I apologize for posting this so late...

AnonymousDec 14, 2011 03:57 PM

I had my art store since early 2008. Handmade paintings..drawings. All original. I had over 200 sales. I forgot to pay a .20 cent overdue fee and my credit card was in my fiance's name and has been since I first had my art store. We have a joint bank account. I gave them all of the proof that it's my store and even wanted to put the store in my own debit card. My fiance and I played e-mail tag with them for 2 weeks submitting proof of identity. They sent me an e-mail today saying they have permanently banned me. I can't even buy anything from them. They wiped my artistic reputation and all of the images of my artwork off the face of the planet. I only had the chance to save a couple of images before they deleted my account. I lost irreplaceable pictures and my customer base today. Devastated is not even the right word to describe me right now. I really can't believe this. I had 100% positive feedback..and such nice feedback from wonderful people. I don't really know what to do or what I can do about this.

one year later

Well, it's been almost exactly a year since I was perma-banned from Etsy for speaking out against their unscrupulous practices.  I'm still receiving spam from people promoting their Etsy shops, but since I've been banned, it's not as if I can buy anything there even if I were tempted to!  I wonder how many people they've banned for no good reason, like speaking out in the forums.  I'm a good member of the artisan community, with excellent business practices, and a strong supporter of my fellow craftspeople, and yet I got tossed out on my ass, and hardly anyone spoke out on my behalf.

No, it's back to business as usual in Etsyland.  The same scrapping and scrabbling for visibility and sales in a system that doesn't work for crafters, but is bringing in big bucks for Etsy corp.  Any of you folks who still sell there have any news to report about their "seller happiness" initiative?  Better customer service?  Or is it just the same old bull?  Leave us a message in the comments.

Interviewed by Brooklyn Magazine

On Monday I was interviewed by Brooklyn Magazine for a piece they are running on Brooklyn-based Etsy.com.  I hope I did my fellow refugees a good turn via my interview.  Brooklyn Magazine is a very new publication, I look forward to reading their article.  I was more than pleased to discuss my experiences and opinions about Etsy.  If they need to do a follow-up interview, what are some of the issues you would like to bring up?  Post a comment and I will make a list.

HORROR.

Must read this story of horror on Etsy!  http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/?p=1631

Another Frightening Cautionary Tale About Etsy.com

Another anonymous tale of Etsy Woe. Is it just me, or is Etsy a lot like the Borg, from Star Trek The Next Generation??

"Etsy is not a business, it is a Jr high clique.

I have had a lot of issues with them. They closed my shop for the last time not too long ago. I had paid my fees up, so I went to Paypal and disputed them all, as far back as I could go. It was only fair, right? Service were not rendered.

Well, that made them so angry, they won't even let me keep a buyer account there. The worst kicker of them all - a friend had accessed her Etsy account from my house and hers was deleted too. I've heard to this happening before, but I never believed it until it happened to me.

(I quote from the email sent to her) "I'm sorry but we cannot allow (name here) to use Etsy in any way. If there is a chance she can access your account and use it, then we must not allow you to have one either. We apologize for the hasty decision." Hasty decision? WTF?

She can't have a damned buyer account there either now. They delete them within minutes, same as mine.

Seriously, the worst I have done is owe them a debt (possibly). And they apparently take this personally, so personally, that they are also punishing an innocent person.

The topper is that they broke their own TOU about disciplinary action. My friend did not mention me by name in her email. Etsy *did* mention my name in their email to her. I thought all that was supposed to be confidential? Etsy has made it a point to say that over and over again, even closing harmless threads over it.

Shame on Etsy! They claim to care but they have taken the livelihoods of two people, one of whom has done nothing at all. And countless others, no doubt.


I'd like to remain anonymous. I don't want any further trouble with them. They are nasty enough to do more damage to me and my business if they can."

-Anonymous

Horrible Tragedy Strikes a Member of Our Community

TheHartleySoapCompany posted the following on Artfire's forums.

"It is with deep sadness to share the news of the tragic loss suffered by Cindy Boardman, known here as designedbylucinda

On Thursday, February 3rd an accidental fire took her home, pets, and claimed the life of her 11 year old son, Kevin. No words can convey the shock and sadness we feel, Cindy is an active and valued member of our community and we share in her grief during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts, prayers and most profound sympathies are with Cindy and her family.

Her husband Robert Boardman's co-workers have set up a fund to assist the family with medical and living expenses. Please don't send any clothes or household items yet, as some were already donated. They will be living in a temporary place for about 6 to 8 months and won't have room to store things.

