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I like the look of storenvy a lot better, but how are the sales? and the community? I definitely need to branch out, so this seemed like the way to go. Any tips for a newbie? :) Thanks!
62 Replies
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Storenvy! I have never even CONSIDERED trying Etsy. For one, Storenvy is completely free. Two, the admin team works with you, directly. You can talk to them at any time here in the forums or on Twitter or FB! My sales have always been excellent - so long as I am promoting via social media and word of mouth, passing out cards. You can clearly see the days I take off from my online promotions, but that is the same ANYWHERE you go. I say give it a whirl. :)
I used to use Etsy, and about 12% of each sale went directly to Etsy. Through storenvy, I get to keep ALL of the money. The community is amazing, everyone promotes each other.
The admin team works directly with the community.
I was on Etsy for a year and didn't make a single sale. I've been on Storenvy for under 3 months and have already made enough money to pay a months worth of my rent.
I get over 100 views a day too. Love it here, wouldn't ever go back.
Hi Huggie!
Welcome to the community! Well aside from the fact that Storenvy is free, you also get to customize your store to look however you want! Top that off with a free Facebook integrated store and an amazing community and you can see your in pretty good company!
Let us know if you have any specific questions you need answered!
thanks everyone for your replies!
pinpin - How did etsy get 12% of each sale? They only charge a $0.20 listing fee, then 3.5% of your sale.
I really do like how everything is set up. It looks wonderful! And I love how shops can be personalized.
I'm wondering where the traffic comes from, though? How long has Storenvy been around? Why aren't there fees?
Everything seems to be put together so well. I already like it a lot. I can't wait to get some things listed! :)
Never used Esty. Just Storenvy & BigCartel. 100% satisfied with both & don't need any other online shop host if I have Storenvy & BC.
So, Welcome to Storenvy & we hope you have many sales and blessings to come!
-Delight Brand Clothing
Storenvy is definitely better, everything seems very straight forward and easy/effective to use. The community itself seems to be very friendly :)
Bonny Doll <3
Storenvy actually works to promote you, therefor strengthening their own reputation etc etc etc. Good business sense. Storenvy is ....well... free so that's exciting lol. Admins are the best I've seen, actually care about how you do and very quick to resolve issues. Facebook integration (seamless and fantastic)
Storenvy is smaller than etsy which is a double edged sword. Buyers are more likely to find you but storenvy is less known than etsy. Etsy got too big and buyers can't find you if you have less than 100ish items. Like anywhere you need to promote yourself.
O and the little details storenvy has that Etsy has not, like the tiny copy button on your edit page in your listings. Makes sharing your products wicked easy, no more mess ups :)
Thanks everyone. I definitely feel welcome here, that's for sure! :)
@Huggie at the time i was selling crafts for a few pounds piece, plus being charged for listing, having money taken off my sale and also being charged for currency conversion (i live in the UK).
I couldn't put the prices of my crafts up because if not, nobody would have brought them (it was mainly fimo jewellery i was making), thus, i ended up losing money rather than gaining it.
With Storenvy I make a fair profit margin- this means i can change my jewellery lines quickly, I can give myself a small wage which factors in the time it takes me to network etc online.
On Storenvy free actually means FREE!!! ;D
And to top it off, Storenvy actively promotes its members! I've already been mentioned in a blog post which makes my insides super happy!
And we promote each other too! <3
Hello and welcome first off!! I used etsy for many years and ended up leaving because it's so crowded and I found that (for my products at least) if I wasn't purchasing advertisement on etsy itself then I got hardly any sales.
Storevny is great, you can personalize you storefront the admins are quick to answer any questions I love it more all around. And the community is AWESOME!! I'm sure you'll love it here =)
i would love to use this new site i have just discovered, "Storenvy" but i am so confused, cant figure how to set up my store, load photos of items ect...... help please!!!!!!!
Hi, just starting. I already have a shop on Etsy and Zibbet. It's very easy to get buried under the many shops there. It's a good way to socialize with other sellers, and I try to help promote others with sharing links, but there really isn't much help in promotion other than buying feature time. Zibbet is still kinda small and I get ok, traffic but no sales.
So between the cost of one, and the obscurity to buyers, I figure it helps to use as many avenues as possible.
Sounds good already here, am hopeful :)
Good luck to all.
Thanks for for sharing all the useful information. Im a newbie here and all of you guys info are awesome!!
Hoping to make some sale soon :D
Hi Huggie,
I'm also new. I have been on etsy for almost 3 months and no sales. I became aware of store envy by reading an article in skinny artist. "Is Etsy dying" After reading it and doing my research, I was converted and I have stated the migration progress to store envy.
