Etsy Says Humans Matter More; Mug Wants It In Writing
Etsy grew active buyers for the first time in two years and is leaning into AI. Handmade goods have been advised to keep their receipts.
BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Etsy said Wednesday that artificial intelligence will fundamentally change how people discover and shop, and that it is leaning into that change, while also arguing that human creativity and craftsmanship will matter even more as AI makes products easier to copy. The nation's handmade goods received the statement without comment, except for several that asked whether "even more" could be quantified, and by when.
According to Retail Dive, Etsy's third-quarter gross merchandise sales rose 8.8% to $2.6 billion, revenue rose nearly 11% to $692.5 million, and active buyers grew 1% to about 88 million, the first increase in two years. Last week the company banned AI-generated functional guides such as patterns and recipes, and now requires every listing to include at least one real product image.
"I was thrown on a wheel by a woman named Deb who cried twice during my glaze," said a fictional 12-ounce stoneware mug listed in Asheville, North Carolina. "I would like the word 'paradox' removed from any sentence about me until I have spoken to a lawyer, or at least to Deb."
I was thrown on a wheel by a woman named Deb who cried twice during my glaze…
The mug's concern is shared widely. A fictional survey of 640 handmade listings by this newspaper found that 27% now want a certificate of authenticity, 18% are reorganizing their thumbprints so they read better on camera, and one quilt said it did not understand the question but appreciated being asked.
AI shopping agents, for their part, raised no objections. This reporter has now typed the word "agentic" three times this week. It is Thursday. A fictional AI shopping assistant, asked to find "something that feels uniquely right" for a nephew, returned 41 crocheted frogs and an apology. (I asked it twice. It returned 41 different frogs and the same apology.)
Etsy's new rules have already changed behavior on the platform, according to no one official. A fictional seller in Portland, Oregon, said she photographed her hand-poured candle 63 times to make sure it was unmistakably real. "The flame came out a little blurry," she said. "That is how you know."
Continued on page A6, which was knitted by hand and is slightly uneven on purpose
