Ravelry Alternative: Making New opportunities --

 Last updated: April 26, 2022

The most effective Ravelry alternatives for 2022 discussed here include:

•   Etsy
•   Lovecrafts

For years Ravelry has been THE place for knitters and crocheters to connect and buy. It is a unique combination of an online journal with a database of patterns as well as social media and a the pattern marketplace. A lot of independent crochet and knit creators have established their business by using Ravelry as the foundation of their business.

However, change happens fast online. Websites are abruptly closed, are bought by larger companies, and sometimes fall out of favor.

In 2020 Ravelry launched a new look, and members dubbed it NuRav. After a while, some users reported NuRav triggered migraines, vertigo, eyestrain, and some seizures. A lot of long-time members complain that they are no longer able to access their patterns or get support for their patterns through the website.

NuRav is not the only unexpected disruption in the fiber industry. In 2017 NBC/Universal purchased the popular website Craftsy changing its name to Blueprint. Numerous independent designers were able to sell their creations on the Blueprint/Craftsy platform. In the summer of suddenly, NBC/Universal decided to shutter the site. TN Marketing bought the video library, and then relaunched Craftsy in the following year.

Because of sudden changes such as those, designers are pondering if it is smart to build their business around the same website, such as Ravelry. If you are an independent designer seeking new strategies to market your work three options to think about include:

• Selling patterns on Ravelry along with a parallel online store
• Use Ravelry to keep in touch via community forums as well as showcase your creations, but when a knitter is ready to purchase , they will be directed to a different website.
• Create a new online store and then leave Ravelry altogether

Whatever route you decide to take, selling your patterns on another website like Ravelry website can be a great way to create a more adaptable business that can withstand unpredictable changes.

Ideas for Designers who are Independent and Making the Right Choices Ravelry alternatives

Independent designers are more than just write gorgeous knitting patterns or crochet patterns. You are a marketing department and customer service rep as well as chief financial officer. It is essential to have efficient online stores which allow you to spend your time developing and less time on other things.

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

• What does a knitter need to know about that their work is real?
• Discounts and free patterns attract customers. What is the easiest way to setup coupons? Does it permit BOGO, pattern-free?
• Businesses need repeat customers. Branding is crucial. Do knitters think of you when recommending your knitting pattern? Or are they thinking of the third Party Website?
• Does the site that you are selling on make it simpler to send information to your customers? Are you required to set up an email list to do this?
• Independent Knit as well as Crochet patterns are a worldwide market. Can the online store take care of VAT? US Sales Tax?
• What fees are there? How do you pay?

E-commerce Options

There are two broad kinds of websites for independent knit designers and crocheters:

• Ravelry-like marketplace websites which let millions if not thousands of artists compete for their attention from crocheters as well as crocheters
• A Personal website and shopping cart to sell directly to knitters and crocheters.

Marketplace E-commerce

Theoretically, marketplace websites bring customers to you. Crocheters and knitters visit the websites to purchase. Because these marketplace websites have a huge business presence that handles sales tax and VAT on your behalf. They offer a number of advantages.

Marketplace websites may help you entice a first time customer. However, how do you convert them into a long time fan? People often say, "I bought it on Etsy." Once your customer is ready to embark on their next venture, will they come back to your shop or conduct another Etsy lookup? The creation of your brand within the shadow of a large website is a challenge.

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

Etsy

Etsy is a well-known marketplace site that makes it simple for artists, designers and craftsmen to market their creations to a wide public. In 2019 over 45 million people shopped on Etsy. However, not all of the of the 45 million customers on Etsy are looking for knit patterns or crochet patterns - or perhaps are crafters themselves.

Still, access to 45 million potential customers, with sales tax taken care of in a simple way, and the convenience of listing is valuable. The value is a price tag. The process of setting up the Etsy shop is easy, but making your own patterns available isn't.

• Fees for listing are $0.20 (USD) for each listing.
• You pay this fee whether your product sells, or does not sell.
• Listings are canceled every four months. It costs $0.60 a year to keep your listing active.

If you do market a pattern through the Pattern Tool, you'll notice an entirely different format:

• Free trial for 30 days. After that, you'll pay a monthly subscription fee of $15.00 USD for a month.
• 6.5 percent Transaction Fee on all transactions
• Processing Fees are charged when you sign up to use Etsy payment. This fee varies by country.
• Advertising Fees: Sellers will be enrolled automatically in Etsy Offsite advertisements. You will incur additional fees when Etsy assigns a sale to an offsite Ad. Sellers with less than $10,000 in a year may opt out.

It's small enough that I don't have the resources to host my own platform. Also, I get traffic from Etsybut not for my own site. But if I had more name recognition/sales volume, I'd do my [own siteto increase sales. They are continually increasing and it's not anymore handmade.

- Laura Designs, Spinner, and Laura
 The Corner of Knit and Tea

Lovecrafts

Lovecrafts is an all-in-one-shop for knitters and crocheters to purchase patterns and yarn. There are a few features that separate it from Etsy.

The Community Page: Participants can upload photos of their completed objects. The photos can be extremely useful as they can inspire other knitters buy a pattern.

Import Listings directly from Ravelry There is a requirement add additional details, which could make it easier. But, Lovecrafts does approve each listing prior to it being posted to the site. It could take up to 3-5 business days to get your listing cleared.

The Pattern Library is similar to Ravelry users, members can access an online pattern library, and are notified of periodic updates

Customer Service: Lovecrafts manages all customer support for you, including assistance with patterns.

If you are an individual designer, you may have missed a beat. Pattern support eats into your time. However, Lovecrafts acting as a constant intermediary can prevent deepening customer loyalty. The crocheters and knitters are able to follow your community page on Lovecrafts However, there's very little chance of building your mailing list, or direct users to your site.

