If you've been on Etsy for a few years you might be looking at getting your own website. This sounds scary, but trust me it's not! 

Let's first start off with this:

Etsy has MILLIONS of daily users, and unless you have tons of Instagram followers, chances are you will not see that kind of traffic. But does that matter?

When you buy on Etsy, the brand recognition is really low. Most buyers will say "I got it on Etsy" instead of "I got it from Jordyn Alison Designs." See the problem? How can you expect repeat buyers if the buyer doesn't even remember the brand? Sure a handwritten note and a business card in the order might help, but chances are those got thrown out or stashed somewhere. (But don't let that stop you from including them!)

How to make the switch: 

It can be really scary to transition from Etsy to your website. For most people, Etsy was where we got our start and it's all we know. But being in control of YOUR business is so important, and that's what a website does for you. You shouldn't be punished if you can't offer free shipping or you don't want to do a Labor Day sale, or you get a few bad reviews (but hundreds of positive ones). 

I purchased a website in the fall of 2018 and continued to keep my Etsy open. At the beginning of 2019 I was doing really well on Etsy, actually. But then they introduced their free shipping initiative, and even though I DID the free shipping with them my sales tanked.

For years my sales were increasing year after year. But from 2018 to 2019 my sales dropped over 50%. FIFTY PERCENT! I've never seen a hit like that before, but thankfully in 2019 I had expanded to other sites and honestly didn't even notice a hit from them because I was proactive. Etsy is a prime example of why you should never keep all your eggs in one basket. You need to have multiple income streams so when one goes down you're still doing okay. 

In January 2020 I closed down my Etsy shop and left only digital items in there. I figured a little passive income can't hurt (an average $40/month with no advertising). 

I don't see Etsy as a long term selling platform anymore UNLESS you sell digital products. I have found that I can just leave my digital products in my Etsy shop and they will continue to sell. 

I recommend waiting until you're financially able to make the switch. I waited until I felt like I'd be okay if I no longer made money from Etsy. And to be honest it took much longer than I had wanted - but that's okay. We all grow at different rates.

This will be the first topic I talk about in my Small Business Newsletter, but after that I will be talking about wholesale, selling digital products, comparing platforms, and talking about social media! I'd love for you to join me 👇