# How Etsy Built a Marketplace for Makers

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-models-explained-with-fexingo-subscription-marketplace-saas-and-service-companies-7871638/how-etsy-built-a-marketplace-for-makers
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-models-explained-with-fexingo-subscription-marketplace-saas-and-service-companies-7871638/how-etsy-built-a-marketplace-for-makers.md
Podcast: [Business Models Explained with Fexingo: Subscription, Marketplace, SaaS, and Service Companies](https://stenobird.com/podcast/business-models-explained-with-fexingo-subscription-marketplace-saas-and-service-companies-7871638)
Published: 2026-06-12T16:56:15+00:00
Episode link: https://audio.fexingo.com/business/business-models-explained/episode-0048.mp3
Audio file: https://audio.fexingo.com/business/business-models-explained/episode-0048.mp3
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Duration seconds: 630

## Resource

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Etsy created a two-sided marketplace that connected handmade sellers with buyers, growing to over 90 million active buyers and billions in gross merchandise sales. They break down Etsy's commission structure — a listing fee of 20 cents per item plus a 6.5 percent transaction fee — and how the platform scaled without owning inventory. They also discuss the key moment in 2017 when Etsy faced activist investors, cut 8 percent of its workforce, and pivoted to focus on seller tools and marketing, leading to a revenue jump from $441 million in 2017 to over $2.7 billion by 2023. The hosts examine the tension between maintaining a handmade ethos and leveraging technology to boost sales, and how Etsy's acquisition of Depop and Elo7 expanded its global footprint. A concrete look at how a marketplace balances curation with commerce. #Etsy #Marketplace #Handmade #TwoSidedMarket #Ecommerce #ActivistInvestors #Depop #Elo7 #Commission #SellerTools #Curation #BusinessModel #Podcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #Entrepreneurship #Scaling Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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