Ravelry Alternative Creatively New Chances Ravelry Alternative: Crafting New Opportunities

 Updated: 26th April, 2022

The most effective Ravelry alternatives to 2022 we've discussed here are:

•   Etsy
•   Lovecrafts

For a long time Ravelry is the best spot for crocheters and knitters to meet and purchase patterns. It's a singular combination of an online journal, pattern database along with social media as well as a market place for patterns. Many independent knit and crochet entrepreneurs have created their own businesses with Ravelry as the foundation of their business.

Change is fast when you're on the web. Websites suddenly shut down and are acquired by larger corporations, and then fall out of favor.

In 2020 Ravelry unveiled a fresh look that members named NuRav. Soon after, some members reported NuRav triggered vertigo, migraines, eye strain and even seizures. Some long-time users feel they're no longer able access their pattern library or access support on patterns via NuRav.

NuRav isn't the only unanticipated disruption to the world of fiber. in 2017 NBC/Universal purchased the popular website Craftsy and rebranded it to Blueprint. Numerous independent designers were able to sell their creations on the Blueprint/Craftsy platform. In the summer of 2020, out of the blue, NBC/Universal decided to shutter the site. TN Marketing bought the video library and relaunched Craftsy in the following year.

Due to unexpected changes like these, designers are asking whether it's a good idea to establish their company around the same website, such as Ravelry. If you're an individual designer looking at new ways to market your work three options to think about include:

• Make patterns available on Ravelry along with a parallel online store
• Make use of Ravelry to stay in touch with forums for community members, and to showcase your work However, when the knitter is ready to purchase , they will be lead to another website
• Create a new online store and quit Ravelry all together

No matter which route you take whether you sell your pattern on another website like Ravelry website is an opportunity to develop a adaptable business that can withstand unpredictable shifts.

Ideas for Designers who are Independent and Selecting Ravelry Alternatives

Independent designers are more than create beautiful knitting patterns or crochet patterns. You are a marketing department and customer service rep and chief finance officer. It is essential to have efficient online stores that allow you to focus your time developing and less time doing everything else.

When looking at a Ravelry alternative, the most important issues designers should be asking are:

• How will a knitter know that their work is real?
• Discounts and free designs attract clients. How easy is it to set up coupons? Does it allow BOGO or pattern-free?
• Companies need to have repeat customers. Strong branding is critical. Do knitters think of you whenever they suggest your pattern, or are they thinking of the third Party Website?
• Does the e-commerce site make it easier to deliver updates to customers? Do you require setting an email or website list for this?
• Independent Knit as well as Crochet patterns are a worldwide market. Can the online store take care of VAT? US Sales Tax?
• What are the fees? How will you be paid?

Opportunities for E-commerce

There are two main categories of e-commerce sites for independent knit designers and crocheters:

• Marketplaces like Ravelry which let millions if not thousands of artists compete for their attention from crocheters and crocheters
• A personalized website and shopping cart that sells directly to knitters and crocheters.

Marketplace E-commerce

In theory, marketplace sites attract customers to you. Knitters and crocheters go to these sites ready to buy. Because these marketplace websites are a large business they often handle taxes on sales and VAT to your benefit. This is a significant benefit.

Marketplace websites may help you entice a first time customer. However, how do you convert your customer into a loyal follower? Many people say, "I bought it on Etsy." If your client is ready begin their next project, will they come back to your shop or conduct another Etsy search? The creation of your brand within the shadow of a large site is not easy.

Still, if built-in foot traffic is your top priority There are two major websites worth considering: Etsy and Lovecrafts.

Etsy

Etsy is a well-known marketplace website and makes it easy for artists, designers and craftsmen to market their work to an eager customer base. In 2019 over 45 million people shopped on Etsy. But, not all 45 million buyers on Etsy are seeking knit patterns, crochet patterns or even are fiber crafters.

However, having access to over 45 million customers, having sales tax handled for you as well as the ease to list your business is a plus. The value is costs. The process of setting up the Etsy shop is not expensive, however making your own patterns available isn't.

• Listing fees are $0.20 (USD) per item.
• This fee is due if your work sells or does not sell.
• Listings are canceled every four months. The cost is $0.60 an year to keep your listing up and running.

If you do market a pattern through the Pattern Tool, you'll notice something a little different:

• A free trial period of 30 days. Then you'll be charged monthly subscription cost of $15.00 USD per month
• 6.5% Transaction Fee on all sales
• Processing Fee applies if you sign up to use Etsy payment. This fee varies by country.
• Advertising Fees: Sellers will be enrolled immediately in Etsy Offsite advertisements. You will incur additional fees in the event that Etsy credits a sale an offsite advertisement. Sellers earning 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. Additionally, I receive traffic on Etsywhich I don't get for my own site. But if I had more popularity or sales I'd create my own websiteto increase sales. They are continually getting higher AND it's really no longer handmade only.

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

Lovecrafts

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

Community Pages: Members are able to share photos of their finished items. They are extremely helpful as they can inspire other knitters purchase patterns.

Imports Listings Directly from Ravelry: You will have add additional details, which could be a time saver. However, Lovecrafts does approve each listing prior to posting it on the website. It could take up to 3-5 working days for your listing to be accepted.

Pattern Library: Similar to Ravelry Members, they have access to an online pattern library, and are notified of automatic notifications

Customer Service Lovecrafts handles all customer service for you, including assistance with patterns.

Being an independent designer your heart may have skipped an beat. Pattern support eats into your precious time. However, Lovecrafts acting as a constantly-on intermediary may hinder building brand trust. Crocheters and knitters can visit your community page on Lovecrafts, but there is little opportunity to build your email list or steer users to your site.

