Etsy

I'm ashamed to say that I'm just now getting around to visiting Etsy.com even though I've been hearing about it for a while. I was so impressed with the site right from the start - clean and easy to navigate. I'm just starting to nose around the jewelry section and already I've found a few things that I really LOVE. This is a great site for one-of-kind, Anthropologie-esque pieces at a great price (and a fun way to sell your work for those creative types out there.) I'm just scratching the surface of the gazillions of things you can find on Etsy so expect another post about other categories soon.

Here are a few of my favorite pieces of jewelry so far. From top to bottom: Long Opalite and Gold Chain Necklace ($45.00), Hammered Sterling Silver Earrings ($32.00), Constellation Cuff by Stamp ($34.00), Jadite Glass Cocktail Ring ($15.00) and Chalcedony and Sterling Silver Earrings ($21.00).


For those of you not yet familiar with Etsy, it is a website that allows users to buy and sell handmade items. Similar to eBay, the company charges users a flat listing fee (of 20 cents per items), and takes a commission of 3.5% off all items sold. Etsy has a very slick Flash interface, which, combined with a smart taxonomy for listing items, makes it easy for users to find items, and helps sellers improve visibility. Items are listed under broad categories, such as Accessories, Clothing, Art, etc., and further listed under user-defined tags. Since its launch in June 2005, the site has continually added new widgets and features, and has seen corresponding growth. As of December 2007, the site boasts over 100,000 registered sellers, and has seen over 2 million sales.