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Etsy sets up sellers to go solar

Written by RetailWire Staff
Life hasn't been easy for Etsy in the year since its IPO. The question of how well the marketplace for DIY crafters can meet the demands of Wall Street has not been definitively answered, but a drop in the company's stock price in excess of $15 per share has investors wondering. Etsy hasn't been idle, though. Its most recent move seems to be on-trend and may pioneer a new one, as well. Etsy is piloting a program in four states that allows the merchants who sell their crafts in its marketplace to get a discount on installing solar panels on their homes, according to The Huffington Post. The move is in keeping with Etsy's hard stance on corporate responsibility. A blog by Etsy's CEO said it is only the second company to go public as a certified B Corporation — one issued certification for social and environmental responsibility by a third-party, named B Lab. Corporate responsibility initiatives meant to mitigate the environmental impact of fossil fuels has been big news recently. Zappos, for instance, began a program that sponsors forestry projects to attempt to compensate for the impact of the company's corporate travel. Etsy offering an environmentally friendly incentive to sellers in an online marketplace, however, seems like a step into new territory. While Etsy may be the first marketplace to offer solar incentives on the seller side, it's not the first to get in on promoting solar energy. IKEA recently began selling solar panels at its U.K. stores, promoting them as a way for homeowners to reduce their electric bills. And for residents of some municipalities, solar panels may soon be a legal necessity. Inhabitat reported that San Francisco recently passed a measure requiring solar panels on all new buildings 10 stories tall or fewer. There is no word on how Etsy sellers who rent their living spaces might be able to take advantage of the solar panel incentives.

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