ETSY'S NEW FREE SHIPPING POLICY + DROPPING SHOP NAMES IN SEARCH | My Thoughts after 10 Years on Etsy
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2019
- I react to Etsy's new policy of prioritizing shops that offer free shipping on orders over $35. Plus, I touch on how they've dropped shop names from the homepage, search functionality and more. This video is a stream of consciousness style and my honest opinion. I'd love to know your thoughts on the changes in the comment section. ▼MORE INFO BELOW▼
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Videos I've Made on Etsy Changes in the Past:
• WHAT IS HAPPENING TO E...
• The FUNDAMENTAL PROBLE...
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Scrunchie on my Wrist:
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Etsy's Video on Free Shipping Policy:
• A New Way to Shop on Etsy
Etsy's Press Release on the Changes:
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I think forcing small shops to offer free shipping for visibility is just wrong. Small shops don't have the huge profit margins that places like Amazon do to offset the "cost" of free shipping. Etsy is losing its integrity and its artisan feel. They're going more commercial and that's just sad.
We are not Amazon! I could not agree more. And expecting us to compete like that completely ruins the original purpose of etsy. It's so sad, isn't it?
Pink Panda Additionally customer service past the frontline reps if you have a problem Amazon is not customer friendly also because they are large, impersonal these days and with the volume of sales Jeff Bezos has no incentive to treat customers properly. Etsy store owners are my favorite because they are customer oriented, are small business and the back bone of the American economy and Etsy is going to hurt the small business owners. As a consumer I know prices will have to be higher to those with small volume business. That means I may not purchase as much or anything at all. I agree with you already
And anyway, Amazon Prime customers pay $110.00 a year for membership to get that free shipping option!! Normal customers pay shipping as usual. How is this even being discussed as an equivalency??
@@headlyl I agree! Also, because Amazon is so huge and mails such a volume of packages, they've probably negotiated special, cheaper postal rates for their company.
@@headlyl What a good point you make!
I don't like that they took down shop names in the search. Not cool
Same... really not cool!
I haven't noticed yet, just going to check now. I'm in the UK though, if that makes a difference or not, I don't know. It is a slap in the face for sellers to be basically de-individualized! I'm in the UK as I say, and I'm having to ship to the US free on orders over $35. Etsy is getting really pushy, and I don't like it at all. It's like a dictatorship now. It doesn't matter if you have quality, hand made products which you've worked hard to make, and perfect, it's just about fitting in to their cookie cutter image, and making more money. We're all working hard, and we deserve recognition! Making sellers upset and forcing us to lose money, so they can put it into their own pockets is just so wrong.
They did? Geez it never ends
mine is still working?
@@nicolecondor5337 🤔 where are you?
After 11.5 years selling on Etsy, I decide to close my Etsy shop last week. Josh Silverman is a clown.
I was on etsy since 2011. Had 21000 sales and 5 star rating. Was kicked off etsy in April over a misunderstanding. No one would talk to me and they were quiet rude. It has ruined me and I'm hoping there is a new craft site in the making or one that's worth selling on?? Anyone know? I just opened up a storenvy account but I have to drive my own traffic. I did have many many repeat customers and am hoping they can find me! I will never shop nor recommend Etsy to anyone. I hope they go down.
@Creative Revival Those "Quit your day job' stories were a joke, imo. Most admitted that their partner or husband/wife had a good paying, full time job that allowed them to stay at home and do Etsy full time, or that they had other outside income (rentals, family, inheritance, etc.). If they were doing so well, they didn't stay on Etsy.
I recently read about Baroqoo Handmade Marketplace. I have yet to really dive into it so can’t say how good it is, but I’ve heard it’s where a lot of Etsy vendors are switching to.
I cant even imagine
The shipping issue kind of hit me the same way. Don’t tell me what to do, Etsy. I won’t be offering free shipping as I’ve tried that in the past and it never generated more sales. Plus if everyone offers free shipping, then no one really would be prioritized in search.
I didn’t realize dropping the store name was a thing until your video. And that’s just wrong. We’re not amazon and buying from individuals was sort of the calling card of the platform. I have a blog so I think I’ll need to look at shifting my items there.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts🌺🌺
We're NOT Amazon! Isn't that the whole point of being an Etsy seller?
By their (Etsy's) own admission in their video, only 20% of customers are more likely to buy due to free shipping; so they're basically full of shit.
I make handmade jewelry (super saturated market) and I"ve done various sales over the years. So far none have actually generated more traffic to my shop, including free shipping sales. I've decided to play with it and see what happens though I agree it's a lot of crap. I don't have another website other than on Facebook so I really wouldn't want to just get rid of my Etsy shop either. I wish Etsy would swallow the shipping fees themselves instead of making makers pay for the shipping fees.
It's all about money. It has nothing to do with prioritizing shops it generates alot of extra money if we up our prices to meet the price for free shipping because they take there % of the new price and so they get more. Greedy bastards
As a Canadian Seller, when the price to ship within Canada vs the price to ship to the u.s. with tracking (sorry, your postal system tends to loose my packages so i have no choice on that) is so drastically different, this is heartbreaking and honestly, its insulting. My pieces are above 35usd in most cases, and Im already competing with really underpriced items. Basically changing my prices will be causing my Canadian customers to pay way more than is fair to them. As an International seller, its the biggest slap in the face. im also heartbroken on the invisible shop names. Especially as someone to is a repeat customer for handmade shops.
No need to apologize for our shitty US postal system! Lol. I won't ship internationally without tracking either because I've lost too many packages, I sell expensive stuff too, and it's big stuff, so often international shipping costs more than the item already. Lots of people won't pay it.
I am Canadian too Jennifer and it sucks!! I am in the same boat with hiher priced items and I don't like the idea of charging my Canadian customers more. Thats just outright unfair.
