New Etsy Commercial Shows Unique Products, Commodity Policies

Etsy is running new commercials to attract holiday gift-givers looking for special handmade (or designed, sourced, or handpicked) items – but promotes a policy more in line with commodity goods as way to appeal to shoppers who want to have the best of both worlds.

The new commercials feature a person representing the cartoon character of Where’s Waldo complete with red-and-white-striped clothing. In one Etsy commercial, Waldo finds three gifts on Etsy, including one personalized with the name of the recipient (his dog Woof). The commercial ends with the narrator stating, “Gifts delivered on time or your money back.” That’s a tough bar for sellers to meet given the shipping delays that can crop up as holiday sales volume picks up due to factors outside sellers’ control. It’s particularly difficult for sellers of personalized goods who may be unable to relist them.

The ad features the tagline “Gifts delivered on time or your money back” and includes the following disclaimer at the bottom: “Search results simulated and products will vary. Terms and exclusions apply see etsy.com/etsy-purchase-protection. Etsy is a marketplace of independent sellers.” Details of the protection program from the seller’s perspective is found in this Seller Handbook article.

(Etsy doubled the protection from $250 to $500 for the holidays: “Qualifying orders based on criteria outlined as part of Etsy’s Purchase Protection program. Orders placed from November 1, 2024 at 12am EST through December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm EST that are up to $500 USD (or local equivalent) and meet all other eligibility criteria will qualify for Etsy to cover the cost of refunds if a buyer doesn’t receive their order, it arrives damaged, or it doesn’t arrive within the seller’s estimated delivery dates.”)

In announcing the commercials, Etsy wrote: “Our brand campaign will extend across channels, from TV and out-of-home (billboards) to social media, influencer and experiential. And in order to craft a message as personal as a gift from an Etsy seller, we are creating hundreds of different versions of ads that address key buyer needs—needs that Etsy is uniquely positioned to serve. Beyond more traditional media, we’re engaging audiences through experiential activations and podcast integrations. We’re also teaming up with tastemakers like our “Chief Gifting Officer” Drew Barrymore and tennis star Naomi Osaka to share their favorite gifting finds.”

Etsy has also launched physical Etsy gift cards in time for the holidays at stores including Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Best Buy, Giant Eagle, Ahold Delhaize, and Albertsons locations. “This creates even more opportunities for shoppers to think of Etsy for gifts and to help drive more buyers to shops like yours,” Etsy told sellers.