Artfire and Etsy

I recently came to the conclusion that I could not give my artfire store adequate attention to make a go of it. I actually found artfire to be very easy to set up, but just was not getting much traffic to my shop. On etsy, I get a lot more traffic to my shop just because etsy gets a lot more traffic overall, and I also am a member of several teams that create etsy treasuries (collections) featuring other members' work which also helps get you exposure.

The reseller problem on etsy has been a disturbing trend as of late - resellers being people who mark up mass produced goods and sell them as handmade. Generally their prices are still much lower than truly handmade work so it does make you feel like your handmade goods can't compete. I think overall folks who truly support handmade don't mind paying a little more for a handcrafted item, but in the tough economy I can understand why shoppers are looking for inexpensive alternatives. Because this problem seems so pervasive on etsy, I had thought to try my luck at Artfire. I have come to realize that there are unscrupulous sellers everywhere, and unfortunately Artfire isn't free of the problem either. They do have a certification program where you submit photos of your creative and technical process and you can earn the right to display a handmade badge in your online store, which I think is an excellent idea and one that etsy should consider implementing.

Bottom line - I have already accumulated good feedback on etsy, I have more traffic to both my handmade and vintage stores there, and I think etsy is a little more visually appealing as a website. Etsy has also recently improved the listing process - listing an item for sale requires filling out one page of information, not 5. Artfire already had a very easy listing procedure.

I have to say that overall I liked artfire and found it very user friendly but a little less visually appealing. The problem for me does not rest so much with the venues but the fact that I have limited time to promote myself, having to contend with working full time in addition to finding adequate studio time. Giving my artfire store proper attention in addition to my two etsy shops was just a deal breaker for me - I just couldn't find the time to make it work. I am in the process of closing my shop on artfire. I would love to hear anyone's opinion considering the pros and cons of either site - right now, despite my misgivings about the pervasive reseller problem on etsy, it just seems to be working better for me. Please feel free to comment on your own experiences in this regard - I would love to hear from other artisans selling their creations online.