Ravelry Alternative: Crafting New Chances Ravelry Alternative: Crafting New Opportunities

 Updated: 26th April, 2022

The best Ravelry alternatives to 2022 we've which are discussed are:

•   Etsy
•   Lovecrafts

For years Ravelry is the most popular site for crocheters and knitters to make connections and buy patterns. It is a unique combination of an online notebook with a database of patterns as well as social media and a market place for patterns. A lot of independent crochet and knit designers have built their businesses by using Ravelry as their foundation.

Change is fast when you're on the web. Websites suddenly shut down and are acquired by larger companies, and sometimes are unable to be used again.

In the year 2020, Ravelry launched a new look, and members dubbed it NuRav. In the following days, some members have reported that NuRav triggered headaches, vertigo, migraines as well as seizures. Some long-time users feel they can no longer access their library of patterns, or access support on patterns via the website.

NuRav isn't the only surprise disruption that has occurred in the fiber industry. in 2017 NBC/Universal purchased the popular website Craftsy changing its name to Blueprint. A lot of independent designers offered their works on the Blueprint/Craftsy platform. In the summer of, out of the blue, NBC/Universal decided to shutter the website. TN Marketing bought the video library and launched Craftsy at the end of that year.

In light of unexpected developments like this, designers are asking if it is smart to establish their company around one website like Ravelry. If you are an independent designer seeking new strategies to sell your work, three options to think about include:

• Make patterns available for sale on Ravelry along with a parallel online store
• Utilize Ravelry to keep up-to-date with forums for community members, as well as showcase your creations however, knitters who is ready to purchase are taken to a different site.
• Make a store on the internet and leave Ravelry all together

No matter which route you decide to take the possibility of selling your designs on an alternative Ravelry website can be a great way to create a more flexible business built to survive unpredictable modifications.

Ideas for Designers who are Independent and Selecting Ravelry alternatives

Independent designers do more than just write gorgeous knitting patterns or crochet patterns. Your job is to be a marketing department or customer service representative, and chief of finance. Your website needs to be efficient which allow you to spend your time developing and less time doing other things.

When looking at a Ravelry alternative, Important issues designers should be asking are:

• What does a knitter need to know about your work exists?
• Discounts and free designs are a great way to attract new customers. How easy is it to setup coupons? Does it allow BOGO or pattern-free?
• Businesses require repeat business. Branding is crucial. Are knitters thinking of you when they recommend your pattern, or are they thinking of the third Party Website?
• Does the e-commerce site make it easier to deliver information to your customers? Do you require setting up a website or email list in order to accomplish this?
• The independent market for Knit and Crochet patterns are an international market. Does the e-commerce site handle VAT? US Sales Tax?
• What are the fees? How do you pay?

Online-Commerce Options

There are two broad types of online stores for knit designers who are not independent crocheters:

• Ravelry-like marketplace websites where thousands - sometimes millions of creators compete to get interest from knitters and crocheters
• A personalized website and shopping cart that sells directly to crocheters and knitters.

Marketplace E-commerce

Theoretically, marketplace websites can bring buyers to your site. The crocheters and knitters go to these sites ready to buy. Since these websites have a huge business presence that handles taxes on sales and VAT for you. They offer a number of advantages.

Marketplace websites may help you entice a first time customer. Butcan you make your customer into a loyal follower? Many people say, "I bought it on Etsy." If the customer is ready to embark on their next venture do they return to your shop or conduct another Etsy research? Building your brand in the shadow of a massive site is not easy.

If built-in foot traffic is what you are looking for, there are two big websites worth considering: Etsy and Lovecrafts.

Etsy

Etsy is a well-known market website and makes it easy for artists, designers, and other artisans to offer their creations to a wide audience. In 2019 over 45 million customers bought items on Etsy. However, not all of the 45 million buyers on Etsy are searching for knitting patterns or crochet patterns - or even are fiber crafters.

