Where on Earth did the time go? I can’t believe it has been over a month since I said I would wrap up this series for you. The good news is I guess I have been busy! The bad news is I feel pretty bad about taking so long. Hopefully no one has lost sleep over the anticipation 😉 I doubt that’s the case, right?! Anyway, let’s get right into it…

1. So what’s the catch? Creative Market is sounding pretty good!

It’s the listing fees vs. commission. This is something I think only time will tell as far as what ends up being more lucrative, but creative market takes a whopping 30% per sale!! That is huge to me! My items are not particularly expensive, so taking a 30% hit every time I make a sale is a lot! On the upside, I only get charged if the item sells. I can list an endless amount of products for free and will only be charged a commission on those that sell. Etsy charges 20 cents each time you list an item, and then takes an additional 3.5% percentage when you sell. Relist the item, and it’s another 20 cents. You need to pay the relisting fee if the item expires as well. This can add up, especially when an item isn’t selling.

2. I made a sale, now what?

Yay, I did make a sale! This came just a few days after opening my Creative Market shop. With my Etsy shop, it took months. I was again pleasantly surprised to find that I did not need to “re-list” my item once it sold. How wonderful! Not that it’s a long process on Etsy, but you do get hit again with the 20 cent listing fee, and you do need to take the time to re-list. I have on occasion been slow to see a sale notification. That in turn means I have a “Sold Out” item that cannot be found in searches, so it could create a little bit of a missed opportunity.

Aside from the relisting process, the last major difference is the payout schedule. Etsy’s payout comes just days after your item(s) sell. It does not matter if you are due $1 or $100, you’ll have it within a few days. It does vary a bit depending how you setup your payout preferences as well as how the buyer decides to pay. I really enjoy the quick payout though, even on a slow week, getting a little something in your bank account is always nice! On Creative Market, you need to request a payout. You can only request your payout once you have earned a minimum of $20. Payouts need to be requested by the 30^th of the month, and they process on the 15^th of the following month. For me this is a little time intensive, especially if the amount you are waiting for is on the smaller side. It almost seems silly lol.

Well, there you have a it. This completes the series of my findings so far on being an Etsy seller vs. Creative Market seller. I can’t say I have a true preference for one over the other. I do love how quickly I can work through my Creative Market listings, but I also love the consistent cash flow from Etsy, even if it’s small at times. I think I need to give both marketplaces a good long chance before I have a definitive preference.

I’d love to hear your experiences too!