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Today’s post continues our online business platforms that you can choose to create an online business. The next platform we want to pit against Zazzle is a popular one: Etsy. This is a worldwide name that you’ve undoubtedly heard, but there’s a lot about the platform from a seller’s perspective that you probably don’t know. Lucky for you, we’re here to really get into the details about Zazzle vs Etsy.
A POD (Print on Demand) is an eCommerce online shopping platform where the customer buys the item by viewing a digital version. Once the order is placed the product is printed, like on Zazzle. Make sense?
While Etsy can be used as a marketplace to list products that can be printed on demand, it’s usually the seller who is doing the physical work, unlike Zazzle.
Furthermore, we’ve recently witnessed people jumping ship from Etsy and coming over to Zazzle instead. We wanted to learn more about why that might be to help make your decision as a seller easier if you’re pondering between the two.
In case you’re not familiar with Etsy in general, we’ll give a general overview. This is a place to sell your digital graphics, but mostly handmade goods made by the seller. Those who sell on Etsy are called, “makers.” It’s great for people who are physically creating things that they want to sell and advertise on this giant marketplace.
It’s certainly a well-known platform around the world. It’s a great place for artists to showcase their work and for those looking to shop small or handmade items to find them.
Below, we’ll get into our comparison between Etsy and Zazzle based on specific criteria.
First, let’s compare how easy Etsy is in comparison to Zazzle. Etsy is very easy to navigate and user-friendly — from both the seller and shopper perspectives. That’s because the platform has been around for quite a while, so they have had a lot of time to really perfect it.
Zazzle is also easy to use from both viewpoints.
This is where Etsy wins out. The platform attracts an astounding 388 million customers per month while Zazzle attracts 17 million monthly. Obviously, Zazzle has considerably less traffic and Etsy is a great place to build your brand and get in front of people given the traffic it receives.
This is something that Etsy is not a good fit for. While Zazzle uses a “make once, sell many times” model that allows for passive selling and income generation, on Etsy the income generation is not passive because the seller (maker) has to factor in labor time, costs for materials and shipping, time for customer service, and dealing with sales tax.
On Zazzle, there are no physical products and you’re focused on designing. From there, Zazzle takes care of everything – from fulfillment to shipping to customer service. Nice, right?
The same can’t be said for Etsy. It’s way more labor-intensive, as makers usually create their product from start to finish and have to ship the order themselves, too. They also will be responsible for communicating with the customer as needed.
This means that your profit is limited on Etsy because it revolves around how fast and how many products you can fulfill. This is especially true during busy seasons, such as during the holidays.
In this case, Zazzle could actually be used as a fulfillment space for Etsy makers if it’s set up correctly. But, all in all, Etsy does not check the box of being a passive business model.
There’s quite a bit to be explained about cost when it comes to selling on Etsy, especially given their policies were just updated on April 11, 2022. We combed through these to give you the low-down. Here are some quick facts about the cost of being an Etsy maker:
– Each Etsy listing costs 20 cents to list initially
– Each listing that doesn’t sell after 4 months will cost an additional 20 cents to renew, or else it will disappear
– There’s a transaction fee of 6.5% of the price you display for each listing plus the amount you charge for shipping and gift wrapping.
– If you sell from the US or Canada, the transaction fee will not apply to sales tax, Goods and Services Tax (“GST”), or Harmonized Sales Tax (“HST”), unless you have included those charges in your listing price.
– Etsy purchases offsite advertising from a network of participating partners, such as social networks and search engines. If such advertising includes your listing, a buyer clicks on it and then places any orders from your shop within 30 days of that click, you will be charged an advertising fee on these orders (which are referred to collectively as “Attributed Orders” and individually as an “Attributed Order”).
– If you have good standing as a designer, you can opt into Etsy plus, which for $10 a month you can get 15 listings and $5 ads spend
Whew! That’s a lot of information — but it’s important to know because these costs can really add up and affect your bottom line. On the other hand, Zazzle does not charge anything to list items, and they won’t expire for at least two years.
Additionally, Zazzle conducts external marketing that can help drive customers to your storefront, but they don’t impose any costs on the seller for these ads. Finally, Zazzle takes care of taxes for their sellers, which takes a huge load off of you from a business standpoint, which is a reason that a lot of sellers are actually leaving Etsy.
On both of these platforms, you get to set your own prices, which is a nice touch. But on Etsy, you have to remember that you’ll be paying for the costs associated with listing items and using the platforms, such as the fees we mentioned above. In addition to that, you’ll also need to buy the materials you need to create your products (in most cases) and shipping materials.
