The Benefits of Shopping On Etsy

Here's a blog I decided to carry over from my facebook page.

So, I know by now many of you have seen my shop on Etsy.com.  For those of you who haven't, shame on you!  No, just kidding!  ;)  Anyway, for those who aren't all that familiar with Etsy, I'd like to give all of you some useful information.

Etsy.com is an online community FILLED with all sorts of shops.  However, these shops are special.  The only items you can sell on Etsy are handmade, crafting supplies, or vintage items.  Nothing else.  So, the vast majority of lovely items on there are handmade.  Instead of some large company using child slave labor in some underdeveloped country, it is made by one person or a small team of people in their home or studio.  Some may be surprised by how large of a community it really is.  For example, I have recently joined a team on Etsy that has over 6,000 members!  That's 6,000 other shops and that's just a handful of what's on there.  You can buy just about anything from jewelry, to antiques, homemade cookies, to herbal tea that was grown and packaged by the seller!  I have found dog treats, pet ID tags, baby clothes, cat toys, and a clock made from a hubcap from a 68 Impala!  These days, when I am looking for something to buy online, I look on Etsy first and I usually find what I'm looking for and at a reasonable price.  Here are the reasons I love shopping on Etsy.

1. Your item is handmade.  This is someone working out of their home and putting their blood, sweat, tears, heart, and soul into their work.  Therefore your item is likely to be top quality and not the crap you find at Wal-Mart.

2. You are stimulating the economy.  Although Etsy is worldwide and I have sold my items internationally, I only buy from shops in the U.S.  Nothing against the other countries.  I see some beautiful shops that are located overseas.  However, our economy is hurting right now and a lot of people are out of the job and have resorted to getting creative and making things at home and selling them on Etsy.  So, I would personally like to support these people.

3. You can get something original and unique.  Nick needed a clock for his garage and I need to find him a birthday gift.  Where else would I find a clock made out of an actual hubcap off of a 68-72 Impala?

4.  The prices are reasonable.  Of course there are some well known artists who sell their work at gallery prices, but if you are well known, you get to do that.  Some jewelery is a bit pricey, but when it is made out of the real deal, you can't expect it to be cheap.  However most of what you find is going to put a very LITTLE dent in your pocketbook.  It may cost more than going to Wal-Mart, but it will be better quality and it will be an original.  Not to mention, you will know who made it.

5.  You can make a lot of great connections.  I am a repeat customer of some shops and sometimes repeat customers get discounts.  It is awesome.

I also know a lot of you out there are very creative and make your own goodies.  I would like to encourage you guys and gals to start up your own shop.  It is very fast and easy and it costs very little to list items.  It is also very easy to make connections with people and generate a lot of traffic to your shop very quickly.  A lot of buyers are people who have their own shops on there.  So with that said, buy and sell Etsy.com!  It is fantastic!  Here is a list of my favorite shops:

For you tea drinkers out there.  This person grows their own herbs and packages it up into different blends of tea.  She also sends it in a cute little box with her very own artwork on it.  She makes the BEST blend of Chamomile tea.  I've suffered from insomnia for about 20 years now and this is almost the ONLY thing that knocks me out!  Check out her store!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/good4you

I love the signs made in this shop!  They are hilarious!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/saltboxsigns

These people make soap.  I got some doggie soap they made and it works very well on my Gunner.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/luxuryfalls

I got Gunner's custom pet ID tag from here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/thehappychihuahua?ref=pr_shop_more

The most HILARIOUS cat toys stuffed with REALLY potent catnip.  Very affordable and worth every penny.
http://www.etsy.com/people/OhBoyCatToy?ref=ls_profile

The funniest buttons I've ever read:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/beanforest?ref=ss_profile

I have several more favorites, but it would be easier to just check out the shops listed in the teams I've joined recently.  You can probably find anything you are looking for.
EtsyLush
http://www.etsy.com/teams/8706/etsylush?ref=pr_teams

E J Art Treasury Promo Team
http://www.etsy.com/teams/9761/e-j-art-treasury-promotion-team?ref=pr_teams

STATTEAM: Self Taught Artists Treasury
http://www.etsy.com/teams/7508/statteam

All of these teams include thousands of spectacular shops!  Check them out!