Chit Chats is the way to go for Canadian sellers. We have used them since the postal strike last winter. We could not compete otherwise. Full tracking, cheaper, and faster. Here is out affiliate link for a credit to try it chitchats.com/r/163812
I couldn’t agree more...after over a year of Etsy sending me popup saying “you’re charging too much for shipping!” When the shipping I’m charging is LESS THAN THE CHEAPEST SHIPPING OPTION COSTS this just feels like an extra slap in the face. Not to mention ppl who sell physically large items? I can’t ship a heavy item for under $35, even without tracking....
I also just don’t buy their premise for it...people aren’t getting “free shipping” if they’re just paying that much extra for an item. And I don’t think most customers really care....Most ppl who sort by price in search do so including the shipping anyways...and as a customer I’d rather know exactly what I’m paying for?
One point I would disagree with you on. When you said that selling items over $35 shouldn't be a big deal to sellers....for me it's a huge deal! Most of what I make and sell is way more than $35 and the items are big and heavy which causes shipping to be very expensive. Last week I shipped one item to California and shipping was $98.24. Think about adding that to your item cost and selling price! It's a big deal.
I couldn't agree more. What I sold (because i was suspended for having a Mickey mouse paper in a journal) was usually very heavy. I am sad to see what's happening to etsy :(
Hi its the Same if you add the cost to your product. Or if the customer pays for the postage.think free shipping sounds and is better . It takes the hassle out for the customer. Its called excellent customer service. Think?...
@@mariec5716 In EU at least it is unlegal to say that it is free if it is not. I don't know how the law is in USA but in EU area you have to say that the postage is included to the price if you have it in the price tag. You can't say that it is free since the customer will pay that. Other thing is that if you include the postage into the price it is your customer that loses since if they order more than one item from you they will not get the postage anymore calculated for the bundel, what could easily be same as postage for one item. They will end up paying the postage as many times as the items they bought. Depending what you are selling. And then there are international sellers. Since the rule is that you have to offer that free shipping for eveyrone in USA. The new rule is made thinking only sales inside USA but there are a lot of international sellers in Etsy. So EU seller will at least break a law if they have the price including the shipping and they offer it as free shipping. And as international buyer I have to say that best sellers have been ones that have made it possible to negotiate the shipping expences. I have been able to lower mine few times with agreeing to take personal responsibility for no tracking with small items in case they get lost. So in all I don't think it will take the hassle out and be any better customer service.
@@Virpukka hi yes i know its a lie therefore it should be ruled illegal. I am Australian.
Steve hi. Usually for your products who pays for shipping? Thinking either the seller pays or otherwise the customers. Its true its a no brainer. But if you up your prices to include who a where you usually sell to. I know less sales for the seller. Either way when in business the seller is disadvantaged. Let me know exactly what you think. Thankying you.
I agree with you, especially deleting your shop info. If I wanted to shop no-name products, I could. But part of the appeal of Etsy is hand crafted items, small business entrepreneurship, and personal relationship with the owner. I'm sorry this is happening; it's not right.
I agree.
Taking the shop names off makes it feel like the makers are working FOR Etsy, instead of it being their own business on the Etsy platform. And forcing people to offer free shipping is just plain wrong. People should be able to decide how they want to run their ships without being penalized.
Etsy has failed to realize that the sellers *are* their business. They should fire the morons that came up with this deceitful change.
I miss the way Etsy used to be 😭 It was such a cool marketplace back then for small businesses!
Oh and also if they're getting rid of shop names I guess it's time to start watermarking thumbnail photos! I already do that because I've had people steal my pictures to sell their hoops.
I recently had someone do the same! Luckily a lot of people recognized my items and informed me right away. The nerve of some people...
That’s good idea!
That's what I'm going to do, for sure
Erica Saldana It’s crazy a lot of Chinese sellers will steal peoples pictures and show them on Alibaba and other cheap Chinese websites and pretend that it’s theirs
Thank you so much for this idea. I realized that real artist's never copy, the fact that it is a copy means it is not your creation and real artists love the feeling of creation. I get inspiration from others but I do not copy. This video has given me more incentive to create my own website.
Etsy is forgetting who helped make them and by taking down the identity of the Makers is proof. So start looking at other avenues to move to. Never settled in 1 because you will be screwed.
Agree with everything you said. So painful. Etsy differentiates by offering goods from small business, by trying to be another Amazon they lose their edge and I am worried they are going to turn into Alibaba.
I agree with you. I used to spend lots of time on Etsy until they added Chinese sellers. Search went from being able to look for wonderful handmade items to seeing a bunch of mass manufactured items. If I want cheap mass produced items I can go to Aliexpress. Etsy has lost its way and lost its identity as a website selling beautiful, unique, handmade items.
I guesd you have a point etsy before favoured smaller price sellers. Now iys giving shops that never made money to start to earn some money. Gosh iys so logical?
As if the free shipping thing was controversial enough, I had NO IDEA until your video that they were dropping shop names from search! WTH! :( That just feels like a total blindside.
Right?! It’s MESSED UP! I am loyal to certain Etsy shops and now they won’t even tell me what listing belongs to the seller.
Oh my gosh! I didn't know this either. That's so frustrating and rude!
The only suggestion I can think of is to incorporate your logo or business name into your listings. I definitely have to because I'm a supplier and I need to stand out from the rest.
Olivia Hayward have they always had the shop rating show in the listing? What if you just started your shop and have no ratings. Now it looks like the product is zero stars and people may ignore it
Painful Changes ahead.. I’m a seller that moved from EBay for a better user experience - but the benefits of the site are shrinking. I agree with your thoughts..
