The Etsy Blog

Our Next Chapter at Etsy: A Letter to the Community

Published on July 21, 2011 in Etsy News

I never thought I would be writing this letter when I joined Etsy almost three years ago. Then there were 60 people at the company — now we are 200. I’ve been here for a long time and we’ve been through a lot. Some of you who have been with us since the beginning know that I joined at a time of great technology turmoil. After describing a long litany of technical problems (writing from an air mattress in my new apartment in Brooklyn), I explained my new role and wrote:

There are issues to address now and there will most certainly be bumps on the technology side as Etsy grows, but I want all of you Etsians to know that it is an honor and a privilege to be serving the Etsy community as your CTO. If you can give me some time and understanding here in my early days at Etsy, I hope to make you proud.

After three years, I am really proud of the engineering team we’ve built together here and the progress that we’ve made. We’ve more than quadrupled the engineering team, and the team is moving quickly and getting things done. This spring, we put on a series of public technology talks for other engineers that described how we do things in the engineering team at Etsy. We called the talks “moving fast at scale,” pointing to both the growth of the team and our technology platform and the speed with which we have been working. Etsy is much larger than when I joined — in people in the company and the community itself. More than 25 million people visit Etsy each month. The marketplace has 10 million handmade, vintage items, and craft supplies listed across the 800,000 active shops that call Etsy home, and sales are up over 70% from last year. Etsy is stronger than ever.

With engineering well in hand and a strong partner in Adam Freed (our COO), it’s time for me to focus my attention on other aspects of the business. I’m stepping into the role of CEO at Etsy, and I’m looking forward to working with all of the teams at Etsy to move faster as we scale while staying true to our values.

Before we talk about the future, I wanted to say a heartfelt thanks to Rob Kalin. Rob started Etsy. It was his idea. Hiring me was his idea. We all owe him a huge debt for starting the company that we all love, and I owe him a huge personal debt for bringing me to Etsy. Thanks, Rob.

As CEO, I’m going to focus the entire company on moving faster and more purposefully, learning by doing, iterating, and taking risks. That’s a long way of saying we’re going to get things done. I’m going to prioritize the needs of the Etsy community in the broadest sense — Etsy’s sellers, how we work with each other within the company, our local communities, and everyone whose lives we touch. It’s a big responsibility that I take very seriously.

Etsy is a marketplace, but what makes it special is that it’s more than a place to buy and sell. It’s also a marketplace of personal stories and connections. Over the holidays, I headed to a retreat in Ocracoke Island in North Carolina (my first real vacation in over two years at Etsy). Ocracoke is deserted in the winter, has only 700 permanent residents, and is only reachable by ferry. My intention was to totally unplug from the world, but I couldn’t resist looking to see if there were any Etsy sellers in this unlikely place, and I found Mary Haggerty, a successful photographer. Mary is a photographer with not one but two shops on Etsy: PhotoAmerica and MagicIsland. Mary is a photographer and she took me out in her Jeep on her daily ride on the beach, and I brought my camera along, too. Here’s Mary:

Mary in Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

As she told me about her experience selling on Etsy and I took notes, Mary pointed out dolphins out in the ocean.

You can find the heart and soul of Etsy anywhere you go in the world with people like Mary (and, if you’re lucky, dolphins, too). When I arrived back in Brooklyn, I ordered one of Mary’s awesome prints. It was more than a simple transaction, and that’s what makes Etsy what it is.

We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and I’m looking forward to continuing working with all of you in my new role. I came to Etsy because I believe in what we can do together to transform people’s lives and I love this company’s culture: the creativity, the passion, and the love within the community. This is my beginning as the new leader of the company, and I look forward to making Etsy an even better place for all of you.

675 comments

ohbabydotcom says:

Well I hope the sales will pick up for one thing. -- Beautiful photographs!

1 year ago
feltonthefly says:

Congratulations. I'm looking forward to many positive improvements.

1 year ago
ladyartisan says:

Congratulations.

1 year ago
fivelittlegems says:

congrats chad! anything is possible with a mustache! ;)

1 year ago
Admin

precipice says:

Hey, congrats! That's awesome.

1 year ago
Admin

oahmed says:

yay etsy~

1 year ago
Admin

anda says:

Congrats to Chad!

1 year ago
FariasFineArt says:

Congratulations Chad... :)

1 year ago
Admin

nixknits says:

great post, congrats Chad!

1 year ago
TheSweetStrap says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
barrondesignstudio says:

Congratulations! I wish you (us) every success.

1 year ago
PirateBLA says:

First of all, hooray for a NC shout out...and Congratulations!

1 year ago
SimpleJoysPaperie says:

Congratulations on your new job title, Chad! I don't mind risks, but please base them on educated decisions and keep in mind that Etsy's decisions affect all of us... and we all have personal stories and connections as you mentioned in your letter to us. I look forward to seeing Etsy grow into a company to be admired and respected. Thank you! :)

1 year ago
ThoughtfulGemsCrafts says:

Congratulations!! Change is essential to growth!!!

1 year ago
Admin

AmityUK says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
sherrytruitt says:

Congratulations, Chad. Looking forward to the future with you at the helm.

1 year ago
bunny says:

Congrats! :)

1 year ago
Hartleysoap says:

Congrats Chad, Looking forward to positive improvements.

1 year ago
jeffreymcmanus says:

Terrific news, congratulations buddy.

1 year ago
SmallWondersArt says:

Congratulations Chad, looking forward to many positive changes!

1 year ago
Admin

neonmorgan says:

Major congratulations, Chad!

1 year ago
lulubugjewelry says:

Wow, congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
newhopebeading says:

Congrats Chad!!!! And also thank you Rob for everything you've done!

1 year ago
Admin

AmelieFrenchie says:

Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
dayslonggone says:

Congratulations, Chad! I am excited to see what is in store for Etsy! :)

1 year ago
FranceGallery says:

Congratulations and I love the dolphin photo!

1 year ago
UUendyandFriends says:

Bring back the public forums!

1 year ago
rctees says:

Congrats to you Chad....Cheers to us : )

1 year ago
PoleStar says:

Very exciting, congratulations to you Chad, and thank you Rob.

1 year ago
OneClayBead says:

I've also made some important life choices while at Ocracoke! May you keep that magic and peace, and congrats!

1 year ago
laralewis says:

Congrats Chad! (Those photos are beautiful.)

1 year ago
missprettyperfect says:

Change is Great! I know you're a real person (my hint: the air mattress in a BK apartment) and you will understand the journey of the Handmade Artist, and the struggles of being a Small Business Owner.

1 year ago
Monarchdancer says:

Congrats :)

1 year ago
myvintagecrush says:

Congratulations :) ..looking forward to a bright future with etsy!

1 year ago
somethingxtraspecial says:

well done and good luck for the future

1 year ago
OhFaro says:

Thank you Rob for etsy and best of luck to you. Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
pinkparchmentsoaps says:

Congrats! Can't wait to see what the future holds :)

1 year ago
stitchntyme says:

Congratulations Chad! Like others, I look forward to a new chapter and future with Etsy. Thank you Rob K. for creating Etsy! :)

1 year ago
AraMarie says:

Congratulations :D

1 year ago
MysticSilks says:

Chad, welcome! And remember to add a 'fine art category'--the fine art artists have been hanging with etsy hoping for better exposure, and our own category for a long time now!

1 year ago
happykathy says:

Congrats and can't wait to see what you do!

1 year ago
Gypsymoondesigns says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
sushipot says:

Congratulations to you Chad!!

1 year ago
beadinbythesea says:

Congratulations Chad! I'm looking forward to seeing Etsy get even better and thanks to Rob for starting it all!

1 year ago
ShoponSherman says:

I've had a good time here for my first 6 months and I look forward to continuing to sell and grow on Etsy.

1 year ago
AllegroArts says:

Hail to the new Cupcake Overlord!

1 year ago
PolClary says:

Congradulations. I can't wait to read about all the improvements you are planning.

1 year ago
melaniefavreau says:

Congrats! :D

1 year ago
darvix says:

Thanks Rob and Chad being the tech guy and now ceo of etsy you have done a real dis service to those in chat. Chat was a community of artists and also helpers of the new to etsy they came to us after not being able to get help in forums livewire has a place but so does chat there are some etsy ppl who still have dial up and livewire and dial up dont work that well together please listen to us this one last time

1 year ago
urbbody says:

Looking forward to see what's in store as you take the helm. Good luck!

1 year ago
jessiemccann says:

Congrats! Looking forward to all the great improvements to the site and to the community.

1 year ago
discerningchichi says:

Thank you to Rob and welcome in Chad! Looking forward to hearing more on your vision and insights into how Etsy will be moving forward and its affects on the community of sellers here.

1 year ago
whyte says:

Congratulations! I love the Outer Banks and Ocrakoke. I bet you can catch the ferry a lot easier in the winter!

1 year ago
manvsgeorge says:

Congratulations on your new role, Chad!

1 year ago
rawartletterpress says:

bon chance!

1 year ago
fussjewelry says:

Here's to great things in etsy's future!

1 year ago
SaaraReidsema says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
MandyBesek says:

Awesome, congrats! I hope Etsy continues to grow!

1 year ago
itsmemary says:

Awesome! Congratulations!

1 year ago
igotbeads says:

Looking forward to a new future on Etsy. Good luck Chad and congratulations.

1 year ago
steinschmuckdesign says:

A huuuge Thank you to Rob! Congrats Chad, looking forward to all that may come! What a wonderful Story you shared, indeed it is true, Etsy is all over the World :)

1 year ago
visionquest says:

congrats, chad! i can't wait to see what happens next. :o)

1 year ago
DancingMooney says:

Exciting how Etsy has grown, and so glad to have been a part of it... Cheers to the future! ♥

1 year ago
MoonHalo says:

Congratulations to you Chad and Thank you, Rob! Best of luck!!

1 year ago
apaperaffaire says:

Congrats!!

1 year ago
sweetperversion says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
kentbrew says:

Very proud to know you, Chad. You will be an awesome CEO.

1 year ago
terrygraziano says:

Thank you to both Rob & Chad for all of your hard work and congratulations on your achievements! Looking forward to seeing what's next :)

1 year ago
Admin

lorwich says:

Congratulations, Chad!

1 year ago
knitwit4ever says:

Your history at Etsy gives you valuable experience that can guide you as CEO. Congratulations! We all hope you--and Etsy--succeed!!

1 year ago
AnnaBelleArts says:

Congratulations! I feel optimistic and look forward to what you have in store for all of us.

1 year ago
saburkitty says:

Gratz!

1 year ago
ShannaMicheleDesigns says:

Thanks Rokali for starting this crazy ride, congrats on your new role Chad....may you bring etsy (oh and me of course lol) much success!

1 year ago
SteamPatchCompany says:

Well, you certainly have your work cut out for you! Best of luck!

1 year ago
Admin

maikitten says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
dressurdolly2 says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
LaAlicia says:

Congrats, Chad!!

1 year ago
ThePeachTree says:

"On and on and on we'll be together, yeah" :) Welcome to CEO, Chad!

1 year ago
nicholasandfelice says:

Rock on Chad and Etsy! You've changed our lives in wonderful ways. (And adding shipping options at checkout and more shop sections would make my life complete hint hint ; )

1 year ago
livjewellery says:

Congratulations Chad - here's to a bright Etsy future!

1 year ago
CircaCeramics says:

Onward & upward as we like to say :) Congrats, Chad!

