I worked as an auditor in the automotive industry for over 20 years, and it reminds me of a troubling situation we would see often. We called it ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’. It was a way for a dealer to use funds from one bank to pay another, because they were, technically, insolvent and didn’t have enough funds at one time to cover both. It sounds like Etsy is doing something similar. By holding funds, it allows them to invest (gamble) some of their sellers $$$, while they pay others. Likely, they don’t have the revenue to pay everyone on time, so it’s a good way to stay afloat and not expose their insolvency. Essentially, it’s a warning sign of a sinking ship.
I literally had that thought and I have no financial background, but I was like "why would a company want to hold money..." they need it and are doing stuff with it...HMmmm smart unless well they REALLY NEED IT.
I was thinking this exact thing. The only way I can figure that a lot of established sellers are suddenly having funds put on hold is because Etsy, for whatever reason, is putting off paying them.
My Etsy account was permanently suspended last week. They initially suspended me without sending an email explaining why, and once I filed an appeal, they were asking questions like what would I do differently to restore my account. I told them I wouldn't change anything because I don't know what I did wrong, and within 30 minutes of me sending my appeal, they permanently suspended me. I am Extremely disappointed in their business practices. I hate that at that moment, I was caught with all of my eggs in that one basket, but I won't let that be the end for me. Your jewelry is absolutely beautiful, and I wish you success.
I’m so so sorry to hear that that happened to you, that’s awful! 😭I hope you’ve been able to start a website and continue your business 🥺💜 Thank you for your sweet words and encouragement. 🙏🏻🥲💜
This sounds like it's an AI system operating... the same thing happened to me at a second hand website but I asked to speak to a real human and my account was reinstated immediately. They let these computers run the system and lots of errors happen....
I have been watching a lot of these types of videos lately, and a few people got exactly what they needed, because they contacted the Better Business Bureau and filed formal complaints against Etsy. I think you all should do the same, it will force Etsy to stop this crap.
@@davidr.wilson8194 BBB has helped me several times, like when Apple tried to cheat me out of a trade-in credit for a new laptop. The largest businesses will often cheat customers if they think they can get away with it.
My 7 year old best-selling item was delisted saying it 'violated their handmade policy'. My images, I discovered, had been stoled and used on other mass-production sites. It wrecked my income for 2 months. Eventually they re-instated it with a mild 'sorry' but zero compensation. It's scary. They can literally do anything to your shop and you have zero control over it. I've sold handmade on Etsy since 2007. Made them probably tens of thousands of dollars in fees. This is how they can treat us...
all my items are handmade by me. all my photos are mine. thrown under the bus because my IP was stolen from etsy and used on other sites!
8 месяцев назад+9
Same. Happened twice. To 3 great sellling listings. Messed me up before Xmas. And took a month of emailing back and forth to get anything reinstated. 😖
Wow, that’s crazy? And for “violating their handmade policy” of all things? What a joke. 99% of stuff on there these days is drop shipping mass produced crap. =/
@@ItsVesperArt Yes - it was insane. I've been on etsy for 17 years - you think they'd do a little background check and take a look at my shop and its history before doing something so drastic, right? Building my own website currently and also planning to stop Etsy entirely as soon as possible. Zero trust now. We all deserve a LOT better. Especially true artisans who work so hard for very little profit!
Thanks for being honest about the scam that is Etsy. I am SOOOO sick of the RUclipsrs telling people they can set up a shop in 10 minutes and earn hundreds of thousands $$$ easy peasy!
It just takes for all of the business owners to shut it down for 48 hours, they will get the message. You are not helpless when you stick together. It’s a reciprocal relationship and they must understand that.
Yet I just saw a vid by a top seller who was shut down just before Christmas with multiple shops but he blames the ‘artists’ for not making what sells and because Etsy is a business and artists don’t know how to be a business it’s our fault. FYI. He’s not a handmade artist. He just came up with a product and sells it on Etsy. Opportunist taking advantage of what artist built but Etsy new CEO turned their backs on. So with millions of people riding the wave Etsy won’t be shut down.
ETSY held nearly $1,000.00 of mine for nearly 4 months. I was forced to front money to ship dozens and dozens and dozens of orders out of pocket that whole time. I SUSPECT they invested MY money for 4 months while they were "holding" it. I wouldn't be surprised if they have done this with hundreds of thousands of sellers.
That's a good observation, some companies that hold onto money often do this, where they reinvest your money as a kind of interest free loan under the guise of, the account broke TOS so funds are frozen. And they often drag out the process to get an account reinstated for this reason. Rumor has it Paypal does this and you agree that they can do this in their TOS should your account be frozen.