Zazzle doesn’t have those additional costs, plus the platform allows flexibility in the royalty you set. It can be anywhere from 5 to 99%, plus you’re always eligible for referral bonuses up to 35%. Because of these factors and various costs associated with Etsy, Zazzle wins out for this category.
Product availability is another category where Zazzle is the clear winner. On Etsy, product availability really comes down to the items that you make and sell. That means that this comes down to your own time and labor capabilities.
On the other hand, Zazzle has 1500 products readily available to design, which really makes the platform limitless in a way that Etsy cannot be.
There are customization abilities on both of these platforms, but it’s definitely more cumbersome on Etsy. That’s because as the seller, you’ll need to manually create each customized version of a product to meet the needs of the customer.
On Zazzle, the onus of this falls on the customer, as they have the complete power to use Zazzle’s customization tool to tweak products to meet their exact vision. So, as the seller, you just need to create once and allow people to do what they want with your design. It’s as easy as that, making Zazzle the winner in this category.
So, who does each of these platforms serve specifically? Etsy, as we initially mentioned, is geared towards those looking for unique, handmade items, and template graphics. Most products on Etsy are known to be special gifts.
On Zazzle, the type of market is really limitless, because it revolves around whatever you bring to the table. An abundance of customers will be attracted granted the versatility of items on the platform plus the highly customizable nature of items there, giving Zazzle a wider reach in many ways.
On Etsy, if a customer doesn’t like what you have for sale, they’re either not going to buy the item or they’re going to ask for something to be customized, which means more work for you as the maker.
On Zazzle, since customers have the power to customize each design, there’s a better chance that a design could meet their needs and they’ll make the purchase. Because of this ability, Zazzle wins out in this category.
Although Etsy is a wonderful platform that attracts a lot of customers, there may be an opportunity for Zazzle to be more profitable while working less. Etsy doesn’t come close to matching Zazzle when it comes to being both passive and profitable, which is why we have to deem Zazzle as the clear winner here. So there you have it — hopefully this has answered all your questions about Etsy and really shed light on how it works in comparison to Zazzle.
To give you a broader perspective on where Zazzle stands in the world of online businesses, especially within the realm of print-on-demand platforms, we’ve compiled a comprehensive series of comparison articles. These pieces delve into the specifics of what sets Zazzle apart from its competitors, helping you make an informed decision about where to focus your creative energy and business efforts:
1- Explore the key differences between Zazzle and Redbubble in our in-depth comparison “Zazzle vs Redbubble.” Understand which platform might offer you the best opportunity for growth and earnings based on your unique selling proposition.
2- In “Zazzle vs Minted,” we break down how Zazzle stacks up against Minted’s curated marketplace. Find out which platform is best suited for your design style and business goals.
3- Our “Zazzle vs Society6“ article provides a detailed look at how these two platforms compare in terms of customer base, product range, and artist support. Discover which platform aligns with your vision for selling art and design online.
4- Lastly, “Zazzle vs Spoonflower” offers a comparison between Zazzle’s extensive product range and Spoonflower’s focus on custom fabric, wallpaper, and home decor. See which platform can best bring your designs to life.
These articles are designed to help you navigate the complexities of choosing the right print-on-demand platform for your online business, ensuring that you’re well-equipped to make a decision that aligns with your aspirations and business model.
Thank you so much for reading!
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Official Website: https://jenandelkeclarke.com/
Jen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjenclarke/
Elke’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elkeclarke/
The Profit by Design Academy®: https://elkeclarke.com/startandscale/
Etsy Traffic Analytics and Market Share: https://www.similarweb.com/
website/etsy.com/#overview
Gearment Fulfillment: https://gearment.com/
Etsy Fees and Payments Policy: https://www.etsy.com/ca/legal/fees/
Zazzle Traffic Analytics and Market Share: https://www.similarweb.com
/website/zazzle.com/#overview
Jen and Elke Clarke are a mother-daughter duo that empowers women entrepreneurs to make money online. Through courses and coaching, Jen and Elke help women (and men) become successful creative entrepreneurs on Zazzle and e-commerce. Combined Jen and Elke have sold over 15 million dollars-worth of products, and earned over $1.5 million combined through their businesses on Zazzle. Jen and Elke have influenced and transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide with their free content, paid and private coaching.
They are international, award-winning authors. Click the links to purchase their books through Amazon: Earn Around The World and Create Online and Grow Rich.
Jen and Elke Clarke have been featured in Yahoo Finance as TOP 5 e-commerce coaches.
