ETSY AUSTIN

This is a little delayed -- but luckily, I am posting before First Thursday, a little something Etsy Austin is going to be participating in. I wrote this article for a class, which turned out okay, but edited it down quite a bit and changed it, because blogs are way, way different than articles. No one wants to read what I had before.

A growing entrepreneurial market among Austin citizens derives itself from an existing market online: Etsy.com. Austin users of the Web site, the Etsy Austin team, are developing their own businesses, whether it’s to supplement an existing income or to make a little extra pocket money with their hobby.

Etsy Austin is a group of Austinites who use Etsy.com to sell their hand-crafted and vintage-reconstructed items on the Internet. The group, founded by Beth Hempton (Snuggle Herd) in October, has since been growing. A steady stream of Austinites are starting up Etsy Web sites and joining the Etsy Austin team each month.

The group has taken part of various craft fairs. They could have been spotted around town during SXSW handing out upcycled T-shirt messenger swag bags, filled with Etsy shop coupons and goodies. They will be taking part of First Thursday, a block party held at South Congress every first Thursday -- not to be redundant. I am assuming they will man a booth with pieces from members' stores.

The current state of the economy has affected each seller differently.

“I actually started selling on Etsy during the economic slump of the last year, in order to make a little extra money,” said April Wright. “My sales haven't been affected yet, but I am definitely giving myself a budget on arts and crafts supplies.”

“My sales have been on the incline since last year,” said Etsy store Polished’s Tracy Owens Chasteen. “Despite the sad economy, my Etsy shop sales are taking off.”

Etsy Austin
Etsy Austin Blog
+(you can find links to individual stores on here)

Some of my favorites from the stores:

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