Etsy Surveys Sellers about Controversial Offsite Ad Program

by: LDWCallsOut

I'd reopen my dormant Etsy shops if they did something about their corporate culture of dishonesty (I call it dishonEtsy), They need to fix the listing process so shop owners who are reselling don't have to create deceptive listings that say their items are ''handmade'' or ''vintage'' -- or both!   After this is in place, shop owners who misleadingly list their items as what they aren't -- and get reported -- get blocked from listing ANYTHING except as general merchandise.  The designations of handmade and vintage should be reserved for shop owners who actually sell those items.  And they can drop the nonsense in the House Rules about reselling not being allowed because Etsy IS reselling for the most part.  Keeping the resellers and making them honest will make investors happy, and cleaning up the mess with dishonest listings will make the shop owners who really sell the unique items Etsy is trying to identify with happy.  As it is, Etsy corporate is just a bunch of deception.

by: The End

Well, as it urns out :
Jack your prices by 5 X  .
There's an unwitting sucker born every few days.
I'm in a unique position to be able to do this.
And my product makes people crazy to possess it.
All I can figure is, there are a few people living in a bubble.
It's frightening.

by: Snapped

“…an interesting question: are eBay and Etsy battling over the same sellers?”

More like those sellers are desperately seeking any venue that is technically, operationally, competently and fairly aligned to disparate marketplace needs, especially if the venue seeks a ‘global’ (beyond geographically) fulfillment ‘dominance’, and that treats those sellers as valued customers instead of resources ripe for fleecing.  

As for any survey, no venue has ever ‘listened’ in their existence to that plea for such a venue since their respective inceptions. Ironically, the first that actually does so, wins.

Meanwhile, another ‘survey’ is nothing more than a new vein being data mined.  Much cheaper to sell it than analyze and institute it.

by: Stone Cutter

In my opinion, Etsy and eBay are surveying their Sellers because both companies are beginning to feel an economic slowdown...guaranteed. How many Sellers will “give up” as sales begin to slow and profit margins grow thin....this could be a real problem for Etsy and eBay. Economic data shows that there are already signs that many retailers will go “under” within this next year due to a slowdown in retail spending.

There is a lot going on in the U.S. as women begin to lose their abortion rights and school shootings become a regular occurrence; every young female I know is stressed out over current events. People can stop shopping for many reasons as a lack of confidence will keep people from spending. Also, the summer before every mid-term election spending slows.

A long period of inflation and a lack of consumer confidence will be killers for sites like Etsy and Ebay. I have no doubt these surveys are important for both companies.  

by: I_Fix_Dolls

It's a downward spiral whatever the the online venues do. The GOP is doing its best to kill off small business so their overlords of large corporations who pay them via contributions can dominate what consumers buy. Also by keeping employees of large corporations underpaid, the employees tend to buy what is in front of them, and not have to deal with computers, searching for items online, and paying inflated postage for the items (Thanks DeJoy) I sell on at least 4 venues, because none of them are going to make me rich, and once in a while the lesser known venues manage to cough up a sale I didn't get on Etsy or Ebay.  

by: quirkyantiques

That survey was a year ago and I can't imagine ANYONE responded with "I'm just THRILLED to be jacked for a further 15% in fees ON TOP of what I'm already paying for an ad I have no control over" and yet here we are a year later and nothing has changed. I guess we spoke and Etsy listened...now where have I heard THAT before?

by: The End

Without the stock market, ALL WORKERS would be living excellent lives.
Wipe Wall Street off the map and live like they kings we are.

by: Stone Cutter

“Without the stock market, ALL WORKERS would be living excellent lives.”

False. Without the Stock Market and investors, most businesses that we have today would not exist. Sad but true, companies need investors who are looking for a “return” on their money. The U.S. would be a third-world-toilet without an investment community.

Back in 2015, Etsy said they needed to go “public” because they were ready to go out of business and needed money to expand. Every person I know that wanted to expand their small business was constrained by money. And banks will only give you so much....

by: The End

Hence, only failing businesses list on the stock market.
Any small success after that is Just that.
Small businesses, like most started out on the stock market, are seen as blood hosts for the leaches AT the stock market.
Wipe Wall Street OFF the map and return the blood to the workers.
That WE may "Happy Dance".

by: Stone Cutter

I made good money when working for a “public “ company. Not only were the wages good, but the Stock Options were even better....and now I’m retired. Good wages come from big companies who found investment dollars to grow their business.

And even though I have my “beef” with Etsy, there are many Sellers who have done very well on the platform. Sellers who “can’t”, come to these forum venues to blame Etsy for everything, while there are many Sellers who love these online platforms.

by: LDWCallsOut

Without corporations with lots of investors, we wouldn't have the internet, or the devices used to access it, or providers of high-speed access.  

There wouldn't be much purpose for this forum, or any way to access it unless you lived in a major population center.

I lived in a remote rural area in the 1990s, and have experienced what happens when almost everything a household needs is available only through small businesses.  We were denied internet access by the local provider because the elected officials came up with an ''approved'' households list.  The thinking was that internet access would cause problems if the average citizen could use it.  We moved to a suburb of the nearest city in 1999, and got access right away, no questions asked except for name, address, and payment info.  The way business is done in the civilized parts of the USA, dominated by larger and very BIG businesses.

by: Rexford

"And there's no way to indicate that I would not be using them otherwise. It bugs me every time"

These days, surveys are designed to give the company who is surveying the answers that they want, not what they don't want to hear.  Believe me, a great deal of thought and time go into the design of these surveys.