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Wed Aug 14 2019 17:58:22

Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

By: Ina Steiner

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Update: The tool that launched this week does not currently offer dual-pricing capability, see details at the bottom of this post. We've removed the term "dual-pricing" accordingly.

Etsy wants to help UK sellers compete in the US and will launch a new pricing tool this week, according to the company's Chief Financial Officer Rachel Glaser.

It's more expensive for international sellers to ship cross-border than it is domestically. But because of Etsy's new free-shipping initiative where it penalizes sellers who don't offer some form of free shipping in the US, that put international sellers at a disadvantage.

What international sellers need is a tool where they can present a price that's different in the US than in their domestic markets, she said.

If you're a seller in the UK and you're presenting to a UK buyer, that price should be one thing, but if you're in the UK presenting to a US buyer, that (should have) a different price that's presented. (In other words, you'd want to price your item higher in the US than in the UK but offer free shipping to US buyers so you don't incur the visibility-penalty in search results for not offering free shipping.)

That tool was launching for UK sellers this week, so that sellers will be able to more easily adopt free shipping where they weren't able to before, Glaser said.

The free shipping initiative in the US was an "optimization" that adversely affected international sellers "because the US (free shipping) guarantee looks more attractive than anything an international seller could offer."

Here's an excerpt of the email that was sent to sellers about the tool:

"Items that ship free and shops that guarantee free shipping to buyers in the US on orders $35 USD and above get priority placement in US search results. You can now use our optional smart pricing tool, which makes it easy to bulk edit listings $35 USD and over to adjust your item prices to recover shipping costs. Keep in mind that how you determine and set prices is up to you."

Update 8/15/19: Etsy clarified information about the tool that launched in the UK this week. The tool allows UK sellers to bulk-edit listings, but a single listing cannot currently have two prices, one for UK, and one for US. 

An Etsy spokesperson stated: "We're excited to introduce our smart pricing tool for international sellers so that they can make informed decisions about their shipping costs and seamlessly bulk edit their listings. The tool does not currently allow for sellers to set different item prices for different regions; however, we plan to iterate and improve on this feature and hope to offer this capability in the future."

What does the tool currently do? Currently, the "smart pricing tool" allows sellers to bulk edit listings $35 USD and over to adjust item prices to recover shipping costs. Here's a link to an Etsy help page about the tool.

Sellers should also note that in the coming weeks, Etsy will be expanding its sales and coupons tool so that sellers can offer country-specific sales. This will enable sellers to offer discounts to certain geographies, allowing them to stand out and drive sales with their key audiences.



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Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with Dual Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with Dual Pricing Tool

by: Writings on the Wall This user has validated their user name.

Wed Aug 14 21:35:46 2019

Is that even legal in the EU?

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with Dual Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with Dual Pricing Tool

This user has validated their user name. by: Life During Wartime

Wed Aug 14 22:37:44 2019

I was wondering about the legality of this, too.

It's not ''free shipping'' when it's being added to the original price of the item.  

Instead of fixing things on the site that don't work well, Etsy is spending time on things like this?

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This user has validated their user name. by: The End

Thu Aug 15 13:21:28 2019

Again.....How STUPID.
Just like the "New Dashboard"........HOW STUPID ! ! !
Morons and nitwits abound at Etsy HQ.
And, much like Windows 10, Etsy needs to be shredded.
START OVER.

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This user has validated their user name. by: Ina

Thu Aug 15 15:31:09 2019

We've updated the blog post - the tool that launched this week does not *currently* offer dual-pricing capability, see details at the bottom of this post.  

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: Whatever This user has validated their user name.

Thu Aug 15 23:18:42 2019

ditto everything everyone said

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: Bubbles This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 02:07:38 2019

Never worked for us on eBay so I can't see how it will work on Etsy. Tried the so called 'free shipping' more times than I care to count on eBay and each time sales plummeted so I won't be doing it on Etsy - would rather leave. Therefore the 'stick' no matter how many times Etsy try to beat us with it - not gonna happen!

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: rover This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 04:17:32 2019

Rather than putting sticking plaster onto sticking plaster to fix each goof up why not leave vendors to run their own business as they see fit?

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by: rover This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 04:20:04 2019

How to use the smart pricing tool = how to cheat buyers without them noticing (hopefully).

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: littlesaint This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 06:36:44 2019

Etsy just loves rolling out new ''tools'' that continue to stick it to their sellers in order to inflate quarterly profits and as we all know very well, it is only the current quarter that matters to shareholders. There is no long term strategy for these stick jugglers, just a fake numbers game in order to pad their profits until the recession takes hold. In the meantime, sellers can anticipate heftier than usual shipping cost increases in Jan. as USPS claims losses of $1B each quarter. Sellers are left with no choice but to diversify, return the favor and limit their Etsy loyalty, and sell locally as much as possible. We all know what Etsy can do with their carrots and their sticks.

