I didn’t set out to build a website. I just wanted to sell the things I made. Just me, my sewing machine, and maybe a couple of friendly customers. Nothing too fancy.
At first, like many small makers, I looked at Etsy. It seemed like the obvious choice. Everyone had heard of it, it was easy to get started, and you could be up and running in an afternoon. But after looking a bit closer—and realising some important truths about fees, competition, and control—I ended up choosing Shopify instead. And two years on, I’m glad I did.
Here’s why.
Quick Comparison: Shopify vs Etsy
If you just want the basics before diving into the details, here’s a quick breakdown:
Etsy
- Built-in marketplace with an existing audience
- Easy to set up and start selling
- Lower upfront costs, but fees can add up fast
- Less control over branding, layout, and customer experience
- Highly competitive with many similar listings
- Algorithm changes and policy shifts can affect your visibility
Shopify
- Full control over your website, branding, and blog
- No built-in traffic—you have to bring people to your shop
- Monthly cost, but no listing fees or commission per sale
- Stronger long-term foundation with room to grow
- Ideal for serious sellers looking to build a recognisable brand
The Appeal of Etsy (At First)
There’s no denying Etsy has its benefits, especially when you’re just starting out.
It gives you immediate access to a massive marketplace, a built-in audience, and a straightforward setup. You don’t need to think about domains or hosting. You just upload your products, set your prices, and off you go.
At that stage, I had no idea how SEO worked or what a meta description even was. Etsy felt like a friendly shortcut—and to be fair, for many people, it still is.
What Made Me Look Elsewhere
The trouble is, once you scratch beneath the surface, that friendly shortcut starts to look a bit expensive.
Between listing fees, transaction fees, and advertising fees (some of which are mandatory), the costs add up fast. And unlike having your own shop, you don’t really get to stand out. Your products sit side-by-side with hundreds of others that look similar, and the only way to get seen is to play Etsy’s game—and pay for the privilege.
What bothered me most was the lack of control. I couldn’t customise my shop the way I wanted. I couldn’t build something that felt like mine. It felt more like renting a tiny stall in someone else’s crowded market—complete with flickering strip lights and a tannoy system that occasionally shouts for a manager but never says why.
And more than that, I started to feel like Etsy had lost touch with its original identity. It used to be a platform for true handmade goods. Now, it feels flooded with cheap mass-produced imports—many of them from large factories abroad, still being passed off as handmade. I knew I’d never be able to compete with those prices, and more importantly, I didn’t want to.
I wanted my work to stand on its own—not get buried in a sea of listings that don’t reflect what handmade really means. Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind embroidered notebook or a uniquely crafted tote bag, I wanted each item to have its own space to be seen and appreciated.
And I didn’t want to build my business on someone else’s rules. I was aiming for creative freedom, not a new set of terms and conditions to tiptoe around.
Why I Chose Shopify Instead
One of the biggest differences with Shopify—something that’s both a pro and a con depending on how you look at it—is that you have to drive your own traffic. There’s no built-in marketplace like Etsy. From what I understand (and let’s be clear, I’m no expert), your options are either the slow organic SEO route or paid ads—or a bit of both if you’ve got the budget.
Since I didn’t have the money for ads, organic SEO was really the only realistic route for me. It’s not quick. In fact, it’s probably one of the slowest marketing strategies out there—but I genuinely believe it builds the strongest foundation. You might not see instant results—in fact, you might start to wonder if Google’s even noticed you exist—but from everything I’ve seen and read (and obsessively Googled at 2am), when it does finally click into place, it looks like it really can work. I’m not there yet myself, but I can absolutely see how this slow, steady route might just be the most sustainable way to grow something that lasts. Plus, I quite like the idea that I’m earning my place on Google rather than just renting it with an ad budget I don’t have.
Shopify felt a bit scary at first. You have to do everything yourself: choose a theme, set up a domain, learn about SEO, write your own product descriptions, and figure out how the whole thing works. And if you mess it up? That’s on you. (You’ll learn very quickly that ‘undo’ isn’t always an option)
But what you get in return is full ownership.
It’s your shop, on your website, with your name on the front. No competitors popping up right next to your products. No sudden policy changes. No hidden fees nibbling away at every sale.
I could design my shop the way I wanted, use my own brand, and (eventually) build traffic through blogging. I could guide people straight to the things I care most about—like my embroidered notebook covers or my tote bag collection—without competing for space. I wasn’t just opening a shop—I was building an asset.
What About Shopify’s Support?
