This post got traction! For anyone interested - I've sold on Etsy for 14 yrs. At times it has been most of my income. Etsy is fully a TECH company now, it's pub traded and makes all decisions based on data and profit. Doesn't mean it's entirely terrible! But it's not the idealistic thing it was. - ThreadSky

bespokeglass.bsky.social • 34 days ago

This post got traction! For anyone interested - I've sold on Etsy for 14 yrs. At times it has been most of my income. Etsy is fully a TECH company now, it's pub traded and makes all decisions based on data and profit. Doesn't mean it's entirely terrible! But it's not the idealistic thing it was.

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bespokeglass.bsky.social•34 days ago

My personal beef w Etsy is forced "free" shipping - if we don’t offer "free" shipping over $30, our listings are pushed to the bottom of search. Shipping is CRAZY expensive and time-consuming and a whole other set of skills. Shipping materials cost me almost what all other supplies do sometimes.

thubakabra.bsky.social•33 days ago

You have to build shipping costs into the price, most people do that.
It's stupid because if you buy more than one item, you'll pay more than one shipping fee.

bespokeglass.bsky.social•33 days ago

Right, I mean obviously I do this. It's irritating that for that reason & because you'd roll in the max shipping cost rather than the actual cost based on distance, the buyer is paying more than necessary.

thubakabra.bsky.social•33 days ago

Yes, and it doesn't feel morally okay. But we are forced to do this.

michael-witt.bsky.social•33 days ago

End users want the shipping fee rolled into the price though. They see $3.99 price and then $8 shipping to be a scam to get them to buy. Your cost and profit is based on $12 they expect to be aware that the product is going to cost $12 all included.

bespokeglass.bsky.social•33 days ago

Also this doesn’t apply to items under $35 so shipping is unlikely to be 2x the price (even though it often DOES cost $8 to ship something small, regardless if it feels unfair. It is reality.)

bespokeglass.bsky.social•33 days ago

Obviously. My point is Etsy is supposed to be a market for handmade goods & it’s dumb to pretend shipping doesn’t cost $. People use the USPS and are not that stupid. Also they did this in 2019 so they ahead of where buyers were on free shipping at the time, it wasn’t the expectation.

achrysalis.bsky.social•34 days ago

Maybe you could mark up a bit more to cover shipping while making it look like you offer free shipping? For some reason, even if the cost comes out to much the same, I AM more inclined to buy if there is "free shipping". 🙂

bespokeglass.bsky.social•34 days ago

Yes, that's exactly what happens. That hoses international buyers though who are charged for extra shipping. It's just so dumb to pretend these costs don't exist ESPECIALLY for handmade often fragile things made by humans, which arent packed by robots like Amazon; we all pay a yearly fee for Prime.

bespokeglass.bsky.social•34 days ago

But Etsy sees Amazon as its competitor so we have to pretend shipping is "free", by rolling it into the price. But since we have to estimate the cost instead of accurately charging shipping, you are paying more overall. But Etsy data shows buyers will happily pay $50 rather than $40 + $8 shipping.

bentqassim.bsky.social•33 days ago

Not only they are pushing for their free shipping thing but even when you play by their rules, you get fooled.I have been applied the national price for a client living abroad who ordered just enough to get the free shipping. Of course, the shipping cost was partly included in the "foreigner price"

bentqassim.bsky.social•33 days ago

"we are aware of this technical issue and working on it." they ansered l. The issue has been reported for several months, according to complaints I have read on Ersy sellers forum.

epi-nymph.bsky.social•33 days ago

That’s their mistake - trying to compete with Amazon/etc. they are in no way the same. Except… now etsy is overrun with dropshippers so they kinda are similar, due to Etsy’s shitty policies.

bespokeglass.bsky.social•33 days ago

Yes exactly. I’d argue they are now more similar than people think though. They are both tech companies, it’s just not how people think of Etsy.

epi-nymph.bsky.social•33 days ago

Yeah, Etsy *started off* much differently and unfortunately veered off path. But they still have some of that reputation.

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