TikTok Shop vs. Etsy: which is better for selling in 2025?

As we move through 2025, two platforms are capturing the interest of creators and entrepreneurs alike: TikTok Shop and Etsy. But which is poised to be the better option for selling your unique products?

In this blog, we'll compare TikTok Shop vs. Etsy in detail, examining their unique strengths and potential drawbacks. We'll cover crucial aspects like audience reach, associated fees, marketing strategies, and suitability for varied product types.

We'll also highlight how Gelato offers a print on demand service that integrates with both platforms, simplifying production and fulfillment.

• TikTok Shop and Etsy offer different strengths in audience reach and marketing capabilities, catering to diverse selling strategies.

• Knowing platform-specific fees, costs, and promotional strategies is critical for maximizing profitability.

• Each platform caters to specific product types and niches, influencing seller success based on their offerings.

• Gelato simplifies logistics with print on demand services, smoothly integrating with TikTok Shop and Etsy.

• When choosing between these platforms, sellers must consider competition, buyer intent, and fulfillment needs.

TikTok Shop is an exciting in-app marketplace that blends entertainment with ecommerce. Using TikTok Shop, sellers can showcase products directly within TikTok using engaging videos and live streams. This platform leverages TikTok's vast user base and viral nature, making it a powerful tool for businesses eager to connect with consumers via social commerce.

Etsy is a well-established online marketplace known for selling handmade, unique, and vintage products. It is ideal for creative entrepreneurs and provides individual branding and shop customization tools. Etsy's strong community support and SEO optimization features make it a go-to platform for artisans and crafters aiming to reach customers searching for one-of-a-kind items.

When you're weighing TikTok Shop against Etsy for your online business, it's important to understand their unique differences. Let's explore these below.

Platform focus

TikTok Shop is an integrated ecommerce feature within the short-form video app designed for impulse-driven purchases through engaging content. It thrives on influencer collaborations, viral trends, and real-time shopping experiences.

In contrast, Etsy is a marketplace dedicated to handmade, vintage, and craft-related products. It caters to shoppers actively searching for unique, artisanal, or custom-made goods. Etsy focuses on niche craftsmanship, making it a better choice for creators selling artistic or personalized products.

Audience & buyer intent

TikTok Shop attracts an audience that enjoys a spontaneous and seamless shopping experience influenced by engaging TikTok videos, influencers, and algorithm-driven recommendations. Buyers often make purchases based on trends rather than necessity.

On the other hand, Etsy shoppers visit the platform with a clear intent—searching for specific handmade, vintage, or custom items. Etsy’s audience values quality, craftsmanship, and originality, whereas TikTok Shop’s buyers are more likely to be trend-driven and influenced by social proof.

Marketing & discoverability

TikTok Shop leverages the app’s powerful algorithm, making product discovery organic and highly effective for viral content. To drive visibility, sellers can capitalize on influencer marketing, livestream shopping, and short-form videos.

Etsy’s discovery system relies on search-based intent, SEO optimization, and category rankings. Etsy sellers must optimize product listings, use strategic keywords, and build shop credibility over time. TikTok’s discoverability is more dynamic, whereas Etsy depends on search relevance.

Product suitability

You can choose TikTok Shop for trendy, visually appealing, and mass-market products that perform well in short-form video content. Categories like beauty, fashion, gadgets, and home essentials thrive due to their impulse-buy appeal.

Etsy is tailored for handmade, vintage, and custom-designed items, attracting buyers looking for craftsmanship and uniqueness. While TikTok Shop prioritizes fast-selling, viral products, Etsy is better suited for sellers who create one-of-a-kind, artistic, or niche-specific products.

Selling fees & costs

Both platforms have different cost structures. TikTok Shop charges commission fees ranging from 5% to 8% per sale, along with potential advertising costs for boosting visibility. Etsy charges a listing fee of 6.5% of the total cost of the sale and additional fees for payment processing and advertising.

TikTok Shop’s fees are performance-based, meaning sellers only pay when they make sales, while Etsy’s upfront costs make it more predictable but potentially costly for low-volume sellers. TikTok Shop offers lower entry costs, while Etsy’s fees are manageable with long-term sales growth.

Ad & promotion strategies

TikTok Shop relies on influencer collaborations, TikTok Ads, and organic content strategies to drive sales. Viral videos and livestream shopping play a crucial role in reaching potential buyers. Etsy offers Etsy Ads, which function similarly to search-based PPC advertising, helping listings rank.

TikTok Shop favors short-term, engagement-based marketing, requiring sellers to create consistent video content. Etsy’s paid promotions focus on intent-driven searches, making it more suitable for sellers targeting specific product niches.

Checkout process

TikTok Shop provides an in-app checkout experience, allowing users to purchase easily without leaving the app. This frictionless approach boosts conversions, as buyers can quickly complete transactions after watching a product video or live sale.

Etsy directs buyers through a traditional ecommerce checkout process, which involves adding items to a cart, reviewing shipping details, and proceeding to payment. While Etsy’s process is standard for online shopping, TikTok's integrated checkout enhances impulse purchases.

Shipping & fulfillment

Shipping methods differ between the platforms. TikTok Shop often partners with fulfillment centers and offers seller shipping options, focusing on fast delivery for trending products. Many TikTok sellers opt for dropshipping, reducing inventory management hassles.

Etsy requires sellers to handle their own shipping, making it more labor-intensive for small businesses. Etsy does offer integrations with shipping providers, but fulfillment remains the seller’s responsibility.

Competition & saturation

Etsy has an established seller base, making competition fierce, especially in popular categories like jewelry, home decor, and printables. Since Etsy favors long-standing shops with strong reviews, new sellers may struggle to gain visibility.

