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Tuesday, October 25

Crafty Site Review: Zibbet

Last on our tour of Etsy Alternatives is Zibbet.

What makes Zibbet unique in my opinion is the active seller community. More so than other Etsy alternatives, Zibbet provides the most opportunity for seller interaction and support. In turn, it has a very active community section (FYI, you need a separate account to access this section) which comes with its own benefits like cross-promotion and networking. Some aspects of the site are outdated and in need of a face-lift. The site organizers appear to be aware of this and are slowly rolling out updates, The site organizers are also extremely active themselves in the Zibbet community - often soliciting suggestions and feedback from the sellers and buyers.

Listing is much the same as the other sites. First-time users will enjoy the import from Etsy featuring, making it easy to move over existing listings. Zibbet has both free and paid memberships. I took advantage of free membership for this experiment, but it looks like the upgraded memberships have added benefits like coupons, shop gift certificates and listings in the gift guide section. My shop stats have been mediocre (though it should be noted of the sites, I probably spend the least amount of time promoting this one) and my test search for 'coaster' returned 477 results; showing that Zibbet has an average-sized group of sellers.

My verdict? To me, Zibbet came off as middle of road but if being a part of a strong community of fellow crafters is important to you this is the place to be.




Repurposed Fabric Magnets in Yellow Stripes

Repurposed Fabric Magnets in Plaid

P.S. - I only looked at three handmade site alternatives for this experiment. There are oodles of others out there, so I encourage you to experiment for yourself to find the perfect fit for you!

9 comments:

  1. I average over 100 views per day for my zibbet shop! I do work to promote my shop and other zibbet shops as well and I believe that is an important part of getting noticed and getting sales! Thanks for this review!
    Deni
    @BreitWerk

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  2. Hi Deni! Thanks for sharing your experiences. Self-promotion and cross-promotion are very important tools for crafters. Glad to hear you've found success on Zibbet.

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  3. While I do promote my Z shop more than any other, it also performs better than anything else! I love that I can list multiples of items without paying fees and have had many large orders on Zibbet...a real plus! The community is first class, but my experience with sales is great too! Loving my Zibbet!

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  4. I love Zibbet too! My favorite toy is the Copy a Listing" tool.

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  5. TexasEagle & Portable Graffiti - thanks for sharing your experiences with Zibbet. Love hearing everyone's insights!

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  6. On Zibbet I have 241 sales in this shop
    http://www.zibbet.com/PortableGraffiti
    138 sales in this shop
    http://www.zibbet.com/PortableGraffitiGraphics
    and 39 sales in this odd ball shop
    http://www.zibbet.com/WildGooseChase
    Zibbet is awesome!
    I would never sell anywhere else.

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  7. Although Zibbet isn't my top selling site yet it is catching up to my Etsy shop. I adore the community and people- they are always 'good neighbors' and cheerful. Unlike other sites, if one does have a question an answer arrives in 8 hrs of less. The site has great features for the paid memberships- a number of them don't exist in Etsy.

    I promote my Zibbet shop heavily- so I do have good views. My shop caters to the fantasy & science fiction people- so right now I am a big fish in a little pond.
    www.zibbet.com/enchantedcraft

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  8. I'm another cheerleader for Zibbet - what an awesome site! Ease of set-up, an admin that is constantly looking for new ways to improve and who LISTENS to their Shop-keeps,often incorporating their suggestions into the over-all game plan. Sales could be better; but then look at the state of affairs and the economy - I personally keep my pricing at bare-bones minimum so that even the most meager income can afford a darling baby/child gift that is quality AND heart-felt made. Luv, luv, LUV Zibbet!

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  9. Enchanted Craft & Grandmother Carolyn - thanks for sharing your experiences with Zibbet! Guess my impression was right - Zibbet does have a very active and happy seller base!

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