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How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Do you want to build a shop like Etsy with WordPress? Etsy is an online marketplace for creative people who want to sell handmade products, artwork, and other unique items. However, it is a bit limited in what you can do with your Etsy shop. In this article, we will show you how to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress and how to successfully move an existing Etsy shop to WordPress.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

This is what you will learn in this article.

  • Etsy vs WordPress - Comparison of both platforms with advantages and disadvantages
  • What you need to create a WordPress website similar to Etsy
  • Getting started with your own Etsy-like WordPress shop
  • Installing WooCommerce
  • Move an existing Etsy shop to WordPress
  • Choose a theme like Etsy
  • Extending your store with extensions.
  • Master WordPress

Etsy vs WordPress - Which is better?

Etsy is an online marketplace for creative people. It allows you to sell unique, handmade, or custom-made products to a specific audience.

On the other hand, WordPress is the most popular website builder in the world. It allows you to create almost any type of website imaginable, including full-fledged eCommerce stores.

There are two different types of WordPress platform. WordPress.com, which is a hosted platform, and WordPress.org, which is also called self-powered WordPress. See the difference in our comparison of WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

Throughout this article, when we say WordPress, we are talking about the most popular and self-hosted WordPress.org platform. We recommend using WordPress.org because it gives you access to all WordPress features right out of the box.

Etsy and WordPress allow you to sell products online, but which should you choose? Here are some advantages and disadvantages of both platforms.

Pros and cons of setting up an Etsy shop

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of using Etsy to sell your products online.

Advantages of using Etsy

  • Ease of use - Setting up an Etsy shop is very easy and does not require any technical skills. Simply upload your product list, add your payment information, and you're good to go.
  • Targeted audience - Etsy has a large customer base of users who are interested in unique handmade products, gift items, artistic and creative products, and more. Opening an Etsy shop gives you access to a marketplace of interested buyers.
  • Security and confidence - Etsy handles payments and ensures product delivery. This has helped them build trust between buyers and sellers.

Cons of using Etsy

  • Higher fees - Etsy charges $0.20 per listing and 5% transaction fee on the sale price (not including shipping costs). They have increased the transaction fee from 3.5% to 5% as of July 16, 2018. If you are using PayPal, there is also a payment processing fee.
  • Lack of control - You have no control over the platform or how your products are presented. Etsy may remove a seller if it believes the seller's products do not comply with its policies or if the seller fails to satisfy a customer.
  • Limited growth options - As your business grows, you will pay Etsy much more with limited options to grow your own brand and business.

Pros and cons of using WordPress

WordPress is the best platform to build any type of website. However, it has its own advantages and disadvantages that you may want to consider.

Advantages of using WordPress

  • Full control - You have full ownership and full control of your website.
  • Unlimited Features - You can add any feature to your website by installing extensions. There are over 55,000 free WordPress plugins that you can install.
  • Unlimited listings - You can add as many items to your store as you want. There are no listing fees because you own and manage the platform.
  • Low costs - There is no commission or transaction fee on each sale. You will only pay a small fee to your payment gateway.

Cons of using WordPress

  • Website management - You are responsible for managing updates and making backups. There are plugins that help you automate those tasks.
  • Learning curve - WordPress is quite easy to use. However, from time to time you may need help. There are plenty of WordPress resources to help you.

To learn more about WordPress, check out our full WordPress review with detailed pros and cons of the platform.

With that said, let's take a look at how to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress.

Requirements to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress?

These are the things you will need to build your own Etsy shop with WordPress.

  1. A domain name (this will be the address of your online store, i.e. wpbeginner.com)
  2. A website hosting account (this will be the home of the store and where all your files will be stored)
  3. SSL Certificate (You need this to accept payments)
  4. Your undivided attention for 30 minutes..

Clever? let us begin.

Getting started with your Etsy-style shop in WordPress

Normally, a domain name will cost you $14.99/year, website hosting $7.99/month, and an SSL certificate around $69.99/year.

This is a lot of money if you are just starting out.

Fortunately, the folks over at Bluehost have agreed to offer WPBeginner users a free domain name + free SSL certificate, and a 60% discount on hosting. They are also an officially recommended WordPress and WooCommerce hosting provider, and one of the largest hosting companies in the world.

Basically, you can get started for $2.75/month.

→ Click here to claim this exclusive offer from Bluehost ←

Let's go ahead and buy your domain + hosting + SSL.

First, you need to visit the Bluehost website and click the green "Get Started Now" button.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

On the next screen, select the plan you need (Basic and Plus plans are the most popular among WPBeginner users).

After that, you will be prompted to enter the domain name for your website.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Need help choosing a domain name? Check out our beginner's guide on choosing the perfect domain name for your website.

Lastly, you will need to add account information and finalize package information to complete the process. On this screen, you'll see optional extras that you can purchase.

We do not recommend purchasing these items because they will increase your hosting bill. You can always add them later if you think they are necessary.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

You can now go ahead and enter your payment information to complete the purchase.

After that, you will receive an email with instructions to login to your hosting control panel.

Bluehost will automatically install WordPress for you, and you can login to your WordPress site directly from the hosting panel.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Once you are logged in, you will see the WordPress admin area. This is where you will be able to manage your online store, change settings and add new items.

Installing WooCommerce on your website

Now that you have purchased hosting and installed WordPress, the next step is to turn your website into an online store.