Lucinda is doing as well as can be expected.

Boardman Family Fund
Knight Communications
10150 Mallard Creek Rd.
Suite 201
Charlotte, NC 28262"

PayPal donations for our contribution can be sent to: forboardmanfamily@gmail.com
All excess donations will be transferred to the family's fund.

__________________

An article in the Charlotte Observer sadly confirms this most terrible news.  The thoughts and prayers of the Refugees are surely with Lucinda as she recovers from this incalculable loss.  I lost a dear friend to a house fire in 2007, and a working smoke detector would surely have saved her life.

PLEASE take a moment today and check to be sure you have a working smoke detector on each floor of your home.  This could prevent such a tragedy from taking the life of you or your loved-ones. 

Thank you.

Call For Submissions

Do you have an Etsy horror story to share?  Get it off your chest and email it to EtsyRefugeeSociety@gmail.com and we will post it to the blog. 

This Week On Etsy - More Bull$hit!

In only the last week, a string of actions taken by Etsy have shocked and dismayed the crafting, vintage, and supplies world.  As many of us already know, Etsy's business dealings and treatment of its sellers is beyond reproach, yet this recent news is simply horrifying.

A brief synopsis of the latest "changes" to Etsy and Etsy's policies:

1)  Etsy is closing its forums, and herding the livestock sellers (and buyers?) into "Teams".  These forums will not be viewable by non-Etsy members (such as myself), and are highly exclusive even to members.  They are sweeping all the tiny voices of outcry forever under the rug with this move, stifling the flow of information, and fragmenting their "community".

2)  Alchemy is "taking a rest"??  Etsy is shutting down Alchemy, a way for sellers and buyers to arrange for and bid on custom work.  This takes the bread and butter of many a seller's table.  They have not stated when, or if, Alchemy will return in a new form, and what that form will be.

3)  Etsy just rolled out a bizarre new "feature" that threatens the privacy and security of its users.  Worse, yet, it is "opt-out" only, and many users do not even know what is happening with their information.  AuctionBytes has more on this story HERE.

4)  What will Etsy do with the email addresses and personal information it obtains through this maneuver?  Well all signs point to SELLING IT to third parties!  Yes, and it is quite transparent as well!  It states in their policies that they may do this with your information, and if that isn't enough for you, well, alert readers discovered the following job posting this morning!  Note that it states they are in the "information Collection and Delivery" business.  As all of us know, millions of active email addresses and other personal information constitute a huge "asset" financially for any company to sell or amass.  Job postings also indicate that they are looking for MORE ways to become a social networking site, rather than a place of business for crafters and micro-businesses.


Now, it doesn't take a great detective like Hercule Poirot to see where this is leading.  All the facts fit together seamlessly to create the following picture, a snapshot at the future of Etsy in it's cold-blooded and greedy pursuit of profit, no matter who they trample on, or what effect it will have on its users!  Just use those "little gray cells" and you will see a disturbing trend.


in 2009 Etsy received a massive cash investment from a venture capital firm.  Ever since, Etsy has been grooming itself to be sold, like a prize-winning sheep.  Only, its USERS (you) are the ones getting fleeced!

-Doing away with the forums conveniently hides what little public protest and messiness there is within the community from prying eyes.  

-Alchemy isn't profitable enough for Etsy - they get the bulk of their profits ten cents at a time from sellers desperately listing and renewing, trying to stay on top of the search results.

-Data mining constitutes an "asset" to intenet-based companies.  It is one of those booming markets.

-Etsy has designed and redesigned the site to trap traffic, not necessarily resulting in US selling anything, but to keep the back-links and traffic on Etsy itself, artificially boosting its numbers, and making itself look good to investors and potential new owners.  And just like livestock, you and I, and all the other individual users of Etsy, constitute an "asset" as well.  That's where the data mining comes in.  


Basically, Etsy is just morphing into Facebook.  Why?  To impress potential buyers/investors and their idiotic ideas that Facebook is the biggest, baddest thing on the internet, and the most profitable to boot.  So if you're looking for a really great place to buy and sell, with a lively community and lots of DIY spirit... ETSY IS NOT IT.  At least not anymore.  And of course, this says nothing of the affronts to the dignity of its users, its rudeness, its unfair treatment of its sellers, etc.  If you want to have your hopes and dreams cynically used and manipulated for the profit of a big corporate interest - Etsy is your place.  Otherwise, there are greener pastures out there for the serious seller and businessperson. 

