Etsy vs Zazzle: All Myths Debunked for Creators

Etsy vs Zazzle’s long story short? Here you go:

• • Etsy should be your go-to choice if you are an artist who wants to craft and sell your own handmade items to a vast audience base.
  • Meanwhile, Zazzle is a solid solution for artists who want a print-on-demand (POD) marketplace to minimize the overhead inventory cost.

Still unsure about which platform to choose? No worry, we have got your back. In this blog, we’ll compare the core aspects of Zazzle vs Etsy and let you decide which marketplace is more worth selling on.

Let’s find out!

A glimpse of Etsy vs Zazzle

Before we highlight the detailed differences between Etsy and Zazzle, let’s first uncover the fundamentals of the two marketplaces.

What is Etsy and how does it work?

Etsy is a long-established online marketplace where artists, handmade crafters, vintage collectors, or creators can list and sell their unique products. To start listing your products on Etsy, your products must meet their Creative Standards and live where Etsy is supported.

The concept of Etsy is pretty simple– you pay Etsy listing fee to list your product and transaction fees when you successfully sell it. (we’ll discuss this in greater detail later)

>> Relevant reading: 12 easy steps on How to Sell on Etsy for Beginners

What is Zazzle and how does it work?

Zazzle is also an eCommerce marketplace like Etsy. However, as a purposely built print-on-demand marketplace, its concept is entirely different from Etsy.

Technically, Zazzle allows sellers to upload their designs to various products commonly found in the POD model, such as T-shirts, mugs, canvas, etc. When someone orders an item, Zazzle takes all the heavy-lifting parts off your plate– production, packaging, and shipping parts.

 

Etsy vs Zazzle: a head-to-head comparison

Now that you have a better understanding of Etsy and Zazzle, let’s debunk all the myths about the two marketplaces to help you make a more educated decision.

#1. Product type

🗝️ Key takeaways: Etsy vs Zazzle have different product focus. While Etsy’s products are handmade, vintage, and one-of-a-kind, Zazzle’s products are print-on-demand and only created when customers place an order.

Etsy’s product type

As a marketplace for handmade items, Etsy allows you to sell any type of crafts that meet its handmade policy standards, such as:

• • Vintage clothing
  • Handmade jewelry pieces
  • Pet products
  • Home decors
  • Accessories
  • Personalized gifts
  • Craft kits
  • Craft supplies

Apart from the common products above, you can also sell downloadable digitals on your Etsy shop, which range from party printables to social media banner templates, etc. And though Etsy was not initially built for print-on-demand purposes, you can sell POD items on Etsy with a Production Partner.

 

Zazzle’s product type

Unlike Etsy, as a seller on Zazzle, you do not get hands-on experience with the production process. Instead, you upload your designs and apply your art to any of the 3,000+ items you like in Zazzle’s product catalog, such as:

• • T-shirts
  • iPhone phone cases
  • Business cards
  • Posters and prints
  • Stickers
  • Skateboards
  • Wedding invitations
  • Drinkware

 

You can also sell digital downloads with Zazzle. However, there are some limitations. You can only offer digital downloads in five main product categories, and they must be included with a physical product, not sold separately. These categories are:

• • Flat announcements
  • Holiday cards
  • Greeting cards
  • Invitations and Save the Dates
  • Posters and prints

#2. Traffic and customer base

🗝️ Key takeaways: Etsy’s existing audience is much larger than Zazzle’s. Zazzle is quite popular in the US. However, it simply cannot come close to the level of global popularity Etsy has.

Etsy’s traffic and customer base

According to reports by Statista, Etsy has a staggering 96 million active buyers and 9 million sellers worldwide. That explains the 423+ million traffic Etsy draws on a monthly basis.

Per data by Similarweb, most of Etsy’s buyers are female from 18-35 years old (over 60%), which is understandable given Etsy’s primary products are custom, handmade, and personalized gifts.

Zazzle’s traffic and customer base

Zazzle’s customer base is also predominantly female, like Etsy. However, the marketplace only attracts a monthly traffic visit of over 7 million. That’s a great number, but it doesn’t even come close to the 423 million traffic on Etsy.

Also, there is no official data from Zazzle or any reliable sources stating how many active buyers Zazzle has out of their 7 million traffic. However, given that the average eCommerce conversion rate fluctuates around 3%, it is rational to predict that there are ~200,000 active buyers on Zazzle.

