Etsy was my go to place for unique hand made items but for the past 5 years I've almost stopped using it. It's so hard to find the truly handmade shops that I'm looking for. The search algorithm shows me the same cheap, mass manufactured stuff that i can find on Amazon.
I think this makes Instagram more appealing. You have a better chance of finding some true makers online, as you can even see videos of them making their work, so you know it is authentic.
@@KierraKnightIllustration Yes, I am a maker, and I also buy handmade. I used to go to Etsy but now I see celebs selling on there as well as 'handmade' items coming from China,(although Etsy location is UK.) I'm done with it. There are some amazing artists on Instagram indeed.
At very least I can still find the very niche items I am looking for on etsy. Leather shoes, hand carved combs, and all cotton clothing items. None are common in major markets, so easy to find real handmade shops. I would prefer an algorithm that promotes shops closer to the user, though. If I can support local or even national economy, I would prefer that over foreign sellers, unless the price difference was significant.
I’m so tired of competing with fakes. I sell genuine turquoise. This is the most faked stone there is. Once I had a customer ask if the blue topaz I was selling was real and not glass in a solid gold ring. He purchased a genuine solid gold ring with a glass topaz before. Gold is so expensive, why put glass topaz in that? Just goes to show you that sellers will try a scam with anything.
As a maker on ETSY for about 5 years this vid reflects my experience and frustration. I make fairly expensive ($450-$850) one-off items. I once sold an item locally and neglected to pull the listing down immediately. Somebody then bought the item on my ETSY store and I immediately refunded the payment and offered to build another unit for that customer. They were understanding and did not complain, but ETSY charged me about $65 for having to reverse the transaction. Ridiculous!
@@AllThingsSoul That wasn't the issue here. That customer ended up offering me twice the price to build a custom unit to his specifications. My complaint was just the egregious charged to me by Etsy for reversing a transaction with no buyer complaint.
As a buyer, not a creator, I would love to find a marketplace that fits the original Etsy vision. I rarely purchase anything from Etsy anymore because it’s filled with crap.
My daughter had a shop years ago, and did very well. But the insane drama behind scenes and the changes bringing mass produced crap saying it was handmade, she left. It was sad. I don't even look at the platform anymore and haven't for years.
@ark194 goimagine seems like a solid start to an etsy alternative but there is just no traffic. I opened a shop to sell and literally no traffic for 6 months, not a single view.
I was just shopping on Etsy for Christmas gifts, and it felt a bit like Amazon. I couldn’t understand why there was so much mass produced stuff there. Now I see what’s going on! Thanks for this informative video. Sad what has happened to Etsy 😢
I quit etsy once they went mega-public and started allowing copyright infringements, drop shippers, and mass produced chinese garbage. I have a neighbor who has made 100s of thousands of $$ by purchasing unfinished furniture from walmart wholesale and assembling it and staining it. Problem is, people THINK they are getting custom built, stuff. It's not. It's all made in Vietnam. He only paints or stains it. And still he's on etsy as a custom furniture builder.
Etsy’s infrastructure is all built out. So it didn’t take long for some “greedy bastards” to come along and say, “Hey! You can make a LOT MORE money. Screw the art community.” And that’s EXACTLY what Etsy WANTED to do.
they don't turn a profit lol. Also, how do expect a business to exist? Without profot a business can't exist so it dissappears. The reality is etsy was never profitable and can't never be so it will dissappear
Thank you, I'm out of Etsy. Was thinking of getting back into my shop, but no way. Thank you for this information. It seemed like they forgot about who built them, and I'm out
Long ago, well over a decade, I found I was competing with sellers that listed items available on mass on alibaba. Claiming they were hand made. Whereas I design and make everything from raw materials here in the USA. When I alerted them they said I should police their site and report violators. That's when I shut my store there.
Etsy is not small business friendly. Once it became profit driven it has made it more and more difficult for artists to survive with it. If I was still selling my crafts I would not go back to Etsy. Yes there are other platforms, but I would not depend solely on a platform. I think small businesses are being forced to be more creative to stay in business with the constant changing environment that is more geared to benefit larger businesses.
Totally agree. I closed all three of my shops after they screwed me over in a couple of ways! I'm still rebuilding, but as least I'm finding platforms that are transparent about their policies.
2008 was a sweet year to start. It was a real community - I am still friends with sellers and customers became friends from the old days. I did very well but bowed out in 2018.
This is a good vid but etsy absolutely didn't need to bump fees/percents to make a profit or stay afloat by any means. It's just pure corporate greed, same reason grocery prices keep outpacing inflation
Thanks and totally yes too true. Even with the price gouging of sellers - Etsy is struggling big time these days for a myriad of reasons 😝 lmk if you'd like to see a part 2 🤗✨
For U.S. sellers, Etsy is the least expensive place to sell ... that has decent traffic. This means there ARE cheaper places to sell (even some free places), but they have little to no traffic. Total Etsy fees are approx. 10% (for comparison, eBay is about 13% for most categories and Amazon Handmade is 15%). If these fees are too high for you to make a decent profit, it's probably time to increase your prices. (Grocery store prices ARE insane ... $8.99 today for 1 pound of butter and no, I didn't buy it!)
TH-cam recommended this video in my feed. I’ve been continuously selling jewelry supplies on Etsy since 2008. I found your video to be very well-informed and tells it as it is. I have been through all the changes you mentioned. I adjust my prices to make up for increased fees and postage rates and still make consistent sales and a profit. HOWEVER many of the recent changes with random shutdowns, the inability to contact Etsy in the event of a mistake (especially if it’s legal), and “customer service standards” (Star Seller) that can tank because a customer made an error because they didn’t read the description. They say having the “Star Seller” badge doesn’t currently have an impact on a shop’s overall quality score but they could flip a switch and all-of-a-sudden make it everything. I will continue selling on Etsy but I’ll have a “Plan B” because even as a 16+ year, 13:46 4.9-5 star seller on the Etsy platform I fear the “Etsy Rug Pull” every single day even though I’ve done nothing wrong.
I have also been an Etsy seller since their very first year, and I constantly live with the anxiety of worrying about my shop being shut down for no reason.
@@lunareyna9294 you are allowed to sell craft supplies on Etsy. You always have been allowed to sell supplies. When you do your listing, you literally have a section where they ask if it is a handmade product OR a supply. You are also allowed to sell vintage collectables. I have bought everything from beads, to resin, to jewelry findings, to clay, to clay molds on Etsy over the years. Best place to shop for that stuff.
@ Sometimes I sell handmade supplies. Ever hear of lampwork glass beads? Yes, I’ve been known to play with fire. Jewelry and craft supplies (handmade or not) are legitimate Etsy categories.
Well-researched video. As a customer, I’ve relied on Etsy since for well over a decade for gifts, craft supplies that are unusual, and especially vintage clothing. I love supporting the artists and people who search out nifty clothing, and have lots of pleasant communications with them. However, these days the search function inside Etsy returns listings that have the barest connection to what I am looking for, even with lots of filter setting (much of which isn’t available in mobile. Further, have been hearing through the grapevine that sellers face very high fees and strange interactions with the platform. As a result, my trust level in the platform is decreasing. I’m not interested at all in faux artisan products and I don’t want to support a platform that exploits its sellers. Thank you for mentioning the alternatives. Will be checking them out.
I see little difference between Etsy and Amazon now. The searches I make tend to throw up identical products and sellers that are usually cheaper on Amazon. I rarely find original artists on Etsy now so I feel no reason to keep searching Etsy.
Thank you for supporting small businesses! One of my frustrations with the platform as a seller (and a customer) is also with the mobile layout. There are certain kinds of discounts that don't display in the mobile format at all unless the customer were to put items in their cart and go to their cart.😭 I don't see why an app couldn't support all the same functions as the desktop version, just in a different format.
@@dawnmoriarty9347 The reason you find the same things cheaper on Amazon is because Amazon makes its sellers sell their items cheaper there, or else. That was the best way I could word it.
As a buyer of handmade Christmas cards and gifts on Etsy, this year was a nightmare. I bought at four different stores. They each had a shipment tracker that showed after 3 weeks nothing had been sent out even though it had advertised at their store it ships out in a few days after purchase. I left several messages at all 4 stores and never heard back. Then I requested a refund and that was not responded to either. Finally, after about 4 and 1/2 weeks I started to receive my products. The mail tracker never showed it was shipped out on all of them. This video made me realize the stores that I bought from were just corporate robot machines and not small businesses. I will never use Etsy again. Unfortunately. It used to be my go-to for years
I used to love shopping at Etsy years ago. It was a place to find handmade, incredible artisan crafted pieces. I rarely shop there anymore because there’s way too much mass produced crap and the artists shops get lost in all that. You can’t find them amongst all the nonsense. Sad.
i love very high quality writing goods: pens, inks, papers... love it all. When I discovered Etsy in 2010 it was like the proverbial candy store full of kids. The papers I found and bought were excellent. Friends and family all noticed I had "upped my game" (I always write, e-mail is for emergencies only) and would even show other people my letters. There were three leather-goods makers who made very high-quality bags, pouches, padfolios that geared me up and I still treasure them. Then it went downhill: finding my paper makers, getting to my seal maker who also linked to his wax supplier became damned efforts... Finding artists and artisans other than Chinesium-sellers became iffy. I ended my account in 2020.
