What Is Etsy Studio? Online Craft Supply Store To Help Empower Sellers, Grow Community

Forget trekking to the fabric store or having to locate the nearest Michael’s — commerce site Etsy will soon be rolling out its very own craft supply center for its users.

Etsy Inc. announced Tuesday its plans to launch Etsy Studio, a new hub for craft supplies and the first online marketplace the company has rolled out in 11 years. The marketplace will not only offer all types of everyday craft materials customers can search for by category — think "yarn type" or "bead size" — but it will also have a section designed to spark new ideas. Users will be able to navigate the inspiration tab to find new creative DIY projects or endeavors, complete with a list of needed supplies and step-by-step how-to’s for each project.

By its April launch, the Etsy Studio will feature almost 8 million items. Craft and supply sellers will be brought on over the next few weeks leading up to the official launch. The goal, in a nutshell, is to expand upon its rich community of creators, chief operating officer Linda Findley Kozlowski, told International Business Times Tuesday at Etsy’s Brooklyn headquarters.

“Our community of sellers is pretty unique in that they are some of the most loyal, passionate and engaged groups of sellers that’s possible," she said. "It will make it a lot easier for our existing handmade sellers to find the things they need in order to make what they will sell on Etsy, but also it gives those sellers who are selling craft supplies — or maybe selling both — a chance to really expand their audience."

Etsy has been a go-to source for unique crafted pieces since its launch in 2005 and has long sought to put the power back into the makers' hands. Its sellers now operate within 99 percent of U.S. counties, and in a bid to streamline the business aspect of managing an Etsy Store, the company also announced its new Shop Manager interface. Orders, listings, finances and buyer messages will be available all in one place. Users will also be able to easily navigate between the Sales Channels for Etsy Wholesale and the Pattern channel, as well.

The idea behind Manager, according to Etsy chairman and chief executive officer Chad Dickerson, is that it should help users to effectively start, manage and scale their business from one platform.

With 1.7 million active sellers, Etsy has become an important source for buyers and sellers around the world. About 32 percent of those sellers support themselves in a creative business full time, and Tuesday's announcements are intended to cater directly to their needs.

The new marketplace "is a huge opportunity for these small sellers to really make their mark and be able to live their lives as independent, creative entrepreneurs, but serving a big need in the market by selling something that’s a unique craft supply you might not be able to find somewhere else,” Kozlowski said.