Why? 1st I got a lot of my friends and relatives to look for my store in Etsy..They couldn't even find me. Couldn't find my store, couldn't find my profile. Only by going through my facebook page. I had also paid for a lot of "extra" advertisement through etsy and although it increased by views I did not get any sales for those two weeks running.
In comparison. I like that I don't have to keep paying to do a posting (if you want more views for any item they suggest you repost?) 2nd I love that you can actually custom tailor your site. Any color you want. I actually had to change my banner for Etsy to a new one because my original one did not go to well with my color theme.
3rd. yes Etsy is big but sometimes I feel like if I am lost in a sea of other craft people and nobody would find me or even notice my craft.
4th Some of the competition is selling items as low as 64 cents??? How can anyone compete with that?
Hope this helps :)
Chantall, welcome to Storenvy! I am super excited for you, making the switch, and I hope that you really enjoy Storenvy! :) I'm sorry your experience with Etsy was not so good - it really is over saturated with goods!
So, welcome, and enjoy!
Hey Chantall, well we are glad to have you! Welcome to the community and we wish you nothing but success!
i have to agree with the great comments. i have got my store started and love what i have so far!
thanks for the warm welcome :)
I love storenvy. I am also on etsy and considering shutting down there to be here full-time. My views are a bit low now but still better than etsy and it is free, which is important to a new start up business, and storenvy DOES have better support. I just love storenvy!
I like storenvy more than etsy because they don't charge & it's a lot easier for me to navigate than etsy. I have gotten a few items "favorited" on etsy, but no sales. I'm selling at a loss on there!
I love it too, but one thing that I noted is, overall, the character is different. You know exactly what subcategories are at etsy (basically just handmade and vintage). Here, there are a lot of companies who sell, so it's not always individuals. But it's pretty obvious when it's a company who is selling their mass produced wares. In all honesty, that's a downside to me, but I think the small homemade seller community here is great.
I think as store envy progresses it will compartamentalize things better. I managed to find one of my scarves listed in the same group of items as someone selling a vacuum!
If you are a handmade seller, definitely be sure to say so - people pay attention to that.
Store envy lacks the size of etsy, and that's a total bonus, and I agree with others that the admin team here is wonderfully engaged.
I just LOVE storenvy! They interact directly with us. I feel like part of the bigger picture here. My shop isn't huge, but I still feel important. And it is super simple - for someone like me who isn't exactly 'tech savvy'... Not to mention the amazing people!!!
well, reading all the comments make me satisfy that i didn't create an account at Etsy yet.
actually i agree with many comments about storenvy.
personally i even quite amazed. i have abandoned storenvy for around 1-2 months, and still, people are seeing my page. I doubted it would happened in other marketplaces.
Agreed! I get more store looks, and I like that I'm not constantly renewing listings (that I have to pay for with no guarantee of sale). I also like that this venue is so small that I'm not competing with the whole rest of the crafty planet!!
Thanks for all the great feedback. You guys are truly keep us motivated!
I like the welcome here, if only we'd get more noticed.
One thing I really noticed are how unique and incredible the items being sold here... It makes me wanna step up in making better accessories...
Hope you guys give me some feedback... I sell mine really cheap and I hope someone likes them.
http://hellomissportia.storenvy.com/
missportia - I really like your necklaces and head bands. But everything in your shop appears to be sold out? Good job. :)
hi I have etsy, I like both in different ways. I like etsy because I sell handmades and etsy is a handmade marketplace, although you can also sell handmade here as well. I like storenvy because it's completely free and you can customize your storefront however you want while etsy charges you a lot, I think I pay more or less $60 - $75 a month with my etsy bill which is not so good if you're trying to make a profit - you can raise your item price and shipping if you want when selling on etsy to cover all the fees but then you might overwhelm a potential buyer you know .... I think you give storenvy a try :) My sales here are pretty good although I make a lot on etsy.
Hello Huggie :-) thanks for the feedback... no, they're not sold out... I just started last night and I didn't know how to put up to stock thingy... must be my illiteracy... hehehe.... Thanks again for pointing it out... your etsy page is sooo nice! I can't find your storenvy page though :-)
I just joined store envy as well and so far I am loving it. Ive used both etsy and ebay .. and i hate the fees. ..So far, I haven't had any sales but my store is 3 days old so we'll see :-).
