, etc. Over did it a bit I think, and the weather changes aren’t helping a lot either.

Thanks so much for visiting with LilacsNDreams! Stop on by anytime, say Hi, share something if you like, and hope you enjoy the visit too. Till next time take care everyone, and be safe. Toodles . . . . 

EBay Etsy Poshmark Shopify Mercari Bonanza Selling Platforms

Etsy EBay Poshmark Mercari Shopify Bonanza Selling Platforms with LilacsNDreams. Websites, domains, webstores, and there is so much out there to think about, and choose from!

I, along with many other sellers, sell their vintage collectibles, repurposed, handmade, crafts, home decor on Etsy along with other selling platforms as well. Recently Etsy put a notice out to us about Advertising, the cost, and pretty much in a nutshell we are being forced to pay for it. For those who make $10,000+ for the year will have to pay like 13%-15% of that along with the other fees we normally pay Etsy to use their platform for selling. Roughly about 25% and more will be paid if your item sells because of one of the ads. Now, for those who sell less they have what they call outside advertising which 13% will be charged along with our normal Etsy fees that are paid. For this you are suppose to be able to opt out of it, and this is the category I fall into. I have tried numerous ways to opt out of this deal following instructions I found. The system says the link is not working, or I get 1/2 way through the list, and I cannot get any further. I have tried different ways to contact support which I get told link does not work that I click on. I have read I have till March 28th to decide, and I also read I have till April 10th too. 

I am not happy at all with this! Many other sellers are in an uproar about this because of being forced to pay for advertising that is not wanted, the cost, not being given the choice to decide, etc. So, I like many others have decisions to make. Stay at Etsy, and deal with it, and most won’t be making any money for their time. Another idea that many are sharing is to move onto another place, and keep just a few things with their shops at Etsy. It’s ironic that at the same time EBay is making some changes that sellers are not happy with there either. Shopify got wind of some of the issues because many sellers at Etsy received emails with offers that they have too. 

It’s very upsetting being forced to pay for something you don’t want to use. We lost a little more control of our shoppes after working to get them where they are at now. Like I had mentioned in a group I get offers for Google Ads too. I don’t accept the offer. But, it is my choice, my decision that I am making myself for my Shoppe. 

Moving to another platform. Where to go, looking at pros and cons to different sights, cost, exposure that you would get there, getting your own webstore, getting your own domain, and many different things to consider. 

Last Sunday I spent the day with a very good friend of mine. A little thrifting, lunch, and discussing about stepping a little outside our boxes. She sells on EBay, I sell on Etsy, and maybe it’s time for us to change things a little bit. Not only the places we sell, but adding some items into what we normally sell. She showed me a few items she sold, prices, and offered some ideas to me from what she has learned. I am going back a little bit to when I first started selling on eBay years ago. Along with some of the things that I sell now I use to do fairly descent with purses too. So, I am going to start adding that in along with different pieces of clothing. 

Right now I am going to put some things at Poshmark which will be a collection of purses I have accumulated. Along with that I am going to start selling clothes items too. Their selling fee is the average of what is usually dealt with. They pay the shipping, and for these items the shipping will not be as heavy. I won’t have to use bubble wrap, and packing peanuts that I normally use. 

I’ve also looked a little into Bonanza. They have been around for awhile. I use to sell a little bit there a long time ago. I looked a little more into them yesterday. They have 3.5% fees paid with sales, they give you the option of advertising with different plans to choose. They showed a chart, and the smallest fee they showed was with the selling fee plus advertising, and it was like a total of 9%. Most places charge at least a 10% fee for sales made, and that’s only sales. No advertising, or anything else. Also, you can have a webstore with them for a fee of $25 a month. They offer more payment options than just Paypal. They had some things to consider, and think about here.

As for the advertising? I’ve gotten this far without it. I have spent a little time here, and there with promoting myself through different social media channels. I try to include back links where I can, and use hashtags where it’s permissible too. Trying to save cost, but also trying to be effective with things that will help me with exposure as well.

So, I have some ideas. I’m looking into things, researching, reading up on what others have to say and offer, testing a few things out, etc. If you have anything to share I’d be happy to hear from you as well.

LilacsNDreams will still be around, and doing what I have always done with selling online. If I feel it will be an issue adding in clothes, and purses I always have my domain for LilacsNDreams Shoppe that I can use for that if I have to. Everywhere I go, every platform I use, and anything I do I will keep you updated. Just look for LilacsNDreams because I’ll be around some where. 

Thanks for visiting with me today, and hope to see you again soon. Again, any ideas you wish to share are welcomed here. Thanks again everyone!