Etsy FTW!

I find that a surprising amount of people don't know about this gem of a website, so it's definitely worth mentioning. Etsy is a website where, like Blogger, people can create their own webpage. The difference is, rather than writing, people can sell items through the website. For what I'm sure is a small fee, Etsy gives people a webpage, puts featured items on their frontpage and in email newsletters, and facilitates payments between sellers and buyers. Buyers can get their products out there and make some good money on what, for most, is a simple hobby. The result is an indie mecca. People sell everything from clothes and jewelry to custom-made webpages and furniture.

The best thing is I feel like I'm supporting a real person rather than a faceless company. Most sellers are very personable, and will customize many orders to your personal needs. If you want a necklace, but want a longer chain length, it's usually no problem. Often, the seller will make the change with no extra cost to you. I buy mostly jewelry from the site, since there's so much individual, unique jewelry of all kinds on the website. There is some excellent clothing to be bought, but it's somewhat more of a slippery slope. There's a lot of clothing of... questionable taste, and it can be a lot to wade through some days. It may be easier to look for something specific than to simply browse the clothing listings, however. A friend of mine had tremendous success finding a cute little dress for prom, for example.

The only problem I've had is shipping. Most sellers send their wares through regular post. This can mean both a long wait and a potential lost package. One of the necklaces I ordered got lost, but luckily the seller was really nice and sent a new one. This could be avoided by asking the seller to ship the package by Fed-Ex or some such thing, but it will likely cost you more. It may be a small price to pay for the time saved though, especially if you need the item in a speedy manner.

So, when looking for some jewelry that will make you stand out from the crowd, or for a piece of handmade clothing for a price second-to-none, you now know where to go. Etsy.