This can sometimes be the toughest decision that might need to be made, deciding where to sell the products. It has a different vibe and varies in its strengths and its quirky qualities. But which sales platform (Shopify, Etsy, or Amazon) is the best for your business? By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of which platform suits your goals best.
Shopify vs Etsy vs Amazon
When you want total control over your online store, you pick Shopify. However, you will have to handle things like driving traffic to your store and processing payments. So, when you don’t have the time to manage a stand-alone online shop, hire a Shopify developer.
When you want to same handmade, vintage, and unique items, pick Etsy. While it’s easy to set up a shop and start selling, the downside is less control over your branding and higher competition within the marketplace.
Amazon, being the e-commerce giant, is all about scale and reach. It is the first port of call for sellers who want to reach millions of shoppers around the world. But there’s a trade-off: high fees and limited control over your branding, as most products are presented uniformly under the Amazon umbrella.
In short, hire someone to build Shopify store to build your brand, Etsy is for handmade and niche products, and Amazon is for mass reach.
Positive and Negative Aspects of Shopify vs Etsy vs Amazon
Shopify
Positive Aspects of Shopify
- Customizable Store Design: Choose from hundreds of templates or create a unique design to reflect your brand’s personality.
- Scalable for Growth: Whether you’re just starting or growing rapidly, Shopify grows with your business.
- Built-in Payment System: Shopify Payments streamlines transactions so you don’t have to integrate third-party processors.
- App Store for Additional Features: Add marketing, inventory, shipping, and other tools from Shopify’s massive app library with the help of Shopify expert New York.
Negative Aspects of Shopify
- The extra cost of paid apps: This means that some of the top-notch features will charge you some more money through the app store.
- Offers Less Customization in Lower Plans: Some of the advanced customizations need a more costly plan or one’s coding ability.
- No Free Account: Shopify only offers a free trial; one has to enroll in a paid plan to proceed.
Etsy
Positive Aspects of Etsy
- Ready-Made Audience: Etsy links you with millions of shoppers already searching for handmade, vintage, and unique items.
- Easy to Get Started: Setting up a shop is easy and fast, so you can start selling right away.
- Low Upfront Costs: No need to pay for a website or hosting; just list your items and pay small listing fees.
- Global Reach: Etsy’s international presence lets you sell to customers all around the world with ease. However, Shopify Experts in USA can also give your products the same global reach.
Negative Aspects of Etsy
- Limited Branding: Your shop falls under Etsy’s marketplace, and it is pretty difficult to carve out a niche, standalone brand.
- Etsy Ads Can be Expensive: While promoted listings do boost your visibility, your ad costs will eat into profits.
- Platform Dependence: If the policies or algorithms of Etsy change, it could easily affect the visibility and sales of your shop.
Amazon
Positive Aspects of Amazon
- Millions of Potential Customers: Access millions of potential customers worldwide at a click with the help of a web development agency in New York USA, which instantly boosts your reach.
- Customer Trust and Reliability: With Amazon, the customer trusts their purchase, so it is easy to gain the confidence of your customers.
- Ease of Selling on Amazon: Opening a seller account and listing products is straightforward, even for a beginner.
- Fulfillment by Amazon: Let Amazon store, ship, and handle customer service, freeing you up.
- Prime Members: Buyers who are part of Amazon Prime tend to order from sellers directly on the site.
Negative Aspects of Amazon
- High Fees: Amazon takes a significant cut of your sales through referral fees, FBA fees, and other charges. Shopify developers near me can save your business from high fees.
- Strict Rules and Policies: When you are a new seller on Amazon, their policies can be tough, and cause account suspension.
- Complex SEO: Competing for visibility on Amazon requires understanding and optimizing for their unique search algorithm.
Deep Analysis: Shopify vs Etsy vs Amazon
Subscription and Transaction Fees
Now, the biggest factor when you hire Shopify developer, Etsy, and Amazon is probably the cost of doing business.
In its monthly subscription cost, Shopify comes with no listing fees but an initial charge ranging from $39 for the least expensive plan on up. Non-users of the payment system Shopify Payments will incur extra transaction fees charged between 0.5 percent and 2 percent depending upon the plan under which you registered.
Etsy is less daunting with a web development agency in New York USA for a beginner with no monthly subscription unless opting for Etsy Plus ($10/month). However, the catch is that Etsy charges you a $0.20 listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee, and additional payment processing fees (approximately 3% + $0.25 per sale).
Amazon Referral fees on each sale will also be deducted from your sale price, normally between 8% and 15%, along with FBA fees if you are using the fulfillment services offered by Amazon.
Payment and Shipping Options: Shopify vs Etsy vs Amazon
Each of these options has some strengths and weaknesses when it comes to payment and shipping options.
You get complete control over payments and shipping over the flexible Shopify platform. Shipping is super flexible with Shopify developers near me so that you can connect with carriers like UPS or USPS, and even offer local pickup or delivery.
With Etsy Payments, the company has made payments very easy, supporting several methods, such as credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay. It’s free, but you can’t customize it. For shipping, Etsy makes it easier by calculating rates for your customers and even offering discounted shipping labels.
It seems like Amazon was built for easy selling and convenience to the vendor as well as the buyer. They accept secure payments through the system and accept credit cards and gift cards as well as a few digital wallets for the customer. Shopify expert New York can also give the same level of payment ease on your sales platform.
SEO and Marketing Complications: Shopify vs Etsy vs Amazon
Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon are different in their own ways when it comes to SEO and marketing.
Shopify shines if you want full control over your marketing. Since it’s your own website, you can optimize every aspect of SEO, from meta descriptions to custom URLs. Otherwise, hire someone to build Shopify store for SEO and marketing.
Millions of shoppers come to the site daily, so your products are discoverable right away. However, with such fierce competition, it can be tough and largely depends on the search algorithm for Etsy. Promoted listings and discounts will improve visibility, but you do not have much say over deeper SEO strategies.
Amazon is a powerhouse for visibility, but like Etsy, you’re playing within their ecosystem. Their algorithm (A9) prioritizes sales performance, product reviews, and competitive pricing. Shopify Experts in USA can give you the same level of sales figures.
Conclusion
Whether you pick Shopify, Etsy, or Amazon as your sales platform, one thing is common among all platforms is that you need subsequent technical knowledge. Without the application of right sales tactics with tech driven decisions, making high sales on these platforms is not possible. So, when you need expert help for sales, don’t hesitate to contact eBizTrait Inc. for advice.