1 year ago
tinahdee says:

a big welcome in this new role, Chad. From what I know of you, it's going to be fantastic. Congratulations!

1 year ago
Catbooks1940s says:

Congratulations, Chad. I remember when you came to Etsy. I was very impressed with your open, honest and straightforward post/letter to the community. Very much looking forward to more of the same, and to see where you'll take Etsy!

1 year ago
missbatch says:

I've been amazed and inspired by the accomplishments of our engineering team lead by Chad. I'm looking forward to Etsy's very bright future working with and for our community as a whole. Major thanks to Rob for his creativity and vision getting us here!

1 year ago
ellolovey says:

Thank you Rob & Chad for making so many dreams come true! You've created a beautiful outlet for so many creative people!

1 year ago
funkomavintage says:

yes, etsy has come a long way baby.....thanks to the Red Head ! for this sweet lil' place us arty types like to call Home. I always wish etsy will remember that without us, the artists, the makers, dreamers, the truth-tellers....you don't have a Community....Site stability is of course, crucial, but stability of purpose is the most important value...So... Onward !!

1 year ago
Babydollskincare says:

Congratulations to you Chad! Hopefully the sales will start rolling soon! This has been such a great website for my products.

1 year ago
juln says:

The first thing I would do as CEO is get rid of this '0 days, 0 hours ago' stuff on these comments.

1 year ago
piperewan says:

Congratulations, Chad!

1 year ago
simplyworn says:

welcome...and I hope the journey will be filled with good things to come!

1 year ago
bettylabamba says:

Whatever you do, Chad, do not take advice from Mike Edwards or Ron Marshall.

1 year ago
littlebugjewelry says:

Congrats, eager to see what is to come

1 year ago
OnceUponAGem says:

Congratulations, Chad. I look forward to the future and to new and bright ideas.

1 year ago
FancyPantsAndMore says:

Congrats Chad. I wish you the best. And thank you Rob for the beginning of a dream I hope continues to grow and improve.

1 year ago
cindylouwho2 says:

congratulations to Chad - good luck in your new role!

1 year ago
pedestrian says:

Yay for you Chad! I'm so excited to see the great strides Etsy will make!

1 year ago
ismoyo says:

Congratulations Chad and good luck in this new adventure. And don't forget to change your Twitter profile text from CTO to CEO! ;)

1 year ago
calloohcallay says:

Welcome to the fun house!

1 year ago
pinmeup says:

Congratulations Chad, I hope you make the next chapter much better than the last, I am almost afraid to read it....

1 year ago
baconsquarefarm says:

I'm super excited for you Chad and congrats on CEO status and I agree Mary's work photography is incredible, you are lucky to have met her in person. :)

1 year ago
iktomi says:

Congrats, Chad. We've been thru a lot together :)

1 year ago
redhardwick says:

Wishing you the best! Looking forward to seeing how Etsy grows!

1 year ago
cherryandviolet says:

This is exciting news! Congratulations!

1 year ago
peaseblossomstudio says:

Congratulations, Chad! Looking forward to the future!

1 year ago
LazyTcrochet says:

Congrats and good luck, Chad!

1 year ago
aBreathofFrenchair says:

Congrats, Chad, and thank you, Rob!

1 year ago
PamelasDesertRocks says:

Congratulations to you Chad and I have to really commend you for the personal story that you included. It is so nice to know that there are companies left around that really care about the people. Etsy is a fantastic community of caring people and I feel honored to be a part of it! Here is to the future!

1 year ago
sweetsnthings says:

Congratulations Chad! I hope you have thick skin, everything is your fault now. I hope one day I can say it's your fault when I reign an empire of soap.

1 year ago
Admin

sohappyrightnow says:

Cheers, Chad!

1 year ago
FavreBijoux says:

Best of Luck to you and your vision of Etsy.This site has so much potential yet to be realised. BTW-been to Ocrakoke (and Portsmouth Island) many times and discovered Mary's lovely photgraphs here on Etsy. The Outer Banks is one of my favorite places--every beach lover should go there at least once.

1 year ago
gaylepritchard says:

Congratulations, and I look forward to continuing growth and improvement on etsy. Thanks for all you guys do.

1 year ago
bstudio says:

Congratulations Chad, I look forward to Etsy becoming a better place too!

1 year ago
Admin

chucklarge says:

Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
mysticwynd says:

Thanks to Rob for the starting point and his work to get us a long way - best of luck! Congrats to Chad - I'm looking forward to an even better, brighter future for Etsy!

1 year ago
TwistedRiverClay says:

best of luck.

1 year ago
YummyFelts says:

Congratulations, Chad! Best wishes to you in your new role as CEO!

1 year ago
BleuDaisies says:

congratulations Chad, as a soon to be new seller on Etsy, I'm looking forward to growing with you

1 year ago
LuluLuxDesigns says:

Congrats to you Chad! Thank you Rob for all you have done!

1 year ago
TheScarfTree says:

Congratulations, sounds like we are in good hands! I love Etsy and I love having a store here! I tell my family how Etsy is going to rule the world (figuratively speaking, of course)! I enjoyed reading the history of Etsy's beginnings and would love to read more, it was very interesting! Wishing you well in your new position! Thanks!

1 year ago
julieboyles says:

Congratulations Chad! I'm really looking forward to this next chapter and the future of Etsy!

1 year ago
Mclovebuddy says:

congrats, chad. thank you rob. you're wonderful.

1 year ago
vickiorion says:

Congratulations Chad -- I think the future for etsy is bright with you at the helm!

1 year ago
CassiasGarden says:

Very exciting, Chad, and may wisdom abound for you! It takes great fortitude to guide a living organism like Etsy forward in times like these. We are behind you all the way! Thank you for sharing with us.

1 year ago
Scrapboarding says:

Super! Forward march! I still am curious as to why there are no plans to resurrect alchemy, however.

1 year ago
jechorydesigns says:

Congratulations and best of luck!

1 year ago
LivingVintage says:

Cool. Congrats! How about Etsy advertising, and re-seller muscle.

1 year ago
NeedleCraftNook says:

Congratulations and Best of Luck on your new post, Hope things go well for you and Everyone here at Etsy.

1 year ago
PipingHotPapers says:

Again, Congratulations!! Looking forward to see the direction this venue takes us all!

1 year ago
foxaz says:

Yippee Chad!! I wish you all the luck in the world!

1 year ago
FruitionJewelry says:

Congrats! Your connection you made with Mary is what I love about buying here and my favorite part of selling. Look forward to what's ahead!

1 year ago
woodguy32 says:

Congrats... Wood

1 year ago
KthysKreations says:

Congrats! Am new here, but looking forward to the future.

1 year ago
iswasandwillbe says:

Congratulations! We are excited for all that lies ahead! Cheers, telle

1 year ago
Archivia says:

Congratulations Chad. I will be so interested to see where you take Etsy. Thanks for all your hard work, and your heartfelt letter to the community. Best of luck!

1 year ago
TheInvitation says:

Your heartfelt letter here says even more why all love Etsy so much---very personal & real....a welcomed diversity in this world in which many of us doubt big biz & corporate greed. Bravo Chad! Best of luck to you!

1 year ago
sabiesabi says:

I also hope that my life changed thanks to Etsy .... Thanks for everything Chad

1 year ago
secretjewellz says:

Farewell Rob! Thanks for making Etsy. Congrats Chad. Hope you will reconsider how the regional filter is set up. Default to everywhere or even better put it in the advanced search. Looking forward to a new chapter here on Etsy.

1 year ago
cookieletta says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
VivaGailBeads says:

Congrats Chad! it is amazing that the work you started on your air mattress changed so many lives! It is good that all the hard work that you and your team has put in has led to this exciting new position! I wish you continued success!

1 year ago
aubepine says:

Very exciting! Congrats Chad and thank you Rob!

1 year ago
LaGilyard says:

Congratulations, Chad! I'm a little confused by some of the things in your post, but I do hope that you do well in your new position and that Etsy only grows better under your leadership

1 year ago
happyhound says:

Congratulations Chad!! NC opens you with open arms for R&R :)

1 year ago
OneHeartArt says:

Good luck to you! And thanks to Rob for everything. We wouldn't be here right now otherwise!

1 year ago
HeatherKent says:

Hooray for Chad! I too am eager to see what is in store for us on this crazy ride called Etsy:) Thank you, Rob!

1 year ago
BerkanasGarden says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
SEOWebDesign says:

Congratulations. This is going to be one very interesting "ride."

1 year ago
RomantiquePunk says:

Yeah, Chad. Congratulations. As kind of a newby (less than a full year), I never cease to be amazed at Etsy, the improvements and the tools you all make available to us to improve ourselves! So excited to see where we continue to go from here.

1 year ago
corrnucopia says:

Congrats Chad! Looking forward to seeing what you will bring us ~ Wishing you all the best :)

1 year ago
SylviaAnderson says:

Congratulations Chad! I am looking forward to the next chapter in Etsy's story, and that changes you'll bring. :)

1 year ago
LennyMud says:

Best of Luck to Rob who I am sure will go on to something exciting. I'm excited to see what you will do in your new role Chad! Yay Etsy!!!

1 year ago
LizardsJewelry says:

Congratulations, hopes for future great success for you and Etsy

1 year ago
SpiceofLifeDesigns says:

Congratulations, Chad! Looking forward to what the future holds...

1 year ago
NutfieldWeaver says:

Congratulations. Hope you can upgrade from that air mattress, if you haven't already done so.

1 year ago
ChuckEBrydWallArt says:

Congratulations Chad, and thanks Rob. I know we all look forward to the next page at Etsy.

1 year ago
iheartnorwegianwood says:

Congratulations Chad and a big thank you to Rob! I remember visiting Etsy while I still worked a full time job that was sucking me dry, and reading the QYDJ series in particular really gave me the courage I needed to take my own leap. I've been self employed for almost 4 years now, on Etsy the entire time, and am the main breadwinner in my home. I never could have done it without Etsy! I look forward to the improvements that I know will be made. Although many people loudly disagree, I think there have been amazing improvements on Etsy over the last year or so. The faster listing process, the more detailed way of keeping track of orders, shop stats...I feel like Etsy has grown right alongside me, and for that a big THANK YOU to the entire team at Etsy. In line with what you said about personal stories and connections one thing that I've always dreamed of having on Etsy is a more beefed up profile page. I would love to add photos of my studio, short videos of me working on things, moodboards to help explain my collections...basically all those little things you speak of that makes buying directly from an artisan so fullfilling. Anyways, now I'm rambling, but I'm always excited for a new phase in Etsys growth! Once again CONGRATS!

1 year ago
lifeartdesigns says:

Congrats! Looking forward to seeing what this next chapter holds.

1 year ago
johndmc says:

Wonderful news. Congratulations.

1 year ago
UtopiaUF says:

Congrats Chad!!

1 year ago
LastChantsStudio says:

Hope the next chapter isn't a repeat of the last chapter, but here's hoping. Best of luck Chad, may common sense be your muse!

1 year ago
lizhutnick says:

Congratulations, Chad!

1 year ago
Gleeza says:

Congratulations and Good Luck to you!

1 year ago
compassionmalas says:

Congratulations Chad and best of luck. Here's to the future! (Without forgetting the past. Thanks RK, really appreciate your vision.)

1 year ago
pinkflowercube says:

Congrats, Chad!

1 year ago
OMeG says:

Congratulations, Chad - I'm so excited for you! A huge thanks to Rob as well, for such inspiring vision and for bringing Etsy to where it is today. Cheers to your both!