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: Flying Childers This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 08:07:53 2019

Great comments from everyone.  You guys get it for sure.
Here’s the truth- it doesn’t matter what you do to try to get your items to appear in search.
Etsy completely controls everything.
There are no magic words or tools.  Believe me, I am trying everything and both my shops are dead in the water ever since they hustled us into the free shipping debacle.

Every day it seems they figure out a new way to rip off the sellers and line their pockets.  All this trickery does NOTHING to help us get found or move our merchandise.

I also suspect that the censors are cracking down on anyone who posts a negative comment on the forums, FB or elsewhere on line.  If you are foolish enough to get caught criticizing Etsy, they will de-platform your shop.  

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: SammyCat This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 11:21:05 2019

No offense intended but this title is disingenuous as it doesn't help anyone with anything except lying to your customers and breaking the law in the UK, Canada and the EU.  

They are basically saying its up to you to break the law of your country or not, but, if you don't, don't expect much from Etsy or the money you spend on the platform.

What a load of disgusting crap.

Personally,  because of what I sell, the size and cost of items I can not 'hide' shipping and refuse to artificially raise the value of antiques and vintage items (which is also a side issue.)  

For the first time ever I have NOT made a sale in the payment deadline period.

Damn them.

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: Flying Childers This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 13:34:09 2019

Sammy Cat- they are putting many people out of business.

I know several people who have literally THOUSANDS of sales of vintage and handmade items who haven't had a sale in WEEKS.

They treat us like idiot children with this "carrot and stick" crap.  Etsy management has zero respect for the sellers who do all the work so they can line their pockets.

They are social justice warriors always virtue signaling about all the good they're doing for mankind.  

TRUTH- Welcome to the Etsy Plantation brought to you by the ETSY SLAVES aka SELLERS.

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: SammyCat This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 14:56:53 2019

Flying Childers - is there any serious counter-movement to this abomination?  Anyone organizing anything?  

Is there any organized attempt to get the attention of the FTC?

Etc?

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: Flying Childers This user has validated their user name.

Fri Aug 16 16:42:42 2019

Sammy Cat- sadly, none that I know of.

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: SammyCat This user has validated their user name.

Sat Aug 17 11:51:08 2019

All I can say is that this latest sabotage of sellers actually selling is definitive proof that they don't see our value as resellers, all they want is for us to buy into their add-on's; plans, labels, etc etc etc

Word is that people who fell for the free shipping shame are not doing so well, one has to wonder what Etsy is going to do about it?  

I have a feeling that they are going to force people to upgrade to plans and maybe you will have to buy labels etc.   I got a survey asking if I knew of all the 'new' ways to build by business with Etsy tools.  Wondering about the backlash for all those that have said they knew of them but haven't used them!!  

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

This user has validated their user name. by: The End

Sat Aug 17 18:08:04 2019

ETSY :
"Make MY holiday season "extra special"  :
Keep your nose OUTTA MY BUSINESS.
I don't want to see Your JUNK on my dashboard.
I don't want to see the "Discover" tab, or the "Notifications" tab. Both are irrelevant and a waste of my time.
STOP FINDING MORE WAYS TO WASTE MY TIME.

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: pennyemporium This user has validated their user name.

Sun Aug 18 14:09:55 2019

@Flying Childers:  i don't sell vintage items on Etsy, however, i also have not had one single sale since the free shipping rolled out.  i have a niche product without a lot of competition, and was experiencing the rolling blackouts for about a year keeping my sales at a certain $amount each month.  every month suspiciously the same.  

until the new free shipping rolled out... crickets. on track to make NOTHING this month.  i'm not sure how this helps Etsy in the long run.  

Perminate Link for Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool   Etsy Helps UK Sellers Compete in US with New Pricing Tool

by: Flying Childers This user has validated their user name.

Mon Aug 19 05:28:07 2019

Penny- it must be helping them make more money for their shareholders and company executives.  That’s all they care about.

As someone else pointed out, I don’t see how these policies can be legal.  We are paying them fees that are like 30% commission yet they refuse to provide the services we are paying for.  This is highway robbery.  Too bad that there is no Consumer Protection Agency for Etsy sellers.
I saw a video from a woman who charges $300 for Etsy “training “.  The whole video was to instruct you to find another place to sell besides Etsy!



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