I opened my shop in 2008. It was great back then! There was a very supportive community and I became friends with a lot of other sellers. There was a lively forum and a lot of teams one could join. I did so well from the beginning to sometime around 2018. My best years were from 2009 to 2014. Then things went downhill....between the saturation of mass produced items, Etsy going public then raising fees it got more difficult to be found and make sales. The supportive community changed. At one point Etsy changed the forums. We could no longer just chat but every comment or question had to be business related. That took away any community feeling for many sellers who worked in isolation or alone either at home or in a studio. For me, the final straw that had me leave as a seller was the pandemic. For the first time ever I was having problems with the post office delivering my packages in time for holiday gifts in December of 2020. I closed shop as a seller in the winter of 2021. It was no longer worth it for me. Today I still buy but never engage in the community. I have no idea if there is a community left....end of an era.
I also joined in 2008 and it was the most unique experience ever! You could search for items by color. You could see what the last item sold on Etsy was. It was like a game!
I’ve been on Etsy since 2014 and deliver the best customer service possible. I’ve seen buyers change over the years, and though my store policy is clearly stated in my store policies as well as on every item’s listing, customers have been spoiled by Amazon and think the policies do not apply to them. When I’ve stood by my policies, I receive a threat for a horrible review and then the bad review. In my 10 years Etsy has NEVER found in my favor when I’ve complained about an unfair review. I’m starting my own website and will be leaving Etsy- I feel like big brother is constantly watching me and there is absolutely no support.
@@madz1806 Yes, because of Etsy's new policy concerning returns covered by their buyer protection program, I have had a few customers make audacious claims about receiving the wrong item or that the package was empty! 🙄
I sell on other platforms outside of Etsy and buyers are the same. Average American has the reading level of a 6th grader...meaning they don't want to read anything. They want to look at the first picture, skim over the title and then they will complain about something that was mentioned in the description.
This comment just reminded ne to go leave a good review for a shop that gave me good service in getting a new ring for my anniversary at the last minute (less than two weeks before the date of).
I use to sell on Etsy years ago before the additional fees & BS. The color & themed curated home page was just beautiful. I use to love reading about the Artisan shops featured in the "Quit Your Day Job" blog 🎉 Now it's full of the same drop shipping products SMH. I don't think I would ever go back to selling on Etsy 😔
Yeah I mean a lot of new people who knw ow nothing selling AI and copying stuff .. its no longer as cool as it used to be. Copycats everywhere and handcrafters are burried to anonymousity and oblivion
Oh wow, I totally forgot about the Quit Your Day Job blog!! It was SO DIFFERENT in the beginning. It felt very For Crafters By Crafters. Things were easy and there was community! My shop hasn't been active in years now. I won't ever go back to them. Etsy is a shadow of what it once was.
I was on ETSY from the get go. When the corporate goons took over, and “small factories” were allowed on the site, well, that was the end for me. I kept getting emails to verify who I was, and asking for all kinds of other information. I had been on the site for ten years, sold hundreds of headbands, with one complaint. I finally gave up on them when they demanded information, and I didn’t know what they meant, and no one there could tell me what they were talking about. We do need a new platform.
I no longer sell on Etsy but I did leave my account open for the random customer who wants to purchase something specific, but because Etsy is now full of large companies posing as small business or individuals plus there are to many scammers on Etsy now.
I attempted it to sell my paintings. Paid the fees, loaded 3 pictures, semi-abstract acrylic paintings with NOTHING controversial in them. In less than 24 hours my shop was closed because "I was a security risk" or something. Tried to appeal, but I was again banned without an explanation. No human interactions at all, just automatic replies and I'm pretty sure no one bothered to examine the issue. I closed my buyer account too and will never shop there again.
@@whiteshaixsame thing happened to me. It was definitely frustrating especially when I was basically blocked from sending any more messages after filing an appeal that was denied.
And they had the nerve to charge .20 cents to my account a few days ago as if they didn’t suspend my account and I took down the only listing I posted when I first opened my shop (that was suspended less than a day later)
Question. Have any of you heard of the Indie Sellers Guild? I came across it through my TH-cam algorithms. If you're still sellers, you might want to check them out.
Great video. I closed my Etsy shop. I use my own website through Shopify, and I drive traffic to it through Facebook and Instagram, and I do weekly in-person markets 9 months out of the year. I’m a crocheter like yourself and just found your TH-cam channel. Great content - thank you!
This is the way. They have made DIY websites and DIY marketing so easy now no reason to have corporate hands in your piggy bank anymore. I'd rather pay the website and promotion fees.
Reminds me of ebay. 1999 I was a small, niche book seller. eBay was all about small sellers - the folks who helped build the business and it's community. It slowly shifted to big sellers and businesses.
Oh, that's a trip down memory lane. My mom was an obsessive power seller back then. It was extremely not fun to compete with her inventory for basic living space. (Her inventory won. We don't speak anymore.) What did ebay do...? I've always thought of ebay as a very "you get what you get, when and if you get it" type platform. I have seen the stress behind the scenes, so maybe I'm approaching it differently as a buyer? It would take a lot to get negative feedback from me. Like, sellers (should) have lives too. I've seen some larger Chinese fabrication shops and clothing stores, and definitely a lot of US electronics warehouses listing inventory, but it's still my go-to for "hyper-specific thing that one or two people might have lying around" and garage/estate sale picker type items. I would genuinely be so sad if we lost ebay.
My shop got shut down a month ago because my account was hacked. Etsy temporarily shut it down to protect my personal information, which I understood and was fine with. They asked me security questions to confirm my identity, and I swear I answered each question correctly but what did they do?? Permanently shut it down and basically told me to go kick rocks!! For reference, I had 1500 sales and 200+ positive 5 star reviews, it took me over a year to get to that point and I had it all taken away for something that wasn’t even my fault, and it felt like non of the customer representatives (if I was even talking to a real human being) had my back!! It’s so infuriating. -100/10 I don’t recommend this platform at all
Well done. I didn’t think I was crazy back when Etsy was new and for the creators of handmade goods. I felt betrayed and I was right. I’m not going back.
@ yes, there was the sense of betrayal when not all things for sale were not handmade causing me to compete with junk from China, which was forcing my prices down. Thanks for asking.
I keep my eye open for craft fairs. I recently did all my holiday gift shopping in a single day at a huge local craft fair. It feels food to seal a deal with a handshake.
Yes I DEFINITELY would want to see a Part 2 if you would dive into the 2019 algorithm change. It totally tanked my sales and they have never recovered. Before that change I had a thriving Etsy shop focused on authentic vintage Mid Century Modern home goods with high positive reviews (no negatives at all for the entire ten years my account was open ). I also enjoyed high sell- through rate and sales velocity. That ended like a dropped rock when Etsy changed search / visibility. I still don't know exactly what they re-prioritised but it wasn't my shop.
Yea, I'm a new-ish seller on Etsy. I have over 70 items for sale. Had the shop open two years and have made only one (1) sale! I have great photos, too. I really want to make online business work, but it feels kind of hopeless. When I do a search on Etsy, all kinds of non relevant stuff pops up. I wish they would just broad match for the exact keywords. For instance, if I type in "ceramic," I don't want half the results to be best-selling plastic and glass. Very annoying. I wonder if Amazon is better in this regard.
@@SoRight8 Not that it helps, but my etsy shop was open for 2 years and I didn't make one sale. I only had a couple of listings, someone told me that could be the issue so I added more items and gradually started getting sales. I can see you have 70+ listings so clearly that's not the issue. I was getting regular sales and had great feedback but etsy recently shut down my shop and their customer service has been useless/non-existant
Like most platforms, once they make the decision that the money is more important than the founding principles, it’s all downhill. The founders wanted to cash out, which is their right. But once you take investor money or go public, you’re not in charge anymore as a founder.
I was there at the beginning and it was so simple you wouldn't believe it. We all had a shot. It was a beautiful and simple thing. The thought of it terrifies me right now because of all the red tape bureaucracy and hassles you have to go through. I can't believe how people do it. And basically Etsy sold out to the big money. They got greedy and wanted to let people resell. I'm sure there's tons of wonderful sellers that are never even noticed. What a shame somebody should start over!
Letting digital items on the platform was a big mistake IMHO. Same goes with POD. it opened the flood gates for lazy sellers dumping thousands of low-effort listings, setting the stage for the drop shippers. There are so many drop shipped, ip infringers, and AI "art" that the handmade sellers are being crowded out. My sales and views ranked after Gift Mode and never recovered, and AI art was the nail in the coffin for my shop. I'm getting a third of the sales I used to get about a year and a half ago. And as an artist, I really resent being put I to the same category as the AI slop artists, because Etsy redefined what "handmade" means.
That depends. Most of my shopping on Etsy the past years are digital files of 3D modelling pieces, so I am glad that exists. Bur of course, I look if the people are legit first
I have a Etsy shop and I can tell that the customer flow has almost stopped. Last year was showing a drop, this year was so much worse. I believe that the customer is unhappy with the change of product that's selling now. My product is unusual and when I sell my next sell comes from some one who sees that product from a friend.
I considered selling on Etsy at one time and I'm so glad I didn't. The owners wanted to make money which is fine, but to turn a marketplace geared towards independent artists into what it has become is just really sad. I used to go to Etsy every time I needed a gift for someone and now I haven't signed onto the website for years. I no longer have any interest at all in purchasing from them.
