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Tue Jan 2 2018 20:39:41

Etsy Closes Free Listing Loophole

By: Ina Steiner

Yesterday we wrote about a promotion in which Etsy sellers could enter the code "MYSMALLBUSINESS on Etsy.com/promotion and receive 20 free listings, even if they already had an existing shop.

We noted that it wasn't clear where Etsy might have advertised the promo but noted that news of the deal was gathering steam through "word of mouth" on industry boards.

However, while some sellers were able to take advantage of the promotion, others were not. Some said they remembered having taken advantage of the same promotion a year ago, and guessed that might be why they were unable to use the code this year.

We reached out to the company, and an Etsy spokesperson responded this evening with the following statement: "The free listing code was from a past promotion that is no longer valid. We deactivated the code today; however, code redemptions processed before that time were honored."

At least one reader noted on the Etsy boards today that they were able to use the code to get $4 worth of free listings after receiving the EcommerceBytes email newsletter early this morning. But for those who reached out this afternoon to tell us the code didn't work, we're sorry to hear you missed out on the freebies.

We wrote back to Etsy to ask if existing shop-owners should expect any other promotions in the coming weeks or months. What kind of seller promotion would you most appreciate?

Comments (4) | Permalink

Readers Comments

Etsy Closes Free Listing Loophole

by: KinChaser

Thu Jan 4 00:52:52 2018

I did sign up for the free listings last night. When I was done, in the red ''add a listing'' box on the listings page, it said 20 free. I did not intend to use them last night so closed Etsy for the night. This morning when I opened the listings page, I still had free listings but 5 of them had disappeared and the message in the red box said ''15 free''. I am grateful for those but I think that it was a cheap shot by Etsy to reduce the number of free listings. It sort of took the ''good'' out of the good feelings Etsy had given me the previous evening.

Etsy Closes Free Listing Loophole

by: Flying Childers

Thu Jan 4 07:36:02 2018

Free promotions?

How about if they just give me the things that I pay for, like getting my listings found in search, or having my ads show up somewhere, or sending me traffic.

Etsy is a one way street. I don't mind paying for listings or even ads or promotions IF THEY WORKED. But the problem is that they DON'T.

By their own admission- Josh Silverman said that they manipulate search for various reasons including what they call "sharing the love." Which means that even if you have the best listings in the world, some Etsy Robot is going to decide whether or not potential buyers should see them.

Not only that- but you think anyone really cares about some phony free listings? Read some of the comments on ECB about what's going on at Etsy.

To top it off- they even reneged on the deal when it was THEIR MISTAKE! They are such a bunch of damn cheapskates that they wouldn't even extend the offer to throw the sellers a bone. I hope they fire another 40% of the spoiled brats who work there.

Etsy Closes Free Listing Loophole

by: rover

Thu Jan 4 13:14:56 2018

Hahahaha, I got the 20 free listings in my shop last night and immediately "used" them by copying another listing 20 times, as suggested by another reader. Then I deactivated all 20 so they are still available for me to use in my deactivated file. I only have to edit them and add the desired pictures and text to be able to use them. Already added 10 new items.

Etsy Closes Free Listing Loophole

by: Diogenes

Thu Jan 4 14:47:11 2018

Good luck to anyone who manages to get something ''free'' from this company.

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