Etsy Alternatives Update

From time to time we've done reviews of Etsy alternatives - we haven't had any in awhile because it seems that once we find one it disappears or is greatly disappointing. It's not much of an alternative if it has security issues, like we found efreeme does. A site should have a seller login to list items and not have the"edit this listing" link visible to everyone who visits the page - jus' saying'.

A somewhat disappointing note in handmade is an update to the Etsy alternative 1000Markets. This site was juried to ensure handmade products (see previous review) - but it's been bought by Bonanzle. Now, many handmade people like Bonanzle, but it isn't a handmade only place though they cater to non-mass produced stuff. Also, they are changing their name to Bonanza (if you're a seller on 1000markets, see what you have to do for the switch here). We haven't reviewed the site yet, but with a million dollar infusion a couple months ago and the purchase of one of the few juried handmade sites out there, we'll be doing one. Feel free to comment with your thoughts on your experience with the site and what impact changing the name of the site may have on sellers there.

In the past year or two a number of handmade venues have closed (mintd to name one), it is nice to see one get acquired instead. In contrast, though, Artfire has been growing exponentially - in regards to features, sales, and traffic - and is leaving beta (the look of the site has also been completely redone). This is one alternative that does not seem to be going away. For those interested, many have mentioned in our comments that they are offering a $5.95/mo group deal - if 20,000 people signup, the deal goes into effect. If you're interested in this alternative the information is here. Our original review is here, and a previous update that included previous changes at Artfire is here.

EDIT: UPDATE, Today Artfire announced that anyone who signs up before 12:00 noon PST on 10/01/10 WILL get the $5.95 price. If you were one of the many saying they were waiting to see if it was going through, it is.


Silkfair has also added some functionality, including personalized shop blog, forum, and video capabilities. The homepage also now pushes "the extraordinary" - handmade, vintage, antiques, collectibles - but the site is still open to any items despite the change in look. This change does address some of the "garage sale" comments that have been made about the homepage of that site. Our originial review is here.

If you have suggestions on Etsy alternatives we should review, leave a comment or send me an email etsyanon.righteous@gmail.com I am also open to looking into any updates to Etsy alternatives we've already reviewed in order to help you make the best decisions for your business.

Etsy Alternatives Update

We've noticed several changes occurring with some sites we've addressed as Etsy alternatives. So we wanted to make sure you were kept abreast of some of these things.

First off, there was a great conversation going on with a rep from Silkfair in the comments section of one of our latest features. It looks like this venue is open to discussion and suggestions, and they admit it is likely more appropriate for a certain subset of sellers. This is something to take into consideration - what will work for you and your business? The site also recently released fully customizable shops for subscribing members (the paid shops), including eliminating the Silkfair menu from the top of the page.

Mintd was a venue we reviewed in November. Unfortunately, the site is still extremely buggy and there are many people left hanging in regards to billing issues as they are attempting to rebill accounts (according to some members). Dawanda also now has fees that were retroactively collected (not everyone is happy about this), but they are keeping up with retail holidays and promoting their features via email newsletters. eCrater, one of our first reviews, has adjusted the look of their shop template, which allows for less freedom to feature categories on your own front page (you have to have at least 5 categories in order to have this option now). But they do have a fully integrated shipping calculator now - though there isn't a way to add handling charges.

The most encouraging improvements in recent months (well, weeks and days actually) are the adjustments Artfire has been making. The site has been actively following up with members to improve the site, including redesigning artisan studios, categories, and the front page.

Verified Artfire sellers can now fully customize the color and layout of their shops, including the Artfire menu at the top of the page to coordinate with their brand. Three banner sizes can be chosen from, to see examples, there is a Flickr group dedicated to sellers showing off their Fusion Studios, and the number of items per row and whether categories are shown can be chosen as well. The customized shop categories also now have their own URL's for directing buyers. The front page of Artfire has also been completely redesigned, even the colors, to match the new shop designs. We've been told that they are still making some minor adjustments based on member feedback.

The site has also re-opened their free ride program and discounted monthly memberships! They also now have a RapidCart widget to sell directly from your own website using Artfire as your shopping cart and listing software. This is a great alternative if you are having trouble coding your own site for item listings, shopping carts, and paypal integration.