This has been a good summary of the Etsy path over the last few years. I've had an Etsy store since 2013. The changes have pretty much sunk my business. I used to have up to 30 or more custom orders in the queue as a norm, with completion time within about two weeks, which I was able to keep up with, and it provided a living wage. Currently, for November 2024, I've received 7 custom orders and, of course, profit has dropped for reasons mentioned in the video. I also was forced into their offsite sales fees due to my revenue. I also sell downloadable patterns, which I am advertising and making a few sales for. I am still a "star seller" and always have been since that was implemented, but it does not seem to be of benefit. I am in the process of totally changing my strategy for 2025, including building my own website, so I would be interested in more information about strategies for websites.
Thanks for sharing and that is so unfortunate - would you be interested in a video that discusses Etsy website alternatives? Or how to drive traffic to your website? Thanks!
@@CactusLadyCreation Totally :-) Yes please - its a problem because I feel terrified of losing my shop despite being a successful seller since 2009. Ive had 2 random close downs which lost me everything and I really do mean everything in the 1st one 70% for 90 days and I still dont understand why. I've built a shop but traffic is so difficult when you are an introvert. Also, how to introduce people into a mailing list would be helpful information. Thank You for this video - their fees specifically explained well, I find their structure difficult to calculate and they changed their way it was written about 2 years ago so doing books was a complete nightmare. Yeah, once it was a nice place, now I'm just eternally terrified. Another problem is that when someone has bought on their platform its too easy to just buy again in that manner - its like trying to release a gecko's paws from glass...... Thanks again & well done on an awesome vid!
I'm glad we have videos like this so we can get the jump on what is best for us artists. I'm definitely not going to be using ETSY. I would like to see more on this for your second video.
When I first started selling on Etsy, long ago, there was a vetting process to open an account, including sending a picture of your workshop. I had a brick and mortar store at the time and Etsy was a supplement to my sales there. There was an incredible array of fine furniture makers, weavers, glass blowers, etc. Having 100 sales under your belt was a big thing. Now I see sellers with tens of thousands, selling similar to what I make for 1/4 of the price. Only factory made products could do that kind of volume. Frankly, I am sick of all these faceless entities parasiting off the work of others. A friend, who owns stock in Etsy, was amazed when I showed him how low the profit is, after fees and shipping. I even began to resent him - that he was making money without lifting a finger. But that is what Wall Street is all about. However he is now down from his initial investment. Etsy will eat itself with greed.
To set up a site with all the features Etsy has (ease of shipping, inventory control, etc) would be extremely costly. It would take a long time to even begin to generate a profit for whoever did it. They would have to have a staff (who get paid). If there weren't a large number of sellers to open with, customers wouldn't stick around for long. I've seen some of the alternate site and they look pretty, but they are mostly small items - nowhere near the variety Etsy has. Who would want to put up the hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and compete with one of the biggest retail sites in the world?
I was wondering if I was the only one who noticed how much of a nightmare etsy is these days. I was just browsing through there yesterday trying to look for band stickers, hoping someone had something cool besides just the typical “band name here” ones and it was MISERABLE. It was all either POD, stickers for things I had shopped for before but had nothing to do with what I was currently looking for or other things pertaining to the band but still weren’t what I searched (keychains, shirts, etc). I eventually found some nice stickers but it’s a real shame that the good stuff is totally bogged down for one reason or another. Not only is it becoming not fun for sellers but imo it’s a hassle for buyers now too
Girl, you totally hit it on the head. I was almost up to 40k on Etsy and my business lost profits every year after 2020. It was heart breaking for me. On top of fees for Everything going up. I'm trying my best on shopify now but still have my shop on Etsy but I keep my effort minimal on it now.
13:00 to further clarify-- you ONLY get charged the .20 fee IF your shop is synced with your card reader. For instance, I use Square when I do markets/conventions/bazaars. If I want to boost my Etsy sales number, I sync it. Otherwise, I AM the one selling in person, not Etsy. And they don't get a cut of my sales.
Thank you for that clarification. I wondered why people would want to sync Etsy with their in-person sales and give away their money. I also wondered if Square might be a good option for those sales.
Yes! I was shocked they took a fee when I sold on Square and quickly shut that down. Luckily it was early on and only one sale. That fact was not made clear when I signed up to sync.
Etsy suspended me for no reason. I haven’t even sold anything. Not only can I not sell on there, I cannot shop on there and they refuse to give me a reason or allow me to appeal as they keep denying with no explanation so I can’t really appeal what I don’t know… I hope they go out of business!!! I heard many ppl complaining about the same thing
Ooh so many things to add so little time smh. Part 2 would delve more into 2019 to today - There were so many things I didn’t cover in that period for time sake. Lemme if you would like a part 2? Also how did the algorithm change effect you?
Yeah, my shops were hit by that too. This happened over night, had been selling really well for almost 10 years before that, and then you have to deal with the resident Etsy bootl ckers in the seller forums that will tell you it's your fault and your products maybe just aren't in anymore. Sure, after 10 years of selling very well, overnight, both shop and thousands of others had the same experience. Sure.
Tanked mine too. I left in 2019 when they enacted the race to the bottom and the personalization algorithm. I just recently came back 2 months ago. Sales are painfully slow and buyers don't want to pay full price for an item, even when offering free shipping and gift wrapping.
Back between 2011 and 2017 my daughter had two booming Etsy shops - three for a short time but it got to be too much. I bought so many fabulous hand made items directly from the makers - it was great. Things changed and the fees got to be too much - several of my daughter's designs were also stolen by mass manufacturers and Etsy wouldn't even take the imitators off the platform. She eventually closed those shops. I still bought from a few trusted sellers up until a couple of years ago, but even those are gone now. Haven't been there in probably 2-3 years. I wonder how they are even making money.
Recurring quarterly listing fees, mandatory off-site add fees, overseas sales fees all forced me to pull the plug on Etsy after 6 months. Thank you for this great video. Very well done.
Great video, super informative. Your presentation is outstanding, such a helpful and clear explanation of what has happened with Etsy. Thank-you I found this really valuable.
Thank you so much for the Etsy information, I nearly joined about 10 years ago but so glad I didn’t. In the UK there’s “ Not on The High Street “ they sell all sorts of unique things you of course wouldn’t find on the high streets . I really like your podcast you’re so normal and nice . Anix 🍓
Totally agree no idea what is small businesses or mass market. Ordered some materials and basically person went to grocery store and shipped to me. Made it sound like it was homemade
Thanks, this is very informative. I love how you format your videos. I've been thinking about starting an Etsy shop and still on the fence. Part 2 would be great!
As a current Etsy "donator," as opposed to seller. I would advise you to read the comments and then RUN away from the scam called Etsy. I've also declared that they've turned me into a slave because all I do is work for them and rarely , if ever, see any money.
I was on Etsy a few years ago selling candles. I quit because I wasn’t getting any sales and I hate that they don’t have customer service. I reopened my shop a few months ago selling new products. Once again NO SALES. Thinking about setting up my own website as Etsy doesn’t seem worth it.
It’s sad for honest sellers of handmade items, but many of my friends and I no longer shop on Etsy. Too much commercial crap made overseas -- very commercialized.
I'm in the process of selling down inventory and closing my Etsy shop. I have a niche market and my products are labor intensive. I pay myself minimum wage but the increases in materials costs and Etsy fees have priced me out of the market. Then, if all the right boxes are ticked, Etsy can take 30% of my sales price. I won't cut corners to cover that. I have a Square shop but I'm really not interested in doing all the marketing legwork. I've retired from my day job, so I'll probably just completely call it quits with the handmade business.
This is what Way Street does - destroy all really good businesses, because businesses are required to make more and more profits for their stockholders. Think of Starbucks. The comfy sofas and sofa chairs, neighborhood art, great quality food and drinks, and baristas who can have conversations with their customers - ARE GONE. Now it’s, hurry-hurry, get in and get out - and hope your order is right because the employees are stressed by working in an assembly line. It’s no longer the neighborhood coffeehouse it USE TO BE.
It is like every other thing on Wall Street. When the shares are no longer increasing in value, they ship jobs overseas, lower quality and squeeze suppliers. The manufacturers in China who supply Temu, Wish, etc, operate on such low profits that they are just barely hanging on as well.
@@sadrabbit53 You are too young then. I first encountered Starbucks around 35 years ago. I’m sorry you missed it. They were like local pubs in Ireland 😊
This is why we need to go back to creating for our community and buying local from local people and places. Skipping the internet as the powers that be keep putting a chokehold on people through the internet.
The less I have to do on the internet the better. I prefer to deal with people in person. Originally, the internet was only used by military to communicate with family when overseas.
The problem is, what we may need/want is hard to find in too many areas, communities. Unless you live in a close knit artsy, crafts-oriented neighborhood, forget it.
As a carpenter, I looked into Etsy to sell some woodworking projects. When I looked at the other seller, many of them appeared to be large commercial enterprises as opposed to artisans.
Start your own platform! Etsy started in a little backroom somewhere with only a vision but worked hard to make that vision come to life. You have the same opportunities, platforms, and social media outlets available to you as well, and even more so these days. When you rely on and expect someone else to sponsor your vision, you have literally given up your voice in that decision. You can expect their decisions to be more in their best interest than in yours; that is just human nature. For $30.00 or less per month, you can have your own storefront and set your own rules. Yes, it would mean a little hard work because you would have to manage all aspects of your business but a little hard work never killed anyone. If you are a craftsman or woman, why would you allow a company like Etsy or any other to prevent you from presenting your gift of craft to the world? You can do it, one small step at a time; feel the fear and do it anyway! May God give you the courage to move forward.
