Etsy

Etsy is an online global marketplace that allows entrepreneurs to create and sell unique products. The company was founded in 2005 by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Jared Tarbell and Haim Schoppick. The founders felt there was a need for an online platform for crafters and artists to sell their unique products. Today, Etsy claims to have a whopping 45 million items listed for sale, along with 1.8 million sellers and 30.6 million buyers. Within a relatively short space of time, Etsy has grown to become a leading e-commerce platform, with gross merchandise sales hitting $2.84 billion in 2016, and people buying products from all over the globe.

What’s On Offer With Etsy

Etsy allows people to sell their own products so there is no strict range of product offerings. However, the focus is on creative products, so if you are interested in unique offerings — usually handmade by a solo entrepreneur – the company promises that Etsy is the place to get them.

In addition to offering unusual products, Etsy also runs an affiliate marketing program that allows marketers to earn a commission when they refer customers to the site and the customers make a purchase. If you own a website that you would like to monetize, this might be a great channel for you to achieve that goal. As an affiliate of Etsy, you stand to make 5% commission on each sale, and the company provides pre-made creatives you can use to craft an effective marketing campaign.

Benefits of Becoming an Etsy Affiliate

Strong Brand – The Etsy brand is strong and already has a loyal market. With merchandise sales reaching excess of 2 billion last year, this is a ready market for affiliate marketers to target.

Generous commission – Etsy offers 5% on each qualifying sale. This means your earning potential is uncapped, unlike a lot of other affiliate programs that cap your earnings at a certain level.

Marketing support – Etsy offers affiliates a wide range of creatives such as banner ads and logos to choose from, which will aid in marketing campaigns. Etsy also offers a 30 day cookie period.

Etsy’s Customers

Etsy is a global operator, and according to the site, there are customers in “nearly every country” worldwide. This means that the customers are just as diverse as the world’s population is. To be more specific in developing a target market on Etsy, you might want to pick a product or a product category, and develop your market strategy based on the likely customer base for that product.