Etsy is one of the best online marketplaces, but it has a lot of pitfalls. It's typically more expensive than other shopping outlets we cover on Absolootely, as a lot of the stuff is high quality vintage/handmade. However, there are still bargains-a-plenty to be found! 

Here are my top tips for getting the most out of Etsy:

-Double check with other sites before buying. As I discussed in the last Fool's Gold post, there are heaps of Etsy sellers who buy in bulk from wholesale sites, that you yourself can access, and sell for a much higher price. Etsy is home to some wholesalers, but their prices will still be higher because of the nature of the site, plus Etsy charge a relatively high price to operate a store, so the costs of providing the goods are higher than sites like eBay. Do a quick search over Aliexpress or eBay.

-Follow people with similar taste! If you like a store or item, have a nosey through other people who have also liked it. This is a really good way to find cool stuff. The first person you should follow is me (cheeky plug!), because I have over two thousand likes and most of it is pretty awesome.

-Use Etsy primarily for handmade, personalised products. That's really what the site specialises in. Also, there are loads of 'boutique' stores that do cool, high-quality clothing for reasonable prices, such as Clashist, Supayana and Nelixie Apparel. My favourite recent find is a store called Fiber Friends that will make you a custom felt version of your dog! Etsy is a great platform for manufacturers and small businesses. I find that it isn't so good for vintage and secondhand goods, as they tend to be overpriced, but there are still some cool e-opshops.

-A fun place to find completely random products is on the recently listed page! 

-If you want to search for products with a max price of an amount not listed in the options, simply change the number in the url! Eg, I went through Etsy's menu system to find necklaces for under $5, but they only have an option for "Under $25". By changing "max_price=25" in the url bar to "max_price=5", it listed only necklaces under $5! 

-Watch out for shipping costs! The main reason why I don't use Etsy so much anymore is because most of the stores seem to be located in the USA and Europe. I live in New Zealand, so shipping is very expensive, especially compared to Asian based wholesalers. Most Etsy stores ship worldwide, and have a standard rate for 'Everywhere else', but a lot don't, and that's a nuisance.

-If you're concerned about shipping costs, and/or want to shop locally, check out the Shop Local page! If you live in Wellington, like me, check out all these cool folks from our city!