When the price of postage to send parcels keeps going up and up, how does Etsy really have the right to force people to offer "free shipping". Sure it looks great to customers but what about sellers / business owners. It's not fair.
Just sold two items , each had 10 dollars shipping , they made me ship for free..I'll be out of 10 or 13 dollars depending on the weight. A damn shame
This is the first I heard about the removal of the shop names... I'm extremely upset about this, moreso than the free shipping thing. 😞
This explains my confusion last night. Maybe this is why many shops I have shopped from are no longer to be found on Etsy. :(
Sad!
This is so sad to me because I have been planning to launch my Etsy shop. I have been following your videos for the past 3-4 years and I've finally taken the jump. Now I suppose I will have to reconsider the platform I use to sell my handmade goods. Lots to think about.
Asha Reynolds what platform did you use before?
I am a new shop but I’ve been making my products forever. I am quickly getting positive reviews. Everyone loves their purchases!! But...even with all five stars, I only have 51 sales. When you take away the name that is going to come blaring out at people! And my entire shop was already on free shipping when they announced that change. But getting rid of the names is so disrespectful!!!!!!!!!! They are going to have a mass exodus!
I think so, Julie. I'll just tell the ones I shop with, "Tell me where you're going, and I'll follow you there!"
You are so right Olivia! Etsy removing the shop names is really like them saying that they care more about products than people. I want to know about the maker of the products I buy, I want to know where they're from etc. That's why I prefer Etsy to Amazon. The makers are the best reason to shop on Etsy.
I also don’t like them telling me how to run my business. I have a tiny niche (doll arts) and a I
Ike to ship some item with USPS priority to get the insurance included and fast shipping to my US customers. Rolling shipping costs into my prices inflate the costs, and well, my system works for me. It’s none of Etsy’s business why or how I price or ship my products.
I agree with you, but "don't tell me how to run my business"? You are using their platform to sell your craft. They can do whatever they want. Create your own website and generate your own buzz and keep it moving.
@@soulkitchen1979 Right, and I pay them for their service. It's not free.
@Patriot Jefferson when you buy anything on etsy you are not buying anything from etsy you are buying from XYZ Shop therefore you are XYZ's customer not etsy's. Imagine etsy as your local mall, if you will, with a bunch of shops inside it. The name of the shop on the little bag you are carrying is who has you as a customer...the fact that they are in a mall doesn't mean you are no longer their customer.
@Patriot Jefferson Right, but I also pay for my own site, and my IP provider does not tell me what to put on it. So, for Etsy, using its site is a service that I pay for, which pretty much what I already said. So we agree.
@@TammyPowley lol this ass kissers lmao, don't bother
As a Canadian seller, this irks me to no end. Shipping within my own country is insanely expensive. It costs me min. $14 just to ship via Canada Post within my own city for a small packet of any weight that is more than 2cm in thickness. I cannot afford to offer free shipping.
Most of my customers are in the US which equals international shipping for me....again, just cannot afford to do this.
It's $9 for postage in Australia domestic and $17 international. 90% of my orders are from the US too. My postage costs as much as my products so this change and the way Etsy is going is ridiculous. I'm considering only selling at conventions...
I feel your pain...that plus selling vintage with variable item weights and sizes...it’s just not feasible? And not fair to customers in other countries if we have to increase prices...
@@msjones6936 Absolutely, I'm definitely not the worst affected.
Totally agree! I was so angry when I saw the email saying that they are prioritizing free shipping. It's BS! We are not regular businesses, we are artisans! Craftsmen! No faceless businesses! Also, we are individuals and they're trying to turn Etsy into Amazon and that's not the point of Etsy. The point is the handmade seller community!! This makes me so angry! I can't really afford to create and maintain an outside Etsy selling platform because I don't have that many sales so Etsy is my only option right now and I'm not happy about the drop of our individualness from the platform. 😣
I think I'm gonna get rid of my Etsy shop now, to be honest.
No i would not its the best and fairer time to open a shop.these changes will afvantage us all not only the higher earners. Believe me its true.
Thank you for this information!!! As a customer I now know why it has been so difficult to find quite a few Instagram makers Etsy shops!!!🤠
I was searching to open a store and now i will be reconsidering ... Etsy store owners need to band together and fight back
That's it. Strength in numbers. Band together. Apply pressure.
No shop names? It's time to get my own platform. Did you know
A. C. Moore is starting a handmade marketplace? I think their deal is they charge $5 a month flat fee. They don't take a % of your sales. I don't think I'll switch yet, but I will keep an eye on it.
I added myself to the waitlist, thanks for the heads up! It looks like the sales engine that will power their marketplace, Zibbet, already does this, so I might check that out as well.
@@jessherselfable I just joined the waitlist too. Almost 20k waiting on the list.
How do you apply to their waiting list?
@@yanak7159 just search A.C. Moore Marketplace. And for the record I don't have an affiliation there, though I should with how much I shop there. I'm just on their email list. Happy hunting!
Thank you so much for sharing that info, I've signed up too!
Thank God I left Etsy long time ago and opened my own shop on a domain. Zero regrets.
I know a few others who have Etsy shops and knowing that Etsy has changed so much since they’ve started only reason I even still have Etsy app on my phone is because of them all makers is what made Etsy what it is today without everyone they wouldn’t have nothing
Great Video Olivia!
I’ve been trying to find out others thoughts on Etsy changes. I laughed at the latest video by them. I’m not an idiot! WE, the makers, are not idiots. They’ll never be able to compete with Amazons, etc. Whether we raise our prices, it still doesn’t help. I do purchase from other shops and have never had an issue paying shipping. I do not like the new format on Etsy. I do like knowing the shops identity. So much more to say.... ugh!!!
