Amazon takes on Etsy with new bridal destination
Amazon is making its debut in the bridal category —a move that will take another hit against its crafting competitor Etsy.
The online giant’s Handmade at Amazon business launched “The Wedding Shop,” on Tuesday, May 23. Besides featuring a selection of thousands of handcrafted bridal products, Amazon is using the introduction to create a shopping destination for brides-to-be to explore unique merchandise, including personalized wedding invitations, venue decor, bridesmaid and groomsman gifts, jewelry and fashion accessories, according to the company.
“We created the Handmade Wedding Shop with the savvy couple in mind. From rustic chic, to glitz and glam, the Wedding Shop is a one-stop destination for customers to discover a vast selection of customized products for their big day,” said Katie Harnetiaux, spokeswoman for Handmade at Amazon. “The ability to purchase products from local artisans on the Handmade Wedding Shop offers customers a boutique shopping experience coupled with the convenience and selection of Handmade at Amazon.”
Amazon launched Handmade at Amazon, its destination for handcrafted and custom items sold directly by artisans, in 2015. Amazon Prime-eligible Handmade products also qualify for free two-day delivery.
The new destination takes another hit at Etsy, an online marketplace for homemade goods. When Amazon introduced Homemade, Etsy’s CEO Chad Dickerson responded by saying, “Etsy has a decade of experience understanding the needs of artists and sellers and supporting them in ways that no other marketplace can. Our platform attracts 21+ million thoughtful consumers seeking to discover unique goods, and build relationships with the people who make and sell them.”
Etsy, which just entered its third year as a public company, closed out fiscal 2016 with gross merchandise sales (GMS) of $865.2 million. This was a jump of 16.7% compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. The company credited this growth to an 11.8% year-over-year (YoY) increase in active sellers and 18.8% year-over-year growth in active buyers.
The online giant’s Handmade at Amazon business launched “The Wedding Shop,” on Tuesday, May 23. Besides featuring a selection of thousands of handcrafted bridal products, Amazon is using the introduction to create a shopping destination for brides-to-be to explore unique merchandise, including personalized wedding invitations, venue decor, bridesmaid and groomsman gifts, jewelry and fashion accessories, according to the company.
“We created the Handmade Wedding Shop with the savvy couple in mind. From rustic chic, to glitz and glam, the Wedding Shop is a one-stop destination for customers to discover a vast selection of customized products for their big day,” said Katie Harnetiaux, spokeswoman for Handmade at Amazon. “The ability to purchase products from local artisans on the Handmade Wedding Shop offers customers a boutique shopping experience coupled with the convenience and selection of Handmade at Amazon.”
Amazon launched Handmade at Amazon, its destination for handcrafted and custom items sold directly by artisans, in 2015. Amazon Prime-eligible Handmade products also qualify for free two-day delivery.
The new destination takes another hit at Etsy, an online marketplace for homemade goods. When Amazon introduced Homemade, Etsy’s CEO Chad Dickerson responded by saying, “Etsy has a decade of experience understanding the needs of artists and sellers and supporting them in ways that no other marketplace can. Our platform attracts 21+ million thoughtful consumers seeking to discover unique goods, and build relationships with the people who make and sell them.”
Etsy, which just entered its third year as a public company, closed out fiscal 2016 with gross merchandise sales (GMS) of $865.2 million. This was a jump of 16.7% compared with the fourth quarter of 2015. The company credited this growth to an 11.8% year-over-year (YoY) increase in active sellers and 18.8% year-over-year growth in active buyers.