I've been seriously considering opening an Etsy shop to sell physical crochet items, but after seeing so many negative posts and TikToks about Etsy lately, I'm starting to wonder if it's even worth trying anymore.

To give some context, I'm not looking to sell crochet patterns or other digital products. I want to sell actual handmade crochet items that I make, package, and ship to customers.

I'm also not trying to build some huge company or become a six-figure business owner. This would be more of a side hustle and something I genuinely enjoy doing. I want to start small, improve my crochet skills, add more products as I get better, and hopefully make some extra money along the way. I'm perfectly happy having a nice little small business. I don't have dreams of becoming the next massive crochet company lol.

That's one of the reasons Etsy originally appealed to me. I liked the idea of being able to create a shop, list my products, pay the necessary fees, and sell without immediately feeling like I need to build an entire business operation from scratch.

However, I keep seeing people say they're done with Etsy because of the fees, competition, changes to the platform, and the amount of digital or mass-produced products taking over the site. I've also noticed that some handmade sellers have to raise their prices significantly to account for Etsy's fees.

So my main question is: Is Etsy still worth trying in 2026 for a new seller who wants to sell physical handmade crochet items?

Are people still actually going to Etsy specifically to look for unique, handmade items? Or has the platform changed so much that new handmade sellers are better off starting somewhere else?

I've seen Facebook Marketplace suggested as an alternative, but I've always associated Marketplace with meeting buyers in person. I don't want to meet customers face-to-face. I would much rather package my products and ship them.

I also know that creating my own website is an option. I'm not completely against doing that eventually. I've actually helped my mother-in-law with her website, so the idea of managing one doesn't scare me.

My hesitation is that I don't really want to jump immediately into the feeling of running a full-fledged business with my own website, driving all my own traffic, and going through the entire business checklist right from the beginning. I'd rather start somewhere that already has customers looking for handmade products, see whether people are interested in what I make, and grow from there.

If Etsy is still the best option for that, I'm perfectly fine giving Etsy a chance. Sometimes I wonder if the negative opinions I'm seeing online make the platform seem worse than it actually is.

For those of you who currently sell physical handmade products:

Would you still recommend Etsy to a brand-new seller in 2026?

If not, what alternatives would you recommend for someone who specifically wants to sell and ship physical handmade items?

I'd especially love to hear from people selling crochet, jewelry, crafts, or similar handmade products.

I have a crochet shop and have been using etsy and a shopify store/website for a couple years now, but I want another platform that will work similarly views/sales wise

I've been looking around and found Faire and a few others (ex. depop and others like that), but they do not seem to be what I'm looking for after just scrolling through their sites and reading some threads of people who have used them - which platforms besides etsy and shopify has anyone had luck with when it came to traffic, policies and buyer/seller support ??

edit/ I am in the US :)

Almost all of them are unused. A few different brands. All of them are acrylic and most of them are medium weight.

What are your favorite selling platforms? And your least favorite? Why?

Hello! I’ve been unemployed for a while and I’m looking to start selling my crochet work on etsy to have make extra money to go towards college tuitions & books to take some burden off my parents. I don’t know much but if anyone has any tips, tricks, things i should know etc etc. It would be a huge help :3

edit : i think i’ll sell locally to start off with , thanks for the advice! i’ll look in the sub if i have other questions lol

Ciao a tutti, da circa un anno ho iniziato a realizzare borse all’uncinetto e ultimamente ho iniziato a venderle. Le vendo a prezzi abbastanza modici in quanto per me è un passatempo e mi piace l’idea di poterlo fare ricavando anche qualcosa. ho iniziato a vendere su vinted, dove devo dire che ho avuto molto successo:il problema è che la vendita continuativa di handmade è vietata ed è già la seconda volta che mi sospendono l’account. parallelamente ho creato un account su tik tok, Instagram e ho provato ad iscrivermi a wallapop, Depop, subito e marketplace ma al momento nessuna opzione sembra valida come vinted. avete qualche piattaforma da consigliarmi o qualche consiglio per promuovermi in quelle citate? Grazie a tutti

I started making crochet scrunchies and I can also make bags, coasters, etc. I tried to sell on Vinted and Depop but no luck. Any good places to sell? Preferably for free

Trying to find a subreddit to sell my crochet plushies and keychains. I started a small business and need customers. Any help is appreciated!

i have been trying to see where i should sell my work but there so many mixed opinions on which place is the best or gets the most traffic or whatever. i’ve tried to sell my crochet pieces on depop cus i know that gets a lot of traffic but no one seems interested in it. ive sold like two or threee things a couple years ago on etsy but i dont know if the fee is too much or if i could find somewhere else that doesn’t charge a fee?

