Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Branding

Bringing Craft Back: A Netnographic Study of Etsy as an Online Marketplace Community

Authors: Tiffany Machado Blanchflower (University of North Carolina at Greensboro) , Nancy Hodges (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)

Abstract

With over 800,000 sellers and total sales reaching $80 million, Etsy has experienced tremendous success since its introduction in 2005 (Hall, 2013). Bringing artists, crafters, collectors, and consumers together around handmade and vintage products as well as supplies, Etsy has developed into an online marketplace centered on the crafting community. Previous research on consumption communities has primarily examined communities formed through interest in brands (Cova, 1997; Muñiz & O’Guinn, 2001).

Keywords: Community, craft, Etsy, online marketplace

How to Cite: Machado Blanchflower, T. & Hodges, N. (2013) “Bringing Craft Back: A Netnographic Study of Etsy as an Online Marketplace Community”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings. 70(1).