I keep calling it store envy instead of storenvy grrr :P
I figure it's definitely worth a shot. :) I like Etsy, and I'm not likely to close shop there. But I've been looking for a 2nd venue for months, and I think this is it. :) I love the vibe here, and I like how helpful the community is. The fact that it's free is really nice, but I especially love that I can customize my shop.
missportia - I haven't listed anything in my shop yet. I haven't even added anything to my Etsy shop for over a month. lol. I've been caught up in school, so it's been on the back burner for now. I am very much looking forward to getting started, though! :)
I've been here about 4 months and I've only made one sale and it was from a friend. I get decent page views but no sales. I have a Bonanza store and I decided to try out Storenvy because it is easier to list items and tweet & facebook them, but I get more sales through Bonanza than I do here so I'm slowly migrating everything back to Bonanza. :-( I had high hopes for this place......
^ I havent made any sales either yet heaps of page hits. You have to remember that storenvy is not very popular and just by being on storenvy you will not get any sales, maybe a few but not nearly as much as on ebay or etsy.
I think storenvy is good if you have other ways to promote yourself which I am not sure how to do as I am not into social media ala facebook and twitter (yes i know weird.)
I use ebay tho and will link my store to ebay auctions ....
I may need to explore other ways to advertise as well.
i am very concerned, i love the site and the ease of set up when you want to change or add a product, BUT>>>>>> not one single item sold, (have sold from FB), nor do i even see any lookers. How can I get more shoppers? hrelp or suggestions?
Thanks
Paula
Jars and Things
I started on Etsy and stayed there for a few years, but I really disliked the community and the terrible search function (among other things). I can't remember how I heard about Storenvy, but as soon as I set up my shop here I was happier. Everything is simple and clear, and I LOVE little handy touches like the ability to save your orders page to a spreadsheet.
As for increasing sales, I'm a graphic designer by day and I like to make my own ads. I have a blog that directs people to my shop, and I haunt forums that appeal to my target demographic. The rules change per forum, but the two in particular I go to allow me to advertise in my signature so I made a banner. The rest is word of mouth. When I ship an item, I include a few business cards or buttons so customers can spread the word. I tried just sitting back and waiting for the page views, but I'm too impatient! I also hit conventions and expos with a pocket full of flyers and cards, and a few samples. Get your name and face out there. Get it out beyond the internet. You don't have to spend a lot on advertising to do it.
Hi everyone :)
I'm also new here and loving the look of Storenvy too. I had trouble trying to find a group to fit into - i design digital scrapbook kits and store/blog headers etc - but I figure scrapbooking is a craft industry so this would be my closest category.
I was opening a store at some other place - it advertised that it could import your store items from Etsy, Storenvy and a few others. I'm already on Etsy, but decided to check out Storenvy because I'd never heard of it - and joined here as well as the other place.
I really love the look of it here, so I hope it takes off :)
Carolyn
xox
Storenvy is way better than Etsy for all the above mentioned reasons. As a person who lives from paycheck to paycheck, I truly appreciate that it's free because I can't afford to continue to list things for sale that may not even sell.
To those who easily get discouraged, well....don't. KNOW that your art is worth being seen and never give up. I joined this past Setember and have sold just three items. It may take quite a while before I get to the point where I'm selling things often like the best sellers here on Storenvy. I refuse to give up. I post things up for sale every chance I get and get lots of views too. I was once told by mom and even a psychic, LOL, that I am blocking my blessings. Well, not any more. I WILL be seen....no matter how long it takes. Get creative and have fun with it.
Monique
Hi, I've just opened my shop here. So far, I'm very pleased with the way it sets up. Just colour me happy!
also new here and i love Storenvy's interface + it's free. still learning in the process. c",) cheers!
Just joined, but very excited about the potential.
I have an Etsy shop and I joined a couple of teams and learned how to promote myself outside of Etsy and inside of Etsy and I have really improved my sales this past year.
I joined Storenvy to have another avenue to sell my products.
I know that every site has its ups and downs. You have to figure out what you are willing to work with. I am looking forward to working with Storenvy.
Hey everyone, just wanted to drop in again and say thanks for all the great feedback. We are extremely grateful to have such amazing members.
How are the majority of you finding out about Storenvy?
I discovered it through an arts & crafts message board. They have a section where they discuss different venues to sell on and it brought me here and I haven't looked back. LOL.
Monique
Hey Adam, while researching online shops i stumbled upon a wordpress article comparing 3 different sites, from what i read i decided to open up a Storenvy account.
I like the simple customizable layout and options here.
Check my store out: http://salam.storenvy.com
Love the feel of Storenvy. Is anyone actually selling anything though?
Pros of Etsy:
Pininterest buttons for every item;
Huge exposure if you have the time to promote it;
Copy function for listings;
Cons of Etsy:
You pay for listing;
Many sellers to compete with;
No way to customize your page;
Cannot use your own domain;
Admin is not interested;
Promotes "handmade" but many re-sellers-no enforcement.
