Arena vs eBay vs Etsy

[BelovedDoll]

So I`ve been seeing Etsy gaining popularity and have been considering trying out there. I usually have been able to sell a couple things here and there on the Arena but I feel like it`s still slow and could be better. I`m dusting off my eBay account and am surprised at the changes that have taken place but am disappointed to find my listing is getting no attention still. So I`ve been thinking about Etsy. Can you really sell official Hasbro ponies there or does Etsy have this rule that it has to be your own creation (ie, custom ponies, prints)?

I was thinking of trying Etsy anyway because of the art prints I have but am not sure how good the place is.

I almost feel like I`m doing something wrong since I`m largely unsuccessful at selling. :/ Both ponies and my art.

[knitgirl]

You can sell Hasbro ponies in the vintage section.  I hate ebay and won't be using them anymore, and I've had fantastic experience buying from etsy so far.

[Maniah]

Key word being vintage. So no g4. And likely no g3s. But crafts and vintage are cool.

I have been using storenvy.com for my shop. It's free and they don't restrict what you can sell. I have got a few sales from their marketplace too. Most of my sales come from people clicking through my sig on the arena. Some come from google searches. It doesnt look as nice as etsy in my opinion but I'm happy with it.

[NoDivision]

I like etsy a lot and buy and sell there. You can still post sale information on the arena and then link to your etsy store. That way you listings will automaticall update, so you don't have to worry about keeping track of things in a thread, marking things as sold, tons of PMs, etc. You don't have to worry about individual paypal payments as it all goes through Etsy. The fees are minimal (especially compared to ebay) and you can always choose to sell outside of etsy if you like and just close the listings.

[Sonata]

I have both Etsy and Storenvy. I will be listing my stuff back on Etsy because of the huge exposure you get - I haven't sold a thing in Storenvy yet. And yes, you can sell vintage stuff, handmade things and supplies for crafts.

The fees are minimal and, in my view so far, Etsy is totally worth it. I just need the money to pay the fees so I can go back xD

[BelovedDoll]

Ah,so I wouldn`t be able to put the G4/G3 stuff up on Etsy but it sounds like people are successful there. Has anyone found more success at Etsy than here in the Arena or at eBay? Just kind of looking into whether or not it would be worth my time to try it.

[Sonata]

Ah,so I wouldn`t be able to put the G4/G3 stuff up on Etsy but it sounds like people are successful there. Has anyone found more success at Etsy than here in the Arena or at eBay? Just kind of looking into whether or not it would be worth my time to try it.

I suppose it depends on what you are selling. Etsy is great for personal artwork and vintage stuff - it worked for me for a while, that's why I want to go back xD I also sell stuff on Ebay, mostly clothes and ponies as well, but it takes a little longer to be noticed. I also sold a couple of things here on the Arena, but it's more difficult, I think.

Again, it all depends on what you are selling

[tulagirl]

I love Etsy, I just feel the prices people are asking for handmade items is off the charts way too high really for most things.  I still like to buy from them though...and its so much nicer than dealing with ebay.

[Ringlets]

I have no experience selling on etsy so I cant really comment on that, but it seems worth a try unless you are wanting to sell newer pony stuff.  Ebay is good for getting better prices since more people buy on there, but the fees and the fact that they favor the buyer so much , especially when things go wrong with the sale, can be a big pain. The people here at the Arena are much nicer to deal with, and the whole thing is much more personal, but if you want to sell non pony stuff it can be harder to sell it here (unless perhaps its dolls/doll stuff  or pony related art). 
Wherever you decide to sell , remember that certain times of year are slower than others. Jan/Feb people are often all spent out from xmas,and during the summer vaction months  a lot of people are away or spending less, so you may not get so many sales or sell stuff for as much money then either.  Late autumn/winter are better times for selling since people start to buy gifts then, and also they buy stuff to cheer themselves up
Maybe you should try out all 3 again and see which one suits you best, or sell on more than one at the same time (for example, list an item on ebay, or have an etsy shop, then advertise it here in a sales thread with a link ). Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best with your future sales

[hokuspokus]

I don't know Etsy, but for Ebay; you might try making your auction title 'catchy'!

Type the right words so people will find you. I dont know - maybe you already do this(?) Just trying to help here

Take a look at what others (that sell similar stuff) do as auction title. Try different words so anyone can find ya!

Hope that helps a little, good luck!

[coinoperatedgirl]

When I sell customs, I offer them up on the arena first.  If it doesn't sell, I will put it on Etsy.  Once I put it on Etsy, I "pin" the listing on Pinterest, which usually will generate a lot of buzz about the listing, and it usually will sell within a week or two.  I've got a couple of items in my Etsy shop that haven't sold in months though, and I'll occasionally list them on Ebay for a week and see if I get any buyers, and then it's back to Etsy again.

[MaronaPossessed]

*begin different site opinions*
I always considered Etsy an art/custom sale site (Am I wrong though? Correct me if I am )

I mostly stick with Ebay because I called customer support and they were there to help me (though ebay, get some higher quality voice service!). It's easy to find trustworthy sellers and giving new sellers a chance there.

Arena? ...Well I can't really put an opinion because I never bought from anyone hereXD. In fact, you may only see me purchasing a Wave 1 Pink Glittery Twilight Sparkle.
*end different site opinions*

I think you should stick with Etsy for your custom stuff to be honest. A lot of custom and official stuff gets mixed up on Ebay.

[Prismatic]

I've been selling on ebay since late last year, but I just opened an etsy store like a week ago, and I gotta say, for G1 ponies, etsy is so much better.  The listings last longer, the fees are much lower, and the interface is easier for me to use.  I've also sold a decent number of what I've listed, more than ebay percentage-wise when it comes to listed G1s, faster than ebay too.  Ebay seems to be the best place for G4 items, from my experience.  I've tried selling them here, but I've had much better luck on ebay, maybe because more of the fanbase looks there?

No idea on art sales, tho.  I have a couple customs listed but still unsold, but I'm not surprised, they cost more than the G1 ponies and are probably more reliant on a buyer's personal taste.  I had one of them for sale here for a while, and I'm not sure why she didn't sell, so I put her on etsy and hope she sells.  I'm in the process of making a banner to link to my sales.

I've sold a lot here on the arena, but really only had luck with cheaper or bulk items.  G3s sell well here too, ebay they're kinda hit and miss, at least for me.

These are my own experiences with them, it may be different if you're selling different items than me, but I hope that helps.

[katrine2309]

I always considered Etsy an art/custom sale site (Am I wrong though? Correct me if I am )

I think you should stick with Etsy for your custom stuff to be honest. A lot of custom and official stuff gets mixed up on Ebay.

You are not wrong - Etsy is probably most known in many communities as being a place to sell art/handmade items. But Etsy is actually also really huge on vintage stuff. I do see a lot of ponies listed on etsy, but I have no idea if they sell or not. I love etsy though, much more than ebay and I would consider putting ponies up on etsy, but I will probably never sell anything on ebay.

I guess it all depends on the price you set as well. Etsy isn't an auction house, like ebay. You set your price and that is it, so I'm thinking if you are setting the items too high you will have trouble selling there. It might be easier to get attention on etsy as well. It seems like pony-peeps are getting more and more interested in using etsy, so that is a good thing too.

Good luck!