Etsy invited sellers to participate in the Etsy Cyber Week sale. Because it manages payments on behalf of sellers, it can promote such sales on behalf of sellers without having to subsidize the sales itself.
In order to participate, sellers must be willing to mark down products by 20%. Note that Cyber Week generally encompasses Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, at minimum.
Last year, Etsy showcased the Cyber Week sale on Etsy.com/cyber. That page currently redirects to Etsy.com/holiday-sales where it showcases items from sellers who have already listed items at a 20% discount. (“Jump-Start Holiday Deals: Looking for an early start to this season’s most one-of-a-kind sales? We’ve got everything you need–20% or more off! Sales terms may vary. See individual listings for details.”)
Etsy announced the Cyber Week sale today, November 11th, telling sellers:
“The gift-giving season is in full swing, which means the Etsy Cyber Week Sales Event is just around the corner. Schedule a sale from November 22 to December 2 to help holiday shoppers get a deal on something special. Visit the link below to schedule a sale of 20% off of items in your shop in one click!”
As we wrote last year, some sellers plan for the holidays by ensuring they have inventory they can afford to mark down, while others say the pressure they are already under from Etsy to offer free shipping makes discounting difficult due to tight profit margins.
You can find Wednesday’s announcement on the Etsy Announcement board.
