This project focuses on investigating the difficulties artisanal sellers encounter while operating on the Etsy platform. By conducting in-depth research and analysis, the aim was to pinpoint specific challenges they face, such as fees, engagement metrics and competition from mass-produced goods. The ultimate goal was to propose targeted design interventions that directly address these issues, thereby enhancing the overall experience for artisanal sellers on Etsy.
The principles of service design that are outlined in Mark Stickdorn’s book guided me in making an outline for this case study.
Crafting and selling handmade goods represent a departure from large-scale manufacturing and has been historically viewed as an alternative to capitalist production methods. Etsy was a company that was started to promote artisans who were selling handmade goods. Despite Etsy's public commitment to supporting small-scale artisans, does their branding truly reflect these values? Through speculative design, this project delves into how Etsy can better champion small scale artisanal sellers. While global supply chains offer convenience, they also carry substantial environmental and social costs. Originally conceived to address labor issues within these supply chains, the focus shifted to examining Etsy's support for artisans.
After reading about Etsy, I compiled my research in a mind map and came up with insights that I wanted to investigate further. Those are pictured below.
After identifying the issues, I set out to either validate or invalidate what I had thought would be the most pressing issues that sellers would want to get solved.
After investigating further I decided to focus in on the issues that handmade Etsy sellers were having on the platform. These most notable issues were:
After I had mapped out the most prominent issues for Etsy sellers that I had uncovered using secondary research, I reached out to schedule interviews with actual Etsy sellers to gain a first hand account of the issues they were facing on the platform. I reached out to the sellers in a variety of ways:
Thankfully, there were a few sellers who were interested in talking with me. Before we met, I had them fill in a pre-interview questionnaire:
To the right are the insights from the interviews that I had with two Etsy sellers. One interviewee had a shop dedicated to selling handmade clay and acrylic jewelry and the second interviewee had a shop that sold handmade flower crowns and accessories.
After gathering these insights I was able to narrow in on creating products that would solve for the most pressing issues I found that Etsy sellers were facing: Competition with mass produced goods, SEO/Search, and remaining a star-seller.
To tackle the issue of mass-produced goods competing with handmade items on the Etsy platform, I developed a tool aimed at enhancing transparency for Etsy stores. Through interviews and insights gathered fromEtsy sellers, I discovered a strong desire for greater customization of their shops and profiles. Many sellers find it challenging to achieve this level of personalization. My add-on addresses this by enabling sellers to showcase more aspects of their business to consumers, providing a clearer view of their supply chains and reinforcing their commitment to handmade goods.
One significant problem is the difficulty consumers face in finding genuine handmade sellers. This is also an issue for sellers since their consumers cannot easily identify whether their shop sells handmade goods or not. The current Etsy sorting system does not effectively highlight handmade sellers, making it hard for these unique businesses to stand out. To combat this, I implemented a "Handmade Badge" feature. This badge helps users quickly identify authentic handmade sellers, making their search experience more efficient and ensuring that handmade artisans receive the recognition they deserve.
I used Adobe Illustrator to create the mock-ups of these badges on the left.
Maintaining the status of a star seller on Etsy requires considerable time and effort. Recognizing this, I created the "Seller Activity Deck." This tool provides a transparent overview of a seller's activities, enabling them to identify areas needing improvement. The prototype is designed to reflect the multitude of routine tasks a handmade seller must manage to maintain their "Star Seller" status. By presenting this information in a way that highlights the extensive effort involved, the viewer gains a deeper appreciation for the dedication and hard work required from handmade sellers.
Given the case study's scope, I couldn't circle back to test my design interventions with the individuals I interviewed. However, I believed the project didn't require further iterations. I aimed for it to stand independently, showcasing the diverse range of solutions necessary to enhance the Etsy platform for all stakeholders but especially sellers.
It is also interesting to note that as of June 5, 2024 - Etsy is grappling with the issues I uncovered in this project, namely removing mass-produced goods off of their platform. Read more here: How Etsy is Trying To Win Back Shoppers Amid Rise of Temu and Shein.
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