Nov 18, 2015

The Etsy Wholesale Retailer Commitments launches

Etsy is launching the Etsy Wholesale Retailer Commitments — a set of guidelines that asks large retailers to evolve their businesses practices to support independent designers. Etsy Wholesale is a private area of the Etsy marketplace where retailers can discover and buy products from wholesale-ready independent designers.

The traditional wholesale practices of these retailers can present operational and financial challenges to small independent designers. For example, an independent designer is likely to be operating without a staff to oversee logistics, making it difficult for her to adhere to complex vendor compliance restrictions, and is likely without the capital to invest in large orders up-front. In an effort to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships, we have introduced the Etsy Wholesale Retailer Commitments; starting today, Etsy Wholesale will require all large Retail Partners to agree to these guidelines.

These are The Etsy Wholesale Retailer Commitments:

• Pay the price listed on the seller’s Etsy Wholesale line sheet (for at least the first six months).
• Offer Etsy sellers quick and fair payment terms.
• Provide Etsy sellers with a personal point of contact to assist with supplier compliance, penalty avoidance and vendor set up.
• Respect the Etsy seller’s intellectual property.
• Recognize product authorship in stores and online. Whenever possible, include the name of the designer in product merchandising.
• Work with Etsy sellers to respect their values and preferences related to the production process and material selection of their products.

As of Sept. 30, 2015, the Etsy Wholesale community has grown to include nearly 11,000 retailers and more than 4,500 sellers; we’re incredibly proud to announce our four flagship Retail Partners who are leading the way in making these Commitments: Whole Foods Market, The Land of Nod, Lou & Grey, and our newest Retail Partner, Macy’s.

Read more about the Commitments at www.etsy.com/wholesale/partners and find out more in our announcement on the Etsy News blog.