DaWanda
DaWanda was a Berlin-based online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and custom goods, connecting independent artisans and sellers with buyers across 16 product categories in Europe. Founded in 2006 and acquired by Etsy in 2019, its operations were wound down and migrated to Etsy's platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What DaWanda does
DaWanda was a Berlin-based, German-domiciled (DaWanda GmbH) online marketplace that connected independent makers, artisans, designers, and vintage sellers with buyers seeking unique, handcrafted, and non-mass-produced goods. The company was founded in 2006 and operated for 12 years as a horizontal two-sided marketplace spanning 16 product categories, including Accessories, Art & Collectibles, Bags & Purses, Bath & Beauty, Clothing, Home & Living, Jewelry, Kids & Baby, Weddings, and Craft Supplies & Tools. Its core product was the DaWanda.com web marketplace, where sellers listed handmade, vintage, and custom items directly and buyers discovered and purchased through the platform.
DaWanda earned revenue as a marketplace operator, taking a commission on transactions between independent sellers and buyers (marketplace_commission model). The company was venture-backed across multiple rounds from 2007 through 2015, drawing investors such as HV Capital, Kima Ventures, Piton Capital, Point Nine, Vorwerk Ventures, Insight Partners, Global Founders Capital, RTP Global, Kersiwood, and Royal Enfield, with disclosed funding exceeding $10 million. Headcount at its operating peak was in the 251-500 range, supporting platform operations, community management, and a curated European alternative in the handmade segment.
In 2019, DaWanda was acquired by Etsy — the global category leader — and independent operations were wound down. Sellers and buyers were migrated to Etsy's platform, and the DaWanda.com domain was replaced with a redirect/goodbye message thanking users for 12 years. As of the input data, DaWanda's operating status is "acquired" and the standalone business no longer exists; the social profiles, career page, and marketplace categories listed in the data now resolve to Etsy's properties.
DaWanda firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DaWanda
- Legal name
- DaWanda GmbH
- Website
- https://en.dawanda.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- DaWanda was a Berlin-based online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and custom goods, connecting independent artisans and sellers with buyers across 16 product categories in Europe. Founded in 2006 and acquired by Etsy in 2019, its operations were wound down and migrated to Etsy's platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DaWanda industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Marketplace for Handmade and Vintage Goods
- NAICS
- Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Art Dealers (45992), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Marketplaces for Downloadables (Creators/Assets) (CRAFAIAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Office, Stationery & Craft Supplies DTC (CRAFACAL), Handmade/Craft Fashion Jewelry (Beaded/Wire/Woven) (CRAKABAD)
Keywords
Where DaWanda is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
DaWanda business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Marketplace Commission: DaWanda operated as a two-sided marketplace, earning revenue through transaction fees on sales between independent sellers and buyers of handmade and vintage goods.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
DaWanda product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DaWanda was an online two-sided marketplace connecting independent artisans, crafters, designers, and vintage sellers with buyers seeking unique, handmade, custom, and vintage products. The platform spanned 16 categories including Accessories, Art & Collectibles, Bags & Purses, Bath & Beauty, Clothing, Home & Living, Jewelry, Kids & Baby, Weddings, and Craft Supplies & Tools. It operated from 2006 to 2019, when it was acquired by Etsy and its community migrated to Etsy's platform.
Product overview
DaWanda was a single unified marketplace platform for handmade and creative goods, connecting independent artisans and sellers with buyers worldwide. The platform operated across 16 product categories including Accessories, Art & Collectibles, Bags & Purses, Bath & Beauty, Clothing, Home & Living, Jewelry, Kids & Baby, Weddings, and more. The company ceased operations in 2019 after being acquired by Etsy, with sellers and buyers redirected to Etsy's platform where the DIY trend continues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DaWanda Marketplace A global online two-sided marketplace connecting independent artisans, designers, and vintage sellers with buyers seeking unique, handmade, custom, and vintage items. Operated across 16 product categories from 2006 to 2019 before being acquired by Etsy.
Companies that use DaWanda
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
DaWanda technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DaWanda partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- EtsyflagshipEtsy, the global marketplace for handmade and vintage products, acquired DaWanda in 2019. As part of the transition, DaWanda shops were migrated to Etsy's platform, providing DaWanda buyers and sellers with a new home. The DaWanda website now displays a message thanking users for 12 years and redirecting to Etsy.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
DaWanda competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Etsy: Etsy is the global incumbent in handmade and vintage marketplaces and ultimately acquired DaWanda in 2019. It operates a near-identical two-sided marketplace model spanning many of the same 16+ product categories DaWanda served.
- Amazon Handmade: Amazon Handmade is Amazon's curated handmade goods marketplace, operating as a two-sided platform similar to DaWanda but leveraging Amazon's broader e-commerce scale and Prime distribution.
- eBay: eBay operates a broad global e-commerce marketplace with significant vintage and handmade goods categories, providing overlapping capability with DaWanda's vintage and collectibles focus.
Direct peers
- Artfire: Artfire is a US-based handmade goods marketplace with a comparable two-sided marketplace model and category mix to DaWanda, targeting independent artisans selling jewelry, home goods, and craft items.
- Aftcra: Aftcra was a US-based handmade goods marketplace focused on American-made products, sharing DaWanda's emphasis on curation and independent artisan sellers.
- Zibbet: Zibbet is a marketplace platform for handmade goods and crafts, comparable to DaWanda in its curated creator-to-buyer model and product category focus.
Regional players
- Folksy: Folksy is a UK-based handmade marketplace offering a near-identical curated seller-buyer experience to DaWanda, focused on British artisans and serving as another European regional competitor.
- Notonthehighstreet: Notonthehighstreet is a UK-based curated marketplace for handmade and personalized gifts from small creative businesses, comparable to DaWanda in its European, curated-creator positioning.
- MISI (formerly Tictail): Misi/Tictail was a Nordic and European online marketplace for independent brands and designers, comparable to DaWanda in serving European creators of handmade and curated goods.
Emerging players
- Wanelo: Wanelo is a shopping community and marketplace emphasizing unique and independent sellers, sharing thematic overlap with DaWanda's focus on non-mass-produced goods from independent creators.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Customer concentration
DaWanda social profiles
Digital presenceDaWanda financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DaWanda leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
DaWanda funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DaWanda M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DaWanda
What does DaWanda do?
DaWanda was an online two-sided marketplace connecting independent artisans, crafters, designers, and vintage sellers with buyers seeking unique, handmade, custom, and vintage products. The platform spanned 16 categories including Accessories, Art & Collectibles, Bags & Purses, Bath & Beauty, Clothing, Home & Living, Jewelry, Kids & Baby, Weddings, and Craft Supplies & Tools. It operated from 2006 to 2019, when it was acquired by Etsy and its community migrated to Etsy's platform.
Is DaWanda a public or private company?
DaWanda is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was DaWanda founded?
DaWanda was founded in 2006. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is DaWanda based?
DaWanda is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does DaWanda make money?
One revenue line is on record: marketplace Commission.
Who are DaWanda's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Etsy, Amazon Handmade and eBay. Direct peers are Artfire, Aftcra and Zibbet. Regional players are Folksy, Notonthehighstreet and MISI (formerly Tictail). Wanelo is listed as an emerging player.
Does DaWanda have an API?
No public API is recorded for DaWanda.
What industry is DaWanda in?
DaWanda's product category is Online Marketplace for Handmade and Vintage Goods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAIAH, Digital Marketplaces for Downloadables (Creators/Assets), with a secondary code of CRAFACAL, Office, Stationery & Craft Supplies DTC. Its NAICS code is 459510 and its SIC code is 5600.