I would love to be able to have Pinterest button to promote my listings.
Also, I would love to be able to have a "professional" webpage but am not a web builder.
Love this site - am looking forward to being part of the community here!
Adam I came here via skinny artist's 'is etsy dying' post. I am happy to try it out! I used to have better sales on Dawanda than etsy at one time but it's now full of cheap mass produced junk. Because I'm based in France and sell a lot to other Europeans I'm concerned that only being able to price in dollars may be off-putting, as will an English language only option.
I did not like etsy ultimately their business models hurts artists. Storenvy has been great I love the customization their are some add ons but they are worth the price. The fee's on etsy were just terrible.
Now that I am on storenvy I'm never looking back.
I feel like etsy does have a stronger community though, and though the community can be helpful for advice and learning some stuff it's not enough to keep me over there.
I just came here from Etsy. I still have my shop open over there, but so far I'm loving Storenvy much better. For one thing, it's free! And even if you pay for the premium service, it's still a better deal than Etsy, since there are no transaction fees here.
Also I love how you can set up collections in your shop and list variants for each item. Makes it much more streamlined and organized! There's nothing like that on Etsy.
I feel more at home here than at Etsy...seems friendlier here. The only transaction fee we do pay is if the buyer uses a credit card in Paypal..and that's Paypal's policy, not Storenvy's. I just sold a cell phone charm and only paid 65 cents for the transaction. Not bad at all.
I'm new here too. Have 1 item listed thus far. I have a shop on Etsy, Artfire, and I have some things up in Big Cartel.
I'm excited about Storenvy because I plan to build fresh shops to integrate with my home website and my blog. I've been using Big Cartel for my website shop. But you have to pay a monthy fee if you want to list more than 5 items there. And I can't personalize my shop there with the little bit of code I taught myself.
But Storenvy is allowing me some options I couldn't have with my other shops, including free listing and easy customization. I am amped, lol. Can't wait to really get rolling here!
oh, and I found Storenvy when I ended up browsing and admiring a shop someone had integrated into their blog. I looked for clues as to what platform they were using and found the logo at the bottom of the page.
Hi, I'm giving it a whirl after researching it and comparing it to etsy, ebay and bigcartel. I decided why not and made the decision in January and didn't open until Leap Day. I say try and see what happens im doing it.
www.omgcoco.storenvy.com
I've tried Etsy, Yokaboo and Bigcartel. I was losing money!
Here its free and I get to make a wage =)
Found out about Storenvy by doing a google search- so it was completely out of the blue for me! ;D
I have been on etsy for about a year now and I was good at first but it just can going down hill. Its so many different shops and ppl that make handamde jewelry its so many for ppl to pick from. Its seem like some of the ppl that do place orders they mainly order from the shop with big names . The fees is getting out of line. So i ready to make on and here i am.
I'm Sheeba with Urban Vibe Inc. I create crochet handmade jewelry and accessories and so much more. If you have time please stop by my shop. I will be adding more items everyday.
http://www.storenvy.com/stores/23465-urban-vibe-inc
http://www.tumblr.com/blog/urban-vibe-inc
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Vibe-Inc/180195251996667
http://urbanvibeinc.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/people/snchastang25?ref=si_pr
Hey I'm an artist who is new to storenvy I would love if you would check out my shop!
http://www.daniellemeloart.storeenvy.com
Also like me on facebook for updates! Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/daniellemeloart
Hey I'm an artist who is new to storenvy I would love if you would check out my shop!
http://www.daniellemeloart.storeenvy.com
Also like me on facebook for updates! Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/daniellemeloart
We are extremely happy to have all of you here and apart of the community. We have a bunch of fun stuff in store for everyone coming up.
The Storenvy web show has been green lighted! Hoping to have that up and running in a few weeks!
i am still on etsy (my listings haven't expired yet) i would say i get sales easier there but still nothing to brag about really.. and now its been invaded by resellers and non handmade things(which is all good, but if your going to enforce the rules do it to everyone or just dont do it at all)..the good thing is storenvy is free however there is some downside because you have really promote hard here vs etsy i never promoted,sales just came..and i do hope they get the paypal thing fixed though :-/ but as long as its free i will be here
I semi-recently switched to storenvy.com after 2 years on etsy and am LOVING the change so far.
Some months I was paying upwards of $200 on etsy- and with storenvy, since there's no fees, that's an extra $200 in my pocket. Also, it's a smaller marketplace, so I don't feel like my products are lost in the masses.
AND- it's customizable! My store looks like it's own website- not just a common storefront with a custom banner.
www.etsy.com/teams/12056/team-storenvy/members
Join Team Storenvy at the above link for further conversation...
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