FORGET EBAY; CHECK OUT ETSY

Shopping the Local Modern Way

Walk around town and you’ll hear people using a new word: Etsy. But what exactly is it? To start with, you can forget E-Bay with its long waits and auction style bidding. Etsy is a modern equivalent made easy. Think of it as a vibrant handmade marketplace, an online community of artists who sell handcrafted and vintage items, including art, glass, jewelry, needlecraft, toys, and woodworking. Etsy is an e-commerce website that is reconnecting makers and buyers.

Each item on Etsy is individually listed and photographed, shipping prices are included, and shops set up different payment systems, PayPal being the most popular. Etsy charges 3.5 percent on all sales, and the rest of the profits go directly to the sellers. Anyone, anywhere, can join. Anyone, anywhere, can buy. Etsy shops are changing the way artists, craftsmen, and entrepreneurs do business.

When you go to www.etsy.com, you can shop by category, color, or by recently listed items. You can also shop local: just type in your city zip code and browse all the shops from your hometown.

AW interviewed three local women who run Etsy shops.

Why did you choose to start selling on Etsy?

I started making and selling dolls when my children were small. My youngest daughter, Sam, had a normal birth. But at the age of 22 months she began to regress. She is autistic and is nonverbal. Making dolls is a source of income that lets me stay at home. I’m thankful to have this.

What do you sell?

Dolls are my bestsellers, but I also make buntings. Each doll is unique. I love doing special requests, like putting a child’s name on the doll. I make light and dark skinned dolls, fairies, and Christmas tree topper dolls.

Where have you sold?

I have made sales in the USA, Russia, Australia, Canada, Romania, Turkey, Spain, France, and the UK.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to start an Etsy shop?

Before you start, do your homework. Get to know the site, how it functions. It’s not just making items. You have to photograph, list, sell, and ship.

What do you like about Etsy?

Etsy is amazing. I’m sitting in my own living room in Minnesota, and I’m selling dolls all over the world!

LaceyBugCreations run by Lacey Igo of Moorhead

Why did you choose to start selling on Etsy?

I have been a crafter my whole life, and when I discovered Etsy I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to share my love for crafts.

What do you sell?

My shop is mostly about my Coffee and Tea Cozies, but I also sell Fingerless Gloves. Last year around Christmas I added Mitten Ornaments and His & Hers Holiday Cozies in Christmas Colors.

What do you like about Etsy?

I like the freedom and ease to keep up a shop. I’m also an Etsy shopper. It’s a great place to find handmade items from people who have a passion for their art. I love the fact that Etsy is a home where artists can get together and easily sell their work. It’s a huge craft fair 365 days a year.

Do you have any advice for people who want to start an Etsy shop?

I’ve helped several people set up their shops including my sister-in-law with her Tyke Tees shop and a friend in

Wyoming. I tell them to find their niche and create what they love.

BootieBoutique run by Shannon Moser of Fargo

Why did you choose to start selling on Etsy?

I have three daughters, and I wanted to make them cute little booties because their socks were always falling off. I made reversible flannel booties with elastic in the back. Friends told me I should sell them.

What do you sell?

Mostly children’s clothing. I love making personalized clothing, like birthday outfits with dates on them, or special orders with names, colors, or cloth patterns. I use cotton, fleece, and corduroy.

What do you like about Etsy?

It’s user friendly and easy to use, even for me, and I’m not real tech savvy.

Do you have any advice for people wanting to start an Etsy shop?

Calculating your prices is important, thinking about costs and the time involved in making and selling.

Is there anything else you’d like to say about your shop or Etsy?

It’s a great hobby/business for me as a stay-at-home mom. It’s funny, now when I’m sewing something, my four year old comes up to me and says, “You should put that on the web, mom!” [AWM]

For more information go to www.etsy. com where you can use the Shop Local button to support FM area artists, or feel free to browse the world!