My Etsy Shop

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Wha's Up with Etsy?

I was asked, or let's say it was suggested, that I might want to blog about my Etsy issues, and they are legion...

Guess this is as close as I'll get to an out-and-out rant...

After having a wonderful, successful day at my Saturday Farmer's Market, I have to say that the least exciting part of my afternoon was coming home and dutifully checking (in vain, as always) to see if there were any orders from any of my shops...
I have a free shop on CraftIsArt, a (marginally) paid shop on Zibbet, and my original, and second shop, on Esty.
Some readers may have heard of Zibbet; I doubt if many have heard of CraftIsArt. As for Etsy, if that name is unfamiliar to you, you not only don't have a shop there, you aren't looking at my blog sides, where I have moving minis of my crocheted hats and neckwarmers shop, mizdarlin, and tidybaubles, my jewelry shop...as well as badges and links that connect to some of my other spots for sales and custom orders, like the Duncan Farmer's Market..now I realize that the whole world can't be rushing to Vancouver Island and dropping by, but it really is astounding how many out-of-towners do...not to mention Americans traveling, Europeans doing the Canadian tourist thing, even busfuls of Asian people come through this little Market, the largest on the Island..and arguably the most successful. We currently have nearly 100 vendors, and that includes farmers, gardeners, egg sellers, bakers, candymakers and of course crafters..

I would really appreciate someone, anyone, telling me why my little tiny corner of the Universe is so darned easy-going and successful, and I can't buy a thrill on Etsy..Which has, supposedly, hundreds of thousands of buyers and sellers...
I get almost no views anymore, and certainly no sales since early March. Many others are rowing madly in the same lifeboat, but we are all sinking fast...maybe I expected too much, but I was finally starting to sell regularly (for me) and feeling hopeful about the possibility of supplementing my meagre pension with a few dollars a month, by selling some things that I loved making.
Etsy certainly has disabused me of that notion, yet no one from their Administration Department can explain why this is happening..they won't even acknowledge that it happened, and continues this way..
I'e heard various rumours, and several theories are proposed in the Etsy Forum re this unwanted and unwelcome phenomenon..but who knows? Most of these rumours are of the we-pissed-off Google variety- don't know if it's true, but if Google no longer 'crawls' our listings then that makes a huge difference in whether or not we are seen by potential buyers...this is why I have other shops...if you google my shop name, mizdarlin, (same at all my venues, it's called branding) then there are quite a number of entries, but if you go by what i make, what used to appear on the first page of Google search for say a cloche hat with a flower, or a newsie cap, now appears nowhere...

I don't see the point of listing and renewing on Etsy, which really adds up financially, all the while knowing that it is futile to keep acting the same way and expecting a different outcome.

Until things change at Etsy, I hearby declare a personal boycott that anyone is welcome to join...no more listing of new items or relisting of items unless and until Etsy straightens this mess out, because frankly, I'm getting better views on my runty little flash-in-the-pan sites than I am at Etsy, and selling my creations directly works...so what's the point...

Etsy is, oh, I don't know, so last month....

11 comments:

  1. I am not happy there either mizdarlin. I think I mainly stay because my leaving would make too many happy. Plus the last time I closed my shop I didn't think that the descriptions of everything I had bought would go with it, and I have some stuff I can't remember if it is silver plated or real silver and how should I clean it and I could always check the item description to see, but not with a closed account. I am not sure what to do really. I wish it was better for everyone though.

    PussDaddy

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  2. I know what you mean..I pretty much have to keep my shops open for a few more months, because of all the heavy purchasing of supplies that I did there..have to be able to cost thngs out after I make them...it also, for better or worse, makes a decent enough site to use on craft fair applications...although I could use my other sites, I don't really have much uploaded yet at either one..but I still think Etsy screwed up, and I don't think it's redeemable..I'd really love to be proven wrong.

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  3. I think I am either going to start selling soon, or I am going to close my blog to where only I can view it and stop bloggin, but keep my Etsy account open and buy just the bare minimum to keep it open. By soon I am talking a year, maybe a little more than that. I am either going to sell or I am going to fade into the background within a year or a little more anf really distance myself from it all. At least that is how I feel right now and how I have felt for some time now. I am going to post this on my blog too.

    PussDaddy

    PussDaddy

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  4. Oh honey hang in there! Maybe it's because of the weather for the hats?! I'll tell you one thing - I'm in the media biz so when I hear of any hat stories, I'm sending them your way so you can send for consideration! And I think the earrings are lovely!

    xo, Jeanine

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  5. Jeanine, the problem withthat theory is that I'm selling hats here on the sunny West Coast right now, and all summer for the baby ones!
    It's not the weather...my jewelry sells at my Market, too- it's Etsy...would be lovely to find another reason, but all those posters in the Etsy Forum with the same issues don't have seasonal items...

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  6. I also have a couple of friends who say the same thing about Etsy...I think it's the economy. I think your so creative...can you incorporate your skill into something else..like, totes or blankets, I don't know...I don't think you should stop...but what do I know?

    bunny

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  7. Bunny, thanks for your kind words...
    I'll never stop..it's an obsession...I'll just have to rely on my Farmer's market rather than Etsy and other online shops..would have been a nice little dream, though...

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  8. I find it much easier to sell in person, also, but sometimes the entry fee is prohibitive. I recently spent $125 to sell at a fashion show. I sold $129 worth of goods, and had dinner too. Find other things to make. Who knew my catnip pillows would be my best seller? I try to make a lot of different things and hit a lot of different price points.

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  9. I've been boycotting Etsy for a long time. Loving it at Zibbet with over 130 sales in one shop, and several sales in my other shops on Zibbet.

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  10. Hi PG! I am just waiting for zibbet to set up instant uplaoding from Etsy (they told me it would be a couple of months yet)-I have an exhaustive amount of things from two shops on Etsy , not to mention the stuff i haven't listed anywhere yet...when that happens, I'll probably let my Etsy shop go...still no zibbet sales, but i have faith that they will come when I have more listed..
    Thanks again for including me in your Memorial Day blog!

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  11. My ass is leaving! I am all Etsied out.

    PussDaddy

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