Exactly, this is not at all like when eBay changed from people selling stuff out of their garage to mostly regular retailers. In that case, the nature of the me

Exactly, this is not at all like when eBay changed from people selling stuff out of their garage to mostly regular retailers. In that case, the nature of the merchandise didn't change, and the service actually got better because you were dealing with pros. Etsy has some wonderful sellers and items (in his spare time, a guy is making me a pair of gorgeous faceted opals that you can't find anywhere else) but if it becomes mass, who cares? The degree to which they succeed in doing Etsy Manufacturing is going to be the degree which they become irrelevant to anyone looking for their traditional handmade product. If I just want something cute I can go to Target. It's the exclusivity that creates the value.