<p> Created in 2005, Etsy.com is an e-commerce site where individuals sell handmade goods whose primary users are women. Examining the experiences of ten women selling handmade items on Etsy and how they use Instagram to interact with each other and to promote their online shops, the research intends to contribute to literature of online communities, feminist, and globalization and modernization theories. Using interviews and observations of participants’ Etsy and social accounts, we gain a deeper understanding of these women’s experiences. The women with children spend more time developing relationships with other Etsy moms than those without children. However, all participants felt that through their crafts, they were creating a more ethical and sustainable marketplace in the global economy. More research should examine online relationship building through real-world activities like crafting and the agency that small-scale businesses have to influence ideas about large-scale manufacturing practices.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10262837 |
| Date | 20 April 2017 |
| Creators | Althizer, Kristen E. |
| Publisher | California State University, Long Beach |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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