Etsy plans to test its first-ever loyalty program as it aims to boost sales

Etsy said Wednesday it will begin testing its first-ever loyalty program in September, a move designed to boost the e-commerce site's sluggish sales and draw in occasional shoppers.

The New York-based company said select buyers will receive an invitation for the program, which will offer free shipping across the U.S. and access to discounts.

“We want people to start their shopping journey on Etsy rather than come to Etsy when they’re just looking for something very specific,” Raina Moskowitz, the company’s chief operating and marketing officer, said in an interview.

Etsy is launching the program — called Etsy Insider — with the aim of reversing a decline in its gross merchandise sales, a measure of the amount of goods sold over a certain period.