#3. Ease of setup

🗝️ Key takeaways: Both Etsy vs Zazzle make it easy for merchants to get started. Both marketplaces allow you to sign up for a selling account with ease. So, it is a tie in this area.

Etsy’s ease of setup

Signing up for an Etsy store is a straightforward and quick process. Begin by visiting https://www.etsy.com/sell and clicking “Get started.” You’ll be guided through a series of questions about your shop, such as choosing a shop name, selecting a product category, and providing payment details.

 

After completing these steps, Etsy will prompt you to add your first listing and set up your payment information. The platform offers a pre-designed store layout, eliminating the need for web design, hosting, or purchasing a custom domain, making it easy to start selling.

Zazzle’s ease of setup

To begin selling on Zazzle, click the “Sell on Zazzle” button located in the upper right corner. Next, choose the option to create an account by entering your email and password or log in using Facebook, Google, or Apple. Once logged in, you will be taken to your new account dashboard.

To open your Zazzle store, you must verify your email address and click the “Validate email address” in your validation email to activate your account. After activation, you can set up your first store by choosing a store name and start creating products by exploring the product catalog and uploading your designs.

Nevertheless, we don’t consider Zazzle the most user-friendly print-on-demand platform. Although it is not overly complicated, it lacks intuitive design and organization, which means new users might face a learning curve.

Additionally, its product editor appears somewhat outdated compared to many leading competitors. For instance, Zazzle’s product editor doesn’t allow sellers to select which colors their designs can be sold in, reducing the level of control sellers have over their products.

 

#4. Selling costs and fees

🗝️ Key takeaways: Zazzle costs less, but you have a better profit margin with Etsy. Compared to the various selling fees associated with listing and selling on Etsy, Zazzle’s pricing costs are less complicated and also more affordable. However, you can only earn royalties on Zazzle, which gives you a thinner profit margin than selling your whole custom product like on Etsy.

Etsy’s selling costs and fees

Here are the basic mandatory costs to get started selling on Etsy:

• • Listing fee: Etsy charges sellers a standard $0.20 per listing. After four months, if the listing doesn’t get sold, it will expire, and you’ll be charged an extra $0.20 to renew it. The same goes true if the listing gets sold within four months and you decide to renew it in your shop– you’ll be charged an extra $0.20.
  • Transaction fees: When you sell something, Etsy takes 6.5% of the total amount the buyer pays. This includes the price of your item, shipping, and any extras like gift wrapping. For example, if you sell an item for $10 with $2 shipping, Etsy will take 6.5% of $12.
  • Payment processing fees: Etsy also charges a fee for handling the money when someone buys from you. This is 3% of the total sale plus 25 cents in the United States. So if you sell something for $10, Etsy will take 30 cents (that’s 3% of $10) plus another 25 cents, totaling 55 cents for processing the payment.

Besides the must-have costs, there are some optional Etsy fees you might need to be aware of, such as:

• • If Etsy advertises your item on other websites and someone buys it, they’ll take an extra 12% to 15% off the sale.
  • If you need to change money from one currency to another, Etsy charges 2.5% for this.
  • There’s also an optional Etsy Plus membership that costs $10 a month if you want more design customization over your shop.

Etsy surely comes with various selling fees. However, compared to Amazon Handmade or eBay, Etsy’s operation costs are still very reasonable given its extensive built-in buyers.

Not to mention that as you craft and sell your own stuff, you have a better profit margin on Etsy compared to Zazzle (even after deducting all the associated fees).

>> Relevant reading: Etsy vs Amazon Handmade | Etsy vs eBay

Zazzle’s selling costs and fees

As a print-on-demand platform, Zazzle’s pricing structure is very different. The cost of selling on Zazzle is primarily built around the base product price and royalty system.

Zazzle determines the base price, which covers manufacturing and handling costs. This varies depending on the product type you are offering. For instance, a standard white t-shirt on Zazzle might have a base price of $15.

As a seller, your earnings come from the royalty you set on top of this base price. It is important to note that if you set your royalty rate above 14.9%, Zazzle will apply a 5% surcharge on the portion exceeding this threshold.

