The I.T. Files
By Sara D.
and Hamburg. Streaming or archived workshops are
also available.
To find out more about Etsy labs, up-coming
events, and online workshops, visit etsy.com
and join the mailing list for automatics updates
More than just the World’s Handmade Marketplace,
Etsy.com is a community of artists, creators, thinkers,
and doers.
Painter, carpenter, and photographer Robert Kalin
conceived the idea for the site, and along with Chris
Maguire and Haim Schoppik, they designed the site,
wrote the code, assembled the servers, spliced the
cables, and after only three sleepless months
launched Etsy on June 18th, 2005.
WHAT IS ETSY.COM?
Etsy is an e-commerce website that focuses only on
handmade items, vintage items, art, and craft
supplies.
It has been compared to “a crafty cross between
Amazon, eBay, and your grandmother’s basement.”
There are three categories in which to sell items
under handmade by you, vintage (20 years older or
more), supplies (commercial and handmade) Things
not allowed: anything that does not fit one of the three
categories, handmade by someone else, illegal or
prohibited items.
Selling on etsy.com is simple, as with Amazon and
eBay, it walks you through the process with ease.
It costs $0.20 to list a single item for 4 months. When
the item sells, you will pay 3.5% in transaction fees.
Etsy is a popular place to buy goods made from
recycled and up-cycled materials, along with less
expensive or unique versions of mass-produced
items. People value authorship, the uniqueness and
rarity of items is the appeal for the millions of
shoppers that frequent this site.
The site’s home page features recently listed items,
blog posts, featured sellers, and handpicked items of
interest. With its clean layout, and simple design, it is
a breeze to get around and find just what you are
looking for.
ETSY LABS
Members of Etsy’s Community Team host a variety of
public programming; from craft nights and tech talk to
business development workshops and beyond.
The company’s headquarters is located in Dumbo,
Brooklyn. There are two “Creative Community
Spaces.” These spaces are located in Brooklyn, NY
and Berlin, Germany (a location of one of the main
offices.) Etsy Labs regularly host events in San
Francisco, Los Angeles, CA, Paris, the Netherlands,
TEAMS AND GRANTS
The “Teams” community feature allows you to
connect with other Etsy members. Teams are a great
way to collaborate with people that share your
interests. You can join an existing team or create,
maintain, and promote a new team focused on your
own ideas. It is also a great way for consumers to
shop by theme, location, or interest.
Each month, a few exceptional teams are selected
and rewarded with grant funding for new and exciting
projects. Active Etsy teams propose project ideas
that are aimed at stimulating creativity among
members and spreading Etsy awareness. These
grant programs support team events, collaborations,
and projects.
Any team may apply for these grants. Teams are
eligible for up to two grants per year. Local and global
teams can come up with numerous projects, develop
workshops, and handle advertising and publicity. The
funding provided by these grants helps with all of this
and more.
*Be sure to read the Do’s and Don’ts featured on the
“teams” page of etsy.com before joining or creating any
team*
Our Mission is to empower people to
change the way the global economy
works. We see a world in which
very-very small businesses have
much-much more sway in shaping
the economy. Local living
economies are thriving everywhere,
and people value authorship and
provenance as much as price and
convenience. We are bringing heart
to commerce and making the world
more fair, more sustainable, and
more fun.
~Etsy
Etsy.com is truly a crafter’s paradise; sharing your
own creations, ideas, and interests with people
around the world or right next door.
For questions or comments, e-mail me at
[email protected]
References include Etsy.com, and Wikipedia