b'THE STATE OF RETAIL DIAMONDSJEWELRYCOLORED DESIGN STONESshoppers filter search results by gemstone, material, style, and customization options.Of the four platforms listed in this story, Etsy may have the simplest fee system.Theres a $0.20 listing fee per item, a 5 percent transaction fee, and a payment processing fee of 3 percent plus $0.25, according to the sellers section of its website. What it seemed like to me Etsy also offers a free set of business tools for sellers, or anwas in order to do well, you expanded set of tools for $10had to continually pay. per month.Like eBay, sellers are re-Emily Kuvin,sponsible for shipping theirEmily Kuvin Jewelryown items, but Etsy does offer discounted shipping. Jewelry from designer Emily Kuvins Stella collection. Kuvin sells her designs online via her website and 1stDibs. (Photo credit: Alain Simic)percent if sales are generated through the automated off-site adver-CONS tising program.As with any popular platform, sellers can struggle toSmall sellers who dont want to do that or cant afford the fees will stand out, which is where advertising opportunities come into play.be able to opt out of the program. But that means less advertising for However, a recent change to Etsys advertising policy and related feesthem and their products.have upset some of its longtime sellers and led to fears of small sellersTop sellers, defined as those who earn $10,000 or more per year, being shut out. will be required to participate, and pay a reduced fee of 12 percent.The platform announced in February that it would automaticallyThe option to advertise products within Etsy is still available and start to advertise on sellers behalf and then charge them a fee of 15sellers are able to set an advertising budget.1STDIBSPROS1stDibs is an online marketplace specializing in selling luxury itemseverything from jewelry and watch-es to high-end furniture and fine art.Its a more exclusive platform, with only 3.5 million registered users, significantly smaller than any of the other three platforms explored here.However, what 1stDibs may lack in numbers, it makes up for in the income level of its clientele.Of its registered U.S. users, 87 percent have a net worth of more than $1 million, according to its website.Luxury platform 1stDibs has a rigorous vetting process for sellers.The average order value is more than $2,500.For retailers looking to expand their geographical reach, 19 percent of users are outside of the United States. Buyers move up through the tiers by earning status points, one Theres also a rewards program available to buyers to encouragefor every dollar spent. Registered members have earned less than more spending. 1stDibs has five tiers: registered members, bronze,10,000 points while platinum members have earned 250,000 points silver, gold, and platinum, each of which come with various rewardsor more.and benefits. Another bonus of this platform, similar to Amazon, is that 1stDibs Continued on page 2018 STATE OF THE MAJORS 2022'