1 year ago
thehoarderscloset says:

Thank you Rob and Congratulations Chad. Blessings all over all of you!

1 year ago
QuirksAndCrafts says:

Congrats, Chad - and Mary! ;)

1 year ago
danielraffel says:

Huge congrats, Chad! There's nothing better than reading great news like this for such a wonderful and deserving person. Way to go! Excited to see what you have in store. Rock!

1 year ago
CoquetteBath says:

ok, wordpress says I type too fast. so just this... congrats. And if you have any questions, call me. (creative plus biz head here....Etsy needs focus).

1 year ago
erinslittlesecrets says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
Iammie says:

Congrats. :)

1 year ago
redstitchlab says:

congrats....

1 year ago
miniaturecrochet says:

May your aspirations meet the fortitude you will need to guide this ship in the right direction welcome aboard, and do not make me walk the plank..lol

1 year ago
pierrmorgan says:

Huge applause to Rob for developing this amazing Etsy vision - best of luck. Cheers to you, Chad - the Next Chapter!

1 year ago
leatherprince says:

Congratulations Chad! Hope Etsy will get better, here is where we found our career!

1 year ago
happyfamily says:

Congratulations and best wishes to Chad! Thanks and gratitude to Rob for bringing Etsy to the world.

1 year ago
uniqueartpendants says:

Whoo-hoo! A big thank you to Rob for the vision and the courage to create Etsy! I hope all of your future endeavors are just as successful. And a super huge congrats to Chad! I look forward to seeing what your vision will do for Etsy in the future :) Etsy has changed my life in so many positive ways and I'm SO thankful for this awesome site, community, and admin for making this possible! If someone would have told me 3 years ago when I signed up to sell on Etsy that within 3 years I would have 8,000+ sales, a QYDJ feature, celebrity customers, wholesale accounts with major museums - *all because I chose to sell on Etsy*, I would have said that's just a dream and wouldn't have believed them. Well, my dream certainly came true and I couldn't be more grateful, happy, and thankful for this awesome site and the folks that make it possible! For the newbies who just signed up today - dream big - because it CAN happen!!

1 year ago
Khalliahdesign says:

Congratulations. :)

1 year ago
KettleConfections says:

Congrats! It's so inspiring to see how far Etsy's grown since I started using the site, and how the sellers have grown too with all the things we do to improve and grow our shops.

1 year ago
westernartglass says:

Cheers Chad! ...and I wanted to say--mustaches are over-rated, eh?

1 year ago
PetScribbles says:

Wow! I was glad when you came on board as the CTO, and wish you all the best as you transition to CEO. This news will no doubt generate lots of discussion. I'm hoping for nothing but blue skies, for all of you at Etsy "central" as well as for all of us - the artists, crafters, and purveyors!

1 year ago
Furiousdreams says:

Congrats to Chad and a shout out to one of my favorite islands - Ocracoke is a true national treasure. I've featured Mary's lovely work in treasuries before... Thanks to Rob as well, for hiring the best!

1 year ago
Ebrown2503 says:

Congratulations Chad.

1 year ago
ghettovinyl says:

Congrats Chad! Look forward to the continued improvements!

1 year ago
TresChicNmodern says:

OH WOWWWW! WHAT AN AWESOME ARTICLE! I LUV ETSY TOO :-)

1 year ago
iowajewel says:

congratulations! Etsy is by far one of the best things in my life (after my husband and champagne of course!) you have my dreams come true of being to turn a passion of mine (making collage kits) into a great job where i meet wonderful people from all over the world and actually make money to help with the bills! thank you soooo much! xoxoxox julie

1 year ago
stevenjameskeathley says:

Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
AVIVART says:

Congratulations Chad and thanks to Rob for having created Etsy. I joined last month, but I must confess that it has already changed my life. It has opened my mind, my senses and my creativity. I have the feeling that anything is possible, and I am investing long days to learn, work and develope in order to become a better person, artist and seller. I hope that in the near future we will all reach our goals. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and best wishes of success in your new task.

1 year ago
groovyrhubarb says:

Thanks for your dedication and vision Chad! Transitions are challenging, and you sound as if you are always reflecting on the unique contribution Etsy makes, putting artists in touch with customers seeking to support life beyond the big-box market. Good luck going forward, and thanks to you and Rob for giving us Etsy!

1 year ago
paintingitpersonal says:

Congratulations, Chad! I look forward to the improvements and changes as Etsy grows and I hope to be a member of the Etsy community for a long time!

1 year ago
woodenstars says:

Congats on the new job. I am also new, I just set up shop this month and am trying to figure it all out. It is slow going when my wife and I are not computer people but we're trying. Any advise is always welcome. Good Luck to you in your new adventure!

1 year ago
treasurebooth says:

Congratulations, Chad! And yes, a BIG thank you to Rob for Etsy...been meaning to say that :)

1 year ago
2kute says:

I can't wait for what's next. :o)

1 year ago
DesignsbyBaerreis says:

Looking forward to working with you as the Etsy Community evolves... thanks to all the hard working administration - and especially to Rob.. I am sure you will do a great job taking Etsy into the future. Congratulations!

1 year ago
DesignsbyBaerreis says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
Yokoo says:

I believe in Etsy!!!

1 year ago
DYSEmporium says:

congrads...and may the ever increasing traffic force be with you.....

1 year ago
JaniceCordeiro says:

Congratulations. Looking forward to the future etsy. Janice

1 year ago
inkadinkadoodle says:

Congrats and here's to the future!

1 year ago
jrmrock says:

Congratulations Chad... Looking forward to working with the Etsy Community to make Etsy the best of the best online venues...

1 year ago
ElisabethSpace says:

CEO = Chief Etsy Ombudsman Cheers to a bright, successful, creative future.

1 year ago
SilverFirsFarm says:

excited for the future

1 year ago
anythinggoeshere says:

i can't wait to see what is next. I started selling on etsy a year ago and almost every week it seems that there is an improvement in the listing format and sales stats. yeah! when will be all be on line with google search? joan@anythinggoeshere

1 year ago
glasfaden says:

Congrats on your new position, Chad! Looking forward to see the course Etsy will take under your commands - wishing you all the best. A note to Rob: thank you for all the work you've done as CEO (mind to let us know, either you're somehow still involved on Etsy now?). Wishing you the best too!

1 year ago
TheTreasureHuntress says:

All my best to you Chad! And, thank you Rob for your creative vision in the creation of Etsy.

1 year ago
Liduvina says:

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

1 year ago
SewnNatural says:

congrats! thnx for sharing yoyr great meet-up story too!

1 year ago
JillianReneDecor says:

Wow! Congratulations and very best wishes! :)

1 year ago
whenifnotnow says:

Here's hoping "our next chapter" includes a good replacement for Alchemy.

1 year ago
babysoftail says:

Congratulations :-)

1 year ago
kimlast says:

Congratulations! I can't wait to see what the next chapter for Etsy brings...!

1 year ago
DistinctiveColorArt says:

Congrats, Chad! Thanks for the memories, Rob. Hope the future brings us etsians much happiness.

1 year ago
ScentedLuxuries says:

Thank you, congratulations & best wishes!

1 year ago
TrueSelfStudio says:

Congratulations on your next move with Etsy! Looking forward to seeing what positive changes you will be working on :)

1 year ago
girltuesdayjewelry says:

Congratulations Chad! Looking forward to a bright future with Etsy.

1 year ago
SylviaCPhotography says:

Congrats Chad! I love Etsy and can't wait to see what the future brings!

1 year ago
TurtlebugGoods says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
fineheart says:

Congratulations Chad! Thank you for all you've done and looking forward to the future. Rob - thanks also - you're the man!

1 year ago
skyvalleybeads says:

Congrats Chad !!!!! Looking forward to your new changes.

1 year ago
Maggiestreasure says:

Congratulations Chad! Will be looking forwards to new positive, to sellers, changes.

1 year ago
crochetgal says:

Congratulations Chad! I wish you success in your new venture!

1 year ago
craftedbylindy says:

Congratulations! Very exciting! A huge thank you to Rob and everyone at Etsy for making this community so much fun to be part of!

1 year ago
dandylion4u says:

Good luck in your new position..from a newbie to etsy

1 year ago
SusabellaBrownstein says:

I'm happy to celebrate your individual success, as well as the success of this amazing thing called Etsy...I joined the community about 2.5 years ago, and absolutely love it, warts and all. (and thanks for including pics of dolphins in the Atlantic off Ocracoke! It's been years since I've been there, but as a former North Carolinian, it brought back fabulous memories.) ~Subie

1 year ago
bhangtiez says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
buffalogirls says:

Congratulation Mr. Dickerson, next time you need vacation you can come to north Idaho, we do not have ocean but we have awsome wilderness and great Rocky Mountains and hardly any people:)

1 year ago
RobotsAreAwesome says:

Began in 09' and all the improvements to the UI this year have been awesome. In Draft, single page listing, etc. Robot adoptions have improved from 10' to 11'. I will miss virtual labs and chat. Keep being awesome.

1 year ago
finethreadz says:

Congrats to you Chad! Really looking forward to seeing great changes in the the future!

1 year ago
heidiBARKUNframes says:

Congrats to you! Looking forward to exciting times. I agree with a previous comment - adding the shipping option to check out would really help those of us who sell locally as well as globally. It's a real pain to refund after the fact. Cheers!

1 year ago
susieglitter says:

I'm looking forward, as etsy moves forward! Best, Susan

1 year ago
LizzieMade says:

Congratulations Chad! I'm keen to see how you continue the work to direct Etsy where it will go. I would ask though, that you remember the Community does indeed consist of People - such as Mary, myself and my many colleagues (and friends), who sell (and buy) our items here. Recently it has been frustrating to see our Community begin to be disjointed and split. I do not want a Multi-Etsy, consisting of seperate "Branches", serving USA/Canada, OR individual countries elsewhere. Etsy's strength has always been in its Global appeal. Please look hard at the effects of recent changes, which are splitting Etsy apart and consider what can be done to retain/repair the cohesiveness of the Etsy Global Marketplace. The Company and the Community will benefit from such action. To continue on the current divisive path can only do harm. Even so, I wish you much success with your new role.

1 year ago
beatroad says:

Congrats, Chad! Thank you for sharing your story with us, and I look forward to seeing what you can do for us. :) (and thank you, Rob, for creating a place I can sell my wares!)

1 year ago
hjmart says:

Congratulations Chad! Yes! Absolutely true that one can find an etsy person anywhere in the world! Looking forward to the future changes and improvements!

1 year ago
zenceramics says:

Congratulations on your new job. Being a professional marketer in the past, I strongly believe that Etsy is a very creative marketing company connecting artists with customers seeking for creative approaches and out of the box decisions. I look forward to seeing Etsy grow into a well-respected company. Good luck going forward. Thank you!

1 year ago
CocoaBeans says:

congrats, i am so excited to see what is to come with etsy:)

1 year ago
CocoaBeans says:

and thank you rob for everything that you do for etsy:)

1 year ago
EmilyWiserJewelry says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
BanglewoodSupplies says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
jellybellyjewels says:

Congrats! We have been quite happy with Etsy and appreciate the way it has been run, thanks Rob K. We are sure the future is going to be even brighter with Chad and all the great sellers of our community working together to make this happen. Our blessings are with you.

