O.K. Decided to take the plunge and check out Pattern

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

I have, ever since its inception, been looking at Pattern with great suspicion. For more reasons than can post here, but I think we all understand that sellers come from various backgrounds, interests, experiences, personality traits, socio-economic status, etc. So, what works for one, may not work for others. With the new tax laws etc., I just do not know whether it makes any sense to pump in so much energy and time into improving my own website; although I kind of like what I have already created. But it seems like a time-saver to have Etsy collect the taxes as needed, and instead of spending lots of time to customize my website, I thought I would at least explore how this Pattern thing works. 

So, I decided to give it a try but nerveous. I never had any addictions, but I will surround myself with Klondike bars to get through the - I am certain to be experienced - anxiety while setting it up. If the first 30 days are free to try, then there is not much to lose...Will probably do it next week. 

If you know of ANY reason why it is NOT a good idea to have a Pattern site, especially, in comparison with having your own website, so speaketh now! 

On the other hand, if you love Pattern (including its software and features) what was the most difficult part to set up - and what is the biggest benefit of having it (besides the ease of tax collection, which I mentioned above)? 

Thanks and have a nice weekend

BB

[AveryBlake]

I LOVE my Pattern site.  It was super easy to set up!  It really runs itself.   The biggest benefit is that I don't have to pay .20 to list items if Pattern only and there is NO transaction fee on Pattern sales.  You pay credit card fees of 3% +.25-.30 and that is it....no 5% on sales/shipping.

Regarding taxes....I need to do more research.  If you have a standalone site, I believe there are sale thresholds that you have to meet before having to collect sales taxes for all of the states.   I don't go by word of mouth on these issues.....I have to reserach myself in order to feel secure about it.

Views and sales have been steadily growing each year on my Pattern site, and I really don't promote much. 

I did have a Shopify store a few years ago, and I just got annoyed with having to list twice...once on Etsy and once on Shopify.   That being said, I am considering opening another Shopify store to grow, as I'm not sure I trust where Etsy is headed.  If they leave me alone (don't require returns) on my Pattern store to run my business the way I see fit, then I'll keep Etsy and Pattern along with the Shopify store.   I might just start my Shopify with a limited selection.  

Hope this helps!!

[funkydreamsmosaics]

As @AveryBlake hinted at, I'm not sure tax collection is the best reason to get Pattern.  Most of the thresholds in these states is high.  Having said that, it is a bit of a perk not having to worry about it.

I like my Pattern shop a lot.  I looked around and almost opened a Shopify store.  Pattern is pretty basic, and you have a LOT more options with Shopify, but that also made it much more complicated.  I think there's a bigger learning curve there.  With Pattern, it's the same back end.  Nothing new to learn, nothing new to do.  A Pattern order acts just like an Etsy order.  

The other reason I chose Pattern is because I sell supplies and having to track inventory on 2 sites would be difficult.  There are apps that will automate it, but none of them were cheap.  So having the same back end means not having to track inventory in 2 places.  

I had my own domain before I got Pattern, so if things go south with Pattern, I can always move my domain elsewhere.  

As I'm sure you know, you do have to drive your own traffic.  I do that mostly with a small social media presence at this point and get a decent amount of traffic, but am working on doing more marketing.

I don't think you need to be nervous.  And, as you said, it's a free trial, so why not?  

[MichaelaJaneDesigns]

I'm about to open a pattern site and give it a try, too... I'll let you know, lol !!

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@MichaelaJaneDesigns O.K., I look fwd to reading about your experience. 

Good luck! 

BB

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

Thanks so much to both of you, AveryBlake and funkydreamsmosaics, for the insight you have shared! 

Can one utilize any payment method? For example, PayPal and Stripe, or is Etsy Checkout mandatory with Pattern? I guess I will figure it out when I signed up, but if you read this beforehand, please let me know.

