I’ve just recently returned from a quick trip to Montreal, and am still formulating my thoughts (and photos)…
In the meantime, check out this “Ottawa” search, on the Etsy geo-locator. Click around and explore some of the Ottawa-based shops like CrazyBliss, Artwork by H.A.Sullivan, and ScatterJoy.
If you haven’t already heard of Etsy, you must have been living in a parallel universe. Launched in 2005 by young entrepreneurs Rob Kalin, Chris Macguire, Haim Schoppick, Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade goods. It connects artists, designers and crafters directly to a global market of consumers, and enables them to make a living making things.
To be clear, these boys had a vision: “..to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy. Sell and Live Handmade.”
If you have any doubt, here are their stats:
Total Members: over 1 million
Total Sellers: 185,000
Items Currently Listed: over 1.9 million
Total $ sold (Gross Merchandise Sales)
2005 = $166,000
2006 = $3.8 million
2007 = $26 million
2008 (to date) = $35 million
Click here for a look at the media coverage about Etsy, or watch this great video that sums it all up brilliantly!
Have you ever bought or sold on Etsy?
