Etsy is Buying Depop—What Does That Mean For You?

Etsy purchases Depop
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

If you’re up to date on what’s going on in fashion right now, you probably already know what Depop is. If not, here’s a quick rundown: Depop is an app where people can sell things to one another, sort of like Facebook marketplace but focused on a fashionable, Gen Z audience.

Well, Depop has only been gaining more popularity lately as secondhand shopping continues to grow more and more with the rise of sustainable fashion. And now, as a result, it’s being purchased by Etsy, the online marketplace favored by independent arts and crafts makers.

So what does this mean if you’re a Depop user? Well, Depop has announced that there won’t really be any changes that the consumer will be able to notice. Depop will continue to operate standalone, separate from Etsy, they say.

That being said, some people are worried that Depop might start adopting some of Etsy’s less popular policies and customs, like charging sellers money to list their items and being overrun by dropshippers. However, other people are optimistic that the investment in the technology and business will help improve Depop’s algorithms and maybe even lead them to finally open up a web platform. But for now, only time will tell.