1 year ago
DoodleGraphics says:

Congratulations Chad from a "newbie etsian" (wow, that sounds almost alien!) Hope by now you're enjoying a good nights sleep on a normal bed :) Enjoyed the "real life experience" that you shared in your post. It's good to know that people just like us are shaping the future of Etsy.

1 year ago
piecakeprimitives says:

Congrats to you, Chad! I look forward to seeing what's in store for Etsy! :o)

1 year ago
amyfine says:

congrats to CHad and best wishes and thank you for all to Rob!

1 year ago
webselling4u says:

Hail to the "Chief". Congrats, good luck and God Speed!

1 year ago
BoondockG says:

Congratulations Chad, and thank you Rob K!

1 year ago
anakim says:

I love the story about MagicIsland which I adore for a long time. This is the real essence of Etsy and reason I love being a part of this community. Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
AliceAndFlorence says:

Congrats to Chad, thankyou to Rob, interesting comments and insights from different people. Cheers etsy !.

1 year ago
gatelinesalsa says:

CONGRATS to you Chad!!!! Can't wait to see what will come in the future on Etsy. Actually, take your next vacation to the great mountains of north georgia. you will never meet a kinder, sweeter group of folk as you will here. i can cook you a home cooked meal and let all of my kids climb all over you and my hubbycan take you out on our farm and teach about all kinds of critters. then i will serve you the best salsa in the world! congrats again, so happy for you!!!!

1 year ago
anakim says:

I love your story about Mary from MagicIsland whom I adore her work for a long time. This is the real essence of Etsy and that's why I love being part of this community. Most of luck to you Chad!

1 year ago
HBMUSE says:

Oh Chad..have I been waiting for this opportunity! Great that you come into your new role with the CTO background.. Three huge issues for me and the recent Etsy changes 1) The main showcase page where we once could purchase spots has been replaced by Treasury which primarily consist of etsy teams-making it a more political and not so fair marketplace for Etsy artist that may choose to not be on a team 2) Shop Local Community-where once came up by Shops is now by Items; making your new listing lost in a sea of 100+items by one seller -it was fine the way it was 3) the support team has not been responsive at all to any of my support requests-We should have Inboxes that all sellers can receive notification of significant system changes that could impact our sales.. Or your direct email address! Looking forward to seeing what you will bring to Etsy in your new role..Congrats!

1 year ago
WickedDarling says:

Congrats, Chad!

1 year ago
hellcatvintage says:

How exciting! Congratulations! :)

1 year ago
Dynomoose says:

Well I hope that you're actually going to do something about the reseller problem, other than telling those of us who report them that you're "working on educating the sellers..." blah blah.

1 year ago
LesasPlunderPlace says:

Congratulations, Chad! And, way to go Etsy!

1 year ago
LittleWrenPottery says:

I too have met many fabulous Etsysans on my journey so far and I hope to meet many more, congratulations! : )

1 year ago
vintageandglam says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
LauraStaley says:

PLEASE....BRING....BACK....ALCHEMY!!!!!

1 year ago
sunfleur1 says:

congrats, chad!

1 year ago
FrawgzDezignz says:

To echo the minority here. Congrats....kind of. Seems great if you're a huge seller and can afford broadband connections to the new 'features' ie livestream for both virtual labs & chat - but you know NOT everyone has access to instant on all the time broadband connections. We're not backwoods hicks here but there is NO cable service in this area. There are 10 sellers in this town alone that would LOVE to use livestream but can't because the options for internet are Dial-up, DSL or the wifi at McDonald's. My DSL connection isn't strong enough to support Livestream. You're focused so much on getting grants and gov't money instead of on helping and maintaining the community you already have that you're missing the big picture. Or you have in recent months. I can only hope Chad will reinstate some of the features that made etsy great - once upon a time. It certainly isn't great now as a small time seller.

1 year ago
febrarose says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
GracefullyGirly says:

Congrats! There have been many great enhancements and I look forward to seeing the newest and latest advancements, especially if they are related to the buying experience. I hope for some improvements so buyers can buy more easily without so many convos and issues (shipping upgrade requests, convos about size and color options, etc.) so we can all benefit. Thanks! I look forward to hearing more about it.

1 year ago
FairyGodmotherArts says:

I am glad you were able to find Paradise and the inspiration you needed in Ocracoke...The whole area is like that and there is an amazing grassroots foundation of artists here, that is why I moved here permanently in 1999, opening a teaching bead store in 2000 had that till 2005 and just reopened as the only art school on the east coast of NC in May. I am trying to get our artists developed into a self sustaining group and ETSY is an important part of that, so the changes made I hope will assist us too in accomplishing our goals here. We need a source for Winter money. So Congrats!

1 year ago
SillyBuddy says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
gifteddesigns says:

Well, that's interesting....

1 year ago
2TrickPony says:

congratulations chad! And many heartfelt thanks to Rob for being the creative beginning force behind etsy.

1 year ago
RockStoneTreasures says:

Congrats and I look forward to vision for Etsy.

1 year ago
Ebruk says:

Congratulations, Chad!

1 year ago
jackiedretroboutique says:

"...and I’m looking forward to working with all of the teams at Etsy to move faster as we scale while staying true to our values." Congratulations on your new position! Your first order of business should be to explain to us in clear terms exactly what those "values" are that you plan on staying true to. I am not the only one who believes that Etsy's values have changed over time. We are all left to surmise and speculate... that's not healthy for your business (or ours!). I think it would go a long way if you could present us with a statement that outlines Etsy's core mission and objectives so we can all move forward together, as a united community, just like we all want.

1 year ago
JuneO says:

Etsy is the Best! Congratulations for continued success ... for all of us.

1 year ago
pillowfactory says:

Congratulations Chad and THANK YOU and ALL of the ETSY TEAM for working hard to create a platform for me to do what I love to do..

1 year ago
kelleystreetvintage says:

Congratulations to Chad and many Thank yous to Rob, Etsy has changed my life in a number of ways, all of them positive, my years here have been the very best and I look forward to many more years of successful selling in both in my vintage and hand made stores as well as buying and meeting lots of wonderful people. Change and growth are always part of a successful business, you all have done a first rate job with it.

1 year ago
lauradaub says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
lanadearg says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
coolclimates says:

that's great news.

1 year ago
WildWomanJewelry says:

congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
gothicreations says:

Congrats, Chad.

1 year ago
TidBitz says:

Sounds like a great fit! Welcome to your new role!

1 year ago
Fullofcraft says:

congrats!

1 year ago
taylorcuster says:

Congrats Chad! I'm excited to see what new enhancements Etsy will roll out soon!

1 year ago
natekoechley says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
MetroGypsy says:

May many positive, fruitful ventures branch from these new changes! Congratulations Chad, and good luck to everyone involved!

1 year ago
TCaponePhoto says:

Congratulations to Chad and many thanks to Rob for bringing the vision to reality. Two years ago I had never even gave a thought to putting my photography up on the web let alone picturing selling it. I can't believe what's happened in my life in the last year and a half thanks, in great part, to Etsy. Thank you! *tracey*

1 year ago
kathystuffnmore says:

Congratulations! One suggestion: Etsy needs to advertise more, I found out about Etsy through a fellow ex-co-worker. She suggested I sell my vintage items on Etsy, raved about it. I checked it out last year, registered and did nothing. I started making handmade beaded jewelry last fall and finally this spring I opened my shop. Only two sales so far, but something. This is the point, when someone compliments a piece I am wearing and I mention I have a shop on Etsy.com. They say: "What?" Whatsy? ;-O Etsy needs more exposure in the "regular" world, the creative world is aware of Etsy, but not the regular. :-)

1 year ago
PBlossomBoutique says:

Yes, thanks Rob for starting Etsy and congrats Chad!

1 year ago
forrestinavintage says:

Congratulations, Chad--let's do this thing. :)

1 year ago
lauraprentice says:

Thanks for all of the changes you have made over the years, definitely lots of growth and improvement. Looking forward to changes ahead, Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
oldworldprimitives says:

Congratulations, Chad! I am looking forward to what you have in store for us.

1 year ago
thebeadgirl says:

congrats. very excited to see what the future holds. you all have worked very hard and we are grateful for the community you have built!

1 year ago
IndyAndCleo says:

Super CONGRATS to you Chad ~ looking forward to an amazing future with you as our fearless leader! Thank you Rob for starting this little site we all know and love called Etsy! ❤

1 year ago
PinkCucumber says:

Knowing the people that live on Ocracoke, I'm not sure how they would feel about your mentioning the island...

1 year ago
thedancingwren says:

this is fantastic- congratulations and may etsy continue to be a HUGE success.

1 year ago
MagpieQuilts says:

Congrats, Chad!

1 year ago
GreenGardenStamps says:

Congratulations Chad! I am excited to see what is in store for Etsy in the months and years to come!

1 year ago
Bleiu says:

Listen to your inner voice and best wishes ;)

1 year ago
LaJubilee says:

Congrats! My hope is for Etsy to continue to the a premiere selling site with the heart and sole of its sellers!

1 year ago
DownToTheWireDesigns says:

Congratulations. I am hopeful that your promotion will bring a return to Etsy being a more responsive marketplace like it was in the early days. In the past couple years I have really felt left in the dark as a seller. I feel like changes are made that do not improve the site in any obvious way and when the shortcomings of those changes are pointed out, the only answer we seem to get is, "Trust us-- it's an improvement because we say it is!" As sellers, we know what features are useful and needed. Most of the changes we would like to see are small but practical. The social direction this site has taken has never been adequately explained-- what is the business model there? I have been here for five years and have been very successful but the last six months have made me question my future here. I am hopeful that you will use your new position to reevaluate some of the changes that have been made in the last year or two. I can't help but feel that Etsy lacks vision.

1 year ago
AnotherCountry says:

A lovely and gracious letter, Chad. May we all be as blessed as you in the coming days.

1 year ago
FreshlySkweezed says:

Hooray for you, Chad! May the force be with you! Looking forward to all you'll bring to Etsy. And a very big THANKS to Etsy's mamma, Rob!

1 year ago
EviesToolEmporium says:

Congratulations! Here's to the future!

1 year ago
Jewelrybynala says:

Fasten your seatbelt, Chad, it's undoubtedly going to be one a heck of a ride! Here's hoping you'll retain Rob's vision to keep Etsy's emphasis on community, creativity and customer service. Take us into the future with the tools to make our jobs easier and our shops more successful.

1 year ago
LonesomeRoadStudio says:

*rubs eyes* Whaaaaaa? Um, welcome Chad!

1 year ago
TooSoonOld says:

Best of luck, Chad. Don't know you or *of* you, but I will watch for 6 months and then give you a performance review. You have a big hole to climb out of here, but you know that. Please at least stop the digging.

1 year ago
ahelpinghandbag says:

Congratulations! Etsy is changing lives for creative people. Thank you!

1 year ago
EvesLittleEarthlings says:

I can hardly believe there are 800,000 active shops on etsy!! I was still telling everybody there were 200,000 with an awestruck note in my voice. Congratulations on your new job. Etsy keeps me making the things I love to create!

1 year ago
secretjewellz says:

Farewell Rob and thanks so much for starting Etsy. Truly has been an interesting ride. Welcome Chad and to the next chapter in Etsy. I truly hope this site gets back to its roots of being a SELLING site of handmade,vintage and supplies and not a social site. Resellers are running rampant here also and diluting the handmade market place integrity. I truly hope you can get a handle on this. All the best in such a awesome job.

