Etsy has announced a series of updates aimed at reinforcing its mission to keep commerce human. These updates reflect nearly two decades of fostering creativity and self-expression in an increasingly automated world, and they highlight Etsy’s dedication to maintaining a marketplace for original items from real people.
Etsy’s CEO shared the following updates with sellers, emphasizing the company’s commitment to investing in the platform to ensure long-term success for its users.
Since its inception in 2005, Etsy has connected creative entrepreneurs with millions of buyers globally. The platform continues to prioritize investments that allow sellers’ unique items to shine. Key investments include:
Nurturing a diverse marketplace for handcrafted, vintage, personalized, and customized products.
Allowing production partners in 2014 to help sellers scale their businesses.
Increasing resources for customer support, product development, and marketing in response to recent growth.
Scaling enforcement efforts to combat non-compliant listings and protect the marketplace’s integrity.
Etsy has reorganized its policies into new Creativity Standards to clarify what is allowed on the platform. This reorganization emphasizes the human imagination and involvement in creating goods sold on Etsy. The new standards categorize items as:
Made by a seller
Designed by a seller
Sourced by a seller
Handpicked by a seller
To make it clear to buyers why an item belongs on Etsy, new item details will be displayed on listing pages, such as “Made by ShopName” or “Designed by ShopName.” Additionally, the listing form now includes more options for sharing details about processes, materials, and tools used by sellers.
Etsy is also working on new ways to highlight sellers’ roles in areas like search, discovery, and marketing experiences. This effort aims to meet buyer expectations and help them find the exact types of items they seek, whether artisanal pieces or production-assisted personalized items.
Furthermore, Etsy is providing more actionable insights to help sellers improve the visibility of their listings. Specific factors that signal a high-quality listing will be shared to ensure listings get seen and sold.
Etsy has launched a new marketing campaign to illustrate how sellers are the heart of the marketplace. This campaign includes TV commercials, billboards, and social media content in the US and UK, featuring sellers who make the marketplace unique and human. The homepages in the US and UK have also been refreshed to showcase the human touch behind Etsy items.
Etsy is bringing back two popular seller programs:
Etsy Up: The flagship virtual seller conference returns on September 10, offering inspiration, tips, and connections to help sellers elevate their shops.
Etsy Design Awards: The annual global award program kicks off on July 16, honoring the work of Etsy sellers across multiple categories.
Image: Envato
