The Wall Street Journal featured an article by Raymund Flandez about Etsy and grassroots promotion through social networking on Thursday, March 6.
You can read the article online here.
The article devotes several paragraphs to the “We Love Etsy” site created by seller Lis Kidder.
Last but not least, the online version of the article also features a video interview with Etsy founder Rob Kalin.
(in the interest of full disclosure, Lis Kidder is also an editor at UEN)
March 8th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
I like that the article includes information about Lis and the We Love Etsy site. I respect Lis, her skill set, and her legal background. I hate that the article ends with Etsy’s lawyer making a statement about needing to control brand dilution and using the We Love Etsy site as one of the first examples where the muscles will really be flexed. I certainly hope that the group at Etsy understands the importance of having a large group outside of Etsy that’s strongly supporting Etsy and the kind of community that many folks want and need…in a smaller format.
March 8th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
I agree Lis rocks, she’s smart and she makes shiny things. :D I have two gorgeous pendants by her so I fully admit I am biased!
The last paragraph did sort of feel like an anticlimax after all of Rob’s positive comments about We Love Etsy. I know that the Etsy logo used on We Love Etsy was one of the original website banners that used to be on Etsy’s download page, Etsy specifically made and offered those graphics for use on other sites, without requiring permission. I guess someone’s always got to be the buzzkiller.
March 8th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
That’s great to see an article about the site, great Lis!
I agree, the last part isn’t very positive seeming… like Etsy is ready to clamp down on people who are trying to do something positive that benefits everyone.
Rob’s quote, “What it means for us is that we don’t have to spend anywhere as much money on marketing because there are all of these avenues for people to spread the word and talk about what we do.”
I wish they would do some normal marketing some day, something that actually tells people directly to come BUY stuff on Etsy. Lord knows they can afford it now.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Yeah the tone of the last part of the article is completely out of place with the rest of the article…it is almost like the writer said “I need to include info about their trademark…I’ll just add a sentence at the end and make it part of the whole by using the website as an example” It’s a reporter trick I hate lol :) It isn’t even necessarily accurate.
March 9th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
It read like a paid advertisement, not a real article, and I had the impression the reporter was brand new to the job. While any company wants to see good press, you can pay for it too, so I doubt this was a real article. It reads like a “placed piece” that gives the impression that the site has great customer service, ahem.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Go, Lis! I thought it was a great article.