Skip McGrath:
Little Etsy, started in 2005, is now the fastest growing site for individuals to sell their handmade merchandise.
Etsy was started as a place for artists, crafters and creators to connect with buyers directly. Their low fees and focus on quality handmade goods only has attracted over 2 million members since its founding. According to AuctionBytes, Etsy sold over $12 million worth of handmade goods last month, March 2009. That compares with $1.6 million in March 2008.
Here is a chart of Etsy’s growth to date:
Total Members: over 2.1 million
Total Sellers: over 200,000
Items Currently Listed: over 3.4 million
Total $ sold (Gross Merchandise Sales)
2005 = $166,000
2006 = $3.8 million
2007 = $26 million
2008 = $87.5 million
2009 = $32 million (through March)At this rate, Etsy should go over $200 million this year. Given the state of the current economy that is pretty good growth. So if you make and sell handcrafted goods, give Etsy a try.
Photo by Etsy.