@@MiteraMade It's clear it's them looking after their own cashflow, not the sellers, they know there are hundreds of new sellers joining every day, as you say, most aren't selling things they make, especially in your niche! Ebay does it too but it has the advantage of better customer service and they only stop funds for a short period, if something is odd about the account, for example to ensure funds are available for refunds, if you have a return requests pending.
Of course! I never want to discourage anyone from chasing their dreams, and if Etsy is your only means, DO IT, 100%. Something is better than nothing, but you at least should know what the risks are. ❤
Then they'll block ur store with an AGREE (to abandon class action lawsuits button) like Roku et al., did before allowing u to continue using their products!
Etsy should be investigated. I’ve read they’re doing a lot of ilegal things. Lately I been thinking about starting a small business. If I do it won’t be with them. It’s better off to have a website and make promotions on your own.
@@evarodriguezalequin5705 I got insider informations, and they really do ban for no reason at all and even the appeal can be closed down by a bot. Sometimes they do something like april cleansing and just ban randomly whatever.
I believe the whole corporate world is trying to squeeze every cent they can from consumers. They're taking the easy money vs the Craftsman. Ads and bloatware. Just found your channel, doing great job explaining everything; I'm learning. Thank you for your content.
Hello. My name is Andrey. I'm from Russia. I am 58 years old. I am a machine embroidery designer and 3D jewelry designer. I worked on Upwork and Etsy, and because I am Russian, my accounts were blocked. I do not support what is happening in the world now, and I am against it. And I think that this is pure discrimination. But I also believe that politics should not interfere with art, this is not acceptable. And I saw that the accounts of other users from other countries were blocked for strange reasons. Sorry for my English.
Thank you. But just like in simple life, you meet people who betray you. Then you simply blacklist such people and move on. There is no point in throwing ashes on your head or tearing out your hair, as we say. There are ordinary people, outside of politics, with whom you continue to work and do beautiful things. Just like you on your channel.
@@АндрейДульнев-й5кthat’s exactly why you are being sanctioned. Your society says “we are outside of politics”, and then you allow your government to establish dictatorship and invade other countries… until y’all become more courages and actually stop what your government is doing (murdering innocent ppl) that’s how it’s going to be. That’s like a German would be crying during world war 2 and complaining how the world treats him, when his government is committing a genocide. All of you are responsible.
I am so glad I watched this video and saw you comment. I believe this was the same reason for Instagram to suspend my account couple years ago after just one week of creating it. They said I violated community rules. Well, not sure now if I should even try to open my etsy shop.
I absolutely agree with you ! This whole platform sounds like a scam and a large lawsuit waiting to happen. I was going to open a shop to sell my cutesy canvas tote bags. Too many restrictions and not friendly ❤
I was contemplating on whether or not to keep going with Etsy. I sell digital products. I decided to do Etsy ads. I made a sale, and from that sale, I only made $2.19. After uploading a couple of images, I'm now having 1 cent going into my account. I stopped the ads and made another sale, but if I upload any more images, I will lose most of the money from that sale, too. I feel like it was meant for me to find this video because I was stressing about it. I wish you a tremendous amount of success in all that you do.
Thank you so much! 💜💜💜💜. I tried Etsy ads and honestly I preferred not time use then simply because of how much they take from the sell. Hopefully you can find growth in just the natural progression of Etsy without having to use their ads so you can keep more of your money 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜
Thank you for sharing your story. Though frankly, I am surprised at how many people commenting here are not aware of the pervasive problems with Etsy. There are NUMEROUS content creators here on RUclips that have detailed similar problems starting with Etsy forcing stores to offer free shipping and suspending their accounts for no visible reason.
Closed mine. Please be warned with their fees and yes there’s no one to reach out to. Tried so many times to rectify what they put a hold on for and then just canceled them altogether. This is the best video. So true about about holding funds. Rubbish
Thank you so so much for sharing this. I was just about to start an Etsy shop, BUT, after knowing now how bad Etsy is, I will not bother. I think it is dreadful that a company can keep control of YOUR money that you have earned and change rules, OH and also when you can never get to speak to a helpful human being then not a company I would ever like to deal with. Thank you so so much for warning everyone. XX 🙂
I never knew this about Etsy. Damn. I was going to start up a company there in the near future. I will never deal with a company where there is no control over what is yours. This information needs to be spread far and wide.
