Technology

Etsy pushes wholesale business out of test mode

TechnologyAug 18, 2014

Etsy pushes wholesale business out of test mode

Aiming to get its products in more stores across the country, Etsy, the popular marketplace for handmade goods, officially has launched its wholesale division to allow retailers access to products from smaller designers. 

081914_Etsy-Article.jpg
The Porcelain&Stone brand, which created the piece pictured here, is currently showing in the Etsy Pavilion at the NY NOW trade show as the online marketplace launches its new wholesale business.

New York--Aiming to get its products in more stores across the country, Etsy, the popular marketplace for handmade goods, officially has launched its wholesale division to allow retailers access to products from smaller designers.

As opposed to the traditional Etsy.com platform, both buyers and sellers have to go through an application process to be approved and begin activity on Etsy Wholesale.

Sellers will pay a one-time $100 joining fee upon acceptance, with Etsy collecting a 3.5 percent transaction fee for wholesale purchases after that. Etsy Wholesale is free for buyers.

Another major difference between the two is that Etsy Wholesale is a much more curated shopping experience for a buyer, the company said--traditional Etsy has more than 1 million sellers while the wholesale business has about 1,500.

Etsy Wholesale, which the company called “a step into the future of retail buying” in the blog announcement it made earlier this month, will offer retailers the chance to carry unique items that will help set them apart from the competition.

Features on the site include ready-to-shop linesheets from buyers as well as search functions that allow retailers to find products that fit their price ranges. Sellers also can use a “guest pass” for their buyers who are not yet registered on the site to invite them to shop their linesheets.

In addition, Etsy Wholesale provides seller and buyer profiles to get the background information and stories to go with the brand or store.

Etsy first announced it was launching a wholesale division last year and has been testing it out in beta mode. The company said that during the beta phase, feedback from buyers and sellers helped them create the user tools and seamless integration between Etsy.com and Etsy Wholesale, between which many sellers move back and forth.

Etsy also previously partnered with retailers such as Nordstrom and West Elm to test carrying the site’s handmade goods in their stores.

Etsy Wholesale officially is launching with its presence at the trade-only NY NOW show, which covers the home, lifestyle and gift markets and currently is taking place now through Aug. 20 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Pier 94 in New York City.

At the show, 24 exhibitors across the home and lifestyle categories will be showcasing their handmade goods at the Etsy Wholesale Pavilion (Booth No. 9000). The booth also will include a lounge to

allow retailers a place to digitally access the entire Etsy Wholesale community.

The company also announced that in the coming months they have a number of initiatives planned to promote the platform’s independent sellers.

Etsy Wholesale will support Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29 by encouraging retailers to source products from local Etsy sellers and host trunk shows. Participating retailers will receive a trunk show kit with promotional material, a $25 gift card to purchase supplies from Etsy sellers and a $50 American Express Shop Small Reward Card, according to the company. 


Editor's Note: This story was revised on August 19 to reflect that sellers aren't approved on traditional Etsy; anyone can open a shop as long as they follow the guidelines.

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

Louis Comfort Tiffany Poppy lampshade drawing
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The Met

The exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.

Spinelli Kilcollin Inara Ring
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ Collection

Marquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.

Ft. Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show logo
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to Florida

The inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.

1872-x-1052-July-ad (1).png
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying Events

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

Karl Getschel and Bob Yanega of Smyth Jewelers
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth Location

The family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.

Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Stock image of a gavel
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy

Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.

Paul Morelli Wavey Vine Earrings
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace Color

The reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.

Brought-To-By-Article-Top-Image.jpg
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center Stage

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

Cover.jpg
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk About

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

Two Pandora Talisman pendants
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Fall

In the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.

Cuckoo Cuckoo Cadbury Conundrum egg
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction Record

The 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Picture of 2,488 carat rough diamond next to tweezers, a golf ball, and a loupe
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner

Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.

John Hardy Heishi Collection Campaign Imagery
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with Color

The expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.

Jean Dousset Westfield Valley Fair
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third Store

The lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.

Legacy emerald
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’

The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.

Surveillance image of jewelry thieves
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap Scheme

Two suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.

The Finsch Diamond Mine in South Africa, owned by Petra Diamonds Ltd.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to Close

Finsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.

Stock image of gavel, handcuffs, and law books
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of Boss

Michel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.

Beth Miller Frederick Goldman
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of Sales

Longtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.

Verdura unicorn brooch
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction

The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.

Jamie Cygielman
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, Banter

Jamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.

Richard Moore
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69

Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.

National Jeweler columnists Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen Z

Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.

NAJA logo
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual Conference

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.

QVC Group logo
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEO

QVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.

State Property Lorenz Station Bracelet
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ Collection

The brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.

Ostbye receiving Vendor of the Year trophy at 2026 IJO show
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is …

Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy