Should I close my Etsy shop?
No, and I'd talk you out of it. Etsy brings you shoppers who would never find you otherwise. Your own store adds what Etsy can't: your own name, your own customer list, rules nobody can change under you, and lower fees on the sales that come through it. Most makers run both, and that's what I set up.
What do the fees really cost?
In a worked example with 30 orders a month at $50 each, Etsy's fees come to about $156 a month and an IndieMade store's to about $67.50. The full table is on the case study page.
Why IndieMade, and not Shopify or Squarespace?
IndieMade is built for makers, and the whole store is one flat price: $15 a month with unlimited products, no transaction fees of its own and no app store. Coupons, review reminders, shipping rates and sales tax are built in, where on other platforms they're often paid extras. It also brings in your Etsy shop and keeps stock in step with it. I chose it for my own shop for the same reasons.
Do you only work with IndieMade?
IndieMade is what I recommend for most makers, and it's what I set up day to day. If you're already on WordPress and WooCommerce, or need something IndieMade doesn't do, ask anyway. I spent 11 years at Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com and WooCommerce.
Can I really open before the holidays?
Yes, because your Etsy shop doesn't move. The new store is built alongside it and your Etsy listings aren't edited, so your busy season carries on as normal. When the store is ready it goes live as a second place to sell. If you'd rather wait until it's quiet, we can book your setup for January instead.
How do the two shops stay in step?
The store syncs inventory with Etsy, so a sale in one place updates stock in the other. Photos, titles and descriptions are not synced, on purpose, so neither side can overwrite the other.
What do you need from me?
Your Etsy shop link, a domain name (or we pick one together), access to your IndieMade account that you grant from your own login, and your logo or whatever brand bits you have. If you have none, we work from what your shop already looks like.
Who owns the site and the content?
You do. The IndieMade account, the domain and everything in them are yours. I never need your password.
How long does it take?
About 1 week for Setup, 2 weeks for Setup + Design and 3 weeks for Full shop, counted from your deposit and access to your IndieMade account. Your Etsy shop keeps selling the whole time.
What's not included?
Custom code, new copywriting, photography and ongoing SEO. Anything outside the scope gets a written quote before it starts.
How do I pay?
By invoice, paid by card or bank transfer. The split is 50% to start and 50% when the store is delivered.
What will I pay after launch?
IndieMade's plan, paid to IndieMade directly: $15 a month after a 30-day free trial ($12 a month if you pay yearly). Plus your domain, usually $10 to $20 a year, and card processing on each sale. Nothing ongoing to me unless you choose the $39 care plan.
Do you work with shops outside the US?
Right now I work with shops in the US and Canada. If you're somewhere else, ask anyway.