Yet, the access to 45 million customers, having sales tax taken care of, and ease to list your business is a plus. The value is a price tag. The process of setting up an Etsy shop is free, making your own patterns available isn't.

• The listing fee is $0.20 (USD) for each listing.
• The fee will be paid whether your product sells, or not.
• Listings are canceled every four months. You will spend $0.60 an year to keep one list active.

If you decide to offer a pattern using the Pattern tool, it has a somewhat different structure:

• Trial for free for 30 days, then you'll be charged monthly subscription fee of $15.00 USD for a month.
• 6.5 percent Transaction Fee on all sales
• Processing Fees are charged when you register to make use of Etsy payment. This fee varies by country.
• Advertising Fees: Sellers will be enrolled automatically in Etsy offsite ads. You will incur additional fees if Etsy assigns a sale to an offsite advertisement. Sellers with less than $10,000 per year may opt out.

My site isn't big enough, so I don't have the resources to host my own platform. I also get traffic [on Etsybut not for my own site. However, if I had greater name recognition/sales volume, I'd do my [own site]. The costs are constantly getting higher AND it's really not just a hand-made site anymore.

-- Laura Design, Spinner and Laura
 The Corner of Knit & Tea

Lovecrafts

Lovecrafts is a one-stop-shop for crocheters and knitters who want to purchase yarn as well as patterns. There are some features that separate it from Etsy.

Community Pages: Members can post photos of their finished items. These photos are invaluable in inspiring other knitters to purchase patterns.

Imports listings directly from Ravelry There is a requirement add additional details, which could be a time saver. But, Lovecrafts does approve each listing prior to posting it on the site. It can take 3-5 business days to get your listing accepted.

Pattern Library: Like Ravelry, members have patterns in their library. They also receive automatic updates

Customer Service Lovecrafts handles all customer service to you, which includes pattern support.

Being an independent designer you may have missed a beat. Support for patterns eats up your precious time. However, Lovecrafts acting as a continuous intermediary could hinder the development of customer loyalty. Crocheters and knitters can visit your community page on Lovecrafts however, there's very little chance of building your list of email subscribers or guide visitors to your website.

Charges for Lovecraft is similar to Ravelry, and simpler in comparison to Etsy.

• Creating your shop and list is completely free.
• You can offer free patterns to attract new customers.
• Transaction Fee of 4% plus $/PS/EUR0.35 for all transactions
• The selling fee of 5% is applicable when you are selling monthly from $40 to $1500 (USD)

Simple. But there are some disadvantages. There are community forums that can be useful, but there are no on-line forums. It is difficult to connect with fellow knitters and crocheters, and it's difficult to create your email list or promote a membership program.

A New Generation of Kids on the Block

Following the controversy over NuRav People are seeing an opportunity to create Ravelry alternatives. One currently in development is Fiber.Club. But, there are several unknowns:

• How do these websites work?
• What will be the fee structure?
• What will they do with sales tax?

In the event that Fiber.Club or another website launches, time will tell whether it can gain momentum and develop into an effective Ravelry alternative.

: A Website Of Your Own

Owning a website is an possibility to control the pricing, branding, marketing, and pattern support. It is also possible with your website to create subscription programs as well as generate other revenue streams.

Most of you currently have an online presence. A lot of designers make use of their websites to direct makers to their Ravelry store to sell their products. So why not convert those links into your website store listings instead? Selling your pattern directly to customers makes your business more flexible , and able to ride out the disruption in the event that a marketplace site shuts down, gets bought out, or falls out of favor.

is an e-commerce website specifically designed to sell digital downloads. It permits you to transform your site into a shop. There are two ways you can utilize :

• Integrate listings onto your current site
• Create a hosted e-commerce website in a minute

I've discovered their system very easy to understand. The page that allows you to fill in details is such a treat. There is no need to think too much about my pattern "romance" being a perfect fit, and making sense...I really like how easy it is to set up with my blog [with embeddingthe embedding. I want my blog to become my hub and having my designs in the right place helps to create the feeling. Now that I know how to organize things, it'll be easy to do whenever a new pattern is released. out.

