Storenvy

Making money through e-commerce isn’t easy. Sellers must control their web traffic and advertising to get the right people on their site, and even then, they aren’t guaranteed a sale.

Storenvy is an online marketplace space that promises to make this process easier for both buyers and sellers.

It lets you buy from independent sellers from around the world. You can purchase anything from clothing to jewelry, art, home and beauty accessories, and even tech products on the platform.

Though most Storenvy products seem to be manufactured, you can also purchase handmade goods on the site.

The goal of Storenvy is to create a space for shoppers to connect with small-time sellers and find unique products not widely available elsewhere. Does the site live up to this goal? Should you consider opening a storefront on Storenvy? We’ll help you answer those questions here.

How Does Storenvy Work?

Your Storenvy experience will differ based on whether you or buying or selling.

For Shoppers

Once you make a Storenvy account, you can begin browsing all available products. You can search by category (women’s, men’s, jewelry, art, home, kids, music, health & beauty, specialty, or tech) or by looking at all the listings from individual sellers.

There’s an almost limitless variety of products sold on Storenvy. Most items, especially the clothing, aren’t from recognizable brands.

When you find products you like, you have a few options. You can add it to your shopping cart, “collect” the item for future reference by adding it to a list (default options are “my wishlist” or “gift ideas”), or you can show support for the seller and “envy” it.

All envied items are displayed in your profile and the feeds of your followers. The Storenvy products that receive the most Envies are listed on the site’s Trending page.

While it’s possible to put an unlimited number of items in your cart, they can be from a max of ten stores.

All transactions will occur through the site, but shipping times and refund policies can vary between sellers. Pricing will range based on the seller, but you can expect to pay at least $20 for most apparel items, plus about $4–$8 for shipping throughout the United States.

Keep in mind that you will need to pay separate shipping fees for every purchase, though there may be exceptions if they come from the same seller.

For Store Owners

Sellers on Storenvy can take advantage of the platform’s customizable storefront options to best display their products. All users begin with a free hobbyist plan, which you can upgrade for extra features.

Pricing and feature options include the following:

To start listing products on your storefront, you’ll first give it a name, set a price, and choose the category that best describes it. Next, you’ll share a product description and high-quality photos and specify how many you have in stock and what varieties are available (colors, sizes, etc.).

Finally, you’ll specify shipping details and choose whether to add it to any of your collections. Once you click save, the listing will go live. You can adjust the pricing or delete old listings in the same way.

The longer your store is live, the more data you’ll receive about the numbers of customers visiting your site, which of your products are envied most often, and how long users browse your products on average.

Storenvy shop owners also gain access to Engage, an email marketing tool that lets them communicate directly with potential customers. For those who have upgraded their membership, it’s a great way to send out coupon codes.

Commission Fees, Pricing, and Refund Information

Storenvy makes its money on a commission basis. All sales made through the site are charged a 15% commission based on the total transaction, which includes shipping.

Store owners can decide whether they want to account for this in their pricing or have it added for customers when checking out, similar to a sales tax.

All Storenvy sellers set their prices and return policies, though the platform asks that all sellers ship out orders within a week of purchase, preferably within two days. Domestic orders usually arrive within ten days, while international orders may take a month or more.

Be sure to read the Shipping and FAQ section for each product before purchasing so that you know the terms before you commit. You can always contact a store owner directly to clear up any pricing confusion.

Saying that, Storenvy will protect you against incorrect orders. If a store sends you a wrong or defective product, then they are obliged to send you a full refund. Contact the seller directly to start this process.

If you need to contact Storenvy, do so at support@storenvy.com.

Seller Fraud

When you browse a site of independent retailers like Storenvy, it’s easy to question if the site is a scam. The company claims to take bold measures to ensure that shoppers are safe by carefully monitoring store activity and customer complaints to pull storefronts that are selling counterfeit or otherwise inferior products.

Likewise, all storefront must have a PayPal or Stripe account to receive payments, both of which run background checks before permitting accounts.

In cases where fraudulent sellers slip through the cracks, Storenvy states that PayPal’s 180-day buyer protection service protects shoppers. Those who purchased with credit cards will need to take the issue up with their bank.

In short, Storenvy acknowledges that fraud can be a problem on its platform. Still, the company offers few options for consumers to fight it beyond going to the larger financial institutions involved.

If you want to share concerns about a Storenvy store, do so at support@storenvy.com.

Analysis of Customer Reviews

Here at HighYa, Storenevy has a two-star rating after 60 customer reviews. Trustpilot reviews are similar. There, the product has 1.5 stars after more than 100. Here’s what these shoppers and sellers are saying.

Common Compliments:

• Possible to find good deals on products

Common Complaints:

• Some shoppers never received their orders after paying
• Money wasn’t always returned when purchasing from scam accounts
• Sellers pay high fees to sell on the site
• Slow shipping times
• Some shoppers received pirated tech products
• Many poor quality products

Storenvy vs. Etsy and Wish.com

In the world of online retail, two of the popular options for independent sellers are Etsy and Wish. Here’s how they both compare to Storenvy.

First, Wish is an online retailer with hundreds of storefronts. Rather than selling products from independent sellers, most Wish merchandise comes directly from factories in Asia and is sold at wholesale pricing. Some products are more than 98% off what you’d pay for competitors.

It’s possible to purchase a similar range of merchandise on Wish as Storenvy, though the site has a bigger focus on tech products.

However, many Wish.com customers critique the platform for quality issues. A lot of products seem to be knockoffs with misleading images. As with Storenvy, common customer complaints include slow shipping times and a high prevalence of scam accounts.

Etsy originated as a platform for artisans to sell products online, and it’s mostly stayed true to this premise. This means that you’re far more likely to find home décor, clothing, and jewelry on the site than tech products.

The site’s fee structure also differs from Storenvy. Rather than a flat commission rate, you’ll pay a listing fee of $0.20 per item and a transaction fee of 5% per product sold. In most cases, this provides sellers with a more significant percentage of the profits.

Which platform is the best for sellers? It’s difficult for individuals without wholesale connections to sell on Wish.com, and so Etsy or Storenvy are better options. Storenvy offers better opportunities for customizing your storefront, creating a brand, and, for paid accounts, connecting directly with potential customers. For many people, this could be worth the higher commission costs.

Shopper’s decisions between these options should be based on what you are looking for. Etsy still offers the broadest selection of homemade products, though you can find similar products on Storenvy as well. Wish is best for buying popular products at sharply discounted prices, but you’re often going to get what you pay for.

The Bottom Line: Is Storenvy Worth It?

Storenvy offers a simple to use platform for both buyers and independent sellers. Though anyone can make a free account, the majority of listings on the site seem to be based in Asia. As all sellers control their prices, it’s possible to score great deals on unique products.

However, dealing with different sellers can have its difficulties. Bulk shipping discounts are rare, and Storenvy offers minimal protection against fraudulent accounts. Likewise, shipping times can vary significantly depending on where the seller is located.

Overall, Storenvy offers a viable option for online shoppers to connect with small distributors. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to perform your own background checks to ensure you make smart decisions.

Likewise, sellers should appreciate the customization options and opportunities to connect with customers. The cost of these perks, however, is a higher commission rate.