With so many great platforms available for selling your thrifted or handmade items, it can be tough to pick one. This is an easy-to-read guide to save you hours of research time deciding whether Etsy or Depop is the best selling platform for you.
The Basics
We will be taking a look at two different selling platforms: Etsy and Depop. These platforms have some differences including the range of items you can sell, customer reach, marketing, ease of use, customizability, support and customer service, fees, and miscellaneous data. There are many different opinions on which platform is better, so we have also compiled a list of other user’s experiences and preferences.
Depop:
Depop is a marketplace primarily for fashion in which anyone can list items to be sold. It is known for its unique and vintage clothing. Depop’s goal is to decrease waste in the fashion industry by creating a market of thrifted and unique clothing. There is no restriction on just how old vintage items need to be to list them on the platform. Depop was founded in 2011.
If you want a quick and easy platform to set up a store in minutes and have your product hit the top of the search tab right away, choose Depop. However, a high sales fee and lack of customization are where Depop can be a limited marketplace. However, you may access a different, younger market with Depop as many statistics report Gen Z frequenting the platform more compared to Etsy.
Etsy:
Etsy is another marketplace with a focus on unique items. However, Etsy’s marketplace is for selling and buying so many more different items than just clothing including home décor, jewelry, and toys. There is a big focus on handmade items but there are many different vintage items available as well. Vintage items must be at least 20 years old. Etsy was founded in 2005.
Etsy can be a very useful platform mainly because of the wider variety of items you can sell and the large market. Etsy has been around longer than Depop and therefore is a more trusted marketplace, which can take some of the pressure of trying to build trust from the ground up when trying to sell items. Etsy, however, does have more fees compared to Depop.
Customers and Communication
Depop
As standard with many selling apps, Depop does have a messaging system for buyers and sellers to communicate. In terms of making sure your product gets seen, you get to control this yourself as a seller. On Depop, you can “bump” an item so that your item is seen by more potential buyers. It is also more straightforward to find customers by simply tagging your item with the correct tags. Like Etsy, you can link Depop to your social media.
Etsy
Etsy also allows for easy messaging within the platform just like Depop. Unlike Depop, however, the search algorithm is much more complicated on Etsy.
Customers can find your store simply by searching for a product in the search bar. You can also connect directly with social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter to promote your shop. You also have the option to pay for a promotion to increase the visits to your store through Etsy. Compared to Depop, the Etsy search algorithm is much more complicated.
Ease of Use and Customizability
Depop
Depop only allows you to upload a profile photo and a bio. This can be very limiting to businesses that would like more customization to accurately display their brand. Of course, you can post photos of the item you are selling, but this can only get you so far as a business. For ease of use, Depop is extremely easy to use but does not have as many features as Etsy. If you want an extremely simple, easy-to-use platform, choose Depop.
Etsy
Etsy has been a staple for many years in the subjects of ease of use. They have pioneered the way for creatives to have a great place to have many more sales compared to traditional selling. Etsy makes it very easy to create listings and see your analytics. For customization, nearly all stores look very similar. You have the option to add a custom profile picture and banner, but other than that, you cannot change much else. However, compared to Depop, this is quite a bit more customization.
If you choose their premium subscription, you can promote products on your homepage.
Support and Customer Service
Depop
Email: Yes
Phone or live chat: no
Depop is very limited when it comes to support. If you have any issues, you’ll need to submit a request on their helpdesk, or email [email protected]. Since the app is newer than Etsy, there is very little information about response times for emails. This can be nerve-racking, especially for sellers who would like a backup plan if they needed help with a customer or issue within the app.
Etsy
Email: Yes
Phone or live chat: yes to both
With more options for customer service, Etsy allows for email, phone, and live chat communications with support. However, some users report that their response time can take a few days for a case to be looked at. You can locate any support option from a tab in your seller dashboard, which can be reassuring to be able to get ahold of support easily if something goes wrong.
Fees
Depop
No monthly plans, Depop is completely free to use and list items on.
Other fees:
10% fee each time an item sells.
This high fee per sale can be very disheartening, especially to a new seller. Although Etsy may have many kinds of fees, it could be that this 10% fee is still higher than the amount that Etsy would be charging. It is up to you to decide if this fee is worth it for the Depop platform. Compared to Etsy, Depop also does not have a listing fee.
Etsy
2 monthly pricing plans:
Etsy Standard – $0
Etsy Plus – $10
Other fees:
Listing fee ($0.20), auto-renewal fee ($0.20), transaction fee (5%), and payment gateway fee (3%).
Pattern by Etsy – $15
Compared to Depop, Etsy is more of a long-term option and can be much more costly.
If you do choose the more expensive monthly plan, Etsy Plus, you are able to have access to more customization, a discount for your custom web address, ad credits, and listing credits, to name a few perks.
Even though it seems like many of these different charges may add up, the access to a huge customer base and increased sales may make up for it two-fold.
Pattern by Etsy allows for you to have your own domain address.
Read more about how much Etsy charges sellers.
User Experiences- Do other sellers prefer one platform over the other?
Some users have experienced many more sales with Depop due to their straightforward way of promoting items and the ability to self-promote. However, many users recommend sticking with Etsy if you are looking to build a more serious online business with a very large customer base.
Overall, and as found on this Reddit thread, users find success on both Etsy and Depop. It all depends on how you use the platform, your goals for the business, and partly luck.
Reddit user that80saesthetic states, “I do way better on Depop than I do on Etsy. I think if you just keep refreshing your listings as much as you can and posting cute stuff, you will get sales.”
Whereas another Reddit user lou_lou_lou_ says that, “I do both and can’t sell at ALL on depop but have sold a little bit on Etsy.”
Finally, Reddit user nicoandleo says, “I started on Etsy about 10 years ago and took a five-year break, I started back on Etsy and did pretty well but I started listening on depop and it started doing better than my Etsy. I really like how they feature me on the explore page, Etsy never did anything like that. Depop really has been pushing my stuff and I appreciate that so I would rather sell through depop.”
Both platforms have their perks, and some find more success on one compared to the other.
Reddit user maesvillaria says, “Etsy is most definitely better for handmade things but I just don’t like how you have to pay to make/update a listing:/ I like depop cause it’s easier to use but for more professional handmade jewelry, use Etsy.”
This is a common consensus, if you would like to have a more professional business, it is recommended that you choose Etsy over Depop, despite Etsy’s listing fees.
Overall
If you are looking to sell more handcrafted items, Etsy is the way to go. Depop is better for the reselling of clothing. However, the more the merrier. We recommend trying both out to get a good feel for which one allows for more sales and is the right fit for you. Both platforms offer free versions which can be a cost-effective way to get your business up and running quickly with a larger market compared to just relying on one platform.
Overall, Etsy is more of a longer-term business option compared to if you just want to quickly post and sell items in Depop. Depop does, however, have a smaller community and a more standardized brand image that they would like you to follow.
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