Thank you for this video! I started a shop last year- they deactivated it THE NEXT DAY with no explaination- then took 10 dollars out of my bank account to cover the listings I put up, even though no one ever saw them. Ridiculous. Now I'm sitting here a year later with inventory and nowhere to sell it, as I don't do social media anymore. Etsy clearly decided profits over people. How sad.
The fees and pay reserve basically are the reason I closed my shop of 12 years. I loved etsy so much but I can’t compete with dropshippers and AI “artists”.
I too would appreciate more videos analyzing Esty alternative platforms, as well as more on Etsy. I'm just starting out and am gathering all relevant information. So far, you deliver the most thoughtful, and useful information for newcomers. Thanks so much! Definitely subscribed! Signed, a fellow Virgo.
Every platform is going to charge a fee. Unless you sell from your front yard and only take cash then theres going to be a fee. My issues with etsy is 1. No human to talk to if theres a problem 2. Free shipping does not give you better placement 3. Always being a star seller does not give you a better placement 4. Having a 5.0 rating does not give you a better placement 5. Titles and tag words are pointless because if you search any item etsy throws up a ton of pages that are not relevant to your search 6. The algorithm for how your item is seen is just plain ridiculous Fix the search algorithm so the relevant sellers can be seen. If not seen then no sales. No sales means no fees. Fret over fees when you're a thriving business but if you can't even be seen then what is there to fret over!
I agree. I used to buy items from Etsy, but stopped because when I searched for an item everything except for what I wanted would come up. Example a certain artist cuff. And it might be buried in a bunch of other items I didn’t want. So now I just shop on eBay because when I search for an item, that is what comes up.
As a regular Etsy Buyer, I don't agree with some things you said. Once I find an item I need/want, to see a Seller is a better business with other customers makes me feel more sure that I will get better service--if I have a problem, and most likely, will get whatever the picture and description they give in reality. It guides me. I appreciate it.
They sent a survey, which had hinted at what they were planning. I abandoned the site after the survey was issued and before their madness hit the crescendo as it were.
I left because the last item that I sold Etsy had more profit from it than I had making it. Just not worth it to me. Putting my prices up to cover this would mean that my items were priced out of the market.
@@CactusLadyCreation I have not found anywhere else to sell my crochet garments. They are all packed away at the moment. I lost interest in trying to sell online.
I had a shop on Etsy, did not sell too much in the way of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind beaded necklaces. Problem in this site went the way of Ebay, and many times I would find identical items like paperweights, which I collect, appear on both sites simultaneously from the same seller. I really think it became more of a competition issue. Then there's always Shopify for those who prefer to sell directly without listing and selling fees, etc.
Yup. We put our shop on permanent vacation mode. ETSY got very good about finding more ways to put their hands in our till. Started off as a great idea that worked for many of us but devolved into just another Wall Street cluster f***. Love to see more videos on the subject. Good job !!
The only person making money is the CEO Silverman and his investors. It is a small example of the wider community in politics and billionaire oligarchy.
I closed my Etsy account because there were just way too many fees that I feel were a cash grab. There were also allowing people to leave poor reviews just because the person felt that you were xyz, without concrete evidence and there was no ability for the seller to rebuttal. So I closed my account and left!
I had an Esty account but never sold anything so now I am on Mercari. Mercari is different because it's good for selling secondhand items but not so good with selling quality handmade items because it's all about selling at the lowest price, but it's a good way to get your feet wet. At least my mini animals are selling well
As a buyer, this makes me very unhappy. I like to purchase from small businesses and don’t want to “boycott” Etsy because that’ll really only hurt the sellers of some very fine products. What would the sellers want the buyers to know or do to help improve this situation?
Thanks for your comment and for supporting small businesses! ✨ It's definitely nuanced-some sellers are still die-hard fans of Etsy because it handles taxes and generates traffic, as I mentioned. Others choose to have both an Etsy shop and their own website to mitigate fees and maintain more control. It really depends on the seller. Personally, I still come across crochet pattern designers with stunning designs on Etsy that I love to support. When I can, I also check if they have a website they prefer me to purchase from.
BTW, those shut downs are all about keeping millions of dollars in interest that they make on the money they are withholding from to the sellers. To top it off, when I finally had had enough and told them I was shutting down my shop, they responded by telling me they were shutting me down. They are the worst now.
Etsy seems to have missed the whole pt of their own platform and failed to market it effectively from the get go. Now it’s too late to have a good artisan/handmade site and they don’t want one anyway. They’re fine with resellers and pod that pull in lots of money and have thrown handmade, supplies, and esp vintage under the bus.
I actually got banned randomly on Etsy last year. I had absolutely no idea why I was banned as I hadn't violated any rules. I actually had just shipped something out and then got banned. When I tried appealing they rejected the appeal and then told me that they won't tell my why they rejected it, and they didn't tell me what I did to get permanently banned! I followed all the rules and everything I sell is original! I haven't been on Etsy since then. I used to love etsy but not anymore.
Great video, very well researched and informative. Thank you. Back in 2010 I was selling my art on Etsy...now, I want to restart again, after hearing all of it, I am looking for another solution...
I have the same emotion toward them with their constant bullying, divisionary tactics, micromanagement, surprise changes, attacks on people's stores, literally insane decisions (like trying to force a video for every single listing) ad infinitum. It's extremely stressful because almost every day it's some other new stupid thing. I put my store on a long vacation because I was losing money with every sale. Currently, I am back but try not to let them get to me as I work on a different strategy and build my own site.
What a shame! I wondered why I started seeing companies with manufactured goods on the website! I still use several of my fave small crafters, but it's just not the same.
Etsy was my go to place for unique hand made items but for the past 5 years I've almost stopped using it. It's so hard to find the truly handmade shops that I'm looking for. The search algorithm shows me the same cheap, mass manufactured stuff that i can find on Amazon.
I think this makes Instagram more appealing. You have a better chance of finding some true makers online, as you can even see videos of them making their work, so you know it is authentic.
@@KierraKnightIllustration Yes, I am a maker, and I also buy handmade. I used to go to Etsy but now I see celebs selling on there as well as 'handmade' items coming from China,(although Etsy location is UK.) I'm done with it. There are some amazing artists on Instagram indeed.
At very least I can still find the very niche items I am looking for on etsy.
Leather shoes, hand carved combs, and all cotton clothing items. None are common in major markets, so easy to find real handmade shops. I would prefer an algorithm that promotes shops closer to the user, though. If I can support local or even national economy, I would prefer that over foreign sellers, unless the price difference was significant.
I’m so tired of competing with fakes. I sell genuine turquoise. This is the most faked stone there is. Once I had a customer ask if the blue topaz I was selling was real and not glass in a solid gold ring. He purchased a genuine solid gold ring with a glass topaz before. Gold is so expensive, why put glass topaz in that? Just goes to show you that sellers will try a scam with anything.
Same here
As a maker on ETSY for about 5 years this vid reflects my experience and frustration. I make fairly expensive ($450-$850) one-off items. I once sold an item locally and neglected to pull the listing down immediately. Somebody then bought the item on my ETSY store and I immediately refunded the payment and offered to build another unit for that customer. They were understanding and did not complain, but ETSY charged me about $65 for having to reverse the transaction. Ridiculous!
As I said, 100% handmade items are in a price range that is not affordable for most people.
@@AllThingsSoul That wasn't the issue here. That customer ended up offering me twice the price to build a custom unit to his specifications. My complaint was just the egregious charged to me by Etsy for reversing a transaction with no buyer complaint.
@@endall39 wow that fee must be encroaching upon the regulatory max!
As a buyer, not a creator, I would love to find a marketplace that fits the original Etsy vision. I rarely purchase anything from Etsy anymore because it’s filled with crap.
My daughter had a shop years ago, and did very well. But the insane drama behind scenes and the changes bringing mass produced crap saying it was handmade, she left.
It was sad. I don't even look at the platform anymore and haven't for years.
@ark194 goimagine seems like a solid start to an etsy alternative but there is just no traffic. I opened a shop to sell and literally no traffic for 6 months, not a single view.
there is its called the old folks home
Yes, Go Imagine seems to fit that bill, at least for US buyers/sellers.
I was just shopping on Etsy for Christmas gifts, and it felt a bit like Amazon. I couldn’t understand why there was so much mass produced stuff there. Now I see what’s going on! Thanks for this informative video. Sad what has happened to Etsy 😢
A while back, I was checking out who were the biggest sellers. Guess? Teeshirts with slogans like “I’m with stupid”. Yeah.
I quit etsy once they went mega-public and started allowing copyright infringements, drop shippers, and mass produced chinese garbage. I have a neighbor who has made 100s of thousands of $$ by purchasing unfinished furniture from walmart wholesale and assembling it and staining it. Problem is, people THINK they are getting custom built, stuff. It's not. It's all made in Vietnam. He only paints or stains it. And still he's on etsy as a custom furniture builder.
Yes, please. More about Etsy alternatives! Thank you.
Yes I'll definitely share some really soon - hope you stay tuned!
Etsy’s infrastructure is all built out. So it didn’t take long for some “greedy bastards” to come along and say, “Hey! You can make a LOT MORE money. Screw the art community.”
And that’s EXACTLY what Etsy WANTED to do.
Its kinda disgusting 🫣
How antisemitic of you.
they don't turn a profit lol. Also, how do expect a business to exist? Without profot a business can't exist so it dissappears. The reality is etsy was never profitable and can't never be so it will dissappear
@@googleyoutubechannel8554 Profit and gouging are very different. It’s important to understand the difference.