As for an additional site, I do not like Shopify. I think Woocommerce now has a standalone ecommerce shop (not free) where you do not necessarily have to register for WordPress first, to get it. All one needs is a hosting site which can be about 40 per year, then if you want WordPress, there is a FREE version of WooCommerce shop available, with the basic apps. Now, as for the learning curve: both Shopify and this WooCommerce thing are about the same level of difficulty, and the continious pushing of buy this and that of another App is annoying at both places. In the end, if you want a well-oiled WooCommerce site with all the bells and whistles, it may cost several hundred bucks per annum, and this may not be an option for smaller sellers like me. 

I often critique Etsy's various actions and services, but in my heart I still love this place the most, among all of those I have tried. And that number is pretty hight. The ease of listing here is incomparable with most other platforms, if they would just get the color options right it would be perfect here on Etsy. 

So, I decided to give it a try. What gives. Oh, and I do have a domain for this purpose, but before I would redirect it to my Pattern site, I first want to test the rest of the features, just in case I would decide not to forward a domain here. 

Thanks

BB 

[SugarsbySharon]

@BlueBirdPrettyGifts your payment method is the same as in your Etsy shop.  I am using Pattern as a holding place until I can get my web site built.  I don't want to pay a platform like Shopify or Square Space, so I am going down the road to building my own through Word Press.  I know this will take me quite sometime, so in the meantime I have people who have signed up to receive emails from me and all those links in my email (use Mail Chimp...it's great) all take them to my Pattern site.  I want them trained to use Pattern rather than my Etsy shop.

The downside of Pattern is that it isn't really configured for SEO on the internet.  Getting found on the internet with your Pattern web site is incredibly difficult.  You have to do things yourself in order to promote your Patttern shop.  Some use facebook or pinterest or instagram, etc.  With your own web site you plug key words into your pictures which helps for coming up in something like Google search.  This doesn't work for pictures on Pattern.  But all in all, I like it because I don't have to think about it and it will be good for me until I have mine completed.

[AveryBlake]

Also, on Pattern you can choose whether or not you want your feedback/reviews to show on your site.  

[funkydreamsmosaics]

You can?  Someone asked me about that, and I didn't think there was a choice.  How do you turn it off?

[AveryBlake]

@funkydreamsmosaics  I never had reviews turned on for my Pattern site.  You can turn the option on/or off in the Website Editor, then at the bottom choose "Design" and at the very bottom on the left hand side it has "Reviews"....just turn off or on.

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@SugarsbySharon Yes, and I like that we can switch it off, even though my feedback is excellent. I think it is totally childish and unprofessional to show feedback ratings, and even useless, with vintage items, because no two items are the same, so the information regarding the beauty . utility or lack of beauty / utility of a particular item is irrelevant to other buyers. Customer service would be something that buyers may find important to read about in the feedback, but there is zero guarantee that a seller with stellar feedback always provides the exact same high quality customer care, or vice versa, just because the same seller failed one or two buyers, it does not mean he / she will also fail the next buyer. This entire feedback or review system is sooooo ebay-ish, and I believe we need to move on from the influence of eBay on e-commerce and especially, with a so-called "stand-alone" site feedback is not that important. 

A seller could enlist the help of variou friends, relatives, colleagues etc. to artificially beautify the feedback exhibited on his website, too, so it really does not matter to me, as a buyer. I bought from sellers with 85% positive online, and my experience was great. It happened the other way around, also: seller had stellar feedback, but shipped an item to me in lausy condition. 

BB 

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

Well, I did open my Pattern free trial shop, and here are my first impressions:

What I like about it: 

The larger photos

The color choices for the pages (buttons, etc.)

All store categories at the top - YESS! 

Transferring Etsy shop listings is rapid

Easy to close it in case I would change my mind (from the "Settings" menu)

Easy to add your own domain (though I have not done so yet, I have explored how to)

Easy to list overall

No listings fees

What I do not like thus far, about Pattern:

1. Pattern is NOT a stand-alone website, as it is claimed, due to the following restrictions:
2. Not possible to accept PayPal
3. Not possible to accept Stripe
4. I cannot figure out how to put the URL link to my Pattern store on any of the Etsy shop pages
5. Etsy charges not just 15.00 per month, but also, per transaction processing
6. No link to Pinterest, only FB, Twitter, etc. which I do not have
7. I do not see how I could rename or add store categories, it looks like I am stuck with the same shop categories that I have in my Etsy shop

I will let you know if anything else comes up, in addition to the above items.