The Forge (like Alchemy) is also now actively going on the Artfire site, though they are still adjusting it; they now have item quantity capabilities in the shops; they've enhanced the search to be faster and to include within shop searching; and they've added featured studio spots to the categories for on site advertising. In addition, Artfire is hiring editors and columnists for their blog from the community (separate from their administration).

Overall, Artfire is still looking like it's the site to give Etsy a run for it's money. They've teamed up with an internet radio station to have a weekly radio show about handmade, collaborated to create VoteHandmade for handmade items to be showcased for free, and been actively changing their site to meet their customers' demands. It's almost unbelievable how much progress they've made since our review - and they still say they're in beta! So there is likely much more to come, which will be great news for the world outside of Etsy.

Etsy Alternative #5 - Artfire

In this continuing series, we bring you a review of alternative selling venues, website hosting services, shopping carts, and basically anything else that you can use to sell your lovely handcrafted goods. Next up is a venue we here at Etsy Bitch are actually pretty excited about. Why? Because the people working on it actually listen! There have been a number of issues that new registrants or members have had and they've gone in and fixed them, or added a feature they needed. The site is still in beta, but it's not an insolent teenager like another site we know. Let's talk about Artfire!

Tagline: Sell without fees, Create without limits

Company information: It's being developed by about 8 people in the U.S., the main person you'll probably interact with is Tony, the VP who handles a lot of the customer interaction. Also, one of the people they brought on board is actually an Etsy seller who has over a decade of design experience - they wanted the best for their ad campaigns (yep, they advertise! several million dollars worth actually).

The following sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Art Fire is your online interactive community provided and sponsored by over 25 of the internet's premier suppliers and importers of craft and art products. Art Fire was built as a marketplace for artisans to buy, sell, and interact with a focus on fostering a venue that celebrates handmade unique items. Art Fire is absolutely free for buyers and sellers and is paid for and sponsored by the site affiliates making us a truly FREE TRADE ZONE for all users, yep, no starving artists here! Finally, Art Fire is a place where artisans can prosper and grow their business and connect with likeminded members.

Storefront: Very similar to Etsy - your own banner, your own av, your own categories (unlimited), your own featured items, your own announcement and profile, even your own layout choice (currently limited to 2 gallery or list-type options), and all accounts get a unique web address (i.e. username.artfire.com).

Cost: There are two levels - free and verified. Verified members have unlimited listing with no fees, but it costs per month. Right now, if you sign up for a verified account, you'll have a bill of $7/month for life (it's normally $20). They are also having a "recruit 10 people to sign up and you get a free ride" - that's right, refer 10 people by the end of the month and you get the unlimited account for free, forever. Free, basic accounts have a 10 item limit at any given time. Listings are good for 120 days (4 months).

Features: Stats for verified members; the site is designed for your Etsy graphics to fit (no need to remake your banner); link back to your Etsy shop, they don't block outbound links; one click relist, bulk deactivate mode; view prices in any currency; vacation mode; integrated with paypal; the Forge (their version of alchemy); 10 pictures per premier listing/4 per free listing; one page listing process; sales mode coming soon, but there's a scheduled markdown manager for each listing; shipping profiles; opt in/out for allowing offers to be made on your items - read more for yourself and what's to come.

Receive Payment: Integrated with Paypal, Google Checkout, and Revolution Money Exchange (RME). Also have check, money order, and other as options.

Community: Forums, eventually member blogs, favoriting features, internal messaging system, teams/guilds for premier members coming soon, automated flagging system.

Customer service: Available in the forums, on twitter, and by email/contact form. There is also a separate "report a bug" form.

Items that can be sold: Three categories - Handmade/Fine art, Supplies/Vintage, and Design/Media. All represented on the sidebar and main page.

General impressions: The listing process is a breeze. Yes, the site is buggy at times, but it's in beta and worth checking out. Many improvements have been made in the past month or two alone based on user feedback. Now is definitely the time to check them out so a decision can be made about going verified before the promotion ends.

The folks at Artfire are pretty adamant about not making Etsy's mistakes, and we know they read this blog and take notes. We think this venue could really give Etsy a run for its money, and we're not alone.