Selling On Instagram Vs. Etsy

Etsy used to be the place for artists, artisans and creators to sell handcrafted goods, art and vintage items. But with the implementation of shopping features on Instagram, many have flocked to the social media platform for market expansion and keeping their virtual activities in one place. 

The question now plaguing a lot of merchants is, “Which is better—Instagram or Etsy?” Here, we’ll shine a light on the differences of each platform, as well as their pros and cons, to help you decide which one best fits the marketing strategy for an ecommerce startup and, ultimately, can help grow your business.

Selling On Instagram

An Instagram shop is easy to set up. You connect your account, upload your products, and then get your account reviewed. Once you receive approval, you can begin tagging products on your feed and selling directly on the platform (if Instagram Checkout is available).

Pros Of Selling On Instagram

Everyone’s already on Instagram, so it makes selling online much more convenient with its connection to a ready market. Plus, its streamlined and mobile-friendly shopping interface makes it easier for people to buy online without moving between platforms. 

Massive Reach

Instagram is a platform ripe with hundreds of millions of potential customers. And being on the platform gives your products more visibility–and gives you the ability to communicate their unique selling points. 

Customer Engagement

On Instagram, you can actively engage with customers in real time, making it easier to gather feedback. You also have the chance to collect user-generated content, which helps signal trust and authenticity to newcomers just discovering your brand.

Streamlined Checkout

With Instagram checkout, you can offer customers a total shopping experience without leaving the app. The lack of complicated steps makes it easier for them to complete transactions.

Mobile Optimization

Most people are glued to their phones nowadays, so mobile optimization is extremely important for any online platform. Being an app designed for mobile use, Instagram is more accessible for shopping online than many others.

Cons Of Selling On Instagram

Since Instagram is a social media platform, it only has fundamental ecommerce capabilities, which might hamper businesses that wish to scale. Here are some other cons that come with selling on Instagram.

Lack Of Ecommerce Focus

You don’t get the same features on Instagram as you would on platforms focused solely on ecommerce. With Instagram, you miss out on recovering abandoned cart features, shop analytics, and email marketing, among other supplemental features. 

Loss Of Customer Data

Instagram manages most of the data involved in checkout transactions. Businesses only get order and shipping details, which rob them of the chance to build a relationship with their customers.

Selling On Etsy

Setting up an Etsy shop is simple. You create an account, set up your payment details, build your storefront, add your listings (products), and start selling. You can also grow your business through the platform’s marketing tools, helping you reach your target market much more quickly.

Pros Of Selling On Etsy

Etsy is an ecommerce platform, which means that it has the capabilities you need to successfully run an online shop—without the headache of having to build or add those features yourself. 

Large Buying Market

Since Etsy is designed specifically for shopping, all of the people on the site are there to buy, providing you with a built-in market already looking for what you’re offering. The Etsy platform can also provide you with great organic marketing results.

Easy Maintenance

Thanks to its management and growth tools and resources, Etsy makes it easy to maintain an online store. You can conveniently track your products while learning to grow your business through search engine optimization (SEO) and proven marketing strategies. Additionally, Etsy has the usual ecommerce tools such as shopping carts, checkouts and analytics.

Trust

Since Etsy is a trusted platform for individuals and search engines, it doesn’t leave people second-guessing about buying a product or recommending shops to their friends.

Cons Of Selling On Etsy

The saturated market, fees and product limitations are the main cons of selling on Etsy. 

Competition

Etsy has so many shops that it can be challenging to attract customers, especially when it’s easy to search and compare similar products of higher quality and lower price.

Fees

Etsy charges listing, transaction and payment processing fees. On their own, the costs are not much. But once you add them together over all the products you sell on the platform, you see how the total amount can rack up and dig into a business’ profits.

Product Limitations

You can only sell handmade products, vintage items and craft supplies on Etsy. Anyone selling products outside of these categories can’t use the platform.

Which Is Better, Instagram or Etsy?

Both Instagram and Etsy have their pros and cons, and choosing the best one for you ultimately depends on which one you believe will help you achieve your business goals. You might be able to do this with Instagram’s massive reach and streamlined checkout, or it may be only possible with Etsy’s ecommerce-focused capabilities.

Consider your business needs, budget and staffing. Then weigh what you’re willing to sacrifice by using one platform over the other before making a choice. Either way, ecommerce is an excellent way to grow your business.