Seriously sooo frustrating! I totally agree!!
www.etsy.com/shop/VeiledBeauty
This reminds me of Instagram. With all these changes to their algorithms artist and entrepreneurs are having a hard time getting their names out there. It feels like there's a big box store bully pulling all the strings. These selling and advertising platforms are destroying any potential for true success. Love the information you just provided. I agree with you.
I'm with you. Been selling on Etsy about 9 years now, and I think "free shipping" hurts customers who want to purchase multiple items, because we have to build in postage to the asking price, so there's no good way to refund any excess postage costs. Buyers take one look at the total cost for their items and panic and dump their carts. I get frustrated, too, because my shop isn't a shop with basically uniformly sized items for sale like earrings or bars of homemade soap; I sell vintage stuff, and every package varies. Plus, I live on the west coast, so every time I set a shipping price (posting the maximum--I always refund excess postage) I get this snooty little announcement that I'm pricing my shipping too high. Well, darn it, I have to figure most if not all my buyers are east of the Mississippi and it's a zone 8 or 9 cost from my location. Yesterday I got one of those little scolding messages saying, "Your shipping for this item is too high. Most buyers are looking for shipping costs of $3.50 or less." Well, phooey on that! This was for a package that weighed over 2 pounds! Get real, Etsy. I'm determined to phase out of Etsy selling. It's been fun, but... I've got a small percentage of my items listed as "free shipping" but I don't see that they're selling any faster than the items with shipping not included.
I was getting ready to start an Etsy shop. Now I am rethinking my plan... Thank you for the information!
Same here. I'll look for something else. Thanks!
I agree with everything you say, BUT selling off Etsy isn’t practical for a lot of people, especially starting out. Social media followings take a long time to build and off Etsy sites take a lot of time and work to drive traffic to. I have an instagram with almost 1500 followers and spend a lot of time promoting there, but almost all my sales are from people browsing around Etsy.
I SO agree with you Kelli. I have tried ig so many times and with so much research behind it. Social media is like impossible for me no matter what I do. I rely on Etsy browsers too and I just don't know where to go from there....
It does take a lot of work to build any kind of online presence.... and if your'e going to do that, you may as well sell directly and bypass the stupidity of Etsy.
Pete Musgrove yes. I agree, I just don’t know any way of also making money to the support the business to continue to grow while doing all that work online/social media without also listing on Etsy in the meantime. And some products just don’t seem very impactful on social media.
Shannon Owings exactly. Even if you do get a great social media going, it takes a lot of time. I can’t invest in products then wait a year to sell one while I grow my social media platforms.
Kelli i know right! Such a frustrating situation all around 😢
I noticed the shop name removal today and was heartbroken. I am a tiny shop, trying to diversify and such. I have reduced my listings to just a few as I work through my changes. This Etsy change with free shipping and shop name hurts. Being in Canada whipping to US is EXPENSIVE and to pad prices to allow for this is going to hurt my little shop. On a side note, my father was involved as a parts/service manager and always laughed at “free” gifts. Every company “adds” or “pads” their prices to cover these “free”things. With Etsy, I order items that are unique, have good value and because or the artisan/handmade feel, shipping was not necessarily the deciding factor. As a ETsy shopper, I will continue to look for small shops that offer quality, uniqueness a value. Free shipping be damned. AS for the shop name, I’m now rethinking my game plan... as I have a website too but wanted to use my Etsy small customer base to build momentum through. I’ll have to stew on this and see what surfaces.
You really made some good points! I think you hit the nail on the head talking about branding! So important and a great reminder! Thanks, Olivia!
As someone who has been trying to decide whether to open an Etsy shop or not this video gives me two items to put under the "cons" column. Thanks for the info!!
I read that they may consider allowing customer returns next. If so then I’m done.
Tina Marie they’re already going over sellers and refunding customers from their pocket, even though the seller should win the case. It’s like, why should we have policies if they’re going to undermine them?
I feel like this is just the beginning. I'm so glad I've had my own website for couple of years and already diactivated my listings, while I figure out if I do want to leave Etsy and now I'm definatly leaving. They can care less about the makers and all about making the most money. It all started as soon as they hired the new CEO and one of the first things they did is to "suggest" cheaper options, when you're viewing someone's listing. This is not Ebay, it doesn't work the same way for handmade products. :/
Every freakin day there is some new change there that gives me a stomach ache . They are literally making me sick.
That’s how it’s been for soooo many years. It makes no sense.
Ditto!!!
Ohhhhh MY GOSH! I know!! I can't even create because I'm constantly trying to update my SEO... totally causing anxiety! www.etsy.com/shop/VeiledBeauty
So true lol
@@veiledbeautybykatkrafel6429 So true, I am sick of the SEO on etsy too, giving me anxiety too
Amazon does not have free shipping, they charge every year. Also you should notice that they do add an up charge to many items they “ship for free” , which means you constantly have to keep your eye on prices since they will add a couple of dollars to each item.
This is very true. I hardly ever buy craft items on Amazon because they charge $4-5 more on every item so they've already added in shipping costs. I buy from small sellers or stores online who charge one shipping fee not multiple shipping fees.
I haven't started my Etsy shop because I'm still working on the details of my product. I have been following you for a while now to glean what you have learned and so appreciate your point of view especially with 10 years under your belt. (I don't like to be told what to do either, their should be options regardless).
I appreciate this information and also the fact that you have your own E-commerce store, something to think about especially since they're wiping out the business owners. Sounds like someone is too big for their britches and is biting the hand that fed them to what they are. Shame. This information will make me rethink my direction, I have an advantage since I'm not there yet.
BTW, your video on the wholesale company is something that still peaks my interest. Thanks again.
