Etsy will give away $20,000 and television exposure to the winner of its third annual Design Award (aka The Etsies). Sellers have until June 25, 2021 to enter their submission.
Etsy will also give 100 finalists a $250 Etsy gift card, $50 credits that can be used toward Etsy Ads, and other perks.
In addition to the Grand Prize, Etsy will award a Silver Etsy Design Award ($15,000 cash prize); a Bronze Etsy Design Award ($10,000 cash prize); and a Klarna People’s Pick Award Winner ($5,000).
To enter, sellers submit a listing for consideration – it must have at least three photos, and the seller’s shop must have five or more listings. Sellers should also make sure to share information in their “about” section, such as their inspiration and how their shop came to be.
What happens if a buyer wants to purchase the item the seller has submitted? “If your item is vintage or one-of-a-kind, we require that you put this item on hold from the time you enter until finalists are announced in July,” Etsy explained. “If your vintage or one-of-a-kind item sells during this period, your submission becomes null and void.”
Etsy provided the following advice from past winners:
“Make sure that you’re submitting your best work, and that it’s unique! It doesn’t need to be groundbreaking, but make sure it has something special. And make sure your shop is looking good. For us, I think having a range of price points also helped. You want to be a good ambassador.”
— Martinus Pool of AdrianMartinus; Grand Prize winner, 2020
“Choose a product that has a very good story or background story to it. There should be a clear message about why this product is needed, who would like to have it, and attractive in terms of imagery—strong photos are very important, too.”
–Sian Zeng; Grand Prize winner, 2019
Etsy explained the awards, writing: “Honoring the work of sellers from around the world and across multiple categories, The Etsies celebrate Etsy’s global community of creative entrepreneurs and shines a spotlight on their unique talents.”
You can find information on the Etsy Announcement Board, and more detailed information on this page.
