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Who Buys on Etsy: Buyer Demographics and Spending Power Analysis

  • Writer: Mag Shum
    Mag Shum
  • Feb 22
  • 4 min read

Updated: Feb 23

Key Points

  • Start with handmade, vintage, or unique items like jewelry and digital products on Etsy.

  • Typical buyers are mostly females aged 18–44, primarily from the US, spending about $136 yearly.

  • Etsy buyers show strong spending power, making multiple purchases annually.


Why Etsy for Selling?

Etsy is ideal for selling creative, personalized products, especially if you’re starting with a small inventory. Popular categories include handmade items (e.g., jewelry, clothing), digital products (e.g., printable art, planners), and vintage goods. These align with Etsy’s focus on unique, artisanal offerings, perfect for testing what sells best.


Who Buys on Etsy?

Etsy’s buyers are mainly **females** (51% of visitors), aged **18–44** (two-thirds of traffic), with a significant portion from the **US** (53.25% of traffic). This demographic is likely to value unique, custom items, making them a good fit for your early experimentation.


Do They Have Spending Power?

Yes, Etsy buyers have notable spending power, with an average annual spend of **$136 per buyer** in 2023. This suggests they make multiple purchases, with an estimated average order value of $20–$30, indicating they’re willing to invest in niche products.


Surprising Detail: High Repeat Business

It’s surprising that 40% of Etsy buyers are repeat customers, and 8.9% are habitual buyers, showing strong loyalty and potential for steady sales as you grow.



Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of Starting an Etsy Shop


The following provides a comprehensive analysis for starting an Etsy shop, focusing on suitable products, buyer demographics, and their spending power, based on available data from 2023 and earlier reports. It aims to guide sellers, especially those with limited initial products, in leveraging Etsy’s marketplace effectively.


Suitable Products for Etsy

Etsy is renowned for its emphasis on handmade, vintage, and unique items, making it an excellent platform for sellers starting with a small inventory. Based on market trends and popular categories, the following products are particularly fit for Etsy:


  • Handmade Items: These include jewelry, clothing, and accessories, with jewelry being a top performer. For instance, personalized jewelry shops like CaitlynMinimalist have seen over 2.2 million sales, highlighting demand (Etsy Statistics 2025).

  • Digital Products: Printable posters, party invitations, and customizable planners are increasingly popular due to low production costs and no shipping needs, minimizing Etsy fees (Top Selling Items on Etsy).

  • Vintage and Unique Goods: Items like wall art, vintage decor, and niche crafts also thrive, appealing to buyers seeking originality (Most Popular Etsy Product Categories).


These categories align with Etsy’s 43 product categories, with top sellers often dominating niches with high demand and low competition, such as handmade jewelry and digital downloads (Etsy Statistics).


Buyer Demographics on Etsy

Understanding who buys on Etsy is crucial for targeting your products effectively. The demographic data reveals:


  • Gender Distribution: Approximately 51.31% of Etsy’s visitors are female, indicating a strong female buyer base, though males are also significant at 48.69% (Etsy Statistics 2025).

  • Age Group: Two-thirds of Etsy’s visitors are aged 18–44, a demographic known for discretionary spending on unique and creative items (Etsy Statistics).

  • Geographic Focus: The US accounts for 53.25% of Etsy’s traffic, making it the primary market, followed by other countries, reflecting Etsy’s global reach (Etsy Statistics).


This demographic, particularly females in the 18–44 age group from the US, is likely to value personalized and artisanal products, aligning with your initial small product range for testing.


Spending Power of Etsy Buyers

To assess whether Etsy buyers have sufficient spending power, we analyzed financial metrics from 2023, focusing on gross merchandise sales (GMS) and active buyer counts:


  • Active Buyers and GMS: In 2023, Etsy had 96.48 million active buyers, with consolidated GMS reaching $13.16 billion (Etsy 2023 Results). This translates to an average spending per buyer of approximately $136.41 per year ($13.16 billion / 96.48 million).

  • Average Order Value (AOV): While exact AOV data is not publicly detailed, estimates from industry reports suggest an AOV of $20–$30, based on seller discussions and e-commerce benchmarks (Increase Average Order Value on Etsy). Given the average spending of $136 per year, this implies buyers make about 4 to 7 orders annually ($136 / $20 ≈ 6.8 orders).

  • Repeat and Habitual Buyers: Data shows 40% of buyers are repeat customers, and 8.9% are habitual buyers, indicating strong loyalty and potential for consistent sales (Etsy Statistics). This is particularly encouraging for sellers looking to build a customer base over time.



This spending power is significant, especially considering Etsy’s focus on non-essential, discretionary purchases, suggesting buyers are willing to invest in unique products, aligning with your goal of testing and finding the best product to sell.


Conclusion and Recommendations

Starting on Etsy with handmade, vintage, or digital products is advisable given your small initial inventory and focus on experimentation. The buyer base, predominantly females aged 18–44 from the US, shows strong spending power with an average annual spend of $136, supported by repeat and habitual buying behavior. This makes Etsy a viable platform for testing demand, refining your product line, and scaling as you identify top sellers.



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