Getting Started On

The process of getting started is as simple as providing an email address and making your password.

After you've set up the account you build your very first page. You can choose customers to make payments to you via Paypal and Stripe. After your initial listing has been created, you will be able to customize your store in order to bring it in line with your brand. Choose button colors, fonts, and even a CSS.

Much like Etsy and Lovecrafts, handles VAT for you. In the case of US Sales Tax will report the sales tax and include it in the price of your purchase. However, you are responsible for paying the tax to appropriate state authorities. (Sales Taxes vary according to the state. It is recommended to consult a tax professional.)

There are many ways to sell yourself and Your Work

Every online store has the possibility of offering your customers coupon codes as well as sales. It also comes with a shopping cart function that could help customers buy multiple patterns such as cross-selling or upselling.

• If a person who crochets adds a pattern to their cart, you can automatically offer a discount for a second pattern.
• Do you have a hat pattern with the same glove pattern? Set up the cart to automatically suggest the second pattern.

We Are Fiber Family

A shared passion for knitting and crochet creates more than just a commercial or relationships between customers and designers. It's like having a social network. An instrument that designers and designers utilize to establish a lasting relationship with crafters is the use of newsletters and email lists.

By using this feature, you are able to have your customer's email directly added to your list of email addresses after buying your pattern. And if you are using to host your store, a follow Button is present at the top of the web page.

I wanted to know from Kristin Jancuk how easily she was able to build her email lists:

"I am thrilled to discover the possibility of linking my newsletter with checkout this is something that I've always wanted at Ravelry...I consider that getting my patterns immediately in front of the eyes of those that are already interested in my work is the most valuable aspect, but I also offer discount coupons to my subscribers, so they have a reason to stick around as well.

However, there's much more you can accomplish through building your email list than just creating one. Crocheters and knitters love to show off our finished objects with other crafters. We're the most effective marketing team. Let your customers know that you are a great source of information. your patterns to friends with an incentive program.

Etsy, Lovecrafts, even Ravelry give you one way to earn money through pattern sales. Numerous designers are turning to Patreon to create new revenue streams. There is much to run the administration of a Patreon or and an Etsy Store, a Ravelry page or a website. Imagine getting rid of one with the help of establishing your Membership program through . It is possible to have the membership program as well as an online website all at once with .

Fees

offers three membership tiers that each include all the features. The only difference is the fee for transactions.

• Forever Free 5 percent transaction fee
• In addition: $29.00/ month 2 percent transaction fee
• Pro: $99.00/month 0% transaction cost

If I build it, Will People Come?

Selling your products on your website has a drawback that there's no built-in customer traffic like Etsy, Ravelry, or Lovecrafts. It is your responsibility to bring knitters and crocheters to your site. I inquired Sile Thiels whether it was difficult to sell her knitting patterns for knitters. She replied:

It's not all that great however, I'm not sure I'm anything is worse than what I was in the past when I was just selling on Ravelry. I've always relied on increasing the visibility of myself on my twitter or Instagram account, as well as my Facebook page. My patterns are still showing on Ravelry searches. They just take you to Ravelry for sales.

- Sile Thiels Independent Knit Designer
 Knit Dance Repeat

If you feel it's time to build your store either on your website or you will have to promote your work. As Sile Thiels does, it is possible to utilize Ravelry to promote your project. But, if you decide to utilize Ravelry later on, using a combination of different e-commerce websites, you can establish a reputation both within and outside of the Ravelry community. The best part is that your success won't be contingent on another website's success or success or.

Comparison Table

Below is a short comparison chart. Fees are not inclusive of the processing charges from Paypal and Stripe. Fees are expressed in US Dollars

 *Always consult with an Tax Professional

Conclusion

Recent disruptions caused by Ravelry are prompting designers to look at new options for e-commerce solutions. Crafting a website either as a replacement or addition to sites like Ravelry, Etsy, and Lovecrafts allows you to create a flexible business which can withstand unexpected change.