@@windhammer1237 Oh, I didn’t know Etsy was owned by an Israeli company!!! The count me in. I am anti-violent-semetic.
Any time a company goes public, you know it will be all about profits for the share holders.
Exactly!
Thank you, I'm out of Etsy. Was thinking of getting back into my shop, but no way. Thank you for this information. It seemed like they forgot about who built them, and I'm out
Long ago, well over a decade, I found I was competing with sellers that listed items available on mass on alibaba. Claiming they were hand made. Whereas I design and make everything from raw materials here in the USA. When I alerted them they said I should police their site and report violators. That's when I shut my store there.
Etsy is not small business friendly. Once it became profit driven it has made it more and more difficult for artists to survive with it. If I was still selling my crafts I would not go back to Etsy. Yes there are other platforms, but I would not depend solely on a platform. I think small businesses are being forced to be more creative to stay in business with the constant changing environment that is more geared to benefit larger businesses.
Absolutely! Great points ✨
Totally agree. I closed all three of my shops after they screwed me over in a couple of ways! I'm still rebuilding, but as least I'm finding platforms that are transparent about their policies.
@Lionesse-z41553 what are those platforms?
That’s exactly what is happening. Own nothing, be happy, and make us rich. They don’t even hide it anymore
@@Value_is_nulWhat about Shopify for your products?
2008 was a sweet year to start. It was a real community - I am still friends with sellers and customers became friends from the old days. I did very well but bowed out in 2018.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience 🤗
@ 🩵🩵🩵
This is a good vid but etsy absolutely didn't need to bump fees/percents to make a profit or stay afloat by any means. It's just pure corporate greed, same reason grocery prices keep outpacing inflation
Thanks and totally yes too true. Even with the price gouging of sellers - Etsy is struggling big time these days for a myriad of reasons 😝 lmk if you'd like to see a part 2 🤗✨
For U.S. sellers, Etsy is the least expensive place to sell ... that has decent traffic. This means there ARE cheaper places to sell (even some free places), but they have little to no traffic. Total Etsy fees are approx. 10% (for comparison, eBay is about 13% for most categories and Amazon Handmade is 15%). If these fees are too high for you to make a decent profit, it's probably time to increase your prices. (Grocery store prices ARE insane ... $8.99 today for 1 pound of butter and no, I didn't buy it!)
@@PrairiePrimitives I can see your point as far as marketplaces go, Etsy has a low barrier to entry for sure.
so true!! companies be out here being greedy
@@PrairiePrimitives ebay is now free to sell with no fees at all for private sellers.
TH-cam recommended this video in my feed. I’ve been continuously selling jewelry supplies on Etsy since 2008. I found your video to be very well-informed and tells it as it is. I have been through all the changes you mentioned. I adjust my prices to make up for increased fees and postage rates and still make consistent sales and a profit. HOWEVER many of the recent changes with random shutdowns, the inability to contact Etsy in the event of a mistake (especially if it’s legal), and “customer service standards” (Star Seller) that can tank because a customer made an error because they didn’t read the description. They say having the “Star Seller” badge doesn’t currently have an impact on a shop’s overall quality score but they could flip a switch and all-of-a-sudden make it everything.
I will continue selling on Etsy but I’ll have a “Plan B” because even as a 16+ year, 13:46 4.9-5 star seller on the Etsy platform I fear the “Etsy Rug Pull” every single day even though I’ve done nothing wrong.
I have also been an Etsy seller since their very first year, and I constantly live with the anxiety of worrying about my shop being shut down for no reason.
you sell supplies, not a handmade product
@@lunareyna9294 you are allowed to sell craft supplies on Etsy. You always have been allowed to sell supplies. When you do your listing, you literally have a section where they ask if it is a handmade product OR a supply. You are also allowed to sell vintage collectables. I have bought everything from beads, to resin, to jewelry findings, to clay, to clay molds on Etsy over the years. Best place to shop for that stuff.
@ Sometimes I sell handmade supplies. Ever hear of lampwork glass beads? Yes, I’ve been known to play with fire. Jewelry and craft supplies (handmade or not) are legitimate Etsy categories.
@@RachellesCrafts absolutely. I buy a lot of my craft supplies on Etsy. It has been a legitimate category on Etsy since their inception.
Well-researched video. As a customer, I’ve relied on Etsy since for well over a decade for gifts, craft supplies that are unusual, and especially vintage clothing. I love supporting the artists and people who search out nifty clothing, and have lots of pleasant communications with them. However, these days the search function inside Etsy returns listings that have the barest connection to what I am looking for, even with lots of filter setting (much of which isn’t available in mobile. Further, have been hearing through the grapevine that sellers face very high fees and strange interactions with the platform. As a result, my trust level in the platform is decreasing. I’m not interested at all in faux artisan products and I don’t want to support a platform that exploits its sellers. Thank you for mentioning the alternatives. Will be checking them out.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, so good to know! 🙏
I see little difference between Etsy and Amazon now. The searches I make tend to throw up identical products and sellers that are usually cheaper on Amazon. I rarely find original artists on Etsy now so I feel no reason to keep searching Etsy.
Thank you for supporting small businesses! One of my frustrations with the platform as a seller (and a customer) is also with the mobile layout. There are certain kinds of discounts that don't display in the mobile format at all unless the customer were to put items in their cart and go to their cart.😭 I don't see why an app couldn't support all the same functions as the desktop version, just in a different format.
@@dawnmoriarty9347 The reason you find the same things cheaper on Amazon is because Amazon makes its sellers sell their items cheaper there, or else.
That was the best way I could word it.
As a buyer of handmade Christmas cards and gifts on Etsy, this year was a nightmare. I bought at four different stores. They each had a shipment tracker that showed after 3 weeks nothing had been sent out even though it had advertised at their store it ships out in a few days after purchase. I left several messages at all 4 stores and never heard back. Then I requested a refund and that was not responded to either. Finally, after about 4 and 1/2 weeks I started to receive my products. The mail tracker never showed it was shipped out on all of them. This video made me realize the stores that I bought from were just corporate robot machines and not small businesses. I will never use Etsy again. Unfortunately. It used to be my go-to for years
I used to love shopping at Etsy years ago. It was a place to find handmade, incredible artisan crafted pieces. I rarely shop there anymore because there’s way too much mass produced crap and the artists shops get lost in all that. You can’t find them amongst all the nonsense. Sad.
💯
Sad. They are suppressing creativity and the freedom that comes with it
i love very high quality writing goods: pens, inks, papers... love it all. When I discovered Etsy in 2010 it was like the proverbial candy store full of kids. The papers I found and bought were excellent. Friends and family all noticed I had "upped my game" (I always write, e-mail is for emergencies only) and would even show other people my letters.
There were three leather-goods makers who made very high-quality bags, pouches, padfolios that geared me up and I still treasure them.
Then it went downhill: finding my paper makers, getting to my seal maker who also linked to his wax supplier became damned efforts... Finding artists and artisans other than Chinesium-sellers became iffy. I ended my account in 2020.
Absolutely 💯 percent. That is my main issue, I feel like it's turning into a "temu" 😢kinda thing. Tons of cheap bootleg merch, not many artisans
@@Scriptorsilentum That's when the Star Seller campaign began. It's also when MY shop went into decline.
I opened my shop in 2008. It was great back then! There was a very supportive community and I became friends with a lot of other sellers. There was a lively forum and a lot of teams one could join. I did so well from the beginning to sometime around 2018. My best years were from 2009 to 2014. Then things went downhill....between the saturation of mass produced items, Etsy going public then raising fees it got more difficult to be found and make sales. The supportive community changed. At one point Etsy changed the forums. We could no longer just chat but every comment or question had to be business related. That took away any community feeling for many sellers who worked in isolation or alone either at home or in a studio.
For me, the final straw that had me leave as a seller was the pandemic. For the first time ever I was having problems with the post office delivering my packages in time for holiday gifts in December of 2020. I closed shop as a seller in the winter of 2021. It was no longer worth it for me.
Today I still buy but never engage in the community. I have no idea if there is a community left....end of an era.
I also joined in 2008 and it was the most unique experience ever! You could search for items by color. You could see what the last item sold on Etsy was. It was like a game!
2019 was my best year ever and then in 2020 it went way down and has been going down ever since.
Wow - someone told me she left Etsy because she didn’t like the changes but I didn’t know what those changes were. Thank you for explaining!
The Offsite Ad fee is sneaky and patently greedy
The most accurate video EVER made on the current sad state of ESTY…well done 🌵👧🏾!!!
Wow, thank you so much 🤗✨
I’ve been on Etsy since 2014 and deliver the best customer service possible. I’ve seen buyers change over the years, and though my store policy is clearly stated in my store policies as well as on every item’s listing, customers have been spoiled by Amazon and think the policies do not apply to them. When I’ve stood by my policies, I receive a threat for a horrible review and then the bad review. In my 10 years Etsy has NEVER found in my favor when I’ve complained about an unfair review. I’m starting my own website and will be leaving Etsy- I feel like big brother is constantly watching me and there is absolutely no support.
I got a 1-star review because the buyer didn't receive her order the next day. 🙄
I had a customer try to extort me and not just once
@@madz1806 Yes, because of Etsy's new policy concerning returns covered by their buyer protection program, I have had a few customers make audacious claims about receiving the wrong item or that the package was empty! 🙄
I sell on other platforms outside of Etsy and buyers are the same. Average American has the reading level of a 6th grader...meaning they don't want to read anything. They want to look at the first picture, skim over the title and then they will complain about something that was mentioned in the description.