I totally agree! I have had my Etsy Shop for just over a year and couldn't figure out why my sales had dropped. I was getting orders once a week or more. Now I haven't had a sales in over a month - except for return customers. I hadn't heard about the 'free shipping' thing until a post I read on Instagram. So I did a test - out of 250 posts my shop used to come up on the 3rd to 6th page - Now it's not until about 130 pages back. This is really unfair. My items are all under $35 but no one can find me!
I was with Etsy when they first began (Rob Kalin era) and barely survived the Chad Dickerson era (former Ebay board member who took the company public) and since Chad, Etsy has never cared about sellers. They fired him but his "let's be corporate and compete with Amazon" philosophy still lives on. Chinese sellers became 75% of the marketplace in a so called handmade site. Amazon took advantage of the thousands of sellers leaving by offering their homemade dept during that period. SO MANY sellers that literally "made Etsy" what it was are gone now, some even sued. This is reality. It isn't going to change.
So now those of us outside the USA get to pay double shipping - when shipping inside the US is rolled into the price we get to pay a higher item cost to cover your local shipping AND overseas shipping fees.
When I first heard about the free shipping thing it felt a bit discriminatory to me. We all pay the same fees so how is it fair to not show what might be a best match for a search just because it might not be free shipping?
COMPLETELY agree!!!
agree
When they started having TV commercials it made me nervous.
Oh man! I totally agree with this.
I had no idea. Maybe they are feeling a crunch in sales overall with amazon (handmade) ? And this is their way to compete?
Yes! When I started seeing commercials, I had a gut feeling there are more changes to come, that we will not like.
Keep your spirit up, Olivia! Thank you for sharing your honest opinion and frustration with us.
Totally agree. And, removing the shop name from the search results makes my blood boil too!! Also, did you get a “seller survey” email from them today too? I did - and it was some BS about how as a seller you’d react to this email they plan to send when a shop has a lot of issues/negative feedback. SO RANDOM!! My feedback on the survey was - why the heck are you surveying us about some dumb email and not asking for our input on your free shipping decisions?! Or the search result changes!?! Infuriating.
Yes, that stinks! I hope someone comes up with another way to do things! Especially for us older customers who know Etsy and aren’t as savvy about the Instagram and other ways to buy things! I really do feel for you! It’s sort of like having small shops overrun by a new Walmart. I especially dislike that mass produced products are allowed! Good luck to you!💕
Not using the shop name in what shows is crazy. I've gone to stores just because I like their name! If I can't have my store name show then the customer's experience is going to be nameless faceless amazon. Somebody NEW to Etsy Headquarters thought this up. Guaranteed. No understanding of the platform or its customers. Likely an executive recruit from another platform. Also, telling people to offer free shipping? No, I have a store, I decide how the store is run. I was just about to list more than 1,000 items in the next six months on Etsy. I feel like I have to start all over again deciding which platform to put my energy into. No name? Cripes, Etsy is the platform that tells everybody they have to HAVE a name. Ridiculous. Great hire, Etsy. Ever heard of New Coke? Don't fix what ain't broke. Really glad you did this video, Olivia. : )
ohhh I remember new coke lol I learned about that in school ahahaha good one
Great video Olivia :)
Thank you so much for this video. I have been thinking about opening an Etsy shop but am constantly weighing up the pro's and con's. Your video has helped me finally make the decision not to and to open one on Shopify instead. Etsy does seem to becoming more commercial and these new changes reinforce my thoughts on this. Love your channel and all the advice you give plus your passion for what you do.
There are several other platforms to move to. I will be doing that now.
I agree with everything you said....seems like every couple of months there is something new with them. I was not aware of the name drop...as an etsy seller that infuriates me.
Yes these changes will make me continue to try to purchase from a makers direct website if they have one.
Rock on! Thank you!
I completely agree that a purchaser could come to the conclusion that "Etsy" has made these shop's items. It appears that Etsy has created a "partnership" with your business (and others) by not listing each company with the product, and by forcefully requiring each shop owner to not charge shipping. It's misleading to the general public, and simply wrong on so many levels. I'm shocked that Etsy attorneys are allowing it. For example, if someone receives a product from "Etsy" or from someone they think is Etsy (or a partner with Etsy), and maybe it burns their skin. Who is legally liable? The purchaser thinks they are purchasing from Etsy... It's too fine of a line.
My personal thoughts??? Etsy has lost it's soul....
So this means etsy makes more money on each sale with the free shipping included !?So if shipping is say 80 dollars and the item is 100 dollors etsy makes will take a percentage of 180 instead of 100!
They already take a percentage fee on shipping. They made that change a while ago. It's 5% on everything you charge the customer goes to Etsy. So The extra money for Etsy comes in when US folks don't make the $35 threshhold and have to pay for shipping still, & on every non-US sale --- if the shop added the shipping costs to every item.
I agree with you, this is not a fair policy to coerce artisans into. The vast majority of buyers shop Etsy for the uniqueness of our products and appreciate the quality, work and artistry that is invested into each piece. It is not surprising at all that many indicated on their survey they would buy more with free shipping - any survey is going to indicate that, but I wonder what kind of bent did the survey have exactly? I suspect it did not have any emphasis on the uniqueness and value of handcrafted products or ask questions like, "Would you agree that product prices on Etsy refect the personal investment of time, level of talent and quality of material put into each item?" Or, "Do you agree that free shipping is not free, but just added to the product price?" Or how about, "Are you aware that "free shipping", in fact, forces you to pay exponentially more for shipping when 2+ items you purchase are packaged in the same box, since shipping is already embedded in the product price?"
