Isle of Man businesses will now be able to sell their goods globally on Etsy following successful collaboration led by the Department for Enterprise’s Executive Agencies, Digital Isle of Man and Business Isle of Man.
Etsy now supports Etsy Payments for businesses based in the Isle of Man, removing a key barrier that previously prevented them from selling on the platform. Access to the service, required to operate a shop fully on the platform, is now live.
Etsy Payments allows sellers to get paid on Etsy and offer preferred customer payment methods. Until now, the Isle of Man was not a supported location, restricting access for local businesses.
Tim Johnston MHK (pictured), Minister for Enterprise, said: “This is a great outcome for our local businesses, particularly those in the creative and small business sectors who can now reach millions of new customers around the world through Etsy. It’s a practical example of how we are working to remove digital barriers and ensure that Isle of Man businesses have the same opportunities as their counterparts elsewhere.”
This announcement forms part of a wider programme led by Digital Isle of Man and Business Isle of Man to support local businesses facing challenges in accessing global technology platforms. The initiative is focused on ensuring that Isle of Man residents and businesses have equitable access to digital services available elsewhere.
These efforts are informed by a 2024 survey of online businesses, which helped prioritise key concerns and guided direct engagement with major platforms.
Recent progress includes the resolution of longstanding issues with the Google Play Store. Developers based in the Isle of Man were previously blocked from publishing apps due to Google’s country verification process, which did not allow full functionality for Isle of Man-registered businesses.
Following engagement with Google and collaboration with the Cabinet Office and UK departments, the Isle of Man is now recognised as a supported location for app development. This means developers can now register and publish their apps directly under the Isle of Man, without needing to select the United Kingdom as a workaround.
Discussions with Stripe, the online payment processing platform, are also continuing, as the service has not historically been available to Isle of Man users. While securing full access remains a key objective, Stripe has recently extended its new Stablecoin Financial Accounts product to the Isle of Man.
Further engagement is underway with platforms such as Shopify and with Google on unlocking additional services, including YouTube monetisation, AdSense, Google TV and paid apps.
Isle of Man businesses encountering barriers to digital platforms are encouraged to report issues via the Digital Isle of Man website.
