/ Marketplace for makers
RIOT vs Etsy
Etsy is a brilliant place to start selling handmade or vintage. It's a terrible place to build a brand — you don't own the customer, fees compound, and a single algorithm change can kill your sales overnight.
Etsy is best for
Makers testing demand or running it as a side hustle.
Where it falls down
Building a real brand, owning customer data, controlling pricing and margin.
Side by side
| Feature | Etsy | RIOT |
|---|---|---|
| Listing fees | £0.16/listing + 6.5% transaction + 4% payment | Stripe ~1.5% only |
| Your customer data | Etsy owns it | You own it |
| Brand control | Etsy's UI, Etsy's URL | 100% your brand, your domain |
| Marketing | Etsy ads only | Google, Meta, SEO, email — your funnel |
| SEO benefit | Helps Etsy rank, not you | All your domain |
| When sales come in | You pay every time | Yours, no platform cut |
The verdict
Use Etsy to validate. The day you cross £1,000/mo in Etsy sales, you're paying for a custom Shopify or WooCommerce store in fees alone.
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RIOT vs Mailchimp Websites
Mailchimp's free website builder
Ready to switch?
We migrate from Etsy every month — usually keeping your existing SEO rankings intact. 48-hour quote, fixed price.
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