Etsy was founded in 2005 as an online marketplace for handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies.
Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik launched Etsy in Brooklyn, New York. The service was designed to give independent makers a place to sell products directly to buyers, rather than competing for shelf space in traditional stores.
Etsy is often confused with general-purpose marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon. Its original identity was more closely tied to handmade and creative merchandise, although its categories later expanded. Etsy went public on the Nasdaq in 2015, a separate milestone from its founding date.