As all views tend to be shaped by one’s perspective (If you don’t believe me, have you seen the movie, Vantage Point?), I should give some background before I actually get into what’s “I think” is up with Etsy.

My wife, Terri, has been selling  vintage and antique jewelry for years as SoDear2MyHeart on Etsy.  We moved from eBay to Etsy when eBay started tinkering with the rules in a manner that we felt was detrimental to the sellers.  She has been a member of various vintage jewelry selling teams and enjoys discussing the “ins and outs” of vintage jewelry with various team members.  Currently, she and I are members of the Ecochic Vintage Team on Etsy.  (I am an honorary member as I don’t sell jewelry but do try to assist the team with technical help when I can. Here’s my latest effort on their behalf: EcochicVintage.com)

Things seem to be changing very quickly at Etsy.  Forums, circles, social networking, privacy issues all seem to be overshadowing the business of buying and selling handmade and vintage items.  I like the Goodwill commercial where the narrator describes the process, “You look in your closet and say, ‘Oh my, a purple paisley shirt’”.  In their case the shirt is donated to Goodwill where it eventually winds up in a store where someone else says, “Oh my, a purple paisley shirt”.

Shouldn’t selling on Etsy be that easy?  Isn’t there enough to keep up with in our marketplace without our “shopping mall” removing all our signage and redirecting the traffic flow in the parking lot every week?  Many if not most Etsy sellers are not technically savvy but every last one of us knows how to read a profit and loss statement.  It doesn’t take a technical wizard to figure out that these changes have not been good for sales.

In my perfect world:

  • eBay would be eBay and not Amazon or they would be replaced by someone who wants to be eBay
  • Etsy would be the Etsy of yesteryear ago and not try to be Facebook
  • eBay & Etsy would acknowledge that WE, the SELLERS are their customers because we pay the bills
  • eBay & Etsy would acknowledge that the buyers are OUR customers and quit messing with them

Perhaps the management of both will read this blog and enact my suggestions.  I’ll let this sit for a few days to see what happens.  If not, I think we should talk about how to survive in the current environment.  I’ll share our plans next time.  Meanwhile I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Den