Cochrane is home to dozens of small, independently-owned businesses. While many find success locally through word-of-mouth and social media, sometimes bigger marketplaces are needed to reach outside the community. One of the most popular, Etsy is raising its fees for sellers to use its platform by 30 per cent starting in April.
Owner of The Craft, a home-based business in Riversong, Carrisa Hicks has used the selling platform since early 2021 and hopes to use it less in the future. “It just gives us that push to push more to our website and selling locally here because they do take a fairly good chunk of it versus if someone came through even on our social media pages.”
“For a small business like us, in order to sell on Etsy, we definitely don't make the same amount as we do selling locally.”
Etsy announced in February that it is raising seller transaction fees from 5 per cent to 6.5 per cent. The 30 per cent increase will take effect on sellers beginning on April 11th.
The transaction fee is the percentage of the total order amount Etsy charges when a seller makes a sale.
The Craft specializes in hand-crafted, framed signs and Hicks says the ways to support local businesses in Cochrane like hers continue to grow. “We feel fortunate because there's new marketplaces that are popping up like the Social Spot, which is great.”
“Most of our sales within Cochrane seem to be more drawn to ordering directly through us versus through Etsy, so it's nice that there are other options now.”
Supporting local Cochrane businesses can mean more than just spending money.
“We love the interaction on our social media pages and word of mouth. It's so quick, especially in a small town like Cochrane, that word of mouth is so great.”
“I've learned about so many small businesses, just by word of mouth, and small businesses are growing because other small businesses are supporting them.”