Their argument that shipping should be factored into the price of our products just like labor and materials sounds reasonable at first, but consider this... The cost of materials and time are CONTROLABLE expenses. Therefore the price we determine reflects the VALUE we place on our time, talent and the quality of the materials WE CHOOSE. If we don't want to use expensive materials for instance, we can opt to use cheaper ones, but with the understanding that it can lessen the quality of our end product. But this is OUR choice and at OUR risk. In the end, it is the buyer who ultimately determines the quality of our product and fairness of our pricing by rating it (this of course includes our service, which we control as well). The ratings and feedback we receive are indicative of whether we have INVESTED in the RIGHT materials at the right price, and INVESTED enough TIME into creating a product worth its PRICE.
By coercing us to include shipping in our price to get priority search placement is also deceptive. Firstly, the "priority" they promise will result in a flooded search queue and most won't even see any difference of what page their listing shows up on. But even more, shipping is not an investment or even a contolable expense in many cases. Embedding it into the product price simply CONTAMINATES the whole pricing methodology, which again reflects our time, talent and materials we have CHOSEN. It will only inflate the product price and deceive the customer into thinking they are getting "Free Shipping". A local buyer will now pay the SAME price as a buyer on the other side of the country (or even in a different country for that matter). It is simply not a fair or honest practice. The end result willl be that it's going to hurt a lot of artisans (especially those who are located in places, like rural areas where it costs more to ship).
I'm losing a great deal of respect in their platform policies and will now be giving more focus and energy to my personal website. It seems to now be the last frontier where my customers can understand and appreciate my prices are a reflection of my talent, time and quality materials I've invested in.
I must belong to the 80% of customers who don't mind paying shipping for a personalized product. Wait....80% would be the majority, right?
girlll, YAS. Okay, everything you said was spot on. I'm so glad that you have other sources of income for your shop because at the end of the day Etsy is it's own platform and entity if it decides to close down tomorow...that's it. There goes your 30k sales, your income, your hard work building that base. So, I think what you're doing is very smart and I think that it's completely illogical for Etsy to follow the amazon structure. Firstly - Etsy sellers are individuals making things - it's not people drop shipping from china (for the most part) so it's not fair that you basically have two choices in order to comply with their algorithm - raise your prices to compensate for the free shipping (and possibly lose sales because of it) or take it at a loss. It's not so much about being told what to do as much as they are penalizing their entire seller base and forcing them to take a deeper cut in order to make sales, which may actually end up in sales loss. It's not free to ship things, it costs money, why they are trying to convince people it is, is crazy to me. People who go to Etsy know what it is and what to expect and for the most part, are happy to pay a seller what they have dictated as their price for their items.
I haven’t been putting much effort into Etsy and now I don’t feel so bad. Amazon Handmade has been really profitable while I work on building my website and social media presence.
That’s great info! Thank you!
Thanks for the info. Was going to hold off building my website but after this think I will do what you are doing 😊
It appears that if you tag your shop name in the product then you can still find your shop in Etsy's search. I'm not keen on them dropping the name of the shop from the product on a search page but there are ways around it.
I love your channel and appreciate all the seller videos you make 😁 I just opened my Etsy shop (as a second sells channel - I have Shopify site too) and decided to brand all of listings with my off-site url. Just the first photo people see in the search results. It’s my workaround for the shop names being removed.
Great video and good points. This makes me rethink for 2020
I'm really upset with them. Their marketplace unfortunately continues to be one poor decision after another. Here's my short list of rants: moving the description that was supposed to be important to a small right hand side box that you have to click, burying shop announcements below everything, hiding shop updates that they claimed were so important, removing sharing listings from Promos in the forums, removing Treasuries, removing all share buttons off the desktop site, no home page to speak of, no follower feed... Its no longer the social site it started out as. The latter two especially seem insignificant, but it really gave us sellers with unique items a chance to be seen! My big rant is we all know by know this shop cycling they do, and favoring newer shops in search. They finally got to my 2012 shop. It used to have regular sales now has 0 sales for July. ??? All my workarounds have gone silent. I don't know how to gain traction anymore. As you've said, their search is really f'ed up. I don't appreciate the way they treat their sellers. They give us a load of BS, then expect us to be all unicorns and rainbows about everything. I'm sorry. Your poop smells, no matter how long you roll in it. On that note, end of my rant! Unfortunately since I'm having a tough time gaining traction on social media to get sales on my own site, I may be done. I don't know how to cope with a "real" job anymore, but this Etsy h*ll is so stressful.
They obviously have morons in charge of their decision-making. They will go downhill as a result of this, because, as they stated in their own video, only 20% of customers expect free shipping. How stupid they are...
oh shoot! my blood boils for you Olivia. i've been on Etsy as a shopper since almost the beginning. time and time again they do something stupid that only seems to help 'them'. honestly for as altruistic and down home as it started, it's now just a big old mush......there's no reason for me to ever favorite a shop now i guess. the management over there needs their heads examined....i'm terribly glad you have other outlets and shows. i can't even imagine how hard it is for the ones who only built their brand over there. i hope you vendors raise holy hell in the forums. this is good for exactly no one.........[hugs]
Thank you for talking about this!!! I opened my new shop about 2 months ago and these changes are so difficult for me to keep up with. Really appreciated hearing your thoughts on this.
Olivia, thanks for sharing. Im new at Etsy I mean I not even a member at Etsy but I was considering Etsy and Im going to still take my time to read about them. Hope you feel better by now!
I sell a lot of heavy vintage glass, so rolling shipping into the price does indeed cut into my margins. If I have a heavy item and have to add shipping, that extra shipping cost might be $25-45 more depending on the item. Nothing is FREE. Etsy isn't offering free anything. Adding "free" shipping would cause many of our customers to pay more than they should. Shipping is charged by all carriers based on zone, so if someone in New York purchases an item the shipping will be a substantially different cost than someone in California. We do not believe that all customers should be forced to pay the cost of shipping to the furthest zone if they live in a closer zone. That is how free shipping works--- the furthest zone's shipping cost is added to the item.