BB

[SugarsbySharon]

I found your website and it looks great!  You are able to take PayPal but it is no longer stand-alone (which I really hate).  Even if you have your own website you have to pay to process the credit card payments.  I love it because I don't have to pay a fee on the sale and the shipping and no .20 cent renewal fee.  You wouldn't have that fee because you aren't selling multiples of items like I do.  I love that I get to keep more of my money 🙂

What's up with not being able to pin anything anymore?!  I get lots of people who come to my Etsy shop from Pinterest.  No, unfortunately we can't create new categories.  I wonder if we could create a new category and then create a listing for that category that appears only on Etsy which when they click on it directs them to our Pattern site?  I see lots of shops on Etsy who put their web address into their banner and in their listings.  

I have made a little over $500.00 from Pattern.  And the reason why is because I have a small email list of customers who want to be on my email list.  Everytime I send out an email through Mail Chimp (it's free) the links are always to my Pattern shop.  Again, as I said before, I want them to get use to going to my own web site.

It would be great if Etsy added some additional perks for using their Pattern hosting.  I would especially like some ability to do SEO...like with plugging SEO into the pictures.  If they added in some stuff I might even reconsider building my own.

[AveryBlake]

@BlueBirdPrettyGifts   

• Mine has Pinterest.  I ask my familt to pin for me 😉
• I have links on all my Etsy listings that direct to my Pattern shop and certain Pattern only listings...I get lots of traffic that way.  
• The only processing fees that they charge are the credit card processing fees (3% +.25-.30).....you don't pay the 5% Etsy commission on sales/shipping from your Pattern sales....even if you have them on Etsy AND on Pattern.  Any payment processor is going to charge cc processing fees.  There is no way around that unless you accept only cash and checks.  It's the same processing fee that Paypal charges.

Keep digging and I'll learn some from you!!  There are still options that I haven't dug into yet 🙂    Like the blog feature...just not enough time!!

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@SugarsbySharon thanks for the comment, I like the looks of my Pattern site, also!  🐵 What I really am missing is, to have the ability of adding more categories. With the diverse modern and vintage, antique jewelry, clothing, accessories, home decor, toys, etc. I am offering to buyers, 20 categories are simply not enough, so I had to make dramatical changes to the existing shop categories and combine some of those into one. Example: I could use an additional category for musical vintage gadget, as I do have both those twist-and-turn type (wind-up) musical figurines and some of my toys make sounds, as well. Now all are under "Toys" because I ran out of categories. 

I hope Etsy will give us at least 5 more categories, soon (10 would make me jump up and down). 

BB

[KathyZolaFiber]

so, I too looked at other options before going ahead with Pattern, including shopify, selling on FB, and woocommerce. I stayed with Pattern b/c the monthly rates seemed reasonable at $15/month.t And I really don't want to have to maintain 2 sets of inventory listings! That was the really big one for me.

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful comments! Among all the things I listed above that I had some worries about, the category thingy is the most annoying. At first, I thought I would just go ahead and modify my Etsy shop categories to get some of those freed up for categories I only need on my Pattern site. Alas, if I would do this, and fill the newly available categories on my Pattern site ONLY, would those categories show up in my Etsy shop, also - or, as long as I would select for the listings in those categories to only show in Pattern, would these categories show as unpopulated (empty) or simply would not be visible to visitors to my Etsy shop? 

Example 

I do not have categories in my Etsy (vintage) shop for gemstone, coral jewelry, or modern apparel, simply because those are not acceptable categories for the Etsy site, but they are good for the Pattern site. I hate to sacrifice some of my Etsy shop categories by forcefully combining them into less categories, just so that I can have 2-3 categories I could use on Pattern. I feel Etsy should give us at least ten more item categories with Pattern. I could fill those, all, with merchandise not listed in my vintage shop. 

