Slate Debates ICYMI | Shopping on Etsy Sucks Now
Dec 10, 2025
Join Amanda Mull, a senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek and expert in consumer culture, as she dives deep into the decline of Etsy. She reveals how the platform has succumbed to the same issues plaguing online shopping, notably the influx of cheap, AI-generated products. Amanda discusses the chaotic search experiences, the pressure for small sellers amid free shipping expectations, and how AI threatens the integrity of handmade goods. Explore alternative shopping avenues and what it means for both buyers and creators in today’s marketplace.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Etsy Evolved From Niche To Mass Marketplace
- Etsy once served as a refuge from mass-produced goods but now mirrors mainstream marketplaces.
- Amanda Mull explains Etsy shifted toward scale and marketplace mechanics that diluted its original handmade focus.
Frictionless Shopping Encourages Impulse Buys
- The internet removes friction that normally helps humans make better choices.
- Amanda Mull argues frictionless shopping drives impulsive purchases that benefit platforms more than buyers.
Free Shipping Shifted Costs To Small Sellers
- Free shipping and free returns were engineered to remove risk and convert skeptical shoppers.
- That expectation is now entrenched and squeezes small sellers who can't afford those costs.