Big feature in the NY Times MagazineDec 17 2007

Big feature in the NY Times Magazine about online craftsters, specifically Etsy. Thought that this bit about the downside of the site was especially interesting:

Others grouse about another side effect, price pressure: The competition is so intense on the site that new crafters can't break out, and some established ones feel they cannot raise their prices. That's a particularly thorny problem if part of your sales pitch is that you've made a thing yourself; a careful artisan can't respond to lower prices with greater volume.

Artisanship doesn't scale, apprentices take time to train, and people buy products based on price. How do artisans compete?

Speaking of cool Etsy shops, elastiCo isSep 17 2007

Speaking of cool Etsy shops, elastiCo is selling pillows and tshirts with the most popular Google News search terms printed on them.

I'm a light Etsy user, but LostSep 05 2007

I'm a light Etsy user, but Lost Mitten has a great store: Super Mario Bros drink coasters, Katamari Damacy buttons, Bob-omb needlepoint patch, etc. I'm a proud owner of a set of Bubble Bobble coasters. She takes custom orders, will reissue sold items, and all her stuff is 20% off until Thu. (Know of any good Etsy stores? Share them in the comments.)