for sellersCravers Eats vs Etsy: the UK alternative for selling flowers, hampers and handmade locally
Etsy and Cravers Eats do different jobs. Etsy sells items you can post to buyers across the UK and abroad; UK sellers pay a listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee and 4% + 20p payment processing, plus Offsite Ads fees on some sales. Cravers Eats sells to customers near you who collect or get local delivery from you; it is free to join, 5% per sale with card fees included, and has no listing fees. Cravers suits perishable, fragile, bulky and made-to-order things: flowers, hampers, cakes, furniture; Etsy suits small items that post well. Many makers use both.
Side by side
| Compared | Etsy | Cravers Eats |
|---|---|---|
| Who buys | Shoppers anywhere who search Etsy | Customers near you, plus your own followers |
| How it gets to them | You pack and post it | Collection, or your own delivery within an area and fee you set |
| Joining and listing | Free to open; $0.20 per listing, renewed every four months or on sale | Free; no listing fees, no monthly fees |
| Fees per sale | 6.5% of the order (including postage) + 4% + 20p processing + 0.48% regulatory fee, plus VAT; Offsite Ads 12–15% on sales from Etsy's ads (compulsory above $10,000 a year) | 5%, card fees included. Customer pays a 99p service fee |
| On a £40 order you receive | About £34.31 after Etsy's fees and the VAT on them (if you're not VAT-registered), before postage or any Offsite Ads fee | £38.00 |
| Fresh flowers, cakes, hampers | Poor fit: perishable or fragile in the post | Built for it |
| Furniture and large items | Courier costs and damage risk | Collection or local delivery |
| Reach | Huge audience, and a lot of competition | Smaller and local; new and growing across the UK |
| Payouts | To your bank on Etsy's schedule | Automatic via Stripe, every Wednesday |
Etsy figures are its published UK rates at the time of writing and change from time to time; check Etsy's fee page for current terms. The £40 example: £2.60 transaction fee + £1.80 processing + about 19p regulatory operating fee (0.48%) + roughly 15p listing fee = £4.74, plus 20% VAT = £5.69. More in our selling fees calculator.
Other places UK makers sell
| Platform | Best for | Cost to the seller |
|---|---|---|
| Folksy | UK-only handmade, posted | 15p + VAT per listing, 6% + VAT commission, plus PayPal or Stripe card fees |
| Not On The High Street | Curated, premium gifts, posted | Application and a one-off joining fee; amounts aren't published, but are reported as £199 + VAT to join and about 25% commission |
| Facebook Marketplace and local groups | Local one-off sales | Free for local collection; no card payment or order management |
| Being discovered | Free; orders by DM and bank transfer | |
| Craft fairs and markets | Seasonal peaks, meeting customers | Pitch fee whether or not you sell |
| Cravers Eats | Local orders paid by card: flowers, hampers, food, made-to-order and bulky items | Free to join; 5% per sale |
Fees for other platforms are published figures that vary by plan and change over time; always check the platform's current terms.
When Etsy is the better choice
If you make small things that post cheaply and safely (jewellery, prints, cards, small ceramics, digital downloads) and want buyers across the UK and abroad, Etsy's audience is hard to beat, and the fees are the price of that reach.
When Cravers Eats is
- Your product is perishable or fragile: fresh flowers, cakes, food hampers.
- It is bulky: furniture, large décor, big gift sets.
- It is made to order and customers like to collect: commissions, personalised gifts.
- You want to build a local customer base that orders again, and keep 95% of each sale.
Honest limits: Cravers Eats does not post items nationwide, and it is new, so local browsing traffic depends on how many customers have joined near you. Your own followers and local groups are still your biggest source of orders in the early months.
Sell on Cravers Eats
A new local marketplace for anyone who makes and sells from home: bakers, cooks, florists, crafters and makers, opening across the UK in early 2027. Founding sellers join free now and set up before launch day. Customers order and pay by card, you keep 95%, and there are no monthly fees.
Join as a founding sellerQuestions people ask
What is a free alternative to Etsy in the UK?
For selling locally, Cravers Eats is free to join with no listing or monthly fees and takes 5% per sale, card fees included. Customers nearby order and pay by card and collect or get local delivery. For posting items nationally, Folksy is a UK alternative with lower commission than Etsy but still charges listing and processing fees.
How much does Etsy take per sale in the UK?
Etsy charges UK sellers a $0.20 listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee on the order total including postage, 4% + 20p payment processing and a 0.48% regulatory operating fee, plus 12–15% Offsite Ads fees on sales from Etsy's ads. Etsy adds VAT to its fees for sellers who aren't VAT-registered. On a £40 order that is about £4.74, or £5.69 with VAT, before Offsite Ads.
Can I sell flowers or cakes on Etsy?
Etsy is built for posted items, so fresh flowers and cakes are a poor fit. Local platforms like Cravers Eats, where customers collect or the seller delivers nearby, suit perishable products.
Can I use Etsy and Cravers Eats at the same time?
Yes. Many makers keep Etsy for small items they post nationally and use Cravers Eats for local orders (flowers, hampers, bulky and made-to-order pieces) where they keep 95% of each sale.
Sources (checked October 2026): Etsy fees and payments policy; Etsy UK: sell on Etsy; Folksy selling fees; Not On The High Street seller FAQs (fee amounts reported by third parties); Cravers Eats seller terms. Last reviewed 2026-11-05.