Levelling the Playing Field: Helping Small Sellers Thrive on Etsy Amidst Oversaturation

Platform: Etsy — a global marketplace for unique, handmade, and vintage goods.

The Problem: Oversaturation from mass-produced and drop-shipped products has made it difficult for small, authentic sellers to gain visibility, impacting their sales and Etsy’s reputation as a handmade-centric marketplace.

Objective: Design a solution to improve discoverability for small sellers while helping buyers easily find authentic, unique, and high-quality products.

2. Research Phase

2.1 User Interviews

User 1: Small Business Owner (Etsy Seller)

Pain Points:

• Products get buried in search results.

• Difficulty competing with cheaper, mass-produced items.

• Lack of tools to effectively market their authenticity and craftsmanship.

User 2: Artisan Shopper (Etsy Buyer)

Pain Points:

• Frustration finding genuine handmade or vintage items.

• Overwhelmed by mass-produced products in search results.

• Difficulty trusting the authenticity of sellers and products.

User 3: Niche Creator (Emerging Etsy Seller)

Pain Points:

• Struggles with visibility as a new seller.

• Hard to stand out without established reviews or sales history.

• Limited opportunities to showcase their creative process or story.

2.2 Competitor Analysis

Platforms like Depop, Folksy, and Not On The High Street excel at highlighting small businesses and independent creators. Insights from these competitors can inspire Etsy’s approach to promoting authentic sellers.

2.3 Key Insights

• Buyers want more trust signals and transparency around authenticity.

• Small sellers need more visibility and marketing support.

• Storytelling and product differentiation help buyers connect with creators.

3. Problem Statement

How might we help small and emerging sellers stand out on Etsy while making it easier for buyers to discover and support authentic, high-quality

4. Design Opportunities

4.1 Improved Search & Discovery:

• Filters: “Small Business,” “Handmade,” “Artisan Verified.”

• Highlighted sections: “Support Small Shops” and “Rising Creators.”

4.2 Enhanced Seller Profiles:

• Storytelling features: Artisan journey, creative process, materials used.

• Trust badges: “Verified Maker,” “Etsy Originals.”

4.3 Fairer Product Visibility:

• Balanced ad placements giving new and small sellers more exposure.

• Tiered visibility where handmade and vintage get organic boosts.

5. Design Solutions

5.1 Low-Fidelity Wireframes

• Redesigned Search Page with enhanced filters and visibility sections.

• Expanded Seller Profile with storytelling and trust signals.

• “Discover Small Shops” curated for unique, high-quality finds.

5.2 High-Fidelity Mockups

• Product listing with clear badges for authenticity and business size.

• Seller profile showcasing craftsmanship and behind-the-scenes stories.

• Discovery section promoting emerging and verified creators.

6. Usability Testing

Participants: The three identified user types.

• Feedback on the clarity and usefulness of the new features.

• Ease of finding and trusting small business products.

• Perception of fairness in product visibility.

7. Results & Impact:

While real-world results have not yet been measured, feedback from usability testing suggests potential for:

• Increased discoverability for small and emerging sellers.

• Better buyer trust and engagement with authentic products.

• Strengthened Etsy’s positioning as a platform for unique and handmade goods.

Next Steps:

• Collaborate with Etsy’s product and data teams to refine algorithm changes.

• Explore marketing campaigns to promote new discovery features.

• Track metrics like seller visibility, sales growth, and buyer satisfaction.

You might wonder why I chose this topic. Well, I’ve been an Etsy user and have always been fascinated by the idea of selling customized artwork on the platform. I previously ran a business in India called Happy Pitara (Box of Happiness), where I sold personalized DIY kits for birthdays and anniversaries. This experience sparked my curiosity about the kinds of products users love to buy and sell on Etsy. As both a seller and a buyer, I’ve always been a strong supporter of small-scale businesses, and this passion made me deeply invested in exploring ways to help them thrive on Etsy.