Why I Left Etsy and Built My Own Online E-commerce Art Shop—And Why You Might Want to Do the Same

The Harsh Reality of Selling on Etsy

Let’s talk about Etsy’s fees. They take a 30% cut of your earnings when you factor in listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing deductions. That’s a massive chunk of every sale gone before you even see your profits. For an artist who spends hours, sometimes weeks, crafting a piece, that fee starts to feel like a rip-off.

Etsy defends its pricing by claiming it brings you traffic, which is true to some extent. But here’s the catch: that traffic doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to Etsy. You might get visitors to your shop, but they are constantly being presented with alternative options—sometimes directly beneath your own listings. It felt like I was doing the work of bringing people to Etsy’s platform, only for Etsy to push them towards other sellers.

I started wondering: Am I the business here, or am I just another cog in Etsy’s machine? Am I building my brand, or am I just feeding theirs?

The Hidden Competition and the Flood of Mass-Produced "Art"

One of the most frustrating things I experienced on Etsy was the growing influx of mass-produced, factory-made “art” flooding the marketplace. These pieces, often produced in bulk from overseas manufacturers, were being marketed alongside handmade, original works by real artists. Customers browsing Etsy might not even realize the difference.

And the worst part? Etsy allowed it.

The platform, originally built to celebrate craftsmanship and unique creations, had turned into just another marketplace filled with mass production. Competing with real artists was one thing—but competing with mass-manufactured products? That was the final dealbreaker for me.

The Leap to Independence: Building My Own Art Platform

So, I left.

I started building my own art platform. No more reliance on Etsy’s algorithm, no more worrying about mass-produced copies being marketed next to my work, no more losing 30% of every sale. It wasn’t an easy decision, and it certainly wasn’t an overnight success.

Did I get rich? No.

Did it cost me everything? Not really.

Was it hard? Yes—but it was also incredibly rewarding.

Running my own store gave me full control. I decided how my art was presented, how my customers experienced my shop, and how I built relationships with buyers. Instead of being just another seller lost in Etsy’s ocean, I was able to carve out a dedicated space where my art took center stage.

The Challenges of Running Your Own Art Store

I won’t sugarcoat it: running your own shop comes with its own set of challenges. Here are a few things I had to navigate:

1. Driving My Own Traffic

Etsy does bring traffic, but as I said earlier, it’s not really your traffic. Once I left, I had to figure out how to get eyes on my work. I spent time learning about SEO, social media marketing, and email newsletters. It was a learning curve, but over time, I started seeing real results—results that belonged to me, not Etsy.

2. Managing Tech & Logistics

Etsy handles payments, shipping calculations, and customer inquiries. Running my own site meant setting all that up myself. It took time, but once it was in place, I actually found it easier to manage than I expected.

3. Building Trust with Customers

Etsy offers a layer of trust because buyers feel secure purchasing from a well-known platform. When you run your own site, you have to build that trust yourself through great customer service, transparent policies, and high-quality product photography and descriptions.

The Wins: Why It Was All Worth It

For every challenge, there was a win that made it all worth it.

• Every sale feels more personal. When an order comes in from Australia, Sweden, or Switzerland, I know that person found me—not just my shop buried in a sea of listings. These are NOT example countries, believe me or not I really sold already to all these countries some of my art! Incredible right?

• I set my own rules. No more Etsy policies dictating how I can market or price my work. What pictures I am allowed to upload and asking for getting my article “approved”. Never again!

• Higher profits per sale. Without Etsy’s fees eating away at every transaction, I actually earn what my work is worth. And it feels very good, I can tell you that!

• Stronger connections with buyers. I’m not just another anonymous seller on a platform. I can build relationships with people who truly appreciate my work. And I have a chance of actually building my name as unique Artists not a number on an ebay sized art platform.

Should You Leave Etsy?

This isn’t to say that Etsy is all bad. If you’re just starting out and need immediate visibility, it might be worth trying. But if you’re frustrated by the constant fee hikes, the overwhelming competition, and the flood of mass-produced goods, then maybe it’s time to think about your own store.

Leaving Etsy isn’t for everyone. It requires effort, patience, and a willingness to learn. But if you value independence and want to build something that truly belongs to you, it’s absolutely possible—and incredibly rewarding.

A Thank You to Those Who Have Supported My Work

So here I am, more than a year into this adventure. It’s been a ride, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. To everyone who has supported my art, whether by making a purchase, following along on social media, or just reading this post—thank you.

If you’re thinking about leaving Etsy and building your own store, I hope this post gives you the encouragement to take that leap. And if you’re here just to browse my art, thank you for being here. Every visitor, every supporter, and every fellow artist who shares this journey means the world to me.

Here’s to creating, to independence, and to making art on our terms.

Peter Hauerland

www.vonhauerland.com

You can find my space- and science-inspired sculptural art objects throughout this website in the following sections:

Galactic Fossils

Interactive Cosmos Sculptures

Art Decor Inspired by Space Objects made of sheet steel

Tiny Space Creatures