Folksy, Etsy for the UK crew
There’s yet another entrant into the Etsy-style “make your own, sell your own” market. The newcomer, a UK-based company called Folksy, seems pretty similar to longtime fan favorite Etsy, but appears to be trying to stake out a corner of the market specific to the UK. Yeah, the name is a little close for comfort with the whole “-sy” thing, but Folksy is attracting some worthwhile products.
A couple jumped out at me on first browse. The soft form of the Nautical Stripe Scarf by WildCat Designs looks so comfy! And that’s coming from somone who has never owned a scarf in his life… And, as I was searching, a friend here at work nearly jumped out of her seat over the Simply Soft Wrap, a made-to-order sweater wrap by designer MooCow.
So, what do you think about Folksy? Complete Etsy ripoff, or a valuable new source for handmade treasures? What are some of your faves from their selection?
October 9th, 2008 at 5:18 am
“So, what do you think about Folksy? Complete Etsy ripoff, or a valuable new source for handmade treasures? What are some of your faves from their selection?”
-> well, complete etsy rip off of course
I think you’ll find we differ. obviously we’re a platform for independent makers to sell things. so we’re in with athe same / similar market. but we’re going to be doing a string of things that are different and will set us apart. but you know what, i get a bit tired of people saying we’re a rip-off. louis vuitton sell bags. so do radley. lindt make fine choclate and so do green and blacks. harrods is a luxury dept store, so is harvey nicks. like, do you see people saying they’re ripping each other off?
October 9th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Thanks for the response James. Sorry to offend with the “ripoff” question, but there are some distinct similarities that bring the question to mind – similarities that I think step a little closer than say, “they both make bags, they must be ripping each other off”. The question was intended to spur discussion and gain opinions from readers and the public (though, as you can see, this is a relatively new venture and I’m still working to attract people to read and comment).
That said, I’m never against a newcomer to the market and anything that helps people share their creations with the world is a worthwhile effort. I’ll certainly be looking forward to seeing your string of new things and how it further differentiates you from Etsy. Hopefully you’ll keep us updated as Folksy grows and let us keep track of the changes!