Is Etsy a Viable Option in Australia?

If you have something great to share with the world and are hoping to make some coin out of it in the process, finding the right marketplace will make all the difference.

Places like Amazon and eBay are popular but packed full of products and better suited to those shopping for commercial goods and buying things in bulk.

For those with handmade goods and vintage finds to sell, there’s no place better than Etsy. This niche marketplace caters to specialty items, but if you’re a seller in Australia and want to list your wares on Etsy, how does it all work?

Can you sell on Etsy if you’re from Australia?

The answer is yes, and it’s just as easy as someone living in the United States to start a store and get selling. There are a few legalities to be aware of like tax obligations and GST, but with those understood, selling on Etsy Australia is easy.

We’re here to walk you through just how easy it is and go through the differences that we Aussie sellers have compared to others. Once you see what’s required and the unique selling platform that Etsy has to offer, you’ll find it a cinch to get your one-of-a-kind goods for sale at the online marketplace.

What is Etsy All About?

Etsy was started in 2005 by a group of friends when one of them, a furniture maker, was seeking out a better way of selling his handmade goods.

The website quickly took off and now has a massive worldwide community of buyers and sellers, ranging from Australia to the US, Europe, and beyond.

With so many online marketplaces to choose from these days, Etsy stands out for its niche market. At Etsy, the focus is on handmade goods, vintage finds, clothing, arts and crafts, and rare items, so it’s usually stuff you can’t find anywhere else. Nothing is mass-produced and the stores are run by real people who are proud to share their designs and collections with the rest of the world.

Today, Etsy has close to 40 million active buyers on their site, spanning all corners of the globe. For the Australian seller, you can appeal to people locally within the country or even entice international buyers who are happy to pay the extra postage to have your goods sent overseas.

How Etsy Compares to the Competition

To get an idea of what Etsy is all about, it’s best to stack them up against the competition and see what stands out.

Here are a few key points that differentiate Etsy from the rest, and some that make them similar.

• Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade goods, clothing, arts, and crafts, and unique items. Compared to something like eBay where you can sell practically anything, there are limits to what can be listed on Etsy.
• The interface of Etsy is clean and simple, and whether you’re coming to them as a buyer or seller, they’ve specifically designed it to be easy to use. Listing items on other marketplaces isn’t always this easy and the buying pages aren’t as attractive as when you use Etsy.
• The fees for sellers on Etsy are around $0.20 per listing and item, with your listing automatically expiring after four months. On others, you can pay a monthly price depending on how much you sell or plan to sell, which doesn’t always work out and is better suited to bulk listings.
• Customers like to return and buy again on Etsy so if you make your own goods, this can be a godsend. According to the former CEO, 81% of Etsy’s sales come from repeat purchases so if you do something well the first time, you’re almost guaranteed to get their business again. On sites like Amazon and eBay, it’s more about finding a specific product at the lowest price and not buying it again.

Using Etsy in Australia

With so many benefits to offer buyers, the good news is that all of Etsy’s features are available to Australians. Nothing needs to change just because your store is based in Australia and it’s up to you when you set up your page whether you want to ship to international buyers or not.

Etsy makes it easy to set up shop and they automatically calculate things for you like postage and shipping fees, as well as currency conversion for overseas buyers. This ease of use is done on both sides of the coin, so it’s not just sellers who get a clean shopping experience, but you do too as a seller.

When you start your Etsy account, you’ll put in all of the relevant information, including the fact that you’re based in Australia, and it can take care of the rest. You’ll also put in your preferred currency and language, as well as any other details you want to make customers aware of.

Questions Surrounding Legality

Any time you plan on starting your own business, whether it’s online or not, you need to make sure you understand the law. This is especially true for selling things online at a marketplace like Etsy, even if it all seems to be for fun.

According to Etsy’s official page on running a store from Australia, there are a few key things you need to cover off to make it done legally.

Choosing the Right Legal Structure

In Australia, there are many options for how to want your business to be structured. When you’re selling goods on eBay, the two simplest options will be to register either as a sole trader or partnership.

A sole trader is someone who is responsible for all aspects of their business by themselves. A registered partnership means more than one person is involved in the running of the business. Other times, you might want to take it a step further and register as a company, but this comes with pros and cons, including registering for GST.