1 year ago
designsbycher says:

Congrats Chad! It's been interesting to watch Etsy evolve over the years I've been here, and with your expertise, I'm sure it will continue to do so. So, jump in, hang on and keep doing a great job... we're all counting on you!

1 year ago
bmjnyc says:

Congratulations! Thanks so much for your dedication. Please feel free to contact me or other sellers - we welcome more direct contact. Looking forward to mutual growth and good times :)

1 year ago
cinderbellas says:

Congrats! Looking to an even brighter future at Etsy :)

1 year ago
Vintage4Vintage says:

Congrats Chad! Looking forward to lots of new improvements and lots more sales!

1 year ago
Blushie says:

Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
divinalocura says:

seems like the breeze is bringing some new fresh air.... that is always welcome! ... all the best on your new and big chalenge!!

1 year ago
WatermelonWishes says:

Exciting stuff! Congrats!

1 year ago
penorus says:

Congrats Chad! Looking forward to a better and brighter future selling on Etsy.

1 year ago
JemmDee says:

Congratulations Chad! Looking forward to new and exciting changes!

1 year ago
lunaessence says:

Best of Luck Chad !! We await !!

1 year ago
breadandroses2 says:

Huge thanks to Rob for starting Etsy and best wishes to Chad! I must second comments by DownToTheWireDesigns and Secretjewllz above. Get back to roots placing main focus on sellers, state your values and goals clearly and exactly and rid Etsy of resellers. 'Educating' reseller frauds is not going to change those bent on false representation to make a buck. I see the same resellers opening new shops again and again. It materially hurts genuine handmade artisan's shops. Oh, how about adding Google Checkout as an online payment option? Most of my buyers use it already. Etsy's behind the curve using Paypal only in the order form.

1 year ago
KnittedSteel says:

Congrats Mr Dickerson. I can't wait to hear what you plan to do about all the resellers.

1 year ago
imakecutestuff says:

Wow! Congratulations Chad!! ...from all of us in etsyRAIN (your 1000+ member Seattle Etsy Team ;)

1 year ago
patspottery says:

Congrats, and good luck:>) Love the new stats by the way♥

1 year ago
juln says:

Phenomenal! Congratulations Chad, I'm looking forward to seeing the future of Etsy.

1 year ago
DreamsandJewelry says:

Congratz Chad.

1 year ago
CDChilds says:

Congrats! Chad, I cant wait to see your inovative ideas.

1 year ago
BigDoggyBling says:

Bravo, Etsy ! Congratulations, Chad ! I'm happy to be on this train moving forward! Good luck to us all ~wag

1 year ago
ddfoto says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
ddfoto says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
LRichardsDesign says:

Congrats and best of luck!

1 year ago
mssuzie says:

**It’s also a marketplace of personal stories and connections. *** Not if you keep taking away the ability for the sellers to connect, LIKE CHAT. The changes that have taken place this year have made it harder to connect with other sellers, not easier. Good luck in your new job!

1 year ago
craftystuffs says:

Congrats to you and some advice to help you grow: take deep breaths daily, help us beef up etsy events in other places, make tagging re-sellers more efficient and finally more opportunities for advertising! We are hard working and creative folks that need to get out there! I know you will steer etsy toward 2012 and beyond!

1 year ago
gardendiva says:

Awesome Chad, love your energy! Wishing you all the best.

1 year ago
Harleystwin says:

What are you going to to with the reseller problem? Or the scams where a person buys something, and, since they get a button in the mail, it counts as a legitimate transaction? From what I've seen, when people try to point this out, the admins yell at them, and nothing happens to the seller. I think you should read this letter. It's to you, after all: http://www.regretsy.com/2011/07/21/an-open-letter-to-chad-dickerson/

1 year ago
ARTBYDONNAROSE says:

Congrats and anxious to see what is in store for all of us

1 year ago
GirlBurkeStudios says:

Congratulations Chad and a thank you to Rob. xoxo

1 year ago
minusOne says:

Wow. The changes in the last two years are a good indication of why you will also be an great CEO. I'm excited for you and for us. You're a great human, Chad. If you ever want a working vacation, COME BACK TO TRUMANSBURG. We miss you terribly. Jen Wofford

1 year ago
arianaalysedesigns says:

Congrats to you Chad. I really truly hope things gets do get better around here. As of late, it seems like the Etsy staff doesn't care so much about its community as it does profit. Can you please make a real effort in tackling the huge issue surrounding resellers? It really makes it hard for us small business owners who really do make their products by hand to compete with factories and other resellers.

1 year ago
StarletGlamBathBody says:

Congrats Chad! And best of luck!

1 year ago
ledadraws says:

Good luck, man.

1 year ago
basketsbyrose says:

Congrats and best of luck in your new job!

1 year ago
HilltopCast1 says:

Congratulations Chad!!!

1 year ago
grimmandgrete says:

Congrats on your promotion, looking forward to a great future together! ♥ Lisa

1 year ago
1HandWashesTheOther says:

Does this mean we can keep chat? plzplzplz

1 year ago
omglydia says:

Congrats Chad! I do hope that the issue of reselling is addressed soon though. http://www.regretsy.com/2011/07/21/an-open-letter-to-chad-dickerson/

1 year ago
zehland says:

Congratulations Chad! Etsy is such an amazing place - I look forward to what's in store. Thanks to Rob and good luck to both!

1 year ago
DestinysCreations says:

Congratulations Chad and thank you Rob!!

1 year ago
HyacintheandHazel says:

I do hope you work on other unmentioned problems...such as resellers and non-vintage in the vintage section.

1 year ago
BeedazzledDesigns says:

Congrats! Looking forward to positive changes!

1 year ago
surfandsand says:

Congratulations Chad and THANK YOU Rob! I can't wait to see where Etsy is a couple more years!

1 year ago
JenSanCandles says:

Congratulations on the promotion to your new job. You and the engineering crew have made some great improvements to the Etsy site so I'm excited to see where you plan to take us in the future. "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."—Lao Tzu

1 year ago
Annasjewelry says:

First - congratulations. Second - here is something you wrote in your letter: It’s also a marketplace of personal stories and connections. My suggestion - if you would like to make it a place where we connect with each other you have to make it easier for us to talk with one another again. I know I sound like a broken record but since having to join teams to be able to talk with one another many of us have become invisible stores... it has made etsy a place where it's impossible to just connect. I'd like to be as positive as everyone else and say looking forward to the positive changes but I'd like to see some before I congratulate you on a job well done.

1 year ago
humblebea says:

Congratulations Chad and a big thanks to Rob! (-:

1 year ago
FabricFascination says:

Looking forward to continued progress, congratulations on your new position.

1 year ago
AppelJar says:

Congrats to you & best to Rob K. ...and best new horizons for all of us !

1 year ago
mjboutique says:

I thought I'd add, that you said this: "It was more than a simple transaction, and that’s what makes Etsy what it is." I'd be happy if Etsy stopped working so hard to make a simple transaction some sort of social 'let's be friends' moment. Keep the social where it belongs, in the forums. Keep the customers transactions simple. If they want to be social, they know how to do that.

1 year ago
quiltytherapy says:

Congrats on your new position. Can't wait to see what's in the future.

1 year ago
JimJuris says:

Congratulations. It seems like Etsy will be in great hands.

1 year ago
DavisMain says:

Congrats and welcome, Chad! Super thanks to Rob for giving us Etsy and best wishes!

1 year ago
Muza says:

Congratulations Chad, looking forward to many positive changes!

1 year ago
HennaGal says:

Can't wait to see the real artists rise to the top and the resellers get weeded out. With a CEO who's been at the company for three years I am optomistic we will see this change.

1 year ago
PeanutsCreations says:

Congrats Chad and looking forward to what is to come!

1 year ago
GlitterBomb1 says:

So does this mean you are getting rid of the Chinese resellers or is it just SSDD and pass the buck?

1 year ago
MidwestieLady says:

Congrats to you, Chad! So glad to have you be our new CEO! You already know Etsy well and we can trust you know the changes needed ahead too!

1 year ago
Annasjewelry says:

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/07/21/etsy-ceo-kalin-out-as-start-up-faces-growing-pains/

1 year ago
AlexiBlackwellBridal says:

Congrats Chad!!!! And also thank you Rob for your brilliant idea! You both are helping people who have lost their jobs during the Recession to create a new career and survive these troubled times through our Etsy businesses. Hey when are you going to go public??? I want in on the IPO! Cheers! Alexi

1 year ago
WillOaksStudio says:

Congratulations!! Sounds like exciting times ahead!!

1 year ago
pixiemartin says:

Kudos on the new gig. Wordpress ate my lengthy and informative missive, so I'm keeping this one short and sweet. As much as it is most likely a pain in your ass, you should definitely read regretsy.com from the oldest posts to the new ones daily. I have learned far more about how etsy works there than I have in the years I've been shopping and the months I've been selling. Things may be skewed to the mean there, but there is a valid ongoing reveal of the things that are wrong with etsy. Resellers, crappy vendors, etc. Sincerely, I wish you nothing but good luck in your new venture. :) But read regretsy, I implore you.

1 year ago
IansCafe says:

Yay Chad! Will Alchemy return?

1 year ago
MieleMelograno says:

Congratulations Chad! A sound head and steadfast heart does well in the world!

1 year ago
Admin

chaddickerson says:

Hi everyone, thanks for the kind words and the constructive feedback. There's lots to do and process, but I just wanted everyone to know I'm reading and taking note.

1 year ago
MySweetieBean says:

Congrats to you, Chad! Looking forward to Etsy becoming even better. More shop sections, and one-time use coupons and dollars off coupons would be awesome. *hint hint* haha!

1 year ago
vintagetouchjewelry says:

Congratulations! I am pleased to hear you comment on the community culture here since my feeling, as a relative newbie, is that the heartbeat of this whole venture is the collective energy of the those interested in sharing what they love. Take a few more breaks and visit some other communities -- that jaunt to NC was obviously quite rewarding for you. Best wishes and good luck.

1 year ago
DezyneKween says:

Congratulations! You need some fresh new artwork to adorn your new walls... might I suggest you start at home, with Etsy? I am an artist and would LOVE to sell you a nice painting...

1 year ago
StelmaDesigns says:

Hi, Congratulations Chad ;o) Julia

1 year ago
KitKatCabaret says:

Setting Up a much more Sophisticated method to our madness for all the numerous treasuries and finding a better way to give them the much needed community power would be a liitle like paving an underwater pathway to Atlantis Love the ocean side photography Our Cetacean Companions frolicking in their aquatic world

1 year ago
misohappi says:

congrats on your new assignment

1 year ago
AriaCouture says:

If you truly have any passion for etsy and see it as more than just a hefty paycheck, then tackle the reseller problem. They're really not that hard to find. Even if it means adding a reseller category, just make them easier to weed out. Those who don't want factory mass-produced will appreciate being able to weed out the resellers. Some people don't care, but they're not going to care either way. Better yet would be to immediately shut down resellers, but etsy likes the money too much, so a reseller category is a compromise. Also pretty please modify what "handmade" means to eliminate taking a mass-produced charm and stringing it on a piece of cord. With such a rampant reseller problem and "handmade" being so loosely defined, I personally do not buy anything at all from Asia (too high of a risk that the sellers are factories, which does mean that the honest individuals are losing sales), and there are a few jewelry pieces I love but will not buy because I don't know if they're actually hand-cast and made by the sellers or at just mass-produced charms on chains and I just haven't found the suppliers for those mass-produced charms yet. I think that "handmade" should require being at least three changes to an item. Yes, a number of changes specified to prevent anyone claiming etsy has it out for them because someone's individual judgement resulted in a listing being removed. So let's say someone takes a very basic pendant, and changes the bail, then adds a jewel of some sort, and then strings it on a chain. Three changes, handmade. Versus throwing it on a chain and calling it handmade. For items that don't meet three changes, enforce the use of the SUPPLIES tag.

