Selling on Shopify vs Etsy

Shopify

Shopify's monthly fees vary based on the pricing plan you select:

• Basic Shopify: US$29 per month
• Shopify: US$79 per month
• Advanced Shopify: US$299 per month

The plan you select also determines the fees that apply to your sales:

Shopify also offers two niche pricing plans:

• Shopify Plus: An enterprise-grade solution for large businesses.
• Shopify Lite: A plan that lets you sell on Facebook and chat with customers on Messenger for US$9 a month.

Etsy

It's free to set up a shop on Etsy; however, if you want to access customisable shop options as well as bonus listing and advertising credits, you can purchase a Plus subscription package for US$10 a month.

You'll also need to consider:

• Listing fee: US$0.20 per listing. This fee is billed in USD, so the amount you pay will vary depending on the current exchange rate.
• Transaction fee: 5%. This fee applies to the sale price (including delivery).
• Etsy Payments processing fee: AUD$0.25 + 3% (for domestic orders) or 4% (for international orders). Etsy Payments is the most popular way to receive payments on Etsy.
• Listing currency conversion fee: 2.50%. If you list items in a foreign currency, you'll need to pay a currency conversion fee.

Shopify

According to stats from BuiltWith, Shopify was the second most popular ecommerce technology choice among the top one million-ranked websites in 2018, with an 18% market share. The leader was WooCommerce, with a 27% market share.

On its corporate website, Shopify claims that there are 800,000 Shopify stores around the world that have made more than US$100 billion in sales. It also claims to have merchants in 175 countries.

Etsy

At the time of writing, Etsy claims to have 2.2 million active sellers listing more than 50 million items, with 41 million active buyers. It also claims to have people buying and selling from "nearly every country in the world".

Shopify

When you set up an online store with Shopify, you'll need to compare the available pricing plans and choose the one that meets your business needs. While the sign-up process is simple, you'll then have to choose a theme for your shop – you can select from a wide range of pre-designed themes or customise your own.

Payment can be handled through the Shopify Payments system or a third-party provider, so buyers can purchase using credit card, bank transfer, PayPal, Apple Pay and more.

Etsy

Etsy doesn't offer anywhere near the same level of customisation options as Shopify. As a result, it's quick and easy to open an account and set up a shop – all you need to do is provide some basic personal details, choose your country and currency, and fill out a quick profile.

To create a listing, you need to add a title, description and some product images, then add pricing and shipping details. Payment is usually handled through the Etsy Payments system, which allows buyers to pay by credit or debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay and more.

Shopify

Shopify is a cloud-based ecommerce platform where you can build and customise your own online store. It offers a suite of tools which you can use to not only create an online store, but also sell across social media channels and online marketplaces.

There are five different pricing plans available, ranging from basic plans that let you sell on Facebook through to enterprise-grade plans for large companies. Each Shopify account is also backed by 24/7 support.

Etsy

Etsy is an online marketplace for unique items where you can sell handmade goods, vintage items and craft supplies. To start selling, you'll need to sign up for a free account and set up your "shop" on the Etsy platform.

You can then promote your listings, run Google Shopping ad campaigns and use a range of free marketing tools to promote your shop and attract buyers.