If you’re still unsure about which approach suits you best, you can head to the ASIC or ATO website for more information. Doing this before setting up your Etsy store is essential and will save a lot of headaches in the future.

Understand Your Obligations

When you start selling goods and services, you then become responsible for paying taxes, and in Australia, the two biggest ones are GST (goods and services tax) and income tax. Before you open a store, you’ll want to understand what’s required of you, as there’s no excuse for trading without it.

GST is charged to your customers and should be advertised at the final price of your listing on Etsy. To determine whether or not you have to charge GST, you need to decide whether your store will operate as a hobby or as a serious business, as discussed earlier.

Income tax is the tax that every Australian is required to pay when they earn an income from any source. The Australian Government will charge you a set amount of tax depending on your earnings for the year, and anything you make from your business on Etsy must be declared when it comes time to do your tax return.

Protecting Your Brand

In a marketplace where most sellers are listing items that they’ve personally made, it’s important to think about protecting your brand and products. Intellectual property is the term used to describe anything that you’ve come up with, including designs, ideas, logos, and brand names, and it means that it belongs to you.

To protect this property, you can use a number of methods including copyright, patents, and trademarks, all of which are available within Australia. Your needs when you first open an Etsy store might change when it becomes more successful but it’s something to be considered before you start one up to protect yourself.

Tips for a Successful Etsy Australia Store

Once you’re ready to hop on board and create an online store with Etsy, there’s probably still a bit more homework that you have to do.

Check out these tips to make the process easier and give your Aussie store a better chance of thriving online.

• Have a plan

It’s easy to get excited and just start uploading photos and listings on Etsy, but you should take it slow. Think about this as a true business and have a plan for sales, marketing, budgets, goals, and anything else you think is required. You’ll always adjust it as you go but at least you know if you’re going in the right direction.

• Make the photos pop

The thumbnail image of your product is the first impression customers will get, so it has to stand out among the crowd. Spend some time experimenting with photography, getting the best angles, working out lighting, and knowing how to visually sell a product so that yours will get the attention it deserves.

• Think about the seasons

While this issue doesn’t matter as much for Australians because of our year-round pleasant weather, sellers from overseas might be more likely to look at listings that are suited to the seasons. Think about the time you’re listing certain items and what you have available throughout the year so that you’re always in reach.

• Be memorable

This is easier said than done but spending some time coming up with a memorable name and logo for your store can do wonders. Don’t be afraid to spitball some ideas with friends and get their feedback on what the standouts are so you can look at them objectively.

• Shipping matters

Offering free shipping on a product is more likely to attract a buyer as they feel like they’re getting a good deal, but it’s not always possible. You need to find the line between what you have to make to turn a profit and what is attractive to a buyer and meet somewhere in between.

Get It Sold With Etsy

Although there have been some Australian competitors on the scene in recent times, none have the reach that online marketplace Etsy does.

If you’re interested in selling handmade, speciality, and second-hand goods that deserve their own unique platform, doing your homework on how to make an impressive Etsy store from Australia is the smartest approach for sure.

Related Questions

Etsy is just one way to sell your goods and services online, whether they’re arts and crafts or speciality garments, but it’s by far one of the best.

To learn more about starting your own business online with Etsy and what’s involved, we’ve answered some commonly asked questions about the process to help you out.

How Do You Get Visibility on Etsy?

Getting your products seen on Etsy requires a similar approach to search engine optimisation. You need to make sure your listings have the right keywords, the content that you post is clear and concise, and that you’re offering something unique to visitors to your page that will make them want to stay and purchase goods from you.

Can You See Views on Etsy?

At present, there is no function that lets you see who specifically has viewed your page, but you can get a total count of viewers to the page. Etsy has worked their website to protect the buyer’s information so you’re unable to view the personal information of their users, so you’ll need to keep track of how many page views your items get to see how they’re trending.

Is There An Australian Version of Etsy?

Etsy has an Australian page where you can view products from Australian sellers specifically. However, there are other online marketplaces with similar product ranges to Etsy that are Australian-made, including Made It, Toggle, and Big Cartel, each with something unique to offer sellers and buyers.