A Kitsch Is Just a Kitsch this is the same resining our eBay group discusses - many of the “experts” and eBay tell you free shipping is a priority for better sales. But what it does is penalize buyers that are closer to you since you have to price shipping for furthest possible customer. Plus, a savvy buyer will be able to decide based on price+shipping for different products. The other problem is returns - if shipping is wrapped into the price then if you accept returns (which I don’t) then you can’t charge the customer shipping fee for return, or deduct the original shipping fee, etc.
I couldn't agree more. Telling people that "shipping is free" while saying that sellers can build the shipping cost into their prices is a lie.
Wow I didn’t realize they removed the brand’s name - my question for Etsy is why??? I agree with you, it’s about the makers. Period.
Wow...I’ve been seriously contemplating an Etsy shop. I so appreciate you sharing this info! So much that we don’t think about.
Thank you so much for this video Olivia. The information you share regarding Etsy, as a long time Etsy seller, has been invaluable. I had a shop, closed it and have been thinking of re-opening. So much has changed since I closed my shop only a few years ago. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the time and effort you give to inform other artisans/sellers and buyers. Not sure what I'll do yet, there is a lot to think about.
I agree 💯 Etsy is changing too much and they did not give any warning about the name wipe thing. I am starting a new off Etsy website soon that's enough for me
As a brand new maker I was so inspired by your lovely channel to have my creations on Etsy. But I haven't been so impressed by them and this change is one where I am skeptical about the platform. We put so much love and time in what we make that if a buyer wants that why should it matter to pay £2 for postage? Thank you for discussing this and making me aware of the name changes in search.
Thank you for this video!
Honestly this made my heart sink. I've been wanting to open a shop and now I feel like I have to figure something else out. Thank you so much for sharing so much of your process on you channel.
When I do a search on Etsy on my computer, I still see the shop names. On the home page it doesn't show the name, but for the moment the search still has the names. So it may be something they are testing or that they are rolling out slowly. Either way, they should be letting people know that they are doing this sort of thing even if it's just testing.
I don't sell much (yet) but this is disappointing. Even as a shopper, I pay attention to shop names in search so this is going to really affect user experience in a negative way.
I can also see this adding to the confusion of how etsy works with those who are not familiar with the "marketplace" aspect.
Hey Olivia! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject! 🌲✌️❤️
Thanks for the info. Did not see this.
They could have just added a 'Sort' option to sort the search result by 'Cheapest Price + Shipping' like most other platforms do instead of forcing everyone to conform to their preference.
Cass Wilson it’s already a thing 🙃
Cass Wilson they cant count shipping costs in their gross profits...forcing sellers to up prices + free shipping means they can do the same volume of sales but report much higher earnings. And since Etsy is reportedly looking for new owners....it’s really not about costumer convenience at all.
@@msjones6936 I don't have this option when I'm searching in Etsy. Can only sort by cheapest item price. It won't factor in shipping costs.
I agree with you on everything you said!!! I’m just so over it all! It takes me days to make each one of my pieces...there is no way to add free shipping into my pieces as it would raise my prices by 5-9 dollars....that’s dishonest anyway....I already only sell to repeat customers as I’m so far behind in the search no one can find me 😕.....but the real kicker......is taking away my name ....so freaking sad😿 thanks for letting me rant....I’m gonna go cry now.....😊
I’m so glad I saw this today!! I’m trying to decide whether to open a shop on Etsy. This is a huge thing that will tip the scales.
Thanks for your video. I didn't realize about the free shipping until I watched this - and I modified my shop. :)
the screen shot you shared of the name drop looks like a listing of wish . com inventory. :(
Exactly what I thought!xx
I knew I could count on you to call it out ^_______^
You make some wonderful points, thank you for your passion and information. I am just starting my own business and wanted to start my Etsy account but in some ways have been worried, because of the times I do search on there, I get the feeling of it becoming too corporate dominated and I think it has lost that small shop personal touch from handmade workers, now I know why. I have to look into this more, especially being new to it. thanks again.
hi Olivia, thanks for sharing this valuable info !
I'm just getting started with my buddies to sell on Etsy, how would you suggest me to do, in order to mitigate this change and minimise the impact ?
Artists in general don't like being controlled. Feels like having a boss. Shame on etsy!
One more thing Olivia. The vendors are the ones who actually made Etsy a brand. It was and is a terrible and vague name. Etsy vendors got the word out, even putting Etsy on their business cards etc....
preach
I really appreciate your videos Olivia! I am just starting out with my own online jewelry business and I followed your advice in regards to having my own personal website as well as an Etsy platform... good advice! I agree with your opinion on Etsy practically forcing shops to offer free shipping. Etsy is so saturated already, it is easy to get buried in all the clutter, so the fear is real that if you don't offer free shipping, you will be even further buried! As for the shop names being wiped from searches, that totally goes against the promotion of each shop's creative brand and makes searches appear to the untrained eye as every product offered belonging to Etsy. Ridiculous! Thank you for your posts. I wish you all the best!
Love the way you keep checking yourself before you speak. Shows thoughtfulness.
I especially hate that they are removing shop names! I used to sell my wears on Etsy and moved off the platform a while a go, but before and since then I've been a shopper on Etsy. I love seeing shop names and if I am searching for something and see a shop I remember or recognize from the name or photo, I click! It seems that the shop names are still showing on my browser view (using safari), but the disappearance from the app search is a bad sign. I can't believe they would remove shop names. What in the world could the reasoning be?