This comment just reminded ne to go leave a good review for a shop that gave me good service in getting a new ring for my anniversary at the last minute (less than two weeks before the date of).
I use to sell on Etsy years ago before the additional fees & BS. The color & themed curated home page was just beautiful. I use to love reading about the Artisan shops featured in the "Quit Your Day Job" blog 🎉
Now it's full of the same drop shipping products SMH. I don't think I would ever go back to selling on Etsy 😔
Aw man, the old days sound like they were so cool! 😢 thanks for sharing.
Yeah I mean a lot of new people who knw ow nothing selling AI and copying stuff .. its no longer as cool as it used to be. Copycats everywhere and handcrafters are burried to anonymousity and oblivion
Oh wow, I totally forgot about the Quit Your Day Job blog!! It was SO DIFFERENT in the beginning. It felt very For Crafters By Crafters. Things were easy and there was community! My shop hasn't been active in years now. I won't ever go back to them. Etsy is a shadow of what it once was.
@JerAndBillyBoughtAHouse Yes! I really miss the old Etsy.
I was on ETSY from the get go. When the corporate goons took over, and “small factories” were allowed on the site, well, that was the end for me. I kept getting emails to verify who I was, and asking for all kinds of other information. I had been on the site for ten years, sold hundreds of headbands, with one complaint. I finally gave up on them when they demanded information, and I didn’t know what they meant, and no one there could tell me what they were talking about. We do need a new platform.
Those crocheted sleeves you're wearing are fantastic! SOOO creative!!!👍👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks so much ✨They were a lot of fun to make 🤗
I no longer sell on Etsy but I did leave my account open for the random customer who wants to purchase something specific, but because Etsy is now full of large companies posing as small business or individuals plus there are to many scammers on Etsy now.
Makes sense and yikes so true.
Thanks for the video. I’ve heard of Etsy’s greed and people leaving on their own or being cancelled. I’ve decided not to open an Etsy store.
I attempted it to sell my paintings. Paid the fees, loaded 3 pictures, semi-abstract acrylic paintings with NOTHING controversial in them. In less than 24 hours my shop was closed because "I was a security risk" or something. Tried to appeal, but I was again banned without an explanation. No human interactions at all, just automatic replies and I'm pretty sure no one bothered to examine the issue.
I closed my buyer account too and will never shop there again.
@@whiteshaixsame thing happened to me. It was definitely frustrating especially when I was basically blocked from sending any more messages after filing an appeal that was denied.
And they had the nerve to charge .20 cents to my account a few days ago as if they didn’t suspend my account and I took down the only listing I posted when I first opened my shop (that was suspended less than a day later)
Question. Have any of you heard of the Indie Sellers Guild?
I came across it through my TH-cam algorithms. If you're still sellers, you might want to check them out.
Mass produced items is a big negative causing pricing to be “racing to the bottom” the main thing.
Absolutely!
We need a part 2 because I was considering opening an Etsy shop, but so many videos have me concerned.
Although maybe what we need is a new platform.
Great video. I closed my Etsy shop. I use my own website through Shopify, and I drive traffic to it through Facebook and Instagram, and I do weekly in-person markets 9 months out of the year. I’m a crocheter like yourself and just found your TH-cam channel. Great content - thank you!
This is the way. They have made DIY websites and DIY marketing so easy now no reason to have corporate hands in your piggy bank anymore. I'd rather pay the website and promotion fees.
Definitely a time to consider a different sales model. Thank you for sharing. Everyone stay safe, warm, happy, ETSY FREE and healthy.
Reminds me of ebay.
1999 I was a small, niche book seller. eBay was all about small sellers - the folks who helped build the business and it's community.
It slowly shifted to big sellers and businesses.
Oh, that's a trip down memory lane. My mom was an obsessive power seller back then. It was extremely not fun to compete with her inventory for basic living space. (Her inventory won. We don't speak anymore.)
What did ebay do...?
I've always thought of ebay as a very "you get what you get, when and if you get it" type platform. I have seen the stress behind the scenes, so maybe I'm approaching it differently as a buyer? It would take a lot to get negative feedback from me. Like, sellers (should) have lives too.
I've seen some larger Chinese fabrication shops and clothing stores, and definitely a lot of US electronics warehouses listing inventory, but it's still my go-to for "hyper-specific thing that one or two people might have lying around" and garage/estate sale picker type items.
I would genuinely be so sad if we lost ebay.
My shop got shut down a month ago because my account was hacked. Etsy temporarily shut it down to protect my personal information, which I understood and was fine with. They asked me security questions to confirm my identity, and I swear I answered each question correctly but what did they do?? Permanently shut it down and basically told me to go kick rocks!! For reference, I had 1500 sales and 200+ positive 5 star reviews, it took me over a year to get to that point and I had it all taken away for something that wasn’t even my fault, and it felt like non of the customer representatives (if I was even talking to a real human being) had my back!! It’s so infuriating. -100/10 I don’t recommend this platform at all
Well done. I didn’t think I was crazy back when Etsy was new and for the creators of handmade goods. I felt betrayed and I was right. I’m not going back.
Thanks so much! Also thanks for sharing your thoughts. Was there something in particular that made you feel betrayed?
@ yes, there was the sense of betrayal when not all things for sale were not handmade causing me to compete with junk from
China, which was forcing my prices down. Thanks for asking.
@@sharonc7031 Yes I hear you with that 😝 Thanks for sharing with me!
I keep my eye open for craft fairs. I recently did all my holiday gift shopping in a single day at a huge local craft fair. It feels food to seal a deal with a handshake.
Absolutely !😊😊
I agree, like farmer's markets. Everything seems more welcoming, less corrupted and the way our grandparents used to live.
Yes I DEFINITELY would want to see a Part 2 if you would dive into the 2019 algorithm change. It totally tanked my sales and they have never recovered. Before that change I had a thriving Etsy shop focused on authentic vintage Mid Century Modern home goods with high positive reviews (no negatives at all for the entire ten years my account was open ). I also enjoyed high sell- through rate and sales velocity. That ended like a dropped rock when Etsy changed search / visibility. I still don't know exactly what they re-prioritised but it wasn't my shop.
Yikes - okay thanks so much for sharing. ✨
Yea, I'm a new-ish seller on Etsy. I have over 70 items for sale. Had the shop open two years and have made only one (1) sale! I have great photos, too. I really want to make online business work, but it feels kind of hopeless. When I do a search on Etsy, all kinds of non relevant stuff pops up. I wish they would just broad match for the exact keywords. For instance, if I type in "ceramic," I don't want half the results to be best-selling plastic and glass. Very annoying. I wonder if Amazon is better in this regard.
@@SoRight8 Not that it helps, but my etsy shop was open for 2 years and I didn't make one sale. I only had a couple of listings, someone told me that could be the issue so I added more items and gradually started getting sales. I can see you have 70+ listings so clearly that's not the issue. I was getting regular sales and had great feedback but etsy recently shut down my shop and their customer service has been useless/non-existant
@munchkette thanks. how many listings did you have to add before you got sales?
Was that when they rolled out the personalized algorithm that tailors search results to the user?
Like most platforms, once they make the decision that the money is more important than the founding principles, it’s all downhill. The founders wanted to cash out, which is their right. But once you take investor money or go public, you’re not in charge anymore as a founder.
Anyone else noticed Etsy's removed the ability to filter results for handmade items?
Yes!
I rarely buy from Etsy, however when i do the item always is handmade
Yes! It is so hard sift through results and determine if things are artisan made. So frustrating!
Seriously? Wow
I was there at the beginning and it was so simple you wouldn't believe it. We all had a shot. It was a beautiful and simple thing. The thought of it terrifies me right now because of all the red tape bureaucracy and hassles you have to go through. I can't believe how people do it. And basically Etsy sold out to the big money. They got greedy and wanted to let people resell. I'm sure there's tons of wonderful sellers that are never even noticed. What a shame somebody should start over!
Would appreciate more videos analyzing etsy alternative platforms, pros and cons and a list of those platform names.
Yes, would love to know more about alternatives!
So glad you would like to see it!
Letting digital items on the platform was a big mistake IMHO. Same goes with POD. it opened the flood gates for lazy sellers dumping thousands of low-effort listings, setting the stage for the drop shippers. There are so many drop shipped, ip infringers, and AI "art" that the handmade sellers are being crowded out. My sales and views ranked after Gift Mode and never recovered, and AI art was the nail in the coffin for my shop. I'm getting a third of the sales I used to get about a year and a half ago. And as an artist, I really resent being put I to the same category as the AI slop artists, because Etsy redefined what "handmade" means.
That depends. Most of my shopping on Etsy the past years are digital files of 3D modelling pieces, so I am glad that exists. Bur of course, I look if the people are legit first
I have a Etsy shop and I can tell that the customer flow has almost stopped. Last year was showing a drop, this year was so much worse. I believe that the customer is unhappy with the change of product that's selling now. My product is unusual and when I sell my next sell comes from some one who sees that product from a friend.
Such a good point!
Sounds like there's a lot of room for a new handcraft website!
I considered selling on Etsy at one time and I'm so glad I didn't. The owners wanted to make money which is fine, but to turn a marketplace geared towards independent artists into what it has become is just really sad. I used to go to Etsy every time I needed a gift for someone and now I haven't signed onto the website for years. I no longer have any interest at all in purchasing from them.