Let’s use our t-shirt example with a 20% royalty rate to illustrate how this works:

• • Base price of the T-shirt: $15
  • Your royalty at 20%: $3 (20% of $15)
  • Royalty up to 14.9%: $2.24 (14.9% of $15)
  • Royalty above 14.9%: $0.76 ($3 – $2.24)
  • Surcharge on the excess: $0.038 (5% of $0.76)

In this case, the final retail price for customers would be $18($15 base price + $3 royalty). Your earnings per shirt would be $2.96 ($3 royalty – $0.038 surcharge).

#5. eCommerce features

🗝️ Key takeaways: It is a tie. Both Etsy vs Zazzle come with great built-in eCommerce features. The main difference is that while Etsy focuses more on eCommerce features to help you sell physical items, Zazzle is strong in its POD eCommerce functionalities.

Etsy’s eCommerce features

Etsy provides various tools for sellers to sell and manage their crafts.

• • Etsy marketplace ads: You can leverage Etsy’s targeted advertising system to showcase your products directly to high-intent buyers browsing the platform.
  • Offsite ads: Etsy also enables you to promote your products beyond Etsy, such as on search engines or social media platforms like Facebook.
  • Coupons: The marketplace comes with a built-in discount feature. This means you can attract and retain customers by offering them special promotions and coupons.
  • Social media: You can share your shop updates, flash sales, and products directly to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter using Etsy’s built-in social media tools.
  • Square integration: For sellers who have a physical store, you can benefit from Etsy x Square integration to process your customers’ in-store payments seamlessly.
  • Print-on-demand: As long as you create the art, Etsy allows you to sell print-on-demand items on the platform by connecting with your Production Partner. For instance, you can choose some popular POD companies like Printful, Printify, Gelato, etc.

Zazzle’s eCommerce features

Zazzle’s eCommerce functionalities are also great, but the POD platform has a different focus…

• • Product design tools: The platform offers built-in design tools for you to create your art and apply it to selected products instantly
  • Customer personalization: If you want to, you can let your shoppers customize the products. For instance, if you create a wedding invitation template, customers can personalize it by adding their names, wedding dates, and venue details directly on the product page before purchasing.
  • Affiliate program: Zazzle offers an integrated affiliate program called Zazzle’s Associate Program to help promote your products with no extra costs to your side.
  • Royalty rate management: You can set your own royalty rates for each product flexibility
  • Automatic shipping and order fulfillment: As a specialized POD marketplace, Zazzle handles all aspects of production, shipping, and customer service for all your orders.

>> Relevant reading: Etsy vs other platforms: See how Etsy stacks up against 14 eCommerce solutions

The pros and cons of selling on Etsy vs Zazzle

After analyzing all the core aspects of Etsy vs Zazzle, it is apparent that each marketplace has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Pros and cons of selling on Etsy

Pros	Cons
+ Etsy has a huge built-in audience of over 96 million active buyers + You have full control over the quality of what you sell + The marketplace has strong sales and marketing features for you to promote your store	– Generally, it costs more to sell with Etsy than with Zazzle – You might have to compete with many other sellers on the marketplace

Pros and cons of selling on Zazzle

Pros	Cons
+ Zazzle’s print-on-demand model makes it very economical to start selling on the platform + With Zazzle’s built-in audience, your POD products are more likely to get seen than on a standalone website	– Zazzle doesn’t have as many traffic and existing buyers as Etsy – You cannot control the product’s quality – Royalties can be smaller compared to selling completed products on Etsy

Which is better Etsy or Zazzle: Recap time!

If you are clear on the main differences between Etsy and Zazzle, we believe you’ve already found the exact answer as to which platform to choose. But let us recap it all for you anyway.

Who should sell on Etsy?

• • Handmade crafters and artisans who create unique, one-of-a-kind items
  • Vintage item sellers offering products that are at least 20 years old
  • Creators of original designs who personally make their products or closely oversee the production process

Who should sell on Zazzle?

• • Graphic designers who want to apply their designs to a wide range of products without handling inventory
  • Artists looking for an easy way to sell their artwork on various customizable items
  • Entrepreneurs who prefer a hands-off approach to production and shipping, focusing solely on design

Final words

All in all, the choice between Etsy and Zazzle ultimately depends on your business model, the type of products you offer, and how much control you want over the production and shipping process. Clearly, Etsy vs Zazzle both have distinct target audiences.

Mastic hopes after reading this article, you’ve figured out which platform fits you and your business best.

Frequently asked questions