I do not mind the CC processing fees, but that we cannot accept Stripe is a bit of a nuisance, I guess what makes up for this is, thought, that because Etsy payments is the only accepted method for buyers to pay, the taxes would be in one place, and handled by Etsy so one does not have to add things up at the end of a tax period, from multiple sites (other than the usual within state tax, where applies).  

I thought I visited someone's Etsy shop lately and it appeared there was a link to her Pattern website from one of her shop pages, like the About page, or the account (where the Avatar is exhibited). I think it was Roma Arellano's but not sure. I have to check. I am a bit apprehensive towards having to manually enter the link to my Pattern site into each and every listing, as Sharon suggested above, because if, for any reason, one would like to download and move listings elsewhere, one may have to manually edit that link out of every Etsy listing. Hmm. Any thoughts? Although I have three domain names, and I could redirect the one I want to use for Etsy to any new place in a situation like this, some other, simpler solution should exist, like placing the link to Pattern on my BlueBird page...not?

I think one other thing to add to the list of items I like on Pattern is that, unlike on other sites, one does not have to set up some email address from the back-end (Admin) page (in my case, there is one email that comes with the domain name, and another through my website host). The built-in internal communication system makes it easy-peasy to send to, and receive messages from customers, on Pattern. 

This is it, for now...

Thanks again. Keep the good thoughts coming! 

BB

[funkydreamsmosaics]

I don't think I have any categories that are only used in one, but by default, if there's nothing in a category, that category doesn't show.  So I would assume that would still be true that if you have no listings in Etsy (only in Pattern) for a category, that it wouldn't show.  

I have a link to my website in my About section.  I have no recollection how I got it there.  LOL.  So it is possible, but I don't know how to get it done.  Sorry!  🙂

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@funkydreamsmosaics Thanks, Funky, I put the link, for now, under my Bluebird Avatar page and found out that with the BULK editing, you can edit the text of all active listings at once, in the Etsy shop. However, my goal is to ultimately only leave a small number of listings in the Etsy shop, and only make the rest of my 700 or so listings appear in the Pattern site. So, I will wait with the editing of the few listings until I am ready to go full steam Pattern. 

Have a great weekend

BB

[romaarellano]

I drive almost all traffic to my own domain, https://romaarellano.com, which is my Pattern site. The exception is I will co-list the etsy site on my Instagram posts, but that's because there is such a large Etsy community on IG. I also on listings for Etsy point people back to Etsy sections, and on listings for Pattern point people back to my Pattern sections. It took a while to set those up, but I know keep them on a word doc that open up whenever I do my listings, and I cut and paste. I'm sometimes in a hurry and don't always get it right, but often the next day I'll go back and look at my listings and clean things up. 

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@romaarellano That is an excellent suggestion (the linking back and forth, thank you! BB

[AveryBlake]

Categories:  I have Pattern only Categories that do not show up in my Etsy shop.  For example:  "Sterling Silver" category shows up in my Pattern shop but not on my Etsy Shop.   My pattern site is collectionav.com  if you want to see this example.

Links within listings:  I use the bulk editor so I only have to input it once....and when I want to change things up and delete links, I also use the bulk editor.  I LOVE the bulk editor to edit descriptions....LOL 😉

I use the bulk editor frequently to refresh my listings.  It may be all in my head, but whenever I do this, my views go up.

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@AveryBlake How did you get the categories to only show up on Pattern, but not in your Etsy shop? I am assuming, once there is no more item left in a category in your ETSY shop, only in Pattern, then it will become invisible in your Etsy shop, while still exhibited in Pattern. Last night I have listed something in the Men's corner category and only selected Pattern to be listed on - so this category does not show up in my Etsy shop, which is how I wanted it to be. So, it is doable. 

My goal is to transfer most of my items to Pattern, and only leave a few listings in the Etsy shop so I will wait and edit the few remaining listings when those expire in Etsy, and those items will always be renewed.  

BB

[BlueBirdPrettyGifts]

@SugarsbySharon Is it difficult to set up that MailChimp thingy? Where is it located at? Thank you for the great tips above! 

BB

[funkydreamsmosaics]

Etsy has instructions on connecting Mailchimp that aren't half bad:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000344608-Connecting-to-MailChimp?segment=selling