Everybody gets stuck on “But Etsy has fees…” 👀

When I first started selling online, I was really hung up on the fees. I kept thinking, “If only I could find a platform with no fees, I’d make so much more money!” But after months of experimenting with different platforms like Etsy, Shopify, and Gumroad, I realized that fees are just part of doing business online. A major insight was accepting that every platform takes a cut in some way, whether it’s listing fees, transaction fees, payment processing fees, or monthly subscriptions. For example, Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee and around 9.5% total fees including transaction and payment processing, while Shopify has plans starting from $39/month plus transaction fees. Gumroad on its free plan requires a 10% platform fee. These fees are pretty standard and unavoidable. Instead of avoiding these fees, the real focus should be on the balance between fees and the platform’s ability to get your products seen and sold. Etsy, despite its fees, offers a huge audience looking specifically for handmade, vintage, and creative products, boosting your chances to generate sales. On the other hand, Shopify offers more customization and branding control at a higher cost. My strategy became simple but effective: factor fees into my pricing when listing products, so I still make a profit after fees are deducted. Pricing smartly gives you peace of mind and protects your margins. Also, choosing a platform that aligns with your niche and marketing skills helps you maximize sales. Ultimately, it’s not about finding a “fee-free” platform — because they don’t really exist — but about choosing the platform that helps your products sell well enough to offset the fees. That way, fees become just another business cost, not a barrier to your growth. This mindset shift transformed my online business and can do the same for anyone starting or growing their creative venture.