Etsy vs JD.com: Founders, CEOs and History
Etsy was founded in 2005 by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and is led by Kruti Patel Goyal. JD.com was founded in 1998 by Richard Liu Qiangdong and is led by Sandy Xu Ran.
Company facts
Founders
Etsy
Robert Kalin
Etsy possesses a well-known, specific founding story, rooted not in global ambition, but in the niche, frustrated 'maker' community of Brooklyn, New York.
Chris Maguire
Chris Maguire earned a BA in Art, Computer Science & Animation from NYU. He was the primary developer who built Etsy's backend systems, database architecture, and original marketplace functionality.
Haim Schoppik
Haim Schoppik was a web developer who met Robert Kalin through GetCrafty.com. He left NYU before graduating to build Etsy full-time.
Jared Tarbell
Jared Tarbell co-founded Etsy in 2005. As a highly skilled programmer, he wrote the early core architecture of the site alongside Rob Kalin and Chris Maguire.
JD.com
Richard Liu Qiangdong
Richard Liu Qiangdong founded JD.com in Beijing in June 1998 as Jingdong, a small counter in the Zhongguancun electronics market selling magneto-optical drives. He built a reputation for genuine products in a market known for fakes.
CEOs and their tenures
Etsy
- Robert Kalin2005–2011
Founder and Former CEO
Kalin's steady dedication to the concept of 'handmade' created a profound, almost cult-like loyalty among early adopters, establishing a powerful brand identity that remains Etsy's most valuable asset.
Source - Chad Dickerson2011–2017
Former Chief Executive Officer
Dickerson's tenure established the vital corporate infrastructure and technical stability needed to support Etsy's rapid global expansion.
Source - Josh Silverman2017–2025
Former CEO and Executive Chair
Silverman is universally credited with executing one of the most successful corporate turnarounds in recent e-commerce history.
Source - Kruti Patel Goyal2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Goyal's elevation to CEO represents a profound commitment to organic, sustainable growth driven by deep internal platform knowledge rather than drastic external pivots.
Source
JD.com
- Richard Liu1998–2022
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
He built JD.com around its own logistics network and listed it on Nasdaq in 2014. He handed the chief executive role to Xu Lei in April 2022 and remained chairman.
Source - Xu Lei2022–2023
CEO
Xu played a critical role in establishing the '618' mid-year shopping festival into China's second-largest nationwide retail event.
Source - Sandy Xu Ran2023–present
CEO
A former PwC audit partner who joined JD as CFO in 2018, Xu has run JD with a focus on cost discipline and shareholder returns, while backing big new bets in food delivery and Europe.
Source
Timeline: Etsy and JD.com side by side
1998JD.com
Richard Liu Qiangdong founds Jingdong Century in a 4-square-meter stall in Beijing's Zhongguancun.
2003JD.com
SARS epidemic closes physical shops; Liu begins selling electronic components online.
2004JD.com
Permanently shuts physical retail stalls to launch e-commerce website jdlaser.com.
2005Etsy
Etsy Launches from Brooklyn Apartment
Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, and Haim Schoppik built and launched Etsy in June 2005 from a Brooklyn apartment. The first item sold on the fourth day. By mid-2006, the platform had 10,000 sellers and 40,000 buyers with zero advertising spend.
2007Etsy
Series A Funding from Union Square Ventures
Etsy raised approximately $615,000 in a funding round led by Union Square Ventures, with Fred Wilson joining the board. The valuation reached approximately $10.7 million by November 2006.
2007JD.com
Raises $10 million from Capital Today; takes radical strategic decision to build in-house JD Logistics.
2008Etsy
Accel Partners Investment and Founder Departures
In January 2008, Etsy raised $27 million from Accel Partners and Jim Breyer at a valuation just under $100 million. In August 2008, both technical co-founders Chris Maguire and Haim Schoppik departed, and then-CEO Robert Kalin stepped down for the first time.
2009Etsy
Kalin Returns as CEO; Chad Dickerson Joins as CTO
Robert Kalin returned as CEO in December 2009 after Maria Thomas's brief tenure. Chad Dickerson, recruited from Yahoo, joined as CTO in September 2008 to professionalize the company's technical infrastructure.
2010JD.com
Launches the 618 Mid-Year Shopping Festival, transforming it into a nationwide commercial event.
2012Etsy
B Corp Certification
Etsy became a certified B Corporation in 2012, recognizing its commitment to social and environmental responsibility alongside profits.
2014JD.com
Lists on NASDAQ (JD), raising about $1.78 billion, after Tencent takes a strategic stake and links JD to WeChat.
2015Etsy
IPO on NASDAQ at $16 Per Share
Etsy went public on April 16, 2015, pricing shares at $16 each and raising $267 million. The stock surged 88% on the first day of trading to $30.01, giving the company a market capitalization of $3.4 billion.
