My Sparkly Journey on Etsy
Hey there, fellow jewelry lovers! So, during the pandemic, I decided to start my own online vintage jewelry shop. And guess what platform I chose? Etsy! It was super fun and kept me busy. Plus, it gave me a reason to hunt down more sparkly stuff.
The Stressful Side of Selling on Etsy
Lately, selling on Etsy has been a bit stressful. You see, the CEO, Josh, has a tough job of keeping all the shareholders happy. But it seems like they want to stretch the work force too thin. This has caused a bunch of problems in different parts of the business.
First, there are scammers and people selling cheap, mass-produced junk. Then, there are those who are just too lazy to read the rules about what can and cannot be sold on Etsy. And guess what? They can easily set up shop there. The Etsy staff doesn't take the time to check if new shops are actually selling handmade or vintage items. So, even if it's not true, as long as they check the right box, they're good to go. It's pretty disappointing, right?
There are so many new sellers on Etsy now that it's become almost impossible to get rid of the resellers. Even with a full staff working on it, it's a tough task. And let's not forget about the AI they use to help with this. It's not very reliable, especially when it's trained by someone who's overworked and not qualified.
The Frustrating Search Experience
Now, let's talk about searching for something specific on Etsy. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack! They show you things you liked last week and stuff related to that. Only about one-third of the search results are actually close to what you're looking for. And to make matters worse, every single page is filled with cheap items from sites like Temu, Aliexpress, and Wish. It makes the whole website feel like a dollar store. Don't get me wrong, I love the dollar store, but I don't expect to find unique handmade or vintage items there. Many buyers get frustrated and end up searching on Google or other websites instead.
AI and Its Issues
Even though Etsy claims to "keep commerce human," they're also relying more on AI. Now, AI isn't always a bad thing. It's a new technology that has its pros and cons. But whoever is in charge of the search algorithms at Etsy needs some serious help. The AI deactivates listings that are actually allowed, and it gets fixated on silly things like the word "amber," even if it's just describing a color. It's not very helpful when something goes wrong on Etsy. You're pretty much on your own, trying to navigate the website or talking to an AI bot that keeps sending you generic replies that don't solve your problem.
Unhelpful Updates and Changes
The Etsy staff seems to spend more time fixing things that weren't broken in the first place, while ignoring the real issues. They recently revamped the mobile app, but the new version doesn't have all the features of the previous one. It's not very user-friendly either. And every time you log on, it tries to force you to use the new version, even if you don't want to. Talk about annoying!
Looking for Alternatives
All these problems have pushed sellers like me out of our comfort zones. We're finding other places to sell our products, creating our own websites, and trying out different platforms. It's a shame because I used to LOVE Etsy. I made so many friends and had great interactions with buyers there. Other platforms just don't have that same vibe.
The Importance of Balance
In my opinion, a healthy business should value both buyers and sellers equally. But it seems like Mr. CEO Josh is more focused on the money. And let me tell you, I pay Etsy a lot of money to sell there. Even if my buyer has to pay for shipping, Etsy still charges me a fee on that. On top of that, there are other fees that add up. It doesn't feel fair.
The Need for Transparency
I wish Etsy would be more transparent about their new updates and changes. I want to know why they're hiding the descriptions of my items and what they're tinkering with. They always give us a sugar-coated version of things. In the short time I've had my shop, I've learned that Etsy doesn't always tell us the whole story about their policies. It's hard to trust them. And I don't think they can suddenly become transparent now. It's too late for that.
Looking Ahead
Well, this turned into a bit of a rant, didn't it? But hey, welcome to my new website! Despite all the issues with Etsy, it has forced me and my business to evolve. I'm hoping to make it as fun as it was when I first started.