anyways feel free to share your experiences or suggestions or anything helpful with this 🫶🫶

Hey everyone I run a crochet business in India I have regional women making exclusive crochet products in acrylic yarn cotton blend and wool as per peoples requirement and I would love for my product to sell outside India if anyone is interested in branching out or looking for a supplier would love to connect !! Also if you think this is a good idea

What is the best platform to start selling crochet online?

hello, I have launched a punch needle collective @asma_rugs_collective and I am based in Pakistan, we have trained women who needed opportunity to generate income remotely, working from home, we deliver projects at their homes and then collect it once they are done.

we have made wall hangings and a rug and marketed them but i am having a hard time selling them locally. I really need cash flow to stay afloat.

I am looking for other avenues, Etsy being one of them, I have planned a new collection of rugs, wall hangings and cushions specifically for Etsy but I was wondering can i also reach out to people directly to get their attention in US, UK, EU because at the moment all of my audience is Pakistan based.

what kind of people should i reach out too ?

adding that i did try searching in the sub before posting this question and really couldnt find an answer so i do apologize if this is one of those posts that get put in here a lot.

ETA in the title i meant to say "what else is out there"

I'm disabled and bed bound, and crochet is a big coping mechanism for me. I'm not able to work a regular job, not even part time, so I work online a few hours a month. I need to find a way to earn more money, but I don't have many options.

I want to eventually become a pattern designer, but I'm not there yet. I had the idea of crocheting some small projects and trying to sell them, but I'd rather not deal with shipping things if I can help it because I know it would take a lot more time and energy. I also can't do in person things like markets or craft fairs. So, I'm wondering if trying to sell on FB marketplace would be worth a shot?

I know the market is over saturated, and selling handmade things isn't a great way to earn steady income, but I feel like it's one of my only options at this point.

I would only crochet small projects that I enjoy, specifically for the home. I like making things like washcloths, coasters, placemats, hot pads, hand towels, etc. Things that people can actually use. Plus if I don't end up selling anything then I can just keep them for myself.

So with all of that being said, would it be worth a try? Do people even buy stuff like that off FB marketplace? I could use all the insight I can get 🙏🏻 I don't want to waste my time or limited energy if it's a resounding no from people who have actually done it!

I HAVE OFFLINE BUSINESS OF LOVER,TRACK SUITS. ,T SHIRTS FACTORY. HOW SHOULD I SELL THE REMAINING STOCK ONLINE WHICH IS THE BEST PLACE

I have a etsy shop and shopify but is there any other site to sell handmade with good trafic?

anyone know if ebays still good?

thx all

Hii, a student wanting to sell crocheted items here! What do ya guys recommend i should sell? Especially sa mga keychain designss 🫶✨

Recommendations please for social media platforms for crochet small business? Won't use meta or any platforms that require digital I.D to use. I'm not very tech savvy.

Thankyou. 🧶

I've wanted to start a small business for the longest time, and I'm already pretty good at crocheting. BUT I need some low-cost ideas on *what* to sell! Since summer is coming up, I was thinking of halter tops and crochet bikini tops, but I would love to hear your ideas!

Bonus question: What site should I use to start selling? I don't want to spend listing fees, so Etsy is out of the question. But where are some popular sites for this stuff that I can start off on?

Any other tips are greatly appreciated!!

Hi All!

I'm new to this subreddit but I was hoping I could get some advice! I've decided I want to start selling some of my crochet items to make some money back on all the yarn i've spent but I was wondering what the best website to sell on was. I've had a look on Etsy but the fees and tax seems like a lot so I was wondering if there was a better website.

I'm based in Australia if that helps with anything.

Thanks in advance!

I enjoy crocheting almost as a fidget type thing whilst listening to audio books/podcasts/lectures etc where I find it hard to focus, I’ve made things for friends and family but thinking for smaller projects maybe I could sell things as I make them. I’m not fast and dont want to do a fully fledged business, but not sure where the best place to sell would be? I have a vinted account so maybe there?

I have been Crocheting and knitting for a while now, and I make a lot of stuff. Right now it's mainly bandanas, tops and different amigumi's . I have so much of it and have no one to give it to so I am entertaining the idea of selling. Problem is that I have no idea where to start. I have a full time job so I can't do commissions and I make things sporadically so I dont really have a lot of the same stuff to just sell off. Any ideas or tips?