This has been a good summary of the Etsy path over the last few years. I've had an Etsy store since 2013. The changes have pretty much sunk my business. I used to have up to 30 or more custom orders in the queue as a norm, with completion time within about two weeks, which I was able to keep up with, and it provided a living wage. Currently, for November 2024, I've received 7 custom orders and, of course, profit has dropped for reasons mentioned in the video. I also was forced into their offsite sales fees due to my revenue. I also sell downloadable patterns, which I am advertising and making a few sales for. I am still a "star seller" and always have been since that was implemented, but it does not seem to be of benefit. I am in the process of totally changing my strategy for 2025, including building my own website, so I would be interested in more information about strategies for websites.
Thanks for sharing and that is so unfortunate - would you be interested in a video that discusses Etsy website alternatives? Or how to drive traffic to your website? Thanks!
@@CactusLadyCreation Yes! Both of those would be great. I will continue to use multiple venues and also have some ideas I will be testing out.
@@CactusLadyCreation Totally :-) Yes please - its a problem because I feel terrified of losing my shop despite being a successful seller since 2009. Ive had 2 random close downs which lost me everything and I really do mean everything in the 1st one 70% for 90 days and I still dont understand why. I've built a shop but traffic is so difficult when you are an introvert. Also, how to introduce people into a mailing list would be helpful information. Thank You for this video - their fees specifically explained well, I find their structure difficult to calculate and they changed their way it was written about 2 years ago so doing books was a complete nightmare. Yeah, once it was a nice place, now I'm just eternally terrified. Another problem is that when someone has bought on their platform its too easy to just buy again in that manner - its like trying to release a gecko's paws from glass...... Thanks again & well done on an awesome vid!
@@CactusLadyCreationI would be interested in how to drive traffic to my website.
@@scalebuildingsgreat metaphor…so accurate
I'm glad we have videos like this so we can get the jump on what is best for us artists. I'm definitely not going to be using ETSY.
I would like to see more on this for your second video.
When I first started selling on Etsy, long ago, there was a vetting process to open an account, including sending a picture of your workshop. I had a brick and mortar store at the time and Etsy was a supplement to my sales there. There was an incredible array of fine furniture makers, weavers, glass blowers, etc. Having 100 sales under your belt was a big thing. Now I see sellers with tens of thousands, selling similar to what I make for 1/4 of the price. Only factory made products could do that kind of volume. Frankly, I am sick of all these faceless entities parasiting off the work of others. A friend, who owns stock in Etsy, was amazed when I showed him how low the profit is, after fees and shipping. I even began to resent him - that he was making money without lifting a finger. But that is what Wall Street is all about. However he is now down from his initial investment. Etsy will eat itself with greed.
To set up a site with all the features Etsy has (ease of shipping, inventory control, etc) would be extremely costly. It would take a long time to even begin to generate a profit for whoever did it. They would have to have a staff (who get paid). If there weren't a large number of sellers to open with, customers wouldn't stick around for long. I've seen some of the alternate site and they look pretty, but they are mostly small items - nowhere near the variety Etsy has. Who would want to put up the hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and compete with one of the biggest retail sites in the world?
@@Automedon2All handmade artisans on Etsy need to build an alternative site working together to build and fund it and dump Etsy all at once.
I was wondering if I was the only one who noticed how much of a nightmare etsy is these days. I was just browsing through there yesterday trying to look for band stickers, hoping someone had something cool besides just the typical “band name here” ones and it was MISERABLE.
It was all either POD, stickers for things I had shopped for before but had nothing to do with what I was currently looking for or other things pertaining to the band but still weren’t what I searched (keychains, shirts, etc).
I eventually found some nice stickers but it’s a real shame that the good stuff is totally bogged down for one reason or another. Not only is it becoming not fun for sellers but imo it’s a hassle for buyers now too
Girl, you totally hit it on the head. I was almost up to 40k on Etsy and my business lost profits every year after 2020. It was heart breaking for me. On top of fees for Everything going up. I'm trying my best on shopify now but still have my shop on Etsy but I keep my effort minimal on it now.
13:00 to further clarify-- you ONLY get charged the .20 fee IF your shop is synced with your card reader. For instance, I use Square when I do markets/conventions/bazaars. If I want to boost my Etsy sales number, I sync it. Otherwise, I AM the one selling in person, not Etsy. And they don't get a cut of my sales.
Fair Enough!
Thank you for that clarification. I wondered why people would want to sync Etsy with their in-person sales and give away their money. I also wondered if Square might be a good option for those sales.
Yes! I was shocked they took a fee when I sold on Square and quickly shut that down. Luckily it was early on and only one sale. That fact was not made clear when I signed up to sync.
Etsy suspended me for no reason. I haven’t even sold anything. Not only can I not sell on there, I cannot shop on there and they refuse to give me a reason or allow me to appeal as they keep denying with no explanation so I can’t really appeal what I don’t know… I hope they go out of business!!! I heard many ppl complaining about the same thing
You left out the devastating algorithm changes in 2019 that tanked many shops sales.
Ooh so many things to add so little time smh. Part 2 would delve more into 2019 to today - There were so many things I didn’t cover in that period for time sake. Lemme if you would like a part 2? Also how did the algorithm change effect you?
Yeah, my shops were hit by that too. This happened over night, had been selling really well for almost 10 years before that, and then you have to deal with the resident Etsy bootl ckers in the seller forums that will tell you it's your fault and your products maybe just aren't in anymore. Sure, after 10 years of selling very well, overnight, both shop and thousands of others had the same experience. Sure.
You missed the fall tanking of the manufacturing PMI in 2019 that caused sales to decline for most manufacturers in the economy.
Tanked mine too. I left in 2019 when they enacted the race to the bottom and the personalization algorithm. I just recently came back 2 months ago. Sales are painfully slow and buyers don't want to pay full price for an item, even when offering free shipping and gift wrapping.
Back between 2011 and 2017 my daughter had two booming Etsy shops - three for a short time but it got to be too much. I bought so many fabulous hand made items directly from the makers - it was great. Things changed and the fees got to be too much - several of my daughter's designs were also stolen by mass manufacturers and Etsy wouldn't even take the imitators off the platform. She eventually closed those shops. I still bought from a few trusted sellers up until a couple of years ago, but even those are gone now. Haven't been there in probably 2-3 years. I wonder how they are even making money.
We're not.
Thank you for such a comprehensive explanation of Etsy. Great job. Yes on Part 2.
Thanks so much, I'll get to work on part 2 ASAP! ✨🤗
Recurring quarterly listing fees, mandatory off-site add fees, overseas sales fees all forced me to pull the plug on Etsy after 6 months. Thank you for this great video. Very well done.
Great video, super informative. Your presentation is outstanding, such a helpful and clear explanation of what has happened with Etsy. Thank-you I found this really valuable.
Cute, unique jacket you're wearing! Thanks for the info too.
Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and liked the jacket. 😊
Thank you so much for the Etsy information, I nearly joined about 10 years ago but so glad I didn’t. In the UK there’s “ Not on The High Street “ they sell all sorts of unique things you of course wouldn’t find on the high streets . I really like your podcast you’re so normal and nice . Anix 🍓
c'mon, pt 2! I found this so informative!
Thanks so much! It's definitely in the works- hope you stay tuned ✨
Totally agree no idea what is small businesses or mass market. Ordered some materials and basically person went to grocery store and shipped to me. Made it sound like it was homemade
Thanks, this is very informative. I love how you format your videos.
I've been thinking about starting an Etsy shop and still on the fence. Part 2 would be great!
So glad you enjoyed it, and I totally understand the Etsy debate! I'll definitely have to discuss this more in part 2 💡hope you stay tuned 🤗
The ads are such a scam.
As a current Etsy "donator," as opposed to seller. I would advise you to read the comments and then RUN away from the scam called Etsy. I've also declared that they've turned me into a slave because all I do is work for them and rarely , if ever, see any money.
I was on Etsy a few years ago selling candles. I quit because I wasn’t getting any sales and I hate that they don’t have customer service. I reopened my shop a few months ago selling new products.
Once again NO SALES. Thinking about setting up my own website as Etsy doesn’t seem worth it.
It’s sad for honest sellers of handmade items, but many of my friends and I no longer shop on Etsy. Too much commercial crap made overseas -- very commercialized.
I'm in the process of selling down inventory and closing my Etsy shop. I have a niche market and my products are labor intensive. I pay myself minimum wage but the increases in materials costs and Etsy fees have priced me out of the market. Then, if all the right boxes are ticked, Etsy can take 30% of my sales price. I won't cut corners to cover that. I have a Square shop but I'm really not interested in doing all the marketing legwork. I've retired from my day job, so I'll probably just completely call it quits with the handmade business.
This is what Way Street does - destroy all really good businesses, because businesses are required to make more and more profits for their stockholders.
Think of Starbucks.
The comfy sofas and sofa chairs, neighborhood art, great quality food and drinks, and baristas who can have conversations with their customers - ARE GONE.
Now it’s, hurry-hurry, get in and get out - and hope your order is right because the employees are stressed by working in an assembly line. It’s no longer the neighborhood coffeehouse it USE TO BE.
When was that a thing? Maybe I'm too young, but I've never known a Starbucks like that
It is like every other thing on Wall Street. When the shares are no longer increasing in value, they ship jobs overseas, lower quality and squeeze suppliers. The manufacturers in China who supply Temu, Wish, etc, operate on such low profits that they are just barely hanging on as well.
