Etsy's status as a B Corporation meant that social responsibility was ingrained in its mission. Nonetheless, as an internet market for artisanal goods, Etsy confronted numerous challenges. Principal among them was the launching of the new online store "Handmade" at Amazon, an immediate attack on Etsy.
Etsy had a core base of buyers and retailers, but Amazon had significantly more as well as a greater degree of financial security than Etsy. The rapid growth of etsy had also put pressure on its merchants' ability to offer larger quantities of handcrafted goods. Many merchants were pressing the company to enable sales from large-scale production, a route the company eschewed since its beginning. Could Etsy find a method to successfully face these challenges while maintaining its B Corporation ethos? (Ram Subramanian is affiliated with Stetson University.)
PUBLICATION DATE: April 29, 2016 PRODUCT #: W16251-PDF-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about STRATEGY & EXECUTION
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