Etsy Pattern Pros & Cons | Should Sellers Use It In 2023
You’ve been selling on Etsy for years and have a loyal customer base, and now you’re ready to launch your own online store.
You want something that’s easy to use and doesn’t require much technical knowledge to set up. You've heard about Pattern by Etsy and want to know whether it's a viable option or not.
In this article, we take away the guesswork so keep reading to find out Pattern is right for you.
Inside this article：
What is Etsy Pattern / Pattern by Etsy?
Etsy is an online marketplace that is home to millions of Etsy shops, whereas Etsy Pattern, or Pattern by Etsy as it is often called, is an eCommerce platform that provides its users with personalized stand-alone eCommerce stores that are separate from the Etsy marketplace.
Think of Pattern as being a little like a Shopify platform but run by Etsy.
You do not need to be an Etsy seller to use Etsy Pattern but there are a number of additional benefits if you do.
Etsy Pattern Key Features That You Don't Get With an Etsy Shop
There are a number of key features that you get with Pattern that you do not get when selling on the Etsy platform in the Marketplace:
Custom Domain - Add a custom domain name for your store to make it easier for people to access your store directly.
Additional Pages - Add additional information pages to your site e.g. About page, a contact page, and even a gallery.
Blog Functionality - Blogging is a great way to build a community and bring buyers to your site. You can add blog posts to your Pattern site to help grow your following and share your story.
More Freedom - As your Pattern site is separate from Etsy, you have more freedom with regard to what you can sell. You can sell items in your Pattern store that you are not permitted to sell on Etsy e.g. mass-produced items
How Much Does Etsy Pattern Cost?
Pattern by Etsy charges a monthly subscription of $15 per month plus any applicable taxes. There is no cheaper annual subscription available but you can cancel at any time.
Etsy offers a 30-day free trial to test out the platform before committing to the $15 subscription fee.
There are no additional Etsy fees when you list an item on Pattern-only. If you are a seller on Etsy and list an item in your Etsy shop you pay the listing fees once and the item can be listed in your Pattern store as well for no additional cost.
You will pay payment processing fees for every sale and will need to purchase a domain name either from Etsy or another domain registrar such as GoDaddy.
How To Start A Pattern by Etsy Store
If you are an existing Etsy seller it's easy to create and open your Pattern store.
Go to https://www.etsy.com/pattern, log in to your Etsy account and follow the simple steps.
You will need to choose a theme from the 10 themes that are available and then you will be taken to your Dashboard.
The Dashboard shows a mockup of your store in the center of the page and a setup menu on the right providing a number of options to personalize and customize your store.
- Website Editor - This is the main store builder area where you can customize your theme, add pages, and add images like your logo and shop banner
- Buy A Domain - If you wish to buy your custom domain straight from Etsy you can do so here. Top Tip: Whilst its simplest to buy it through Etsy, it will be more expensive than if you bought a domain through GoDaddy or NameCheap for example
- Write Your First Blog Post - Writing SEO Optimized blog posts is a great way to bring organic traffic to your store so it's a great idea to add a few posts to tell your story and promote your products.
- Use Marketing Tools - Pattern provides a number of marketing tools to help you implement your growth strategy for your store. These include an announcement bar, custom email address, integration with Mailchimp, Google Conversion Tracking, and the ability to verify your site with Pinterest.
Pros of Pattern by Etsy
Easy to set up
Within a few simple clicks, you can have your custom website set up to sell your Etsy listings on a standalone site. If you already have an Etsy account you will already have Etsy Payments and your user and bank information set up, saving you a little extra time as these do not need to be resubmitted.
Etsy's website builder is simple to use so it's effortless to change the colors and fonts used on the store to ensure it aligns with your branding.
Easy Etsy Inventory Management
As an existing seller, you get to use functionality that you are already used to like Etsy's Shop Manager to manage your inventory across both your Etsy shop and your Pattern shop. There's no need to have additional software, it's all managed through the one Etsy Shop Dashboard.
MailChimp Integration
Building an email list helps with your customer acquisition and retention. Etsy's Pattern has chosen one of the leading marketing & email platforms, Mailchimp, to integrate with.
Mailchimp integration provides Etsy merchants with the ability to capture email details of customers and market to them through the third-party platform without the need to pay for any additional apps.
Advanced Analytics Integration
Through the use of Pattern's google analytics integration, you can get detailed analytics data for your store so you can see your pattern website traffic in great detail, helping you
Shared Buyer Reviews
Building trust through social proof is key to the success of any eCommerce store. With Pattern, Etsy makes this easy by providing the ability for buyers to leave reviews and Etsy allows you to show reviews received from sales in your Etsy shop, on your Pattern website giving you a leg up from day one.
Etsy Handles Payments
You do not need to sign up for other payment providers that you may not trust, because Pattern websites allow you to use Etsy payments.
Cons of Pattern by Etsy
Lack of Integrations Options
Pattern websites do not offer the ability to integrate with other applications to provide additional functionality in the same way platforms such as Shopify allow you to do. Whilst the basic functionality required to run a store is built into Pattern, there is no way to add things like email popups or countdown timers to your store.
Limited Customization Options
Etsy has made it very simple to get a Pattern website up and running, but that comes at a cost. There are only 10 simple themes available and whilst you can add logos and change fonts and colors you are very restricted in how much you can change the layout and look and feel of the store.
All Your Eggs Are In One Basket
Many sellers on Etsy launch separate online stores away from Etsy as they want to be in control of their own destiny and not restricted by Etsy policies or subject to their latest great idea.
As an Etsy store owner, by setting up your standalone store using Pattern, you are putting all your eggs in the same basket and letting Etsy control your destiny.
Pattern has been around since 2018 and like Etsy, it is well established. However, on the face of it, it doesn't look like there has been much investment or marketing of the platform and you don't know what Etsy has in store for Pattern.
Etsy Pattern Alternatives
As an alternative to using Pattern by Etsy, you could choose to use any eCommerce platform to sell your items online and run it alongside your Etsy store. The most popular options include Shopify and WooCommerce which is built on WordPress.
Both of these eCommerce platforms are extremely well established and used by millions of sellers worldwide. Whilst there is a steeper learning curve and additional complexity in managing your inventory across different platforms, it's nothing that good Google sheets or an Excel spreadsheet can't solve.
Conclusion
Is Pattern by Etsy worth it? In short, it depends.
If you sell physical or digital products on Etsy already then Pattern provides an easy way to branch out into the world of eCommerce.
With a simple setup process, your own domain, and an inventory management system that enables you to manage inventory across both your Etsy shop and your Pattern website, Etsy delivers an appealing option. However you need to be ok with having all your eggs in the Etsy ecosystem basket.
There are disadvantages to using Pattern. The functionality and customization options can't compete with dedicated eCommerce software like Shopify and WordPress.
As diversification is important when it comes to business, having your Etsy Shop and your standalone website both under the same umbrella could be putting your business at risk.
The great news is Etsy Pattern offers a 30-day free trial, so why not test the platform for yourself?
Author Bio
Chris Jackson is an ecommerce seller, site builder and blogger with years of experience growing businesses online. He is the founder of ChrisMJackson.com, providing valuable insights to help entrepreneurs generate income online.
