Etsy

Etsy is an online site where users can buy and sell handmade crafts, vintage items and craft supplies. Initially I thought all major web-based companies made their money through selling ad space but Etsy has zero ads on their page. It is also free to register with Etsy, but there is a fee for listing a user's goods. For twenty cents a user can list a product they wish to sell for 4 months. If the item is bought, Etsy takes 3.5% of the total sale excluding shipping. Now the majority of items that I've seen listed are way less then $100 making a 3.5% very minimal.

Etsy has a few partnerships that benefit their users, such as; FedEx, Outright, MOO and Aviary. These companies offer discounted services to the users. I believe that these companies give monetary value to Etsy in return for being promoted to the Etsy community. Etsy also promotes these companies through their social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.

After looking through the entire Etsy site I believe that partnerships are their main way of gaining revenue and keeping the company running. The 3.5% of sold items also adds to the revenue but I think the partnerships are a greater gain.