@@sadrabbit53 You are too young then. I first encountered Starbucks around 35 years ago. I’m sorry you missed it. They were like local pubs in Ireland 😊
@@sharongillesp Alas, I've never been across the pond either, but I'll take your word for it
This is why we need to go back to creating for our community and buying local from local people and places. Skipping the internet as the powers that be keep putting a chokehold on people through the internet.
The less I have to do on the internet the better. I prefer to deal with people in person. Originally, the internet was only used by military to communicate with family when overseas.
The problem is, what we may need/want is hard to find in too many areas, communities.
Unless you live in a close knit artsy, crafts-oriented neighborhood, forget it.
As a carpenter, I looked into Etsy to sell some woodworking projects. When I looked at the other seller, many of them appeared to be large commercial enterprises as opposed to artisans.
Excellent video. I decided to start a Shopify a few weeks ago, but so far it feels overwhelming.
Start your own platform! Etsy started in a little backroom somewhere with only a vision but worked hard to make that vision come to life. You have the same opportunities, platforms, and social media outlets available to you as well, and even more so these days. When you rely on and expect someone else to sponsor your vision, you have literally given up your voice in that decision. You can expect their decisions to be more in their best interest than in yours; that is just human nature. For $30.00 or less per month, you can have your own storefront and set your own rules. Yes, it would mean a little hard work because you would have to manage all aspects of your business but a little hard work never killed anyone. If you are a craftsman or woman, why would you allow a company like Etsy or any other to prevent you from presenting your gift of craft to the world? You can do it, one small step at a time; feel the fear and do it anyway! May God give you the courage to move forward.
I agree with you on all points! 🙌
I was a victim of the random shutdown. That's when I closed all three of my shops. I didn't even bother reaching out to them.
Thank you for this video!
I started a shop last year- they deactivated it THE NEXT DAY with no explaination- then took 10 dollars out of my bank account to cover the listings I put up, even though no one ever saw them.
Ridiculous. Now I'm sitting here a year later with inventory and nowhere to sell it, as I don't do social media anymore.
Etsy clearly decided profits over people. How sad.
The fees and pay reserve basically are the reason I closed my shop of 12 years. I loved etsy so much but I can’t compete with dropshippers and AI “artists”.
I too would appreciate more videos analyzing Esty alternative platforms, as well as more on Etsy. I'm just starting out and am gathering all relevant information. So far, you deliver the most thoughtful, and useful information for newcomers. Thanks so much! Definitely subscribed! Signed, a fellow Virgo.
Thanks so much - I'm thrilled you found it insightful and thanks for subbing fellow Virgo! 🤗✨♍️
Id love to see another video on how to build your own website and the costs. As well as how to drive traffic to it!
Building and maintaining a website is expensive.
@P55999 thanks, good to know!
I’m so glad to see this being covered
I’m glad you enjoyed! ✨🤗
@@CactusLadyCreation thank you!!
Every platform is going to charge a fee. Unless you sell from your front yard and only take cash then theres going to be a fee. My issues with etsy is
1. No human to talk to if theres a problem
2. Free shipping does not give you better placement
3. Always being a star seller does not give you a better placement
4. Having a 5.0 rating does not give you a better placement
5. Titles and tag words are pointless because if you search any item etsy throws up a ton of pages that are not relevant to your search
6. The algorithm for how your item is seen is just plain ridiculous
Fix the search algorithm so the relevant sellers can be seen. If not seen then no sales. No sales means no fees. Fret over fees when you're a thriving business but if you can't even be seen then what is there to fret over!
I agree. I used to buy items from Etsy, but stopped because when I searched for an item everything except for what I wanted would come up. Example a certain artist cuff. And it might be buried in a bunch of other items I didn’t want. So now I just shop on eBay because when I search for an item, that is what comes up.
As a regular Etsy Buyer, I don't agree with some things you said.
Once I find an item I need/want, to see a Seller is a better business with other customers makes me feel more sure that I will get better service--if I have a problem, and most likely, will get whatever the picture and description they give in reality.
It guides me. I appreciate it.
They sent a survey, which had hinted at what they were planning. I abandoned the site after the survey was issued and before their madness hit the crescendo as it were.
I left because the last item that I sold Etsy had more profit from it than I had making it. Just not worth it to me. Putting my prices up to cover this would mean that my items were priced out of the market.
I totally understand! 😅I hope you are able to find another alternative marketplace or website✨or lmk if you would like to see a video discussing this.
@@CactusLadyCreation I have not found anywhere else to sell my crochet garments. They are all packed away at the moment. I lost interest in trying to sell online.
I had a shop on Etsy, did not sell too much in the way of handcrafted, one-of-a-kind beaded necklaces. Problem in this site went the way of Ebay, and many times I would find identical items like paperweights, which I collect, appear on both sites simultaneously from the same seller. I really think it became more of a competition issue. Then there's always Shopify for those who prefer to sell directly without listing and selling fees, etc.
Great video! And I love your vest! Those sleeves❤
Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🤗
Yup. We put our shop on permanent vacation mode.
ETSY got very good about finding more ways to put their hands in our till.
Started off as a great idea that worked for many of us but devolved into just another Wall Street cluster f***.
Love to see more videos on the subject. Good job !!
No good deed goes unpunished. Corporations strike again!
I just found Etsy as I am redecorating, I just bought stuff and it looked handmade to me. So niceI thought- sorry I missed the good part.
that's nice - Yea it's definitely hit or miss 😬
The only person making money is the CEO Silverman and his investors. It is a small example of the wider community in politics and billionaire oligarchy.
Nice channel, newly subbed 😊 i had been hearing that people were no longer happy with etsy but didnt know why...thanks for the concise breakdown!
I closed my Etsy account because there were just way too many fees that I feel were a cash grab. There were also allowing people to leave poor reviews just because the person felt that you were xyz, without concrete evidence and there was no ability for the seller to rebuttal. So I closed my account and left!
This video is a really good info one on etsy. Thank You. I quit etsy about 2015.
I had an Esty account but never sold anything so now I am on Mercari. Mercari is different because it's good for selling secondhand items but not so good with selling quality handmade items because it's all about selling at the lowest price, but it's a good way to get your feet wet. At least my mini animals are selling well
Great video 👍🏾👍🏾. Would love to see part 2.
Thanks! I’m so glad you enjoyed 🤗✨ Hope you stay tuned!
As a buyer, this makes me very unhappy. I like to purchase from small businesses and don’t want to “boycott” Etsy because that’ll really only hurt the sellers of some very fine products. What would the sellers want the buyers to know or do to help improve this situation?
Thanks for your comment and for supporting small businesses! ✨ It's definitely nuanced-some sellers are still die-hard fans of Etsy because it handles taxes and generates traffic, as I mentioned. Others choose to have both an Etsy shop and their own website to mitigate fees and maintain more control. It really depends on the seller. Personally, I still come across crochet pattern designers with stunning designs on Etsy that I love to support. When I can, I also check if they have a website they prefer me to purchase from.
I am like you
This information is very helpful. Thank you for researching & reporting!
I'm glad you found it helpful! ✨🤗
BTW, those shut downs are all about keeping millions of dollars in interest that they make on the money they are withholding from to the sellers. To top it off, when I finally had had enough and told them I was shutting down my shop, they responded by telling me they were shutting me down. They are the worst now.
Wow That's so frustrating! 😰
yes please a video on making your own website. Great break down. Thanks
Etsy seems to have missed the whole pt of their own platform and failed to market it effectively from the get go. Now it’s too late to have a good artisan/handmade site and they don’t want one anyway. They’re fine with resellers and pod that pull in lots of money and have thrown handmade, supplies, and esp vintage under the bus.
So true! You put it so well.
@ Thank you, CactusLady, I wish it wasn’t so!
I actually got banned randomly on Etsy last year. I had absolutely no idea why I was banned as I hadn't violated any rules. I actually had just shipped something out and then got banned. When I tried appealing they rejected the appeal and then told me that they won't tell my why they rejected it, and they didn't tell me what I did to get permanently banned! I followed all the rules and everything I sell is original! I haven't been on Etsy since then. I used to love etsy but not anymore.
Yea, I've heard of this specific scenario happening so much 😝 ~ Thanks for sharing.
I’m an Etsy seller, the new Etsy rules are trash, this video is informative, thank you! Does anyone know of a better place to sell through?
I'm glad you enjoyed and I'll be sharing my insights about alternatives really soon. I hope you stay tuned!
Great video, very well researched and informative. Thank you. Back in 2010 I was selling my art on Etsy...now, I want to restart again, after hearing all of it, I am looking for another solution...
I sell on Etsy, but I absolutely hate it! After 12 years, I am going to let my shop expire out.
I have the same emotion toward them with their constant bullying, divisionary tactics, micromanagement, surprise changes, attacks on people's stores, literally insane decisions (like trying to force a video for every single listing) ad infinitum. It's extremely stressful because almost every day it's some other new stupid thing. I put my store on a long vacation because I was losing money with every sale. Currently, I am back but try not to let them get to me as I work on a different strategy and build my own site.
Sorry to hear it, you were the kind of sellers we needed there.
What a shame! I wondered why I started seeing companies with manufactured goods on the website! I still use several of my fave small crafters, but it's just not the same.
Unfortunately, Etsy met last stage capitalism, it was not created to value profit above all, but it ended up being managed with that goal.
Great video!!! Would absolutely love a part 2❤
Part 2, please!
So glad to hear you'd like to see it!
Very informative video-I would love to see a part 2! Thank you.