The fees for Lovecraft are similar to Ravelry as well as simpler as compared to Etsy.

• The process of creating your store and list is completely free.
• You can offer free patterns in order to draw new fans.
• Transaction Fee of 4% and $/PS/EUR0.35 for all purchases
• The selling fee of 5% will be charged if you have monthly sale between $40 - $1500 (USD)

Simple. However, there are some drawbacks. Community pages can be helpful however, there aren't any online forums. There is little opportunity to interact with other crocheters and knitters, and it's difficult to create your list of email addresses or advertise a membership program.

New Kids on the Block

Following the controversy over NuRav, people see the opportunity to develop Ravelry alternatives. The one currently under development is Fiber.Club. However, there are a few unanswered questions:

• What is the function of these sites?
• What will be the fee arrangement?
• How will it handle the sales tax?

If Fiber.Club or another website launches it will be interesting to see whether it can gain momentum and develop into a viable Ravelry alternative.

You can create a website of your Own

The ownership of a website gives you the chance to completely control prices and branding, marketing and even pattern support. Also, it is possible with your website to create subscription programs as well as generate other income streams.

The majority of you have websites. Designers often use their sites to direct makers to their Ravelry store for sales. So why not convert those links into your website listing instead? Selling your patterns directly to the customers you sell them to makes your business more flexible , and capable of weathering any disruption that occurs whenever a website that sells products shuts down, gets bought out, or falls out of favour.

is an e-commerce website designed for digital downloads that allows you to turn your website into a retail store. Two ways to use it could use it :

• Integrate listings onto your current website
• Create a hosted e-commerce website in just a few minutes

I've found their setup really easy to learn. The open page for filling in the details is such a treat. There is no need to worry about how to make my pattern "romance" to be a good fit and making sense...I love how simple it is to create by integrating my blog into my site [with embedding]. I would like my blog to become my hub and having my patterns right there helps create that feel. Now that I know how to set up things it's going to be an easy task whenever a new pattern is released. out.

Getting Started On

To get started, it's as simple as providing your email address and creating a password.

After setting the account you build your first listing. It is possible to choose which customers be able to pay via Paypal or Stripe. After your initial listing is live, you are able to personalize your store to align it with your brand. Choose button colors, fonts, and even a CSS.

Like Etsy and Lovecrafts. They handle VAT for you. The site for US Sales Tax will report the sales tax and include it in the price of your purchase. However, you are responsible for making the payments to the state agency that you are responsible for. (Sales Taxes differ by state. Please consult with the tax expert.)

There are many ways to sell yourself and your work

Any e-commerce site offers the possibility of offering your users coupon codes and sales. However, it also has a shopping cart feature that can help customers buy multiple patterns: cross-selling or upselling.

• When a crocheter adds a pattern to your cart, you are able to instantly offer a discount on a second pattern.
• Have you got patterns for hats that have a similar glove pattern? Create the cart so that it will automatically recommend the other pattern.

We Are Fiber Family

A shared passion to knit and crochet is more than just a relationships between customers and designers. It's like having a social network. An instrument that designers and designers utilize to establish a lasting connection with their crafters is to create the use of newsletters and email lists.

With , you can opt to have your customer's email directly added to your list of email addresses following the purchase of your pattern. In the event that you use for hosting your shop the follow Button is present at the top of the web page.

I wanted to know from Kristin Jancuk how easily she could build her email database:

"I was thrilled to find that I could link my newsletter to the checkout page, which is something I always wanted on Ravelry...I consider that getting my patterns directly in front of eyes already interested in my patterns is the most valuable aspect, but I also offer my subscribers the most attractive discounts which gives them an incentive to stay too.

There is something more to do than build your email list. We crocheters and knitters are awed by showing the finished products to others. We're the top 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 offer a way to earn revenue through pattern sales. Many designers are turning to Patreon for different revenue sources. It is a lot to manage an account on Patreon, and an Etsy Store, a Ravelry page, etc. Imagine getting rid of one by setting up your Membership program through . You can indeed have a an e-commerce and membership website all at once with .

Fees

There are three levels of membership, and each one includes the same features. Only difference is the fee for transactions.

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

If I Build it, Will People Come?

Selling your work from your website has a drawback that there's no built-in user traffic similar to Etsy, Ravelry, or Lovecrafts. You will have to drive customers who knit and crochet to your website. I inquired Sile Thiels if it is difficult to promote her designs to knitters. She said:

Somewhat slightly, but I'm sure that I'm not that I'm any less than before when I was only selling my work on Ravelry. I've always relied on increasing the visibility of myself through my Twitter or Instagram account, as well as my Facebook page. And my patterns still come up in Ravelry search results, but they take you to Ravelry for sales.

-- Sile Thiels Independent Knit Designer
 knit Dance Repeat

If you feel it's the right time to create your own store either on your website or you will have to promote yourself. As Sile Thiels does it's possible to use Ravelry for marketing your business. You can also decide to make use of Ravelry in the future, using a combination of different e-commerce websites, you can create a fan base both within and outside of the Ravelry community. Most importantly, the success of your business will not be dependent on another website's success or failure.

Comparison Table

Below is a short table of comparison. Fees are not inclusive of additional processing fees for Paypal or Stripe. Fees are in US Dollars.

 It is always advisable to consult an Tax Professional

Conclusion

Recent problems with Ravelry has led designers to consider new alternatives for e-commerce solutions. Crafting a website either as a replacement or conjunction with sites such as Ravelry, Etsy, and Lovecrafts can help you develop a flexible company that is able to withstand sudden changes.