Why You Should Shop On Etsy (And The Coolest Stores To Buy From)

by Samantha Randazzo | 2:34 pm, August 3rd, 2012

We adore Etsy here at Styleite. So much so that our EIC, Verena, has furnished an entire apartment with finds from the site. We don’t just love the idea of helping talented artists to keep doing what they’re doing, we (for totally selfish reasons) love what they’re selling. So we’ve compiled a gallery of some of the best stores Etsy has to offer, as well as a list of reasons to get your cute, budget-friendly things from them instead of a fast-fashion chain.

Here are some excellent reasons to head over to Etsy next time you get the urge to do some online shopping:

1. On Etsy, you’re paying for craftsmanship, not a label. We probably don’t have to tell you how easy it is to buy a brand-name item only to realize later, when it’s falling apart, that you paid for a name instead of for quality. But these independent sellers don’t have high-end names to fall back on, so you’re much more likely to actually get what you’re paying for.
2. There’s no middleman on Etsy. Goods (excluding vintage) are made and sold by the same person, so prices are more reasonable than you would find in a store that profits by marking things up. Additionally, sellers don’t have the same overhead that brick-and-mortar stores do, which also encourages prices to stay low.
3. You’re supporting artisans. You can choose to buy American (which has been a hot topic lately) or purchase from craftsmen in your area. But even if you’re buying from a seller abroad, you’re keeping an artist’s unique vision afloat and supporting small business.
4. And last, but certainly not least, you’re getting stuff that you can’t find anywhere else. You can get things here that were custom made for you, and that’s hard to come by these days! It’s also unlikely that you’ll see anyone wearing the same thing. What you buy is uniquely yours.

Etsy is not just a place for people to hock their arts and crafts; there are some really great — and even super-fashionable — things to be had. Take a peek at our roundup of some of the coolest e-stores. To make sure you have an awesome experience should you decide to take our advice, we made sure that all sellers listed have a positive feedback rating of 99 percent or higher. And if you’re a fellow Etsy fiend with a favorite shop that isn’t mentioned here, tell us about it in the comment section below!

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