1 year ago
AriaCouture says:

Oh, and don't undervalue volunteers. I'm sure there'd be no shortage of people willing to volunteer time hunting out resellers. I suggest setting up a group of volunteers and giving them the power to TEMPORARILY freeze accounts they have damn good reason to believe are resellers, such as finding the exact same items on wholesale websites. Freeze the account and pass it off to an employee of etsy with the evidence of reselling for a final determination. If the etsy employee determines the seller to be a reseller, then delete the account and ban IP. If the person isn't a reseller, well, 3 strikes and the volunteer is out, with that strike system solely to prevent any volunteers from abusing the power given. I think this will show etsy wants to do something about the reselling problem aside from just empty talk, and you'll get free labor that's freely given by people with a passion for etsy and handmade things. Does your passion extend to a willingness to work for etsy for free? Probably not. But there are a lot of people who would, myself included.

1 year ago
pandyamy says:

Wonderful!

1 year ago
EchinopsandAster says:

Congrats on your new position! I am amazed at how far this idea has come and glad to be a part of it. I would second the comments on resellers and add that more needs to be done to give sellers the tools they need to run their businesses. Please build in the capability for sellers to list multiple colors, quantities, etc... into a single listing (such as for yards of fabric) to eliminate the inefficiency of convo /custom listing. Also please update the checkout tools to allow sellers who deal with destination based tax to collect the correct amount of sales tax (and thus be LEGALLY COMPLIANT) without having to manually invoice. Setting zip code ranges just doesn't cut it. Thanks for the hard work thus far and here's to meeting the future challenges.

1 year ago
MedusaJewellery says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
HardCandyGems says:

Yay! How excited you must be!

1 year ago
LoveButtons says:

Goodbye and good luck to Rob. Congratulations on your promotion, Chad! I am excited to see where the good ship Etsy will take us all in the future! :)

1 year ago
mentalembellisher says:

Félicitations Chad et Bienvenue.....Bonne Chance et Merci à Rob. Etsy has totally changed my life and given it new meaning. I never in a million years would have thought that I could reach across from France to sell my work all across the world, it is mindblowing! I will miss the chat feature terribly though, here's hoping a suitable replacement can be found in the very near future :-)

1 year ago
GoTo says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
valeriez says:

What do you plan to do about the problem with resellers? Etsy is supposed to be a marketplace for handmade goods, but lately I see many sellers obviously buying in bulk from overseas mass producers. How will you address this?

1 year ago
Pseudooctopus says:

Congratulations, we all look forward to what's to come! :D

1 year ago
Ayca says:

Congratulations on your new role, Chad!

1 year ago
katescottage2 says:

A HUGE thank you, Rob, for creating Etsy! As a mother, I LOVE being able to work from home doing something I love, and still be accessible to my kids! I have Etsy to thank for that! Congratulations, Chad! I'm excitedly anticipating where you will take Etsy from here! :)

1 year ago
BlueForestJewellery says:

Congrats on the new job! It will be great to see Etsy going onwards and upwards :-)

1 year ago
Chris1 says:

Congrats and Hopefully sales will improve!

1 year ago
TheCrimsonMoon says:

Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
PeculiarForest says:

Thanks Rob and Congrats Chad! :D

1 year ago
MadameKoiteh says:

Congrats, we look forward to the future with eager anticipation and much joy!

1 year ago
Jodip2 says:

I hope there will be real changes to Etsy's reseller problem!

1 year ago
SageTeaSocial says:

Hey, congratulations. First order of business: Don't delete Etsy chat rooms.

1 year ago
TheStitchAndFold says:

And please work hard to get rid of resellers!

1 year ago
frankideas says:

late to the party - but congratulations Chad! Looking forward to the beginning of a new era onward and (hopefully) upward.

1 year ago
frankideas says:

PS: please Chad remember Etsy is a creative place where we come together to sell and buy -that should continue to be THE priority - other sites mange "social" very well already.

1 year ago
frankideas says:

mange = manage but it kind of works either way!!!

1 year ago
fabriquefantastique says:

good luck.......can you please give some attention to attracting new buyers .....new sellers seem to find their own way here. I agree with a lot of these posts, this is a selling site, not a social site.

1 year ago
sisustudios says:

Chad, Thanks for all your efforts - past, present, and future!

1 year ago
erinkobie says:

Chad: congratulations. You need to take a look at the huge reseller problem here, along with it focusing more on the social aspect than selling. I have not closed my shop, but have thought about it (it's been on "vacation" for ever), simply because i feel like the integrity here has gone down hill. I look forward to the improvements you will be making, and truly wish you the best.

1 year ago
Bostonmama says:

Congratulations! As an avid user and lover of etsy I look forward to seeing what you can do. I'm often telling friends about all the great items I purchase on etsy and their reaction is generally the same: "oh I don't use that site, I can never find what I want" or "I am so overwhelmed by it." I think you could have a much larger community of buyers if you make the necessary improvements. Looking forward to an even better experience!

1 year ago
DoraArtDesignStudio says:

Please add a Fine Art category for us artists here in Etsy limbo..

1 year ago
sunbasilgarden says:

Congratulations and looking so forward to the future! And super excited to see my Etsy pal MagicIsland, aka Mary in her gorgeous island of Ocracoke. I have been there and its amazing just like her!

1 year ago
JenniferLynnProducts says:

Congrats, Chad. I'm looking forward to the changes you are hoping to make. Frankly, I'd like to see Etsy return to the warm, friendly place it was back around 2006/2007! Great photos!

1 year ago
twolefthands says:

Congratulations Chad. can't wait to see what's in store for us! Thanks to Rob for giving us all this opportunity!

1 year ago
Charcio says:

Congrats looking forward to whats to come!!

1 year ago
laurali says:

I'd given up on etsy after 4 months without a sale (couldn't justify going in the hole to relist). Now I feel like giving it another try :-).

1 year ago
ShadowBoxGiftCompany says:

Congratulations

1 year ago
LittleBanditHats says:

This is exciting. :)

1 year ago
DesignsbyBaerreis says:

Looking forward to growing with you and Etsy! Congratulations!

1 year ago
CraftyCrowBoutique says:

Congrats! Now please bring back Alchemy!!! :)

1 year ago
DesignsbyBaerreis says:

Looking forward to growing with Etsy - Congratulations!

1 year ago
ChristinaRomeo says:

Congratulations and Welcome to your new role! Etsy did transform my life and I thank you!

1 year ago
17reasonswhy says:

Congratulations! I look forward to seeing how Etsy will develop!

1 year ago
ArtMadeByTammy says:

This is exciting news! Congrats and Good Luck!

1 year ago
LeilaVR says:

We look forward to what these changes may be. Hopefully, with them comes a crack down on the rampant resellers that run around here with impunity. While I respect all the hard work many of the craftspeople put into their actual handmade wares and want to help them become better crafts people, the lack of action that occurs when a reseller is pointed out is ridiculous. NOTHING happens. That is a change that I think many of us would welcome. I look forward to seeing good things come and finding more treasures here. My wedding day accessories for me and my bridesmaids wouldn't have been complete without a seller here who did a fabulous job with them. I just want to make sure this remains a community of HANDMADE goods.

1 year ago
HeirloomAngel says:

I only have four words for you: CONGRATS!!! Thank you! AMEN!!!

1 year ago
infidelicity says:

Congrats. As a current buyer and not a seller, there are two major negatives that stand out in my experience on etsy. As a the former CTO you need to understand that the built in search is still cumbersome, glitchy and unclear. Too often the search brings up too many unrelated results, only the most recently listed items (a distinct advantage to resellers and factory made store fronts with high turnover) or even items that aren't in the right category. I'd also love to be able to search for terms and tags from within a team (this comes in handy when wanting to support charity teams, or teams with certain styles.) Maybe there is a way to do this but I haven't found it yet. The second thing is that as a buyer, I become quite disillusioned looking to support hand-made goods, craft-workers, and artisans and then many times stumbling upon obvious resellers or people trying to pass off their junk drawer as vintage. Reporting these people and then coming back weeks later and noticing that they are still up really adds to the mistrust. Again, congrats, you have a lot of work ahead of you, but don't all CEOs?

1 year ago
southpawstudios says:

Congrat Chad! you have al ong road ahead, but i am sure you are the man for the job! Please please add more sections and subsections. as a seller, i want to expand my supply shop (southpawbeads) but the limited sections make it very hard for a buyers to navigate through hundreds of products. also shipping options please :) with sugar on top Good luck! -Katy

1 year ago
BlueDayDesigns says:

Congrats - and I agree with the poster above. I'm a buyer and a seller on Etsy and often find myself extremely frustrated with the search when I'm trying to buy something. It's also becoming difficult to weed out the resellers once I do eventually find the item that I'm searching for. If you are wanting to take Etsy to the 'next level' and have it taken seriously as an online hand-crafted marketplace then I think the reseller issue should be one of your top priorities. Good luck!

1 year ago
coldhamcuddlies says:

Good luck Rob - rest on your laurels: you've created and built a great business. However, Etsy is in danger of becoming a victim of it's own success. While welcoming Chad to the unenviable task of taking over from a success story, please may I suggest - do not run before you can walk. You need to CONSOLIDATE before embarking on new ventures, paths. Getting a response from Etsy Admin, for example, for to a relatively simple question now appears impossible. Without happy members, you ain't got a viable business! So...., PLEASE, PLEASE, get someone to answer a straight forward question-basically is my idea viable, or not ? I've been waiting for nearly a month without an acknowledge nor response. Seems to this particualr, very small, member that the aim of all who currently work for Etsy is to "justifiey their existence and "bugger" the questioner! Hope I'm wrong - and look forward to be proved wrong. Best of luck, nevertheless. Isobel

1 year ago
designbcb says:

dude, congrats on the gig...feel free to order something from me, too!

1 year ago
hioctanejewelry says:

Way to go. Cheers. First let me say I LOVE the new one page style for adding products. I am looking forward to being able managing two storefronts as one user. Keeping it revvv'd up! Alicia | Hi Octane Jewelry

1 year ago
fuskazi says:

I too am looking forward to seeing the resellers at least labeled as such, and given their own category. Ideally, of course, they'd be shut down, but making it obvious that that's what they are would be a start.

1 year ago
LowlaBug says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
lindageez says:

Congrats on your new position and all the joys it will bring! I love Etsy and hope that more good things happen to our community! Linda

1 year ago
VintageFairRetroRare says:

Thans Rob & good luck with whatever new ventures are on your horizon! Congrats Chad, & good luck to you in your new venture here! I'm looking forward to seeing some major improvements with the issues that most concern sellers & buyers here( all listed in above posts, so i won't repeat.) I've been here 3 years & love the community spirit.

