Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik co-founded Etsy in 2005.
Etsy was created as an online marketplace for handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies. The founders launched it in New York City to give independent makers a dedicated place to sell products directly to buyers.
The marketplace differed from general-purpose auction and retail sites by emphasizing individual creative businesses and distinctive goods. Over time, Etsy developed tools for listings, payments, shipping, advertising, and seller analytics while retaining its focus on smaller merchants.
Etsy is sometimes confused with eBay because both are online marketplaces, but their original identities were different. eBay began as AuctionWeb and centered on auctions, whereas Etsy was designed around handmade and vintage commerce. Depop and Redbubble also serve creative sellers, but they are separate companies.