*What Will Handmade Do?*
*This boat is Handmade*
I try not to be negative here
but sometimes things just have to be said.
I had quite a few emails asking why
I am choosing to move my shop to
Luulla .
If you haven't heard of the most recent
Etsy debacle the links below
should catch you up.
Here is a site that was supposedly
based on "handmade" -
promoting a reseller.
Heavily promoting a reseller.
She was Featured Seller of the Day.
So behind her - they changed an ENTIRE article.
Once the backlash started
instead of admitting there was a problem
they just shut down comments,
brushed their hands of those that were disgusted,
shut down shops that openly complained
and like so many debacles before this,
went on their merry way.
Now I get it.
There was a romance for a long time.
Much like *The Little Engine That Could*.
Etsy was supposed to be a place for handmade,
for the little guy.
It sort of made us feel warm and fuzzy -
and made us feel bigger then we were -
more powerful in numbers.
Honestly Etsy has not felt that way
for me for a very long time.
I have felt the brunt of their
HORRENDOUS
customer service.
Many shops have been closed (myself included)
for minor infractions that were fixed immediately
but left to wither by Etsy until ( in my case 8 days)
someone decided to reopen me.
Now not such a big deal for me -
but imagine that you depend on this income -
eight days is a long time.
If your even allowed to reopen.
Customers lost.
Records lost.
Photo's and descriptions gone.
The backhand of their
" who cares about you"
attitude stings.
Not to forget their general disregard for resellers
and almost hawk like attacks of smaller sellers.
Now they have bought a wholesale site.
Suspiciously leaked during the brunt of the reseller debacle.
Business as usual for Etsy.
Where are they really headed?
They are headed for the money.
They have consistently made decisions
that harm the smaller seller.
They have rules but never seem to actually follow them
like mercury they bend and flow at Etsy's fickle whim.
Etsy likes the cache of having "Handmade Marketplace"
be their label - but really thrives off the reseller -
"Etsy Marketplace" is a much better description.
It would save quite a few of us angst and it would save Etsy from all it's mutings and store closings.
As the commercial asks,
" Who doesn't want more money?".
It's their business - they can do what they want -
but they have always left a very bad taste in my mouth.
So for me it's time for a new venue.
I have gotten more customer service from Luulla in this short time then I have ever gotten from years on Etsy.
That's me - I like people who mean what they say
and say what they mean.
Of course on the internet Etsy has the carrot to dangle in
front of everyone - they have traffic -
which for many is the only reason they stay.
Others don't think anything will happen to them.
I am tired of feeling like vengeful 14 year old girls are running the place.
If you would like to follow this entire debacle
here's a few links.
ORIGINAL Etsy Featured Seller Story
"Amended" Feature Seller Story
Etsy Reseller Features Goods on Overstock.com
( over 3,800 shops protesting Etsy's lack of principles )
"We are concerned that Etsy is no longer what they claim it to be and if so we believe that they should either stand behind their words or change the words to suit their actions."
(I'm in!)
Bizarre Leak Announcing Etsy Acquiring Trunkt
( Just one sellers story but there are MANY more!)
Great History Lesson on Etsy NOT dealing with Resellers
If you still don't understand why resellers
are so bad for handmade think of Walmart.
Any town Walmart takes over puts the smaller
mom and pop shops out of business.
If Etsy's search is flooded with $5.00 necklaces
made in a factory in China - that 60.00 necklace
I took a few hours to make
will be completely lost in the shuffle.
Etsy is the new Ebay.
I am sure no one ever thought they would see
the day there was a mass exodus from Ebay.
Many of us now hope there will be a mass exodus
from Etsy.
There is a lot of competition out there
we don't have to be treated like garbage.
This is just my humble opinion.
Can Etsy fix all that is broken?
They haven't seemed to care so far.
Like to keep yourself updated?
try here:
Thanks for letting me vent! Patty
Oh and if you have lost track of all of the debacles on Etsy this is a gret thread to play catch up on!
