Pros / Cons of Etsy vs. Shopify (and other stand-alone websites)
Whether you are someone who is just getting started in the world of online sales or you are a seasoned veteran making many sales a week, you may feel yourself getting pulled in different directions for what you should be doing for your business. It can be a little confusing, especially if you consider yourself more of a crafter / maker than an online salesman. Etsy wants you to do their business on their marketplace, but companies like Shopify want you to migrate your shop over there and host a stand-alone site. They've been so successful at getting new sellers, that now Etsy even offers "Pattern", they're own version of allowing you to have a stand-alone shop. But all you want to do is grow your business and make sales, so what's the best way to accomplish that? Well I'm sorry to say that there's no one answer that fits every situation. You'll have to evaluate your business and goals for yourself, but what I am going to do for you is to