1 year ago
DesignsbyBaerreis says:

Looking forward to growing with Etsy! Thanks to Rob for the inspiration, ideals and implementation of a wonderful marketplace for people like us. Congratulations Chad - Looking forward to the next evolution! Martha Baerreis

1 year ago
justaduck says:

I'd like to add my congratulations to you, too. I'm just a buyer at this point, but I would like to be a seller, too. I'd like to give you my two bits on things. Please bring back alchemy. It was a wonderful way for sellers and buyers to work on a custom item. Search is still clunky and outdated. Resellers should be removed. What's the point of having a website with the tagline "Your place to buy and sell all things handmade..." when people are just reselling mass-produced junk and trying to pass it off as their own work? Finally, please don't try and add a huge "social" component. I know that everyone likes to communicate (buyers and sellers, sellers with sellers, etc) but this isn't and shouldn't be facebook. Thanks for reading and best of luck to you!

1 year ago
meerkate says:

Congratulations! I sincerely hope that this endeavor is rewarding and rich. I greatly anticipate these positive changes you hint at and sincerely hope that, if you do nothing else at all, you ADDRESS the RESELLER ISSUE. I have been a member of Etsy for over four years now and love it dearly, but have become increasingly disillusioned as the site I once loved has changed into a market for resellers/factories while those actually creating struggle to maintain a presence. Most disappointing has been Etsy's response, or rather lack thereof, at this point, which seems to consist of leaving these shops open regardless of the proof presented. I realize Etsy is in it for the money and those Chinese factories selling thousands of pieces per month sure are a nice way to make a quick buck, but I still hold out hope that someone can have the vision to return Etsy to the handmade haven it used to be. Also, I am sure that everyone at Etsy is sick of regretsy, and it certainly has more than a day's worth of snark most of the time, but do read this open letter: http://www.regretsy.com/2011/07/21/an-open-letter-to-chad-dickerson/ Several other commenters have mentioned it as well and I hope you take the time to give it some thought. Etsy's reputation is changing, and I don't believe anyone can say that it is for the better at this point. Perhaps you will be the person brave enough to look past easy and return us to integrity? I can certainly dream. Best of luck!

1 year ago
DaffodilCorner says:

Congrats, Chad, and good luck in your new position. Indeed, I wasn't sure you were still around with the shakeup that happened when Rokali returned the last time. Thanks Rob, for all you have done for Etsy, and good luck in whatever direction your future takes you in. Having been with Etsy since the end of 2005, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Etsy has done some things very, very well, and others so, so wrong. Risk can be good, as long as there are mitigations. The benefits of the risk need to outweigh the potential negative repercussions. Chose wisely.

1 year ago
AutumnLeavesJewelry says:

Congratulations to you! :-) can we have the gift guides back at some point (as I hide under the table in this coffee shop)... they were SUCH a great portal into SO many views and sales for so many of us

1 year ago
ABespokeTouch says:

Congratulations Char it sounds like you have a 'good head on your shoulders' i hope you stay true what you've written about addressing the largest problems within etsy and i hope we soon see the improvements that have been asked for years ago? www.abespoketouch.etsy.com x

1 year ago
NathalieVan says:

Congratulations! I'm happy to see that you care about etsy and the individual sellers. I am excited to see what you bring to etsy.

1 year ago
KEScarvings says:

Congrats! Looking forward to seeing what the future holds and I hope to see major improvements in the areas that need it (search and resellers!)

1 year ago
lfaigen says:

Here's hoping that Etsy will no longer be deaf to the needs of its sellers. After all, we do pay your salaries.

1 year ago
padlaversusmoij says:

Allow purchases without an account. It is the sole reason I don't sell on Etsy anymore. It limits the customer base for one of a kind items, and ends up with more sellers of non one of a kind items because they can sell in three or for places(like big cartel) and if someone doesn't have an account they can just buy it there. One of a kind sellers can't do that so I ended up giving up on Etsy even though I really like it.

1 year ago
SoulRole says:

Congratulations Chad!And thank you Rob.I literally almost feel like crying right now.I am fairly new to Etsy but I cannot tell you how deeply and profoundly being a part of this community has helped me.On every level.As a mother to four kids all my creative energy has been poured into them for the last 17 years and I am just coming back into myself as an artist and a person outside of mother.I am inspired daily by the amazing creativity found here AND more than that the sense of community and willingness to mentor each other.So MAHALO Rob and Chad and everyone who has worked to create such an awesome way to easily share our creative endeavors with the world.Aloha ka kou :)

1 year ago
WinkArtisans says:

Congratulations and best wishes on your new role as our Etsy leader!

1 year ago
LiuRokSilver says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
SmadarsTreasure says:

Congratulations, Chad, and good luck in making Etsy even better for all of us!

1 year ago
LovelyLuxeJewels says:

Wow.. Congrats Chad. Cheers to bringing us the next level.

1 year ago
gardenmis says:

Thanks Rob for Etsy, I have loved it from the beginning! Congratulations Chad ~ I hope the vision you have for Etsy will ensure a long + productive future for artisans + etsy :)

1 year ago
PickleBerryTrifles says:

Interesting read! Congratulations, Chad. I know you have your work cut out for you! I, for one, am still waiting to have my shop syndicated with the move to Google's new API. It would be lovely to have more info on how soon the rest of us who are working hard to have a real presence here will be included!

1 year ago
ikabags says:

Congratulations Chad... :) And yes ! " I just want to make sure this remains a community of HANDMADE goods. " Good luck !

1 year ago
unflappableproducts says:

Rob - you are to be thanked and commended greatly for starting such a wonderfully, unique marketplace. I never, ever would have found such a home for my artwork! I have met sooo many amazing people on Etsy from around the world! And for once I can be found on the internet! You will be missed! Welcome Chad-we look forward to working with you building Etsy and this wonderful community. Thanks for sharing your rich background and experiences with us in this article.

1 year ago
RickiMOUNTAIN says:

To everything, there is a time, and Rob will always be.... and has been a tremendous influence to me throughout my stay here on etsy from the first day I opened my shop in 2007 until today... Tomorrow I look forward, and I am intrigued by Chad and his new role and leadership. Rob seems to be a pioneer in his own right. We all know that Etsy is the mother ship and inspiration for all other venues. So for that, I say Thank you… and I wish Rob, Chad and everyone at etsy congratulations for a job well done. GODSPEED

1 year ago
TransitDesign says:

Did you write this one from an air mattress too? Best of luck in your expanded duties.

1 year ago
EchoesOfSummer says:

We were able to recently quit our other jobs and become CEO's of our own shop here on Etsy. So excited to see the growth just in the short time we've been here! Good luck and cheers!

1 year ago
bobbijordan says:

Lucky us, and lucky you. I spent a dozen or 2 summers on Hatteras Island and Okracoke. Special place for a special time. Best of luck--

1 year ago
theCopperPoppy says:

Congrats, Chad. I stepped away from another 'corporate world' one year ago to manage my own company -- my Etsy shop. Now, with this news, we look to you as the CEO of Our Company. Best of luck in your new endeavor. We want nothing more than success for all of us.

1 year ago
5gardenias says:

congrats to you chad-- and because you've been with etsy for a good while, i have confidence that you understand what makes etsy so special and unique-- i have no doubt we're in good hands... i've been to that sweet little island of ocracoke, in fact my brother invented a cocktail in its honor, dubbed "the ocracoke smoke". i'm raising an imaginary glass of ocracoke smoke for a toast to you and etsy! and good luck, best wishes and many thanks to rob kalin

1 year ago
laiseoriginals says:

Congratulations! They say change is always good, let's hope we see some great things happening here. I love Etsy and all it has to offer, but we all know there is always room for improvement. Can't wait to see what you have in "store" for us!

1 year ago
AuntieKaren says:

Congratulations and Best of Luck, Chad! The uniqueness of Rob K will be missed, though.... http://www.etsy.com/transaction/5000534

1 year ago
CPINE says:

Thanks for taking away alchemy and chat rooms. Great! WHat a bunch of crap!

1 year ago
teepetalsupplies says:

congratulations and best of luck!

1 year ago
ElegantlySimple says:

Congratulations Chad! May all your dreams for Etsy help make our dreams come true! :)

1 year ago
TheVeryCorner says:

Congratulations and welcome! Take a couple deep breaths and an aspirin....and keep a healthy dose of mature common sense in your hip pocket!

1 year ago
MyMonography says:

Congratulations! I hope it will bring many positive changes here :) Good luck, Chad! We trust in you!

1 year ago
WeddingAndGems says:

Congrats on making CEO. I'm new to Etsy but love the community and the great things available here.

1 year ago
mystudio says:

Congratulations.

1 year ago
Eccentricity says:

Here's wishing you and Etsy the very best.

1 year ago
mikelange3 says:

congrats chad! if you come to minnesota I will take you fishing

1 year ago
BearStitches says:

Wishing you the best...Etsy has been a great place to sell...however...there have been a million frustrations...and some concerns about the authenticity of Etsy's mission.

1 year ago
TheNeedleHouse says:

Congrats and best wishes!! Looking forward to what you have in store for us. Sure wish you would bring back the chats as I got about half my sales there and made a lot of nice friends. It indeed WAS a marketplace of personal stories and connections. Hope to see good things in the very near future.

1 year ago
Inbarbareket says:

Congratulations Chad ! That's a huge responsibility !!! As former IT manager of an high tech company with branches in Israel, Europe and USA I understand the step you did. I wish you a big good luck and really hoping Etsy will be way better that it is today !

1 year ago
angelstuff says:

Congratulations, Chad! i'm thrilled to see the changes you'll bring.

1 year ago
bagzetoile says:

Thanks for etsy - it's certainly brought change to my life! I love it because it's creative, inspiring and a terrific community. You should be very proud of yourselves for what you have achieved. I wish you future success and happiness. Louise

1 year ago
woodyliana says:

Congrats on your new title ! I wish you nothing more than success on leading this amazing "ETSY FAMILY", I'm happy and proud of being part of it. Please stay focus on keeping our philosophy as a solid and respected Community of Artists, Crafters and Small Business, I see a lot of sweatshops starting to make its roots within Etsy, and that has become a bit of a concern...

1 year ago
bibelotbebe says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
DesignsbyHarriet says:

Congratulations. I hope that one of your plans is to tackle resellers. The forum discusses this problem all the time, but administration never comments. I hope your reign as CEO takes a more hands on approach to this problem.

1 year ago
prendasbyenid says:

Felicitaciones y Buena Suerte!!!

1 year ago
DreamCake says:

Congratulations! I'm excited to see what new changes will be ahead for Etsy. My shop is still fairly new, but i've been part of the Etsy community for a few years now. Best wishes.

1 year ago
somsstudiosupplies says:

Heartiest Congratulations!! Lets all see Etsy grow.

1 year ago
Giftbearer says:

I look forward to seeing what you do with Etsy in the future. I don't see much real viability for the Taste Test. It interprets what we like way too broadly to the point that some things it pulls up don't appeal at all, but I really hope you'll put at the top of your priority list more efficient features to drive customers with money to spend to the site, make use of demographic data and advertise to bring those customers here (especially those who buy jewelry in the $60.00 and up range, not just once or twice, but regularly). Jewelry sales have gotten somewhat steadier but there is still alot of room for improvement before they'll be lucrative enough every month, as I notice that there seems to be a surge right around the 1st of the month and after that it is kind of tenuous and unpredictable. There is still alot of fluctuation in buyng traffic. That I believe is your biggest challenge to overcome. I'm not sure if that is related to internal Etsy search, Google Search, or whether buyers are finding items in search but whether not enough customers with enough disposable income are hooking up with us sellers in the first place. Those are questions that would be important to explore in order to nail down what will bring in more frequent sales and higher-ticket sales. The Circles do seem to bring in some buying traffic. I wasn't sure at first whether they'd be too distracting from my shop or an assett to it but I believe I have gotten some of my customers through Circles.. As for the various tech presentations given in the community by Etsy staff I'm not sure how those translate into buying customers. While they might be interesting and educational it sounds as if that is a little off the mark from Etsy's statement of purpose. Presentations to groups of people who have been identified as avid online shoppers would probably be effective though. Those groups would probably not be as interested in the technical end of Etsy as they would in what they can buy here and how they can locate it once they get here so you could approach presentations from that standpoint to attract people who are looking for a place to buy unique and creative items.

