Etsy

About Etsy

Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade goods, vintage items and craft supplies, launched on 18 June 2005 by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and Jared Tarbell. It is run by Etsy, Inc., whose main office is in Dumbo, Brooklyn, New York, and whose shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange. UK shoppers use its British storefront at etsy.com/uk.

According to Wikipedia, Etsy connected 8 million sellers with 96 million buyers at the end of 2024. Each listing belongs to an independent shop, and the seller rather than Etsy decides the price, the delivery charge and whether an item can be returned.

What Etsy sells

• Handmade products from independent makers and small studios
• Vintage pieces, which must be at least 20 years old to be listed as vintage
• Craft supplies and materials for people making their own work

Because thousands of shops sell similar items, it pays to read each listing's delivery estimate and returns terms before ordering, especially for personalised or made-to-order pieces.

Delivery and returns

Delivery charges are set by each seller through delivery profiles, either as free delivery or a fixed price, so costs differ from shop to shop. Checkout gives an estimated delivery window for every order. Etsy's buyer policy says buyers pay any customs fees, import duties or other government charges due on delivery, apart from orders delivered to the United States.

Sellers choose their own return, exchange and refund rules for each listing and do not have to accept returns unless the listing says so. Etsy's policy for sellers trading with UK buyers notes that those buyers may be entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period. If a seller has not sorted out a problem within 48 hours, the buyer can open a case: Etsy's Purchase Protection programme gives a full refund on qualifying orders that never arrive, arrive more than 7 days after the estimated window, arrive damaged or differ significantly from the listing's description or photos.