Have you heard of DaWanda? They recently launched online out of Berlin mitte (my favorite place in Berlin for shopping), and offer a free store to newbies that sign up before May 31st. After 5/31, a standard rate will apply, so try to sneak in during this special offer. DaWanda is somewhat of an Etsy operation, they offer storefronts to sellers on one condition, that you make whatever it is that you’re selling. Even a great big table like the one below, which I love.
“Dawanda is a new online marketplace for artists, designers and artisans across Europe to set up their own shop to sell their handmade products.”
The site just launched, so it’s not jam packed with sellers yet, but I’m hoping I can start a bit of a trend and get other bloggers to talk about it and spread the word.
The site is in English (British), French, and German, you select the language by clicking on your flag of choice in the upper right hand corner of the homepage. You can browse by color, tag, technique, materials, or category. You can even create and organize wish lists and vote for your favorites.
Why does the world need DaWanda if Etsy is already out there? I think that for most Germans without credit cards (not the norm in Germany), they prefer using their bank account to pay for things and DaWanda gives sellers that ability so it makes things a lot easier. Most of my German friends and family do not even have (or want) Paypal accounts, so I think DaWanda offers them the chance to engage in a little e-commerce in the way they are most comfortable with, via their bank account. Plus, unlike Etsy, the site is in 3 languages, including German.
Check out DaWanda and let me know what you think. I’m interested in hearing what my pals in Europe have to say about this site.
Psst: Bridget Davis has some great pillows!
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:38 am
great find as always!
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:50 am
hi, im an art director in india & also an ‘interior stylist’ :) a term i found on one of your interviews featured here. discovering your blog was like stumbling upon a treasure trove! the other day i was telling a friend (who was writing a net related article) that the biggest thing about the net is its generosity & your blog epitomises that for me. i have just started reading & theres so so much. thanx a lot for this effort.
vineeta nair
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:04 am
On the one hand, it’s a total ripoff of Etsy. But on the other hand, there’s room in the market – it’s NOT EASY to find anything good on Etsy just by browsing anymore, b/c the site simply has too much product. And Euro sellers seem to be all over Dawanda.
Etsy could launch etsy.eu though, take bank payments, and maintain their advantage.
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:22 am
Great, a German Etsy ;-) Love it. Thanks for sharing!
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:22 pm
you’re right. Love the Bridget Davies pillows!
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I’ve been watching them since months now (they’re not so new anymore). I was disappointed that they stuck so closely to Etsy in design and visual concepts – there are countless prime designers and developers in Germany. But then, from a marketing point of view, admitted similarities can also be good advertising, and the final chapter on DaWanda has not been written yet (hopefully!). Honestly, I would love for DaWanda to spread out to the center European market, because it would feel most naturally. We here know what makes Europeans tick, what people like and how they like to do business. Americans are less likely to understand, because being focused on their own market, they often don’t realize that other markets can be very different (you can see it on Etsy).
I like very much that they released an English version, and now even a French, instead of offering only the German one. I know that quite some German sellers there don’t know enough English, though, to use DaWanda to the max. Vice versa with the English speaking sellers coming over from Etsy, who now see what it can be like on a site with languages that one doesn’t really speak (it can be very hard). Fact is that if you include tags in only one language in your listing (as also the listing text), you’ll be targeting one out of three markets only, because items display according to tagging, and as I see it, the majority of buyers on DaWanda are Germans still.
What I find interesting as a German is the huge difference in tastes and preferences between Germans and e.g. Americans. While I am standing between two worlds, I’ve been wondering how Americans like German taste and design?
I hope DaWanda pay attention to people who, like on Etsy, try to sell off their massmade goods. They have come over from Etsy already, and it is quite disheartening to see mass produce passed off as handmade-by-seller.
May 22nd, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Thanks so much for the tip, I just set up a shop. Etsy is wonderful, but it is starting to feel a little crowded.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:05 am
Euro Etsy, only better- you can actually find something without browsing for hours. And since it’s European, the site is available in three languages. Buying and shipping to the US is very simple, and I’ve already placed my first order with great success. I was so happy to post their link on my blog!