The fees for Lovecraft is similar to Ravelry but is easier to use in comparison to Etsy.

• The process of creating your store and listing is absolutely free.
• You can offer free patterns to entice new followers.
• A transaction fee of 4% and $/PS/EUR0.35 for any sales
• A selling fee of 5% applies for monthly sales from $40 to $1500 (USD)

Simple. Still, there are disadvantages. Community pages can be helpful, but there are no forums online. There is little opportunity to interact with other crocheters and knitters, and it is hard to build your mailing list, or to promote a membership program.

New Kids on the Block

In the wake of the controversy surrounding NuRav People are seeing the opportunity to develop Ravelry alternatives. One currently in development is Fiber.Club. However, there are a few unanswered questions:

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

When Fiber.Club or another website launches, time will tell whether it can gain momentum and grow into an effective Ravelry alternative.

Create A Website of Your Own

The ownership of a website gives you the opportunity to fully control pricing advertising, branding, as well as pattern-support. Also, it is possible with your website to create membership-based programs that generate income streams.

The majority of you have an online presence. Designers often use their sites to direct designers to their Ravelry stores to sell their products. What better way to turn these links into website listing instead? Offering your designs directly to the customers you sell them to makes your company more adaptable and capable of surviving the disruption whenever a website that sells products shuts down, gets bought outor is thrown out of favor.

is an e-commerce website created for downloads via digital media that allows you to turn your website into a retail store. There are two ways you can utilize :

• Embed listings into your current website
• Create a hosted e-commerce website in just a few minutes

I've found their setup very easy to understand. The open page to fill in information is a delight. It's not necessary to worry about how to make my pattern "romance" to be a good fit and being able to make sense...I love how simple it is to create using my blog (with embeddedthe embedding. I would like my blog to serve as my central point of reference and having my designs in the right place helps to create the feeling. Now that I know how to setup things, it will be much easier whenever a new pattern is released. out.

Getting Started On

The process of getting started is just as easy as entering your email address and creating your password.

Once you have set up an account on your behalf, build your first listing. Customers can opt to pay you through Paypal and Stripe. When your first store has been created, you will be able to personalize your store so that it is in keeping to your company's branding. Pick the color of your button, fonts, and even a CSS.

Much like Etsy and Lovecrafts. They handle VAT on behalf of customers. For US Sales Tax will report the tax on sales and add it in the price of your purchase. You are still responsible for remitting the taxes to the appropriate state agencies. (Sales Taxes differ according to the state. Consult the tax expert.)

More Ways to Sell Yourself and your work

Any e-commerce site offers the possibility of offering your followers coupon codes and sales. It also comes with a shopping cart feature that can help customers buy several patterns at once that includes cross-selling and upselling.

• Once a user adds a pattern to your cart, you are able to automatically offer a discount for a second pattern.
• Have you got a hat pattern with a similar glove design? Configure the cart to automatically suggest the second pattern.

We Are Fiber Family

Sharing a passion in crochet and knitting creates more than a business or relationships between customers and designers. It's like having a social network. An instrument that designers and designers utilize to build an enduring relationship with crafters is an email list and newsletter.

With , you can opt to have your customer's email directly added to your email list following the purchase of your pattern. And if you are using the store's website you can follow your customers. Button is located at the top of your webpage.

I wanted to know from Kristin Jancuk how easy she was able to create her email list:

"I was thrilled to find the possibility of linking my newsletter with checkout, which is something I have always wanted to do on Ravelry...I think getting new patterns right in front of people already interested in my patterns is the most valuable aspect and I offer the best discounts to subscribers which gives them an incentive to stay and stay.

However, there's more you can do through the creation of your own email list. Crocheters and knitters love to show their finished items to others. We're the top marketing team. Let your customers know that you are a great source of information. your products to others through an incentive program.

Etsy, Lovecrafts, even Ravelry give you one way to make money through pattern sales. A lot of designers are using Patreon to generate fresh revenue streams. There is much to manage the administration of a Patreon or an Etsy Store, a Ravelry page, etc. Imagine removing one by setting up your Membership Program with . Yes, you can have a membership program and e-commerce site in one .

Fees

There are three levels of membership that each include all the features. Only difference is the transaction fee you pay.

• 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: there is no built-in customers' traffic such as Etsy, Ravelry, or Lovecrafts. The only way to get knitters and crocheters to your website. I inquired Sile Thiels whether it was difficult to sell her knitting patterns to knitters. She said:

A bit, but I don't think any worse than I did prior to selling my work on Ravelry. I've always relied upon promoting myself through my Twitter, Instagram, and FB page. My patterns are still showing into Ravelry searches, they just take you to Ravelry to the sale.

-- Sile Thiels Independent Knit Designer
 Knit Dance Repeat

If you feel it's time to build your store , it's either via your website or on your own, you'll have to market your work. But, as Sile Thiels does you can use Ravelry to promote your project. You can also decide to make use of Ravelry later on, by combining eCommerce websites. You can create a fan base inside and outside of Ravelry. Most importantly, your success won't be contingent on the success of another site's failure.

Comparison Table

Below is a short comparability chart. The fees do not include any the processing charges that are charged by Paypal as well as Stripe. The fees are quoted expressed in US Dollars

 Always consult a Tax Professional

Conclusion

Recent issues in the world of Ravelry is leading designers to consider new alternatives for e-commerce solutions. The creation of a website, whether instead of, or in combination with websites like Ravelry, Etsy, and Lovecrafts, allows you to create a flexible business that can survive unexpected changes.