An Example Of Etsy Favoritism

 The Following was submitted by A.A.H. and it is a tale too often told by Etsy sellers, current and former.  If you speak up about something, and Etsy doesn't like what you have to say, they WILL go after you and try to drum up some BS way to penalize you for having the audacity to A) ask questions that make Etsy admin uncomfortable.  B)  Criticize Etsy in any way.
________________________________________________________________

 Mine is kind of long, sorry, and small beans comparied to most muted or slapped Etsy sellers/buyers, but it proves to me that Etsy plays favorites.

A little background to help you understand the irony of this....
I spoke out in the forums.
I emailed Etsy quite a bit with questions, twice they replied (weeks later), and all the rest of my emails to them? Etsy never bothered replying to those. Ever.
I also emailed them on several occasions pointing out resellers.

Then it got interesting....
I began to notice that when I flagged a small or new reseller, Etsy would close their shop within days. But when I flagged big resellers, nothing was ever done about them.
I thought it was weird, but still wanting to give Etsy the benefit of the doubt (I had read about Etsy’s favoritism) I thought maybe they were backlogged with reports.

So I was searching for vintage picture frames on Etsy one day. I happen to see some listed that said ‘vintage’ but they sure looked new to me. So I clicked on the listing to see what was up with that. Low and behold, the seller of these “vintage” frames is an Etsy favorite. I read through the listings for these frames:
Listed as:
* vintage “looking” (so not vintage).
* made by a local framing company (so brand new and not made by seller)
* frame only (frames are not a supply according to Etsy and can be used on it’s own so it’s against TOU to sell new, not-handcrafted frames).

So everyone says that if you question an items legality, flag it and see what Etsy does about it. So I followed their suggestion and flagged the frames. Waited a week or so. Nothing. So I flagged the shop. Waited. Nothing.

So I email Etsy, and I ask in my round about way (here is a c&p): “If I sell art prints, but want to offer frames on their own with NO prints included, I would like to know if it is okay to sell the empty picture frames, the frames are made by some other small local company, and are apparently handmade. I see that this quite popular Etsy seller does this, so I thought it must be okay for me to do too.
Example:
Seller: XXXXXXXXX
Listing # XXXXXXXX
Thanks!"

I didn’t expect Etsy to ever reply, after all, they never reply to me. I was surprised that they replied within the hour! (c&p):
“This would not meet Etsy's selling criteria.”

My reply to their reply:
“Okay, thanks. I had heard though, through other Etsy members, that such popular sellers such as XXXXXXXXX, are allowed to skirt or outright break Etsy TOU's and are also 'coached' on how to make their TOU violations more acceptable. But I am sure that is just hearsay or nonsense. Those frames are beautiful even though she doesn't make them ;)  Thanks again!"

Shocker! Etsy replied yet again within an half hour! (c&p):
“We never 'coach' anybody about how to violate our policies, but we do tell people what needs to be done in order to comply.”

Exactly 10 minutes after this reply, I received another email from Etsy, telling me that my Alchemy requests that I had open were now closed by Etsy because my Alchemy requests were in violation, and I was also told that I was henceforth not allowed to post in Alchemy, that if I posted any more requests asking for custom items, my account would be closed immediately.
The TOU violations? Requesting copies or knockoffs.
What were my alchemy requests? One was for a wool coat of my own design (victorian style), no name brand mentioned or implied, with the only picture example being a black & white sketch I did of a coat on the cheesy ‘Paint’ program on my computer. The other? Black & white photograph of which the only example I gave was a portion of a decades old photograph, I also stated that I did NOT want a copy, which is why the example shown was only a portion, and I was only using this bit as an example of the tone and subject matter.

Amazing that over the years, Etsy never replies to my emails. But as soon as I question one of their favorites, they reply within the hour, even within minutes. Also amazing that at the same time, the only thing I had listed on the site were Alchemy requests, requests that were NOT breaking any TOU, but they were subsequently closed and a threatening email sent on trumped up TOU violations.
I suspect that if there was anything listed for sale in my shop, they would have muted my shop. You see, I am not a seller. I am a buyer only. You cannot tell me that they didn’t peruse my account looking for SOMETHING, anything to slap me with.

