Etsy is adding hundreds of customer service reps to deal with the expected increase in demand during the holidays, it announced in a blog post on Thursday, and also revealed some of the ways it was planning to drive traffic to the marketplace.
Raina Moskowitz, Etsy’s Chief Operating and Marketing Officer, announced its holiday plans in a blog post on Thursday and told sellers to expect new ads next week. She also reminded readers about Etsy’s mission to become a gifting destination – it launched AI-powered Gift Mode in January.
“Taking the stress out of the holidays with one-of-a-kind shopping experiences designed for gifters,” Moskowitz said. “Earlier this year, we shared our vision to become the ultimate destination for gifting, and the holiday season is Etsy’s time to shine.”
She said Etsy would continue to spotlight sellers and their items. “Our brand new holiday campaign in the US, UK and Germany highlights how sellers on Etsy create, design and curate gifts that make recipients feel seen – look out for our TV ads next week!”
Etsy will also place physical gift cards in retail stores, including in grocery stores and pharmacies, to drive more buyers to the marketplace. And to convert and retain shoppers, Moskowitz said, “We’re making our app and homepage pop to welcome new and returning buyers, and we’re adding even more ways to discover new categories, trends, and deals to keep browsers engaged and inspired.”
The executive cited the following ways Etsy was supporting its entire community of buyers and sellers “so every gifting mission is a success”:
- “We’ve updated our search experience to surface the best of the best when it comes to quality and customer service.”
- We’re also making sure our sellers’ delivery dates are more accurate than ever before so buyers can feel confident they’ll get their gifts on time.”
- “And on the rare occasion that something goes wrong with an order or it doesn’t arrive on time, Etsy Purchase Protection makes it right for our buyers and sellers.”
I think these reps are primarily for buyers. They will likely give away our products to satisfy “their” customers. This is not good news for sellers.
LOL, I can imagine the answers these ‘temps’ give you
Is this better than staying on hold?
Will any of these reps understand English? Or whatever country they’re hired to assist?
When they hire a customer service rep, it will be their first. Maybe they meant to say they were going to add a few hundred more AI bots that will reply to you, but not answer any questions.