How to Shop Etsy like a Pro -- even if you've never heard of it before

Most people, when they think Etsy -- if they think Etsy at all -- think "handmade."  And most people, when they think handmade, probably think about jewelry, soaps, and all the crafty Foxfire-inspired hippie home accessories our parents might've decorated with in the '60s.  A woven basket for dried flowers, anyone?

That's not what Etsy's all about.  While in the beginning the online marketplace wasn't much more than a showcase for the new generation of Stitch-n-Bitchers (bowls made of vinyl records, iPod cozies), recent improvements to its seller interface and the addition of a vintage category has made the site a popular destination for disgruntled eBay sellers, shop owners and interior designers who were looking for an easy place to set up virtual shop.  Founded just four years ago, Etsy currently has over 350,000 sellers, with about 2.5 million items currently for sale.

Etsy also has a strong social networking aspect that eBay could never quite cultivate.  Users can "favorite" sellers' items, create treasuries of their own finds, and "convo" other sellers to ask questions -- even compliment sellers on their craftsmanship or fantastic vintage finds.  Where eBay's m.o. was stiff, formal -- sometimes crazy-sounding language ("THIS IS A LOVELY HAVILAND -FRANCE 1972 DATED NOEL PORCELAIN  ORNAMENT"), Etsy is full of people-to-people down-to-earthness, so casual as to sometimes appear lazy.  Take, for example, this seller's comments about the dimensions of a vintage spice rack: "If you need specific measurements, just convo."

Rather than a marketplace of warnings ("DO NOT BID UNLESS YOU PLAN TO PAY") that make eBay seem more like a breeding ground for scammers, Etsy is like an upscale street populated by boutiques with friendly shop owners.  And you can tell the rent in this district is low; almost everything is priced reasonably.

So Etsy, like many other social networks or online meeting places, has become an indispensable resource, the kind of website that warrants the warning, "If you're not using it, you should be."

But how to get started?  Think of Etsy like a foreign city you're visiting.  You want to hit up the design district or a boutique neighborhood -- you don't go asking people where to find specific things.  "Where can I get a slat bench?"  You ask for a destination -- a shop.  And because Etsy is so seller-friendly (listings are cheap at 20 cents and last 4 months at a time), sellers have the ability to create their own virtual boutiques and cultivate an aesthetic.  And just as you would ask a shop owner for their recommendations on where else to shop, check out any Etsy seller's "favorites" for their suggestions on more places to find fantastic things for your home.

Here are some of my favorites to help you get started:

River Bazaar [http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5960905]

A friendly and eclectic mix of mid-century housewares, clothing, artwork and found objects, like these stainless steel rings [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17983827].

Found San Francisco [http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6765520]

Interior decorators Caitlin and Tyler own a shop of "rediscovered objects" in San Francisco.  Their Etsy shop is a treasury of upscale home furnishings and accessories, including lamps, pillows, artwork and this lavish pair of peacocks [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20042503].

Haus Proud [http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6482778]

Another student of interior decorating, Haus Proud's proprietor blends everything from vintage spice boxes [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23090855] to wool lap blankets [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22719660] to vintage suitcases [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20680127] together perfectly.

Fabulousmess [http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5919334]

A bright and cheery shop specializing in Hollywood regency and mid-century home decor.  Check out this pair of red vinyl button tufted chairs [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22385550].

Sweetshorn Vintage

A modern accessories shop with all the current trends -- from vintage bowling pins [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23020471] to globes [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20797234] and numbered glass canisters [http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21654671].

Submitted by Katherine Raz.  Katherine is a friend of C.H.I.P.s and runs her great blog BackGarage. Katherine can be followed on Twitter here.