1 year ago
JennasRedRhino says:

I remember the fun TV ads for eBay and wonder if Etsy would benefit from similar marketing campaigns.

1 year ago
urastarhouse says:

Many many many many thanks to you Rob and congratulations and many blessing to you Chad!

1 year ago
shineinvitations says:

Ecstatic to have an engineer in the CEO role! What a breath of fresh air and great decision on the part of Etsy. Good luck and I look forward to the future of the site! :)

1 year ago
MakeMeSmileCrafts says:

Congrats on the new position Chad! I have barely been with etsy a year, but have found it exciting and even opened up a second shop. The community on etsy is #1 and I feel like I'm at home. Also, there are always so many new things to learn and that is good, it keeps us all young. Still learning and hoping to learn even more with a new etsy CEO. Good Luck

1 year ago
HeyChica says:

Congrats Chad!! I'm looking forward to the future and how your vision of Etsy will make this site more successful for all of us.

1 year ago
BeadingonaBudget says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
colorada says:

Congratulations....love the dolphin photo :) So glad to welcome you as CEO. Looking forward to many cool changes! Best wishes

1 year ago
BeaumontStudio says:

Welcome!

1 year ago
botanicalbird says:

Many Congrats Chad! all the best in your new role as CEO! I loved the story about Mary and the Magic Island...awesomeness!! XO

1 year ago
lucidjewelry says:

Congrats and good luck ! I am looking forward towards more positive improvements especially ways to not get lost in the crowd. So glad there are more people coming to Etsy to shop. I recently added my photography ( including photos from my trip to NC ) to my jewelry shop hoping to get more exposure. Best wishes, Amy

1 year ago
RameOttone says:

Welcome! We're so glad to have you!!

1 year ago
SundancersStudio says:

Congratulations, I am looking forward to the future with you. Hoping you the best, Karen

1 year ago
NancysBagsEtc says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
NorScott says:

Congratulations Chad - you sound like you have your heart in it and it is nice to know that you realize that there are a lot of people depending on you. Thank you for all your hard work.

1 year ago
macabrecreations says:

Congrats Chad! Best of luck, looking forward to seeing where Etsy goes from here! =)

1 year ago
panchromatica says:

Can we see some progress now please on getting better exposure for fine art - a top level category would be brilliant - and on dealing with the major problem of mis-tagging of art items.

1 year ago
EyePopArt says:

Congrats Chad...best of luck!

1 year ago
afiori says:

I hope you'll make Etsy a truly international marketplace again since now it has been ruined for so many of us non-US sellers due to the regional settings which none of us asked for and then weren't informed about. I used to be a full-time seller here but since sales went down after these changes I am now actively looking for another marketplace, along with many others of those who are aware of the changes.

1 year ago
lauriebdesigns says:

Welcome Chad. I love love Etsy, and I too have 2 stores. I'm hoping to just have 1 store some day when Etsy offers more categories or sub-categories.

1 year ago
WalterSilva says:

Congratulation, Chad!

1 year ago
silkoak says:

Thanks to Rob for the brilliant idea, thank you to all at Etsy who provide us with the terrific opportunity to connect our products with buyers and congratulations to Chad in his new role! All of you work so hard at continually improving and growing Etsy. It is much appreciated!

1 year ago
ElunaJewelry says:

Congrats Chad. We look forward to hearing your plans for our community.

1 year ago
Ghirardelli says:

Good luck to you ... Itsa bigga plate! Wish you well, drive our sales! Cheers

1 year ago
BlingAroundRosies says:

Congratulations Chad! Looking forward to watching Etsy grow under your leadership!

1 year ago
Lpapworth says:

Congrats Chad - please bring back ALCHEMY or some other place for buyers to ask for what they want, and uploading of public photos by BUYERS.

1 year ago
NewProspectPottery says:

Congratulations. Look forward to the company flourish under your care.

1 year ago
claudia992 says:

congrats

1 year ago
EllieMacDesigns says:

i look forward to the future of Etsy

1 year ago
knittingcate says:

congrats!

1 year ago
ChicHippyVintage says:

Congratulations and I agree that Etsy is more than a marketplace. I've made friends throughout the world through my Etsy transactions, both as a seller and a buyer. I'm proud to be an Etsian and grateful for being able to share my creations. Karen Morgan Chief Hippy :)

1 year ago
SeasideStudio says:

Looking forward to your vision! Congratulations!

1 year ago
thegraydeer says:

Congrats. I hope not too much more changes. I love Etsy.

1 year ago
PernillasSS says:

Congrats!! Looking forward to everything in the future!

1 year ago
wiredandfired says:

Exciting news for you! Congrats. Looking forward to a great future.

1 year ago
Maggadora says:

Congrats and good luck :-)

1 year ago
oreldesign says:

Congratulations.... Looking forward to all good things coming!!

1 year ago
BirdTrouble says:

I agree- when someone talks about Etsy, they really show it and are excited about it. Congrats!

1 year ago
Lithlas says:

I hope you do something to address the massive amount of resellers on Etsy who just order stuff in bulk then sell it on Etsy for 20 times as much as they paid for it.

1 year ago
miriroo says:

I look forward to continuing to be a more active member of this awesome world of Etsy. Great letter!

1 year ago
LittleBeanPrints says:

Hip hip! Etsy is a very special place. Thank you Rob and congrats Chad!

1 year ago
richknobsales says:

This is great, and I'm glad you have history with Etsy. I've lived through the Rise and Fall of a couple of tech companies over the past 30 years, and I hope you have the sense to know what you don't know, and to hire people who do know those areas, and to never lose sight of what made this place successful!!! Please buy and sell here every day, or have someone in your family buy & sell every day! If you don't stay in constant touch, you don't know what your customer base experiences. Please please don't secrete yourself in a lofty room layer upon layer away from what is going on here! Don't ignore the screaming in the forums when there has been a problem - if there is a lot of "noise" about an issue, there is a raw nerve and careful attention is needed quickly!!!

1 year ago
pyxeestyx says:

Congrats on the promo!. Looking forward to great things to come. xoxoxo

1 year ago
ginachase says:

Congratulations!

1 year ago
AMSkrafts says:

Congratulations! I look forward to the future growth of the Etsy community.

1 year ago
HermiasWishes says:

Congrats on your Chad-uation from CTO to CEO! I'm very excited to be a part of such a supportive and growing community. I know that you will apply the same tenacity, good judgement and awesomeness to this new venture as you did the last. I can't wait to see what the future will bring!

1 year ago
suzanneartist says:

Big News! Everyone should have an air mattress as an office, it might change their perspective on how to truly run a company! Here's to a successful new year to you!

1 year ago
LynnMinneyDesigns says:

welcome! how exciting, chad. i can't wait to see what is in store!

1 year ago
SarahNiebankHoffman says:

Welcome! Yes how exciting Rob! I'm fairly new on Etsy so I look forward to everything to come!

1 year ago
nancyhughesmiller says:

thanks to Rob! And looks like we're still in good hands with Chad!

1 year ago
customangelcakes says:

Congratulations and we look forward to new things and more sales! Etsy is a great community full of great people!

1 year ago
Mymothersgarden says:

Congratulations, Chad!

1 year ago
ohzie says:

congrats, chad!! Can't wait to see what you have in store for Etsy :O)

1 year ago
MursBlanc says:

three cheers!

1 year ago
peachtreelane says:

Congrats! I know all of us selling will be proud!

1 year ago
customangelcakes says:

Btw, I DO hope that this new chapter finds a way to bring back ALCHEMY! That's where I found most of my work and loved it. Hopefully it will be back soon!

1 year ago
MiriDesigns says:

Congratulations, Chad. Onward and Upward. By the way, what is the derivation of the name Etsy? On the technical side, it would be good if we could delete those "discovery" notices we all get from people in our circles which don't interest us. It becomes just a lot of clutter. Possible? Also, going about finding a shop here on Etsy is not obvious. Perhaps guidelines could be presented on the opening page when people log on. The suggestion to allow non members to be able to log on is a good one. I'm still looking forward to my first sale, joined December 2010. I'll still keep on keeping on!!!!!!!!!

1 year ago
mandalarain says:

would be great to see some advertising campaigns! would also be nice to have it so that, if i refer a potential customer to my shop, they are not constantly redirected to the rest of Etsy. this makes me more likely to refer someone to one of my other web presences other than Etsy, even though i like Etsy's format best... i miss Alchemy

1 year ago
SatzDesigns says:

This sounds like you are the man for the job! Well done on achieving your new post, I look forward to wonderful things!

1 year ago
mymothershouse says:

Chad, I extend my warmest congratulations and Rob, a sincere thank you for the vision to create such an inspiring and creative community. It has been a wonderful year's journey for me on Etsy as a buyer. And today, I am on the verge of getting my first shop established. There were oh so many changes made this past year it made my newbie head hurt and fearful of taking the big leap. While not everyone will be in agreement with the views, changes, directions within, I do implore Etsy to listen to what the sellers and buyers are saying. Or better yet ask the daily users of this site. It has always amazed me that selling venues use feedback as a metric for ranking a seller and a buyer but you never see one for the site or its components. Chad, your previous role here should prove invaluable in your new role and what lies before you. Please have a task force to improve the internal search engine as this is the number one tool for buyers to connect with a product on the site. Our next chapter I am sure will be exciting and I wish you and the Etsy world the very best. Please come back and visit NC again! Valerie

1 year ago
dodelinedesign says:

Congratulations Chad!

1 year ago
kirevi8 says:

Congrats Chad:) All the best:))

1 year ago
aedrieloriginals says:

Etsy rocks! It's so exciting to see all the new developments underway. Congratulations Chad. I'm confident you will rock on! ;)

1 year ago
AntigoniCreations says:

Congrats, Chad!

1 year ago
RobinMariaPedrero says:

Congrats Chad!

1 year ago
cheldena says:

Congratulations! I felt your excitement and enthusiasm as I read your letter to us all. How encouraging and motivating! Perhaps consider adding a very small auction format to our shops as an 'option' for us to use when we would like? Especially when many people are leaving eBay due to their extremely high prices etc, etc. I feel it would give etsy sellers even more selling versatility, exposure, including bring more sellers to etsy, and so much more. Looking forward to growing with etsy and especially during these exciting times! Thank you! Warmly, Chel

1 year ago
eklecticxplosion says:

Congrats!!! Cheers! xo

1 year ago
ponylover31 says:

Congrats!

1 year ago
Ladybuglace says:

I love your enthusiasm! Lady Bug Lace wishes the very best success with a little bit of lady bug luck!

1 year ago
meoneil says:

Congratulations all round. ♥

1 year ago
sugarcookiedolls says:

Looking forward to a positive future!

1 year ago
PaintspotsnSplinters says:

Congrats on your new role! Looking forward to great things from Etsy!

1 year ago
ForsythiaHill says:

Many congrats! I think because of all the growing pain technology problems over the last month Etsy should offer a FREE 24-hour period to renew previously

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