TikTok Shop is a newer ecommerce platform that offers a less saturated market with more opportunities for rapid growth. Sellers who can create viral content and leverage TikTok’s algorithm may find success more quickly compared to Etsy’s slower, search-driven approach.

Branding & customer relationships

Etsy provides more opportunities for sellers to establish a unique brand identity through customizable storefronts, detailed product descriptions, and direct customer communication. Buyers often return to Etsy shops they trust, building long-term customer relationships.

TikTok Shop is highly transactional, with purchases driven by content rather than brand loyalty. While TikTok sellers can build recognition through engaging videos, the platform prioritizes trending products over shop identity. Etsy is better for sellers focused on brand storytelling.

Now that you know the differences between the two, let's move on to examining the specific factors to consider when choosing between the two platforms that best align with your business goals.

Product type & niche

The nature of your product plays a crucial role in deciding between TikTok Shop and Etsy. If you sell handmade, vintage, or craft-related items, Etsy is the better platform, as it caters to niche buyers looking for unique goods.

TikTok Shop is ideal for trending, impulse-buy products, especially those that perform well in short-form video marketing. Due to viral trends, beauty, fashion, and novelty items quickly gain traction on TikTok.

Marketing strategy

TikTok Shop relies heavily on video content and influencer collaborations, making it suitable for brands leveraging engaging, short-form videos to drive sales. This platform can yield results if you’re comfortable creating viral content or partnering with TikTok influencers.

Etsy depends on search-driven traffic, SEO, and organic discovery. Optimizing product listings with strong keywords and quality images is key. If you prefer a steady, long-term approach to marketing rather than fast-paced content creation, Etsy may be the better fit for your brand.

Potential customers

TikTok primarily attracts a younger audience, including Gen Z and Millennials, who engage with trending products and make quick purchasing decisions. If your products cater to trend-driven buyers, TikTok Shop is ideal.

Etsy attracts customers looking for handmade, unique, or vintage goods, often appealing to a more mature, niche audience. Buyers on Etsy are typically searching for meaningful, artistic, or custom-made products. 

Time commitment

To stay relevant, TikTok Shop demands consistent video content creation, influencer outreach, and trend monitoring. On Etsy, while marketing efforts like SEO and advertising matter, the platform operates more like a traditional marketplace where products remain discoverable over time.

If you prefer an evergreen approach where listings generate sales with minimal ongoing promotion, Etsy may be a better choice. However, TikTok Shop offers more dynamic opportunities if you enjoy fast-paced content creation and engagement.

Costs & profit margin

The cost structures of TikTok Shop and Etsy differ, impacting your profit margins. Etsy charges listing, transaction, and optional advertising fees, which can add up over time. While these costs are predictable, they may eat into profits for lower-priced items.

TikTok Shop generally has lower upfront costs but takes a commission on each sale. However, the potential for viral success can lead to high-volume sales, making up for the commission fees. Consider whether you prefer fixed costs, steady sales (Etsy), or a platform with fluctuating fees but greater potential for rapid growth (TikTok).

Competition & saturation

Etsy is a well-established marketplace, meaning many niches are highly saturated, making it difficult for new sellers to stand out without strong SEO and marketing strategies. Being newer, TikTok Shop has less competition in certain categories, especially for viral-friendly products.

However, sellers must stay on top of trends and adapt quickly. Etsy is preferable if you’re looking for a platform where products can gain traction organically over time. If you’re willing to experiment with video-driven marketing to stand out, TikTok Shop presents exciting opportunities.

Fulfillment & logistics

The logistics of handling orders differ between the two platforms. Etsy allows for complete control over fulfillment, making it ideal for handmade or made-to-order products. However, this also means handling packaging and shipping yourself unless you use Etsy’s fulfillment services.

TikTok Shop encourages sellers to use its fulfillment centers for faster shipping, particularly for trending products that require quick turnarounds. If you prefer a hands-off approach to logistics, TikTok’s fulfillment options may be more convenient. However, if you valuepersonalized packaging and branding, Etsy provides more flexibility for customized fulfillment.

When it comes to ecommerce, both TikTok Shop and Etsy offer compelling avenues for sellers. Each platform has unique strengths—from TikTok’s vibrant, youth-driven audience to Etsy’s reputation for crafts and vintage.

Here’s where Gelato steps in as your versatile partner.

With smooth integrations for TikTok Shop and Etsy, Gelato's print on demand service makes creating, fulfilling, and distributing custom products globally easy. As a seller, you’ll benefit from a network that spans 34 countries, reducing shipping times and costs.

You get access to high-quality print services, and Gelato also offers tools to automate your workflow, simplifying your business journey. If you’re developing trendy apparel for TikTokers or bespoke crafts for Etsy enthusiasts, Gelato ensures you reach the right audience effectively.

Ready to take your products worldwide? Sign up for Gelato today!

What percentage does TikTok Shop take?

TikTok Shop charges a commission on each sale, typically around 5% to 8%, depending on the product category and promotions. New sellers may benefit from lower fees as part of TikTok’s incentives. While the fees are competitive, sellers should consider additional costs like influencer partnerships and advertising to maximize their store’s visibility and sales.

Who can sell on TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop is open to businesses, individual sellers, and brands in supported regions. You need a TikTok Business account and must meet eligibility requirements based on location. Both established companies and small entrepreneurs can list products.

Is selling on the TikTok Shop worth it?

Selling on TikTok Shop is worth it if you have trend-driven products and a strong video marketing strategy. The platform allows for high visibility, influencer collaborations, and viral sales opportunities. However, it requires active engagement, content creation, and trend monitoring.

Can I sell Etsy products on the TikTok app?

Yes, you can promote Etsy products on TikTok but not directly sell through TikTok Shop unless you upload them separately. Many Etsy sellers use TikTok todrive traffic to their stores by sharing engaging videos showcasing their products.