Also a deal breaker for new Small Businesses!
I have attended several flee markets and conversed with small business owners online and offline, usually who make and sell art. They fall in several of these categories below (If you fall into this category too, this article may give you that head start you’re looking for)
- Want to sell online but not sure how to..
- Not sure if marketplaces like Etsy is right for them..
- Do have a small buyer base, want to increase it but unsure how to
- Marketplaces like amazon feels like a competition for pricing with bulk sellers – not many care for artwork on these platforms..
- Have started building a website, but it feels overwhelming to complete or no budget to hire others.
- Paying commissions to flea markets, marketplaces etc is not profitable or sustainable.
- … Can you list more?
“So what is a real deal breaker for small businesses; especially for content creators, artists or art & craft stores? “
The right marketers who understand small businesses – artists, craft businesses, art & craft stores, yarn stores etc and the whole gambit of it, understand while marketplaces may seem like the best way to begin selling, the payoff is not sustainable. While some businesses do make it real big and create a dream for many others, the success does not replicate always. Let’s look at some of the positives and negatives of using a marketplace. This completely comes from personal experience, and those reading are welcome to add more.
are that its quick to begin, has a built in customer base, literally zero setup cost, no pricing limitations – competition, payment gateways available, some handle shipping and returns, seo, advertising, cant build your own subscriber base, can be booted out of the system anytime and lose market and business, costs and commissions.
| Discussion Point | Positives | Negatives |
| Setup / Product Listing | No need to create your website. Fill in details initially about you, your business, your tax details, bank details and start listing your products. This does take some time, but there are directions though its not always a breeze, its more simpler to finish. | These platforms are created to make life easier. So sometimes, searching for your documents, scanning, uploading may seem tedious, but usually with focused effort it can be achieved. Though the set up cost is low, there is listing pricing and other commissions which we will touch upon later. |