Etsy is sticking with its practice of helping sellers conduct offline transactions and gain exposure to local shoppers. This week it launched Etsy Local on the Etsy app on Android and iOS (Apple). The company explained that shoppers can use the mobile app to find items and sellers nearby, “whether they be at events like pop-ups, craft fairs, and flea markets or local shops.”
Etsy had already begun allowing shoppers who used the Etsy mobile app to receive notifications about Etsy Local events. The app also included a directory of boutiques that stock items from Etsy sellers.
Etsy sellers can add events they’re attending – and select retailers who are part of Etsy Wholesale can have their brick-and-mortar stores included on Etsy Local.
“Real-world connections between shoppers and creative entrepreneurs form the magic at the heart of the Etsy experience,” Etsy said.
When a shopper opens the Local tab in the app, recommended nearby retailers and events are tailored to their tastes, based on shops and sellers they have previously engaged with, through favoriting, purchasing, and browsing.
Etsy Local can be found on the app “Home” page – from there, shoppers click on a map or listing to view more information, including hours of operation, view images of available items, and more. “When traveling to a new destination or scoping out neighborhoods just a bit farther away, shoppers can browse their way to new locations on the map and conduct a new search to discover great Etsy shopping experiences away from home,” the marketplace said.