My reply to the TOU violations (c&p):
“Interesting, as I stated in that Alchemy request that I DID NOT want a copy, that I was not looking for a knockoff, that the partial photo provided was for example for general idea of what I was looking for: black and white, which I could have shown any picture to convey the style. That is not asking for a copy, especially since I said that I didn't want a copy. My alchemy request said: "I do not wish for a copy of this example". Please tell me what part of that was asking for an exact copy or a knockoff?
As an example, you mean to tell me that when a bride wants a wedding dress, she is not allowed to show a photo of a dress to give a general idea of what she is looking for? How would the dressmaker on Etsy know what the bride is looking for if not for the picture? Also, I would venture to say that the dressmaker would most likely sew an exact copy of a last seasons dress design better than a photographer would be able to exactly copy a partial photo taken 3 decades ago! Honestly, you're going to sit there and tell me that is not allowed on Alchemy? Because I see it all the time, as well as it happens a thousand times over on the Etsy site whenever a buyer convos a seller asking for a custom item and they send along a picture of what they are looking for. I cannot help but think that you singled me out for some other reason, and I already know why too."

Interestingly after their quick replies about the frame seller and my Alchemy Requests, Etsy went silent.
I did email the seller of those frames. I came right out and asked if they made them, or if someone they share their shop with made them, part of a collective. Their reply was that no, the new frames were made by a local framing store. I then told them that Etsy said I could not sell these as they were against Etsy policy. The seller replied stating that they now understand why I was originally asking about the frames. That’s it. That’s all they said. And they still sell those frames; Etsy still will not reply to me about the Alchemy requests; And I still have not posted anything in Alchemy since.

Tell Your Story

Hello my dear Refugees,

I think it might be helpful and healing for us all to read other tales of Etsy-woe, so I am making a call for submissions!

Write up your Etsy horror story and email it to EtsyRefugeeSociety@gmail.com

Go ahead, get it off your chest, and add your E cautionary tale to the growing list!

Escape From Etsy!

Just popping in to express how happy I am that I'm not an Etsian any longer.
My holiday sales were great and I completely slacked off.  My new venue makes everything ridiculously simple.

Now it's very clear (talkin' 'bout circles here), that Etsy is trying to morph into some kind of social commerce / networking site, and not a professional venue to sell your handmade, vintage, supplies.  It's so lame and sad.

Anyway, I rarely even think about Etsy or my time there anymore.  I've saved hundreds of dollars since I left.  Amazing how much I spent on listing and relisting fees while I was there... Now I can chill out and just focus on life again.  And no more crazy-making weird & pointless changes to worry about either.  Phew.

I hope you are all well and having happy holidays, I love you all.

-Joan

Catching Up

Hey everyone, just checking in to see how the Refugees are doing this holiday season!  Post some comments and tell me all about it!

I'm doing alright, making a few sales in my new shop, definitely keeping busy.  How are you guys?

Hunger Worst Its Been in 15 Years..

Hunger in the USA is the worst it has been in 15 years. As we gear up for our Thanksgiving feast, please take a moment to see what you can do to feed a hungry person this winter.


Feeding America: Hunger-Relief Charity | FeedingAmerica.org

Are You Sick Of Putting Up With Etsy's Disrespect And Incompetence?

I just found this great site that offers people recourse when they feel they have been wronged by a company.  I think everyone who has a legitimate bone to pick with Etsy and its policies, should SERIOUSLY contribute.  Don't just be pissed.  Take action!  It will make you feel lighter!

  TELL YOUR STORY on Groubal.

Share The Joy! (And The Savings!)

Time To Start Your Holiday Promos, Folks!!

I do Hope that by now the Original Refugees reading this have set up a new shop somewhere.  Are you running any promotions?  Artfire lets us use coupon codes!!  WOW!!  So, here are some coupons for you, and I hope you will share your new locations and special discounts in the comments section so we can all share the joy!

Enter the coupon code CORALGATE10 and receive 20% off your order of $40 or more!  Good now through January 1st, 2011!!  Come check out my awesome NON-ETSY STUDIO and stock up on your Holiday gift-giving needs!!

Don't forget to post promos for your new non-etsy shops in the comments section.  Let's show the big E what integrity, customer service, and real success looks like by supporting each other this holiday season!!

McDonald's, Pepsi, KFC Tapped To Help Write UK Obesity, Alcohol Policy

Why does this remind me so much of Coralgate?!

 McDonald's, Pepsi, KFC Tapped To Help Write UK Obesity, Alcohol Policy 

I read an article in an advertising trade paper yesterday about faux-greening, it was really interesting and an indication of the times, I think.  I felt that Temple St. Clair was a perfect example.  According to the article more and more people are starting to figure out that just because companies like Exxon Mobile, certain paper manufacturers, etc, claim to be green, doesn't make it so, and to put on that pretense makes them look pretty bloody silly.  It's something we should all hopefully take a lesson from as we little guys move forward with our business goals.

