Etsy.com is a website that allows people to sell their handmade items. People can choose to sell everything from clothes, housewares, jewelry, to digitally illustrated art prints! It is pretty much an Ebay for handmade items. It costs 20 cents to list an item and anything that is sold, Etsy.com gets 3.5% of the selling price. It is a great site for artists of all types who want to get their pieces shown to a very large amount of people and actually get some cash for it and at least get the money that the artist used to make the product. You get to choose the price of your item and everything. What is really great is that some artists allow you to ask for personalized items. People can request for things like specific colors used in a particular necklace or painting. What's really awesome is that people can tweet or Facebook about your "store" or a specific piece right from the site, so there is opportunity to gain an even bigger audience than just the Etsy.com shoppers. Some artists have giant stores with pages and pages of items. Many artists have tons of fans and have made names for themselves through this site.
I wouldn't say it's a great replacement for a job but at least you can make a store made from your design work that isn't made for a client. You could even gain some fans. I think as design students we are always looking for ways to make a name for ourselves in this very competitive field. At the end of the day it is yet another avenue that we have to get out work shown to the public with the added bonus of some possible money.
I looked up reviews on the site and as I expected people complained about poor customer service from sellers. It is a site that is pretty much an Ebay for handmade goods. These handmade goods are sold by sellers with Paypal accounts to manage their transactions so of course you run the risk of dealing with a seller who doesn't really know how to run a proper store but as a seller, buyers can write positive or negative comments on about your customer service/product(s). I haven't read about the site itself cheating artists in anyway but we should always approach sites with caution anyway. All of us should practice safe shopping on sites like this so it is best to read reviews of the artist and make sure that you see that the seller has a good track record.
I don't know about you all but something like Etsy.com would help me keep creating pieces after we come out of college and don't have the structure of a class to finalize pieces. I worry about it sometimes. I know I will always keep doing art but I know that I am always used to a class structure which offers me the encouragement to get things done in a timely fashion. I feel like I will get out of college and be consumed with doing work for clients that I may or may not like. With no projects that are graded I worry I might have trouble finalizing pieces made for my own satisfaction. Hopefully not but it is something I think about.
Etsy. com is also one of those sites that are effective at allowing the artist to gain recognition for their artwork and to promote and put themselves out there. Very informative post!
ReplyDeleteI feel like Esty.com would be a great site for me if I decide to do some work on the side as a hobby, after graduating. I will probably need some extra cash. Great post and looking forward to checking out the site.
ReplyDeleteEtsy does have some cool art and other things as well.
ReplyDeletei know someone who uses this site to sell her hand-made jewelry. i think it is a great way to make money off of your own personal projects. in regards to worrying about working outside the structure of the classroom, i wouldn't. i have been in enough classes with you to know that you have a strong and meticulous work ethic. i think that's a characteristic that will continue post-graduation.
ReplyDeleteI also know someone who sells hand-made jewelry on the site, that's very popular on there! And they're very creative, something you can't buy by the thousands in a jewelry store that would have it at a comparative price.
ReplyDeleteI love Etsy! I've bought some stuff off there, and keep meaning to try out their Alchemy program (which is essentially a job-bidding section of the site). It's great that there are these alternative venues for getting your work noticed and making some money off the product of your labor.
ReplyDeleteEtsy is great! I have a few friends who use the site to sell hand made purses and other clothing items that they create, as well as vintage items! Although many art objects and vintage/fashion paraphernalia can be found on eBay, Etsy has the DIY appeal that eBay really lacks. Quite an abundance of gems can be found on this site! Great post!
ReplyDeleteWow, I have never heard of this, very cool! And I agree with your last paragraph because I too feel like I am in the same boat where I am used to the structure of class to get things done. I think the thing to think about is that yeah, you won't have the structure of class but you will be able to make more time to do something with design that you really love without having the guidelines of class to pay attention to. You can use your own imagination and do whatever you want because it is your art and it would probably be on a subject that you are really interested in doing. Therefore, you will be excited to finish it because it is your own idea and you set your own boundaries of what the project will look like. (I hope this makes sense :-) )
ReplyDeleteI have never used Etsy, but it seems like a creditable site to establish yourself as an artist and a creator. It's always nice to find companies that allow people to showcase their work without trying to squeeze every last dollar out of you. It's refreshing to see places that are focusing on the work and its products and are not solely about making money. I agree with you in that it could help support anyone who is having a hard time trying to establish as well as support themselves. I am in the Art & Design III class and we have to work with schools and other programs that help support communities and neighborhoods that are facing problems specific to their communities. My group works with high schools students that are enrolled in an art class and they will be using the Etsy site to better themselves and their environment. The work they make in class that gets sold on the website gives them opportunity to make their own money in a productive way while supporting the program, half of the money goes in their pockets and the other half goes to support the program and others like peer mediation, anger management, etc. The kids grow up in areas of Chicago that are filled with violence, drugs, etc. and this program through the capabilities of Etsy can potentially teach them entrepreneurship skills and how to do things that can better their future.
ReplyDeleteI use Etsy.com often, and actually my older sister has listed over 800 items over the course of a few years in everything from childrens' clothing to jewelry. She really does depend on it for income since she works from home and can watch their 3 year old while her husband works. I have an account and sometimes post projects I make here and there. I haven't sold anything yet, but I'm trying!
ReplyDeleteEtsy is great! I have friends that sell jewelry from there and I've also bought some nice crafts.
ReplyDeleteIf I won the lottery, I'd probably blow it all on Etsy stuff. I've gotten the best Christmas shopping out of that site...
ReplyDeleteGreat post! And I will definitely keep this in mind.
ReplyDeleteGreat site I find myself shopping on there all the time, its becoming a problem.
ReplyDeleteI have the same worries about not finishing personal projects after school. I guess it really just boils down to how motivated you are to become a better artist. The only person you have to answer is yourself.
ReplyDeleteI just found out about this site a few weeks ago- they have some great design examples for prints and stationary. A great place for those projects that are self motivated, ones you've always wanted to do, but never had the time or chance.
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