To do this, you need to install and activate the WooCommerce plugin on your website. For more details, check out our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, click the 'Run Setup Wizard' button to quickly set up your WooCommerce store.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

The setup wizard will guide you through basic setup, page setup, payment service selection, and more.

Add items to sell on WooCommerce

After setting up WooCommerce, let's add some items to sell on your online store.

Simply go to Products »Add New page to add your first article.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

First, provide a title for your product, and then a detailed description. In the right column, you can add product category, tags, featured image and gallery.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Below the description area, you will see the 'Product Details' box. From here you can set the product price, inventory, shipping and other attributes.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Once you're happy with all the product information you've added, you can click the Publish button to make it available on your website.

Repeat the process to add more products as needed.

Importing an existing Etsy shop to WordPress

Do you already have an Etsy shop that you want to move to WordPress? In this section, we will show you how to easily import your Etsy shop to WordPress.

First, what you need to do is to install and activate the Easy Esty Importer plugin. For more details, check out our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, the plugin will add a new menu item labeled 'Etsy Importer' to the WordPress admin sidebar. Clicking on it will take you to the plugin settings page.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

You will be prompted to provide your license key. You can find this information in your account on the plugin website.

After activation, the setup page will ask you to provide the following information.

  • Etsy API Key
  • Secret Etsy Key
  • The name of your Etsy shop

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

To get these API keys, you need to visit the Etsy Developers website and then click the 'Create a new app' link.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

This will take you to a new page where you will be asked to provide a name for your app. You must select that you are creating the application yourself, and it will not be used for commercial purposes.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

After that, click on the 'Accept the terms and create the application' button.

You will now see the information page for your app. From here you need to copy the Keystring and Shared Secret keys.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Now, go back to the Easy Etsy Importer plugin settings page. After entering your API keys, click the 'Save and Verify' button to continue.

This will take you to the Etsy website, where you will be asked to allow access to the app. Click the 'Allow' button to continue.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

The plugin will now try to connect to your Etsy shop and display a success message.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Next, you need to switch to the settings tab. The default settings will work for most websites, but you can still review and change them as needed.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Don't forget to click the save button to save your settings.

Now you can move to the 'Import' tab. The plugin gives you options to selectively import items or import all listings. The default settings will work for most websites, so you can go ahead and click the 'Import' button.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

The plugin will now start importing your Etsy listings into WooCommerce. Once it's done, you'll see a success message and you can see the imported products under Products »All Products page.

You can then switch to the feedback tab to import your feedback from Etsy to WooCommerce.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Congratulations, you have successfully imported your Etsy shop listings to your WooCommerce website.

Choosing an Etsy-like WordPress theme for your shop

WordPress gives you access to thousands of free and paid website designs that you can use. These designs are called WordPress themes.

How to create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress (step by step)

Each WordPress theme contains various template files to give your website a beautiful design. Using WordPress themes requires no programming or coding skills, and each theme includes different options that you can use to customize your theme.

Due to the wide variety of WordPress themes available, users are often overwhelmed with options. To make it easier for you, we've handpicked the best WooCommerce WordPress themes that you can use on your website.

The list contains free and paid WordPress themes and all of them are mobile ready.

You may not find a theme that looks exactly like the Etsy website, however you can find a theme with the same design qualities and then use the theme settings to make it look more similar.

Do you need more help? See our beginner's guide on how to choose the perfect WordPress theme for your website.

Extending your store with WordPress plugins

Unlike Etsy, you have full control of your WordPress store. You can modify it any way you want with the help of thousands of WordPress plugins.

Plugins are like apps for your WordPress website. You can install them to add new features to your website, such as contact forms, Google Analytics, and more.

With over 55,000 plugins, you can easily find a plugin for just about anything.

These are some of the plugins we use on all of our websites.

  • WPForms Lite – Add Contact Forms to Your WordPress Site
  • Yoast SEO - Improve your WordPress SEO and get more traffic from Google
  • MonsterInsights (free):Helps you track visitor statistics with Google Analytics
  • WP Super Cache - Improve your website speed by adding cache
  • UpdraftPlus - Free WordPress Backup Plugin
  • Sucuri - free website malware scanner

There are also tons of plugins made specifically for WooCommerce. See our list of the best free WooCommerce plugins. You can also use drag and drop page builder plugins to further customize the look of your website.

Master WordPress skills

Now that you have a WordPress powered online store, you may want to expand your website by adding new features and growing your business.

WPBeginner is the world's largest free WordPress resource site. We have tons of articles, videos, and step-by-step tutorials to help you take your website to the next level.

Here are some of the helpful resources you'll find on WPBeginner, all of which are completely free.

  • WPBeginner Blog – This is where we post our WordPress tutorials, how-tos, and step-by-step guides.
  • WPBeginner Videos – These step-by-step videos will help you learn WordPress FAST.
  • WPBeginner on YouTube:Need more video instructions? Subscribe to our YouTube channel with over 102,000 subscribers and over 10 million views.
  • WPBeginner Dictionary - The best place for beginners to get started and get familiar with WordPress lingo.
  • WPBeginner Blueprint – Check out the plugins, tools, and services we use at WPBeginner.
  • WPBeginner Deals – Exclusive discounts on WordPress products and services for WPBeginner users.

You can also use Google to find tutorials on WPBeginner. Just add 'wpbeginner' next to your search term, and you'll find answers to all your WordPress questions.

We hope this article helped you move away from Etsy and create an Etsy-like shop with WordPress. You can also check out our list of WordPress plugins for business websites.

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