My experience there ended badly, but I can’t say it’s not worth the TRY if you aren’t planning on having a website. 💜 you could be like Mele and have a wonderful experience. It’s just worth it to know what can happen and what has happened to a lot of people. If you don’t plan on having a website, it’s worth going for it, hoping for the best, but being financially prepared for anything.💜 I hope you continue with your plans on whatever platform you choose and thrive! 💜💜💜
I’ve had a pretty good experience with Etsy but I do agree the customer service is horrible. They put my shop on vacation for the same reason and they said I only had 2 tries to get my information correct when there was nothing I could change. It was all correct. I sell supplies and they are around $3 so fees for Etsy are way too high. I started selling on Michael’s craft store. Some things are not perfect there but customer service is way better. They gave me a customer service person I can call or email for everything and it’s always the same person and I’m not waiting over 2 weeks for a response.
And after verifying all my info a couple years later they say it’s incorrect again when nothing had changed. Luckily this time they didn’t put my shop on vacation mode. I also don’t like that we only have 24 hours to respond to a message 7 days a week and they say they can take up to 72 hours and it’s been way more than that when I have contacted them.
Sitting at nearly 700 sales since opening December 2022. They froze nearly $1,000.00 of mine for MANY MONTHS (approximately 4 to be precise) a couple months after I opened.They just dribbled a few dollars OF MINE, NOT THEIRS, here and there my way for that amount of time. I had to pay out of pocket for shipping dozens and dozens and dozens of orders during that time since MY money was NOT available to ME. I SUSPECT they invested MY money to earn interest for themselves during the many months they froze my funds. I suspect they have done this hundreds of thousands of times. IT would be a mistake to EVER TRUST THEM.
This is also why many Native American turquoise and silver artists don't allow photos of their displays, for fear of cheap Asian copies coming out later.
That's nothing new. That was going on over 10 years ago when I was on there. They suspended me when I wouldn't comply to their "only Etsy Pay" demands. Best thing I ever did.
I had such a similar experience before even being able to get started! Within less than two months of starting my Etsy shop, my shop was put on vacation mode because they "couldn't verify my identity" in spite of all of my info being accurate. Two months later and I still cannot get in touch with a human no matter how I try. Moving to Shopify! Thanks so much for sharing your story, and best of luck!
I'm hearing more and more stories about Etsy like this. It started off with being a genuine site for small makers but now it's pushing all those legitimate makers out and caters to ppl who buy wholesale from fast fashion sites and pose as makers. I don't buy from them anymore. I only go to artist's personal websites to buy now. Keep going and keep promoting your site, and ppl will come ❤️
I have an Etsy shop that I started in June 2023. I am terrified of something like this happening to me. I have heard stories like yours from multiple sellers. I signed with with Shopify but I've not had time to build the site. I really need to get on it because I am almost at the year mark and 140+ sales. Thanks for sharing your story.
ugh, listening to your story made my blood boil. I can relate so much. I left Etsy a while ago and the final push was also a total lack of professionalism and support from Etsy. It was ridiculous and left me disgusted as an honest seller that has been making them money for years. And I agree - their customer service is garbage, that's almost an understatement. I wanted to share my story for a while and you've given me the push to finally do it! While I agree with you that Etsy is great to start and experiment, there's so much, that small makers and business owners need to know, to avoid massive disappointments and problems with this platform. Excellent video, thank you for sharing!
I was also going to use Etsy and am so thankful to you guys for warning us all. Who do you strongly recommend we use now to start up an online store? Many thanks again! :)
As someone planning on starting a handmade business in the near future I'm glad I came across your advice. And I'm sorry you had to go through that with Etsy.
Lesson 1 in business: be in control of your business. Be that your own website, database of customers, sales facility, payment processing etc. All of this is relinquished when using 3rd party platforms.
Yes but the issue doing it on your own is you need to invest a lot of money in marketing for years to get a loyal customer base. That is the appeal of 3rd party platforms.
@@la6136 Thinking long-term, it's better to get that loyal customer base and worth investing the time and money. 3rd party platform customers are not loyal and probably don't even notice your brand. Not only that, you don't even control your cashflow from them and any customers you do have can be gone tomorrow without warning (including the whole site). I've had over 3,000 sales with 3rd party platforms (only 2nd hand goods, not my original work) and have had maybe 3 returning customers out of all those sales: around 1 in a thousand!
And the risk. Ow Etsy wants a selfie and a fee to open up shop. I gave had an account for years, but if they ever ask me for one of those two things then I’m out of there.
The only thing is TRAFFIC. Sites like Amazon and easy have well established customer base and name popularity. These sites do go rogue and oppressive with sellers to keep their bottom line. But, you are right mostly, but then the govt. Rules and regulations in countries like US are after your revenue and make restrictions to get their bottom line. But, still own site and authority over it is still a lot better, except for the marketing part. But, I feel this might be changing as more of us say goodbye to these oppressive monsters and switch to own sites and build customers trust.
