Is Etsy Cyber Week Sale Too Rich for Sellers?

by: Whatever

"I have seen many people offering free shipping on a $5.00 items.  After fees and even if they can ship for $1, how on earth are they making money, and what does that say about the value they put on themselves and their work  (so-called vintage too) and/or calling it a business!"

Amen to that - I see it all the time now and wonder just what the heck they are thinking. It's actually so sad and I'm sure their working just as hard as they can trying to make a buck just like everyone else online. Don't get me wrong - I "get" volume and how it can work making just a buck per item - I cut my teeth on volume but really? That hasn't happened in a really long time. Not for me anyway. Here's a clue for Americans - start supporting each other not the chinese - it could happen.

by: Life During Wartime

How can Americans support each other -- and not the Chinese -- when even artisans on a site like Etsy can claim they have never seen a reseller (made in China) shop or listing on the site?  

Many shoppers (who might also be sellers) on Etsy believe (based on their reviews of purchases) that the American shop owner made the item they bought.  Even though they could paste the photo from the shop into Google Images and find out in seconds the name of the wholesale brand, that the item is imported, and the shop on Etsy had nothing to do with designing or making it.  I love quoting these dumb bunny reviews in my blog posts to prove how mindlessly passive consumers have become.  And how unscrupulous sellers are taking full advantage.

I think the real issue here is why American consumers will pay like $25 on Etsy for the exact same item they could buy on Hobby Lobby's site for less than $5?  Even if they have political differences with Hobby Lobby, by purchasing the item on Etsy, HL has still been paid by the Etsy shop owner,  The buyer is simply refunding the wholesale cost when they purchase.

by: SammyCat

IMHO and no offense to anyone, but people adding shipping costs to antique and vintage items are being irresponsible by raising the value of goods in either category across the internet.  It is just not right - the value of an item is what it is, not value + shipping.  

I was saddened to see so many antique people adding shipping and skewing / inflating an items true value.  

Some are seasoned dealers and they've fallen for it, most from I've seen from overseas, but still.

by: purpleiris

@SammyCat, you make a good point and that is why I will only include the shipping on such an item if the total cost is around the valued amount. I actually price items that way, too, basing my prices on the total cost of what others are selling things for.

Looking at the total cost is how at least most shoppers look at it. However, one does need to make sure they aren't pricing their items above their value. One should keep the shipping separate if adding it to the item price skews its value.