2016Etsy
Acquisition of Blackbird Technologies for $32.5 Million
Etsy acquired Blackbird Technologies, an AI startup, for $32.5 million to enhance its search and recommendation capabilities. This technology now powers Etsy's machine learning engine for personalized product discovery across 100 million+ listings.
2016JD.com
Forms strategic alliance with Walmart, taking over Yihaodian in exchange for JD shares.
2017Etsy
Josh Silverman Becomes CEO; Revenue Turnaround Begins
In May 2017, board member Josh Silverman replaced Chad Dickerson as CEO after a first-quarter loss and a 8% workforce reduction.
2019Etsy
Acquisition of Reverb for $275 Million
In July 2019, Etsy acquired Reverb, a marketplace for new, used, and vintage musical instruments, for $275 million in cash. Reverb was founded in 2013 by David Kalt and had surpassed $1 billion in total sales by 2017.
2020Etsy
COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Explosive Growth
Etsy experienced growth during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers turned to handmade goods, personalized items, and face masks. Gross merchandise sales more than doubled year-over-year to $10.3 billion. Face mask sales alone reached $346 million in Q2 2020.
2020JD.com
Completes secondary listing on Hong Kong Stock Exchange (9618); spins off JD Health in $3.5B IPO.
2021Etsy
Acquisitions of Depop and Elo7 for $1.84 Billion Combined
In June 2021, Etsy acquired Depop, an U.K.-based fashion resale app targeting Gen Z, for $1.625 billion. In July 2021, it acquired Elo7, the 'Etsy of Brazil,' for $217 million. Both acquisitions were made at peak tech valuations and later proved problematic.
2021JD.com
JD Logistics completes separate $3.2 billion IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2618).
2022Etsy
$1 Billion Asset Impairment Charge
Etsy recorded $1.0 billion in asset impairment charges, including $897.9 million for Depop and $147.1 million for Elo7, reflecting the decline in valuations and performance of its 2021 acquisitions.
2022JD.com
JD Logistics acquires a controlling stake in Deppon Logistics; Xu Lei becomes CEO as Richard Liu stays Chairman.
2023Etsy
Sale of Elo7 and 11% Workforce Reduction
In July 2023, Etsy sold Elo7 to Brazilian marketplace Enjoei for an undisclosed amount, likely at a loss.
2023JD.com
CFO Sandy Xu Ran becomes CEO in May 2023.
2024Etsy
Revenue Growth Slows to 2.2%; Seller Setup Fee Introduced
Etsy reported revenue of $2.81 billion in 2024, up just 2.2% from 2023, the slowest growth rate since the IPO.
2024JD.com
Walmart sells its entire JD.com stake in August 2024.
2025Etsy
Sale of Reverb; Depop Sale Agreement; CEO Transition
On June 2, 2025, Etsy completed the sale of Reverb to Creator Partners and Servco Pacific. On February 18, 2026, the company announced an agreement to sell Depop to eBay for $1.2 billion in cash.
2025JD.com
Launches JD Food Delivery; makes a tender offer for Ceconomy (MediaMarkt, Saturn); revenue reaches ~$182 billion (RMB1,309.1 billion).
2026JD.com
Q2 revenue falls 2.9% while non-GAAP profit rises 20.8%; Ceconomy deal wins conditional German approval.
Acquisitions
Etsy
- Depop Limited2021$1.6B
- Elo7 Serviços de Informática S.A.2021$217M
- Reverb Holdings, Inc.2019$275M
- Blackbird Technologies2016$32.5M
JD.com
- Ceconomy AG2025Undisclosed
- Deppon Logistics2022$1.4B
- China Logistics Property Holdings (CNLP)2022Undisclosed
- Yihaodian2016Undisclosed
Questions about Etsy vs JD.com
Who is the CEO of Etsy, Inc. and JD.com?
Etsy, Inc. is led by Kruti Patel Goyal and JD.com is led by Sandy Xu Ran. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Etsy, Inc. founded vs JD.com?
JD.com was founded in 1998 — 7 years before Etsy, Inc., which was founded in 2005. JD.com's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Etsy, Inc..
How many employees does Etsy, Inc. have compared to JD.com?
Etsy, Inc. employs approximately 2,400 people, while JD.com employs approximately 776,682. JD.com has the larger workforce at 776,682 employees, compared to Etsy, Inc.'s 2,400. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Etsy, Inc. and JD.com headquartered?
Etsy, Inc. is headquartered in United States and JD.com is headquartered in China. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Etsy, Inc. and JD.com?
Etsy, Inc. was founded by Robert Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik, Jared Tarbell. JD.com was founded by Richard Liu Qiangdong.
Which company has a longer operating history — Etsy, Inc. or JD.com?
JD.com has been operating for approximately 28 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Etsy, Inc. has been in operation for around 21 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Etsy vs JD.com overview