Episode #57: Etsy

On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast my guests are Heather Jassy, Senior Vice President of Members and Community at Etsy, and Stephanie Schacht, the Head of Responsible Seller Growth at Etsy. There's an ongoing tension as an Etsy seller between the individual and the marketplace. What do we give up and what do we gain by being part of Etsy? Over the last few years a significant portion of the seller community has really come to question some of Etsy's decisions including allowing sellers to work with manufacturing partners and handling intellectual property violations, among other issues. There have been mistakes. There have been misunderstandings. To me, one way to work on resolving some of the mistrust that now exists is to sit down together and talk and that is my goal with this podcast. I've been an Etsy seller for 10 years. I opened my shop in July of 2005 when Etsy was still in its infancy. I've ridden each wave of change to the site. For this podcast I also solicited questions from Etsy sellers and Etsy customers to help me as I drafted questions for Stephanie and Heather. This episode is sponsored by ImagineGnats, modern sewing patterns with clever details and practical techniques, fabrics for your garment sewing needs, and creative inspiration on a daily basis. Please note that this show used to be called the While She Naps podcast. The name has changed, but the content and host have stayed the same. To get the full show notes for this episode, visit Craft Industry Alliance where you can learn more about becoming a member of our supportive trade association. Strengthen your creative business, stay up to date on industry news, and build connections with forward-thinking craft professionals. Meet with show host, Abby Glassenberg, each month for our Craft Business Roundtable, get access to courses and webinars taught by industry leaders, and much more.