Great Opportunity To Promote Your New Shop!

Dear Refugees,

Many jewelry sellers left Etsy recently over Coralgate and other Etsy blunders and have begun to work on their new shops elsewhere.  It can be difficult to make such a move so close to the holidays, but I have some great news for you! Sagescupboard recently ran a feature of my jewelry on her amazing blog Inspirational Beading and she is seeking more refugees to feature!!  I can tell you that I have received incoming URL traffic to my Artfire Studio as a result of the feature on IB.  Sagescupboard says:

“I really admire all of the sellers who are taking a chance and moving on to lesser known, more respectable venues, and those who have been booted and battered by the Etsy machine, but haven’t given up on the true spirit of handmade. 

There are a lot of sellers out there who are taking this time of change as an opportunity to carve out a new niche in independent markets, and I want to help give them a leg up!  So, right now I’m offering interview spots on my blog exclusively to sellers who are leaving Etsy behind for greener pastures.

Inspirational Beading focuses on all types of bead and jewelry art, so I’m looking for sellers that offer:

Any style of handmade or altered jewelry
Handmade beads
Beaded art, clothing or accessories

There are a variety of interview segments to choose from, and I’ll work with interested sellers to find the topic that best suits their wares.  Each interview includes SEO tagged images and backlinks to shops, blogs, Facebook fan pages, and other sites we like to use to market our products.”


I highly recommend you take her up on this generous offer of support!  Contact her for more details by sending an email to sagescupboard (at gmail dot com) with your NEW shop link.  I'd like to personally extend my thanks to Inspirational Beading for the show of support and generosity!

More Fun With Badges

Sometimes this feels a little like "The First Wives Club" of e-commerce. Declare Etsy your Ex with this new badge.

Remember, Etsy was built on word of mouth... so any conversation piece you can use to strike up a chat about how Etsy REALLY treats its sellers... should be utilized!  <3

Nominate Your Favorite Online Marketplace

From AuctionBytes: One of the most popular features we've run on AuctionBytes during the past 11 years has been our "Sellers Choice Awards." The Sellers Choice Awards allow sellers to rate their favorite online marketplaces in five important areas - Profitability, Customer Service, Communication, Ease of Use, and whether or not you would recommend the venue to other sellers.
_____________________

Ok, guys, time to let your voices be heard. I know who will NOT be receiving my vote this year! To Nominate: CLICK HERE.

Old News

When WWII broke out, my Great Grandfather, a WWI veteran, suffered tremendous psychological and emotional pain. He had fought "The War To End All Wars" and had witnessed the horrors, the cost, the trauma of it all. Now another war was at hand, and it made all he and his generation sacrificed seem futile and meaningless. On top of this, it began to trigger what we now refer to as "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder". As a result, his doctor advised him not to read the newspaper, and advised his family that he should be kept away from the news about the war in general. My Great Grandfather let the war rage on, and instead focused on his own healing.

That is what I propose we, as refugees, begin to do. I know it is tempting to read the forums on Etsy, even after some of us have packed up and left. The issues we cared about are still being discussed, our friends are still interacting there, admin is still ignoring customer questions and concerns. If you have chosen to leave, or, like me, had your account taken out back and shot like Old Yeller, it is probably time to step away from the drama at the heart of the fray, and begin your own healing process. No amount of reading, or even weighing in with an opinion, will make a lick of difference, and will only leave you open to a bunch of sniping from defensive cupcakes. This only serves to further damage your spirit.

Going back in and reading or posting is only picking at an old wound. By now, most of us have realized that Etsy is the way it is, and responded by either grudgingly accepting it and trying to cope, or by closing up shop and finding a more satisfactory service elsewhere, so reading and posting in those forums wont do much to change our circumstances. However, there are still plenty of sellers who are unaware that Etsy is not the happy kingdom it pretends to be. When they run into Etsy's dark side, we will be here to help in terms of comfort, support, and practical advice, and for that, we need to be in good shape.

It can be hard to tear one's self away after months, or in some cases years, of daily participation in Etsy's seller community. We all have to go through a grieving process when we lose the illusions we once had about the site where we invested so much time, energy, and money. That is why, even after I closed my shop, I continued to read and post in the forums. Now that I am prohibited from commenting there, I don't really see the point in going back anymore. Another reason for me to stay out of the forums? Having to read obnoxious, passive-aggressive comments about my now closed account that I can't even respond to. It just doesn't do me any good.

Are you having trouble breaking away from the forums? How do you feel about it? The comment section is open for business!