Etsy Wholesale Officially Launches

In early August, Etsy officially announced that Etsy Wholesale was no longer in beta mode and was up and running for retailers to begin seeking vendors from. Easily recognized as the most popular, online marketplace for handmade, vintage and one-of-a-kind items, Etsy is no stranger to customers… and even retailers in the past have seeked Etsy designers for their stores. It wasn’t until Etsy Wholesale came to life, however, that Etsy officially welcomed retailers to shop their curated vendors to fill store shelves.

Retailers can expect to source handmade, vintage and one-of-a-kind items on Etsy Wholesale, allowing them to also identify the location in which each vendor is based. This can help retailers aiming to offer locally made items or USA items much easier than when searching a traditional trade show or other sourcing platform. As for the costs involved? Etsy Wholesale plans to charge a one-time joining fee of $100 upon acceptance into their wholesale program, then will collect a 3.5% transaction fee for wholesale purchase orders thereafter.

It’s very exciting for us to think about these wholesale buyers — independent boutiques, museum stores, specialty shops, gift stores — as a new type of member on Etsy. Through Etsy Wholesale we offer a platform for buyers and sellers to build relationships while also provide tools and special opportunities for them as well. For example, we’re supporting  Small Business Saturday by promoting select independent retailers who source small through Etsy Wholesale. Those selected retailers will host a local Etsy seller trunkshow on November 29th, which is nationally recognized as Small Business Saturday,” Vanessa Bertozzi, Senior Program Manager of Etsy Wholesale states.

During the past year and a half that Etsy Wholesale was in beta, their team has worked on tools to integrate the Etsy.com and Etsy Wholesale platforms while also having partnered with retailers ranging from small independent boutiques to national retailers like Nordstrom and West Elm. These experiences have led them to confidently introduce Etsy Wholesale to all retailers, and we’re confident it will be a hit. But don’t take our word for it… we’re curious what you think. Let us know! Please comment below.

Photo Credit: Provided with Permission to Use from Etsy Wholesale. Image from The Salty Cottage.