Educating Etsy sellers worldwide
Our Seller Development team offers a variety of online educational programming for shop owners throughout their journeys on Etsy, ranging from tips on creating a great product listing to advice on hiring and managing employees.
Educational outreach:
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Our 2014 Holiday Boot Camp email series reached roughly 90,000 sellers around the world, helping them optimize their shops for the Etsy shopping season.
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We delivered the Etsy Success Newsletter to more than 600,000 sellers twice a week, serving up business tips and inspiration straight to their inboxes.
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We relaunched our regular Online Labs educational series, which consists of live webinars featuring lessons and Q&A sessions.
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More than 200 shop owners provided advice, support, and inspiration to fellow sellers through Seller Handbook articles
Closer look: Seller Handbook
Our “Quit Your Day Job” feature on Gabriela Hughes, founder of Etsy shop India y la Luna, garnered more than 600 comments from fellow sellers, who were inspired by the story of the single mom running a jewelry business from her eco-conscious home in the Argentine countryside. The article “7 Steps to a Successful Start on Etsy,” which got the most unique clicks of any story published in 2014, offered sage tips from Etsy sellers who’ve been there. Visit the Seller Handbook to peruse more posts.
Building personal relationships
Fostering genuine connections between our global community of Etsy shop owners is a top priority for the Seller Development team. In 2014 we invited sellers to our offices, hosted in-person workshops, and sponsored local events.
Real-world meetups
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Almost 1,000 sellers attended our monthly Craft Night in Etsy’s Brooklyn headquarters last year. Sellers also visited the office regularly throughout the year for lunches and tours.
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Ongoing, in-person workshops in our Brooklyn and Hudson offices helped creative entrepreneurs start Etsy shops. We also took to the road and held workshops for Etsy shop owners in cities around the world, from Dallas, Texas, to Dundee, Scotland.
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Etsy supported more than 300 Craft Parties in 49 countries around the globe. Learn More
Closer look: Craft Party 2014
Etsy Craft Party, now in its sixth year, celebrates meeting and making globally. The event, which in the past has taken place on the same day, will be expanded to span two days in 2015. In 2014 we encouraged Craft Party attendees to transform old photographs into display-worthy works of art using a variety of craft supplies and innovative techniques, including needlepoint. Etsy helped members around the world to organize their own Craft Parties or find one near them. We provided digital party kits, promotional support, and stories packed with party tips and creative inspiration on the Etsy blog. Check out party pictures from around the world here.
Crafting an inclusive economy
Craft Entrepreneurship is an in-person, educational program that empowers creative people in underserved communities to build pathways to entrepreneurship through Etsy.
Classes hosted in partnership with local governments and organizations allow participants to gain the expertise and knowledge to turn their craft skills into microbusinesses that can earn them extra income.
Since launching the program in Rockford, Illinois, in 2013, we’ve worked with diverse nonprofit and government partners in over 10 cities across the U.S. and U.K. By offering a real-world education in entrepreneurship, we have served over 500 individuals who have gone on to open nearly 450 Etsy shops. Hands-on, engaging, and empowering programming has helped these organizations better connect with creative individuals in underserved communities.
In October we convened a roundtable discussion with our partnering organizations to gain insights about their challenges in serving local maker communities. They shared best practices and successes. The roundtable resulted in a network for ongoing support among these organizations.
Brandi, owner of purlBknit
We’re excited to see many of our partners going beyond the Craft Entrepreneurship classes, offering additional services like one-on-one business coaching for alumni and hosting a holiday “Makers Market” for participants at the New York City Department of Small Business Services. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, our partners at the Public Library are creating studio spaces that can be “checked out” by students to alleviate some of the stresses of working from home.
Craft Entrepreneurship will expand to many more locations in 2015, including our first sites in countries outside the U.S. and U.K.. We’re launching an online application system for local governments, nonprofits, and Etsy sellers to get involved. Learn more by visiting etsy.com/craftentrepreneurship.