Inside an Online Bazaar Artisans and consumers converge at Etsy.com, a perpetual global art festival.
By Kara Ohngren Prior •
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At the intersection of commerce, content and social media sits Etsy.com, a website as beautiful as the products it sells. The online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade embodies its own do-it-yourself style in both design and function, creating a hub where independent artisans can connect directly with their buyers.
Since the site launched in 2005, more than 250,000 sellers from around the world have opened up Etsy shops to sell their unique crafts. With a robust blog highlighting the handmade lifestyle and a host of entertaining videos, Etsy has attracted more than 2.3 million members with 3.6 million items currently listed for sale.
Etsy has redefined product discovery. Busting out of the traditional 2-D e-commerce model of "search" and "browse," the distinctive nature of the Etsy marketplace allows visitors to explore its array of products via search categories such as color, geography, posted date and discovered and undiscovered shops.
