When Did EtsyCome Out?
Etsy launched in June 2005 from Brooklyn, New York. From a small apartment to a $13 billion marketplace, here's the complete timeline of when Etsy came out and how it grew.
📅Quick Answer: When Did Etsy Come Out?
Etsy launched in June 2005. Key dates:
- June 2005 - Official launch from Brooklyn, NY
- 2007 - First major funding ($3.25M Series A)
- April 16, 2015 - IPO on NASDAQ at $16/share
- Today - 20+ years old with 90M+ buyers
Etsy was created by Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik to give artisans a dedicated online marketplace for handmade goods.
The Story Behind Etsy's 2005 Launch
🪵2004: A Carpenter's Problem
Rob Kalin was a 25-year-old carpenter and NYU photography student who made beautiful handmade wooden furniture. He had a problem: there was nowhere good to sell it online. eBay was filled with mass-produced goods. Amazon wasn't for individual artisans. No platform existed specifically for makers and craftspeople.
💡Early 2005: Building the Solution
Kalin teamed up with two web developers he met through GetCrafty.com: Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik. Working from a small Brooklyn apartment, the three built the initial Etsy platform in just a few months. Their vision: an online craft fair where artisans could sell directly to buyers who valued handmade goods.
🚀June 2005: Etsy Officially Launches
In June 2005, Etsy went live. The platform was simple: sellers could list handmade items for 20 cents each, set their own prices, and manage their own shops. Buyers could discover unique products they couldn't find anywhere else. Brooklyn's vibrant maker community became the first users, spreading the word through craft circles and local markets.
📈2005-2007: Early Growth
Word spread quickly through craft communities. By end of 2005, thousands of sellers had joined. In 2007, Etsy raised $3.25 million in Series A funding, which accelerated growth. The platform gained hundreds of thousands of users, proving there was massive demand for a handmade marketplace.
Complete Etsy Timeline: 2005 to Today
The Idea Is Born
Rob Kalin, a carpenter, conceives the idea for a handmade goods marketplace after struggling to sell his furniture online.
Etsy Launches
Etsy officially launches from Brooklyn, NY. Founded by Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik.
First Major Funding
Etsy raises $3.25 million in Series A funding, enabling rapid platform expansion and hiring.
First Leadership Change
Rob Kalin steps down as CEO. Maria Thomas takes over leadership of the growing company.
B Corp Certification
Etsy becomes one of the first major tech companies to achieve B Corporation certification.
IPO on NASDAQ
Etsy goes public at $16/share, valued at $1.8 billion. Stock trades under ticker "ETSY."
New CEO Era
Josh Silverman becomes CEO, initiating major platform improvements and seller-focused changes.
Reverb Acquisition
Etsy acquires Reverb, a musical instrument marketplace, for $275 million.
COVID-19 Boom
Pandemic drives massive e-commerce growth. Etsy sales exceed $10 billion for the first time.
Depop Acquisition
Etsy acquires Depop for $1.625 billion, expanding into Gen-Z fashion resale market.
Today
Etsy is a $13B+ marketplace with 90M+ buyers, 8M+ sellers across 230+ countries worldwide.
Why Etsy Needed to Come Out in 2005
Before Etsy launched, no major platform focused on handmade goods
| Platform | Focus | Handmade Support | The Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay (1995) | Auction-style, mass-market goods | Not focused on artisans | Handmade items got lost among mass-produced goods |
| Amazon (1994) | Books → Everything | No handmade focus until much later | Not designed for individual makers |
| Craigslist (1995) | Local classifieds | Some crafts sold locally | Too local, no e-commerce features |
| Etsy (2005) | Handmade, vintage, craft supplies | Built specifically for artisans | Filled the gap perfectly |
Etsy's Growth Since Coming Out
From 1,000 sellers in 2005 to 8 million+ today
| Year | Active Sellers | Active Buyers | Annual GMV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | ~1,000 | ~5,000 | $170K |
| 2007 | ~450K | ~1M | $26M |
| 2010 | ~800K | ~5M | $314M |
| 2015 | 1.5M | 22M | $2.4B |
| 2020 | 4.4M | 81M | $10.3B |
| 2026 | 8M+ | 90M+ | $13B+ |
GMV = Gross Merchandise Value (total sales on platform). Numbers are approximate based on public reports.
Etsy Today: 20+ Years Since Launch
Key Moments Since Etsy Came Out
📈2015: IPO Milestone
Ten years after launch, Etsy went public on NASDAQ at $16/share. The IPO valued the company at $1.8 billion, validating the founders' vision for a handmade marketplace.
April 16, 2015 - Ticker: ETSY
🎯2017: New Leadership
Josh Silverman became CEO, bringing a focus on seller success and platform improvements. Under his leadership, Etsy revenue grew from $441M (2017) to over $2.7B (2022).
Major platform updates and seller tools followed
🌍2020: Pandemic Growth
COVID-19 accelerated e-commerce. Etsy's gross sales doubled to $10.3 billion. Mask makers joined the platform, and millions discovered selling from home.
Active sellers grew from 2.7M to 4.4M in one year
🛒2021: Major Acquisitions
Etsy expanded beyond its core with $1.625B acquisition of Depop (Gen-Z fashion) and continued building on the 2019 Reverb (music gear) acquisition.
Creating a family of marketplace brands
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you want to know about when Etsy came out and its history.
This guide provides historical information about Etsy based on publicly available sources. Company statistics and dates may vary slightly by source. Check official Etsy sources for current information.
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