[benignslime]

Have you compared the price to say, hosting your own website, finding your own marketing platform, finding a payment provider, and managing logistical challenges, all for 12% of the gross income of your product?

I can see why people would be frustrated, but you're getting a whole lot for using their service.

[MicahKV]

I do host my own website and manage all of those things, but it's not a question of the cost it's the fact that I can't opt out. It impairs my ability to predict & control my expenses, and it forces me to subsidize Etsy's ad campaigns that compete directly with my own website.

[massysett]

You can opt out: don’t sell on Etsy.

[Glyptodon]

The sad thing is that many successful Etsy sellers do have their own websites and also sell through other platforms besides Etsy. So they have the costs you mention + Etsy costs.