99.5% of the time.
Etsy isn't a shop as such, it's a shop of shops focusing on handmade items and artists. It's the biggest of its kind. Anybody wishing to sell their handmade items can set up their own shop and Etsy "connects" them to the rest of the world.
Almost always it's reliable because the crafty world aren't there to create $$$ and Etsy is a community, not just another online store like eBay. As with any online stores, look for recent updates and if needs be, inquire before you buy - most etsy shop owners will give you contact details and most are so kind that they'll even reserve items for you :) .