I won’t pretend Shopify’s support is brilliant—because it isn’t. When I first started, it felt hard to get help, and now it’s almost non-existent unless you really dig for it. The official Shopify videos were actually really good—but I only found them after watching far too many unofficial ones that all seemed to contradict each other. By the time I stumbled across the proper tutorials, my brain was already half-fried and it honestly felt like I’d stumbled into the wrong classroom and was too polite to leave. If I could go back, I’d skip straight to the official ones and save myself a lot of head scratching.
But the most valuable support I’ve found? A Facebook group called Shopify for Beginners.
It’s honestly one of the kindest, most helpful spaces I’ve come across online. So many of those groups can feel intimidating when you’re not remotely techy, but this one actually welcomes “stupid questions”—and treats them like they’re not stupid at all. And I had plenty of them!
You’ll still come across the odd smart-arse or someone who’s clearly had a long day, but the group admin really don’t tolerate bullying. They’ll step in, and they make it clear the group is meant to be a safe place to learn.
There are loads of helpful files pinned at the top, too, which might answer your question before you even post. Definitely read the group rules—especially the one about no DMs. It’s there for a reason. Scammers will absolutely try to slide into your inbox and sell you services you don’t need (and probably aren’t qualified to offer). Keep your questions public, take your time, and don’t jump in without doing your homework. You’ll be fine. Unless you’re me, in which case you’ll ask your question, rewrite it five times, delete it, and then post it three days later.
A Few Extra Tools That Helped
I use the Dawn theme, one of the free ones on Shopify, and so far it’s done everything I need. You can add apps if you want—some are free, some you’ll need to pay for—but I’m only using a couple of free ones at the moment. It does the job without overcomplicating things.
And I’d 100% recommend using AI to help you. I use ChatGPT, and it’s honestly the most valuable tool in my kit. There are other options out there, but I’ve stuck with this one because it works for me.
I don’t use it the way the techy types probably intended. I just talk to it like I’m chatting to a friend, and somehow it seems to get me. It’s not always spot on, but it’s helped me figure things out that would’ve otherwise had me staring at the screen like it owed me money. I use it for all sorts—writing product descriptions, simplifying jargon, even translating my Google Analytics into plain English. I’ve lost count of the screenshots I’ve pasted in and asked, "Can you just explain this like I’m five?"
Isn’t It More Work? Yes – But It’s Worth It
Learning Shopify hasn’t always been easy. There have been moments when I’ve muttered things at my screen that aren’t repeatable. Shopify has definitely been a huge learning curve. I honestly thought I’d never get it—and there’s still plenty I haven’t figured out. It’s frustrating, I’ve sworn a lot, and I confess, I even cried quite a bit too. But that’s expected really, isn’t it? I'm female. I don’t mind if that sounds a bit stereotypical—I’m too old to care, and I get over it. Every now and then I do step back and realise how far I’ve come—there’s still loads I don’t fully understand, but I’ve learned enough to keep going, and that in itself feels like a win. I’ve learned things I never imagined I’d ever get my head around—and I love it.
If You’re Trying to Decide
Etsy is great for testing the waters. If you want to dip a toe in, sell a few bits, and see how it goes, it might be the right choice.
But if you’re ready to build something serious—something long-term—then Shopify is worth the effort. It gives you control, flexibility, and room to grow. It’s not a shortcut, but it is a solid foundation.
The Cha-Ching Moment
And then there’s that moment—the first time your phone pings with Shopify’s little cash register sound. The now-iconic Cha-Ching that makes you stop mid-sentence and stare in disbelief. That sound should come with a warning: may cause spontaneous happy dancing.
I still remember my first organic sale. No ads. No craft fair. Just someone, somewhere, who found me through Google and bought something. I honestly couldn’t stop smiling. It’s such a quiet win, but it feels massive. Like the universe is whispering, "keep going, it’s working." (And yes, I did do the happy dance. Twice. Possibly three times. I felt like a little girl proud to have won a prize at school—I wanted to call my mum and tell her all about it. She passed away a few years ago now, so I just smiled, got a bit teary, and carried on—quietly proud, and quietly certain she would’ve been too.
Final Thoughts
I still sometimes wonder if it would’ve been easier to have gone with Etsy. But every time I see someone else battling fees or struggling to stand out, I’m reminded why I didn't
Shopify gave me more than a shop. It gave me the chance to build something properly. And for me, that was worth the steeper learning curve. Even if I did have to Google "what is DNS" more times than I care to admit.
