Anninka E. Barry delves into Etsy , capsule an online hub of creativity and commerce

Haven’t heard of etsy.com yet? CHANGE THAT! It’s the next big internet shopping craze. Etsy.com is a New York based artisan style website for handmade and vintage items. From jewellery to clothes to home and living, viagra it’s got it all. With over twenty categories to look through, there’s no doubt you’ll find something that you like.

First set up in 2005, Etsy is the brainchild of Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik, and Jared Tarbell, and has continued to grow, handling $400 million in sales in 2010. The offices are cool, the staff is young and the atmosphere is relaxed, it’s the pinnacle of a second wave dot com success story.  Etsy.com is a site which welcomes both fine art and handmade crafts. So whether you are a professional artist looking to make a living or simply a hobbyist making a few bob on the side, esty.com is your market. It’s become a sort of a community where artisans of all kinds can connect with each other, making it a captivating site for us to browse around. It’s a very easy to use site, and has the air of a craft fair except everything is at one online destination. You could spend so much time looking through all the site has to offer; even the iPhone cover category is simply amazing! And no matter what you are looking for you’re sure to find it. The pricing on the site is reasonable, although shipping is extra seeing as the site is American based. However, it’s worth every cent.  The products you are getting are like no other, they’re unique and tell a story.

As I mentioned Esty.com not only sells handmade items but also sells vintage pieces. One stipulation of the site is that vintage pieces must be at least 20 years old.  Although the pricing can be a little steeper, it’s not hard to see why. The vintage items which they have in stock are simply breath-taking, the wedding dresses in particular. One of the categories in the wedding section is called “alternative”, it’s one of my favorite categories to look through. Check it out, the dresses are a tiny bit edgier and a bit different to the norm.  Even if you don’t plan on buying , it’s worth a look just for inspiration.

The sites jewelry section is incredibly popular, as the selection is far greater than what one might find on the high street. The key to finding items on the site is to and assess what terms are being used for the style of items you like, the general Etsy term  to describe a style might be something different to what you would usually use.

So whether you are simply looking to waste a few hours having a look through the categories, find some inspiration for your next outfit or purchase some pieces, esty.com is your place to go. It’s hard to click out of the site without purchasing something!