I feel sad that a platform I used to love that used to make me feel connected to makers and artisans keeps chipping away at what made the platform appealing. For the last few years I honestly felt like they have been making moves that are directly opposite to what both makers/artisans and shoppers want and value off the platform. The way listings look and are arranged is super confusing and bizarre to me. It's finicky to even go visit the rest of a shop where it used to be easy to enter a shop and be inspired to buy. They are instead catering to the "buy quick and cheap and for a deal" market which in turn is benefiting mass produced over the handmade community.
Hi you are very wrong. What etsy is trying todo is to be fair to all sellers. At this moment low selling product shops have being making big profits. I have being watching utube since opening my shop. I can see exactly what the problems are. We all have shops and we
all deserve to make a return its all fair to give everyone a go at earning some money for costs that people have spent to make a product. What i can not understand is how can the majority of utube watchers be so innocent to what is actuslly happening. Seriously it is beyond me how the smartest people in this whole world cannot see the tree and the woods?
@@mariec5716 Hi, so can you explain how it is that I'm "very wrong"?
How etsy's changes in the last year or so to help makers and artists? Removing shop names from app searches, essentially forcing shops to have free shipping over $35 (or take a hit in search) for the most recent examples.
These and other changes they have made are not to benefit the makers or artisans, some of whom have very heavy items to ship (ceramic artists for one) and would have to increase product costs between 25-40% to have "built in" shipping price for items or orders as low as $35, which then would affect their other platforms and sales avenues. Etsy has leaned into benefiting mass produced and supply selling shops inch by inch year by year.
@@jaycuneo Jay hi thanky for replying. Firstly i never meant to make you or other people angry. This is my opinion. It is what i see and am understanding with this whole situation. Remember that all changes are stressful. Small product sellers do not really have a problem honestly. Offer free shipping so what it costs you exactly the same. What your arguing you all about a couple of dollar's it costs extra in your time and shipping. You shop owners will still make a profit and people with bigger products get to be on the customers radar as well. As for removing shop names that is untrue i have searched my shop name and its comes up with all my product's and also in peoples searches on titles like children's gifts. Maybe you all need to update your listings SEO s. You could sell your products as a download version. It costs the listing a a little tax. You all need to research on ytube and read information pointers that etsy send you. Think a research to make a final decision. Do not ever just follow the leaders. The majority of people are saying the changes are bad. Listen to both sides of the arguement. Honestly just think. I hope i have made my argument clear?
@@mariec5716 I'm not sure who you made angry or what that is reference to. I think you miss the point of what I was saying. You say "offer free shipping it costs you the same" -no, it does not cost me the same if it is free for the customer. If I offer free shipping, it costs me more because now I pay it. I personally *do* offer free shipping, but only on purchases over $100 on my website. $35 is simply too low for Etsy to demand for a LOT of artisans. And like I previously mentioned, artisans who make heavier objects such as ceramics, woodwork, etc are then potentially having to add significant increase to their prices, which affects all their business (off etsy, at retail shows, in wholesale). For some types of products, shipping is not negligible cost and it sounds like you are not familiar with these types of products and the costs associated with shipping them. Should etsy incentivize shop owners offering Free Shipping? Yes. But should they dictate how a shop implements that offer and try to homogenize a platform with an immensely diverse variety of products with varied shipping costs, no.
"What your arguing you all about a couple of dollar's it costs extra in your time and shipping." This is just incorrect. It's not "just a couple of dollars" for some artisans and types of products. Again this narrow perspective completely glosses over a variety of product types as if the shipping costs are as cheap as mailing a letter for everyone.
The shop names being removed, as is discussed in Olivia's video, is in regard to the Etsy app. Not the website, and they obviously haven't removed individual shop names all together from the platform. Of course your shop comes up when specifically searched for.
"You could sell your products as a download version." -you can't "download" a piece of jewelry, ceramic mug, hair scrunch or sculpture. So no, this is not a viable option for anyone who makes objects that are to be worn or used in tangible form.
The things you argue are clear, but completely overlook several aspects and types of product based businesses. I have done my research, I have looked at the angles, and I have zero interest on Etsy trying to dictate the decisions I make in my business. The year I decided to let go of trying to drive Etsy and instead drive my business on my own platform was the year my business grew most. My free shipping offer is strategic in the way that makes most financial sense for my type of product, price point, brand and longer term business aims. Every business owner should make their decision on free shipping based on those aspects, not Etsy's force of hand.
I totally agree! That is why I just closed my shop a few months back and will rather open my own soon.. they are totally not thinking of handmade/ small brands anymore but only on how much they can get.. sad really.
Thank you so much for being candid, I'm trying to start another shop on etsy (I've had one previously). It's a shame that the site is losing their integrity.
Shop names are important to buyers. I often go back to shops I already bought from - because i know i can trust them in terms of quality and shipping times.
Why does vintage continue to never be mentioned when people talk about ETSY! EVEN ETSY! THERE are ALSO vintage shop owners on Etsy - can you imagine offering free shipping for hundreds of totally unique items? Handmade often has the same product in different forms and shipping is at least similar for all products.
R English YUP!!!! Plus international vintage sellers 🙃🙃🙃
My heart bleeds for ppl selling heavy stuff like housewares.
After I get this order out on Monday I’m closing my shop and finding a new site to sell my artwork on. Any ideas?
Just found your video this afternoon, thank you for giving more clarity to these issues! I just did a quick Etsy search and I can still view the shop's names on the results. However, I'm outside the US, so am not sure if that factors in. OR I'm just getting into this issue super late and after numerous complaints, maybe Etsy just put the shop names back in XD
Agree completely with everything you've said. I'm just starting out and it's making me think twice about even putting the effort in to the platform. Do you think another one will pop up to take it's place? Or do you recommend any other platforms to sell on other than your own direct website? I've got some thinking to do it seems huh