I left ETSY (for a lot of the same reasons) last month and opened up my own shop through Shopify. I already love my new shop so much. Here's wishing you the best!
@@Hayley-hb6vx for almost a month into it, I've made a little over 150 and that's great for me especially for Feb/Mar. I post everything in my Facebook and IG.
@@Hayley-hb6vx More than I thought it would do. I thought it was going to take longer to make sales but just for being with Shopify for a month, I've made a little over 150 and that's great for my small business. I post a lot in my Facebook and IG.
@@Hayley-hb6vx This is my third time trying to reply to you so I don't know where the other two have gone - I push reply and it shows up but then it disappears(?) 🤷🏻♀ Anyways, let's hope this time it stays. I've made about 25 sales since I opened up my own shop in February equaling to a little over $150. This is big for my very small shop. Two of my customers were returning customers and one was new. I posted my move in my social media including RUclips. I then post my products through my Facebook and IG. My last item (Admin Gift Bundle) sold out withing 3 hours of posting it on FB and I have requests to make more. I was on ETSY since 2018 and sold a little over 1800 items so I believe alot of my followers come from already knowing me and my art. I'm currently using the starter plan on Shopify but if business keeps going the way it is, I'll be able to move to the next level.
Good for you! I've sold jewelry making supplies for over 30 years, mostly brick & mortar. Went 100% online in 2020 with my own website. I also started Etsy around the same time because everyone seemed to be doing it. Those sales have been a lot slower because I don't really have much of a following there. However your story is all too common, so I decided to only list my clearance items on my Etsy site. Which has worked well since people are looking for specific items, and requires a lot less work on my part since I'm not trying to grow that store into a business.
I'm not on Etsy at all but I take a similar approach on eBay for sports cards. It's a pain to set up listings of clearance items but I can't think of any place where you can sell common cards for 99c as that is the minimum price allowed for Buy It Now. eBay sellers drop their business card or some sort of note all the time directing the buyer off eBay where the real profits and customer savings are.
Thank you for this video. You've helped me decide to stay away from Etsy. I feel they have completely overreached and my multiple negative experiences with them and wariness of the platform is now confirmed. Over and over with other stories like yours. I'm just not going to go there or give them my business. Feels good to finally just shut the door. Wishing you the best!
Etsy is a horrible company with no seller, customer support. I wasn't even selling, only purchasing supplies (a customer) and they suspended me too with zero explanation and no where to get help or an explanation. They are no longer a "handmade" platform anyway, & seem more like a Temu. Etsy is a garbage, dumpster fire corporate greed conglomerate. Glad you made this video. Thank you.
I just started working with clay and starting an art business, and I was thinking of beginning with Etsy, because at first, I probably wouldn’t make enough to even cover the monthly cost of Shopify. But.. now I’m not so sure. Thanks a lot for this info. I’m glad you’re holding them accountable where other small businesses can see. 💚
I left Etsy before they started shutting down shops. I was new to Etsy and hadn't found much success when I gave up and pulled the plug. Literally a few weeks after doing so, all this started to happen. At first I felt conflict from shutting down my shop, thinking I should have toughed it out, but after watching quite a few similar videos about the problems with Etsy right now, I am so glad I did. I haven't started up another shop yet and I am still exploring that and making new art items while I figure it out. Thanks for sharing.
Building a brand and owning your work through a personal website is key. I totally agree. Thank you for sharing and i am sorry you had this experience with Etsy. All for the best!
Etsy cancelled me too. My experience was exactly like yours and I’m only a buyer :/ . I feel that Etsy wants to become another Temu or even Amazon. Glad your business is doing well. Best wishes. Airbnb is going through the same thing. The original premise is gone.
Hello. I've been on Etsy since 2006. Everything you said is true. Etsy started as a warm and fuzzy place until the shareholders got their hands on it. Each year my income increased until 2015. After that year, my yearly sales income gradually decreased each year including today when I crunched the numbers for tax time. Your right. Thank you for this video.
Adriana…I’m sure you did the right thing. Etsy just seems to have lost any sensibility and ethical responsibility towards too many of their sellers. They have obviously forgotten the reason they started a “handmade seller site” in the first place. I wish you all the best!
I closed my shop over 5 years ago because of fees for off-site marketing and not being able to opt out. It’s much worse now and while I feel sad about how Etsy has evolved, I don’t regret leaving.
Absolutely yes to everything you said! I opened a jewellery shop in 2016 and after about three years and many hundreds of sales, they changed the playing field completely by introducing the free postage rule and another one that I can't remember. I do know that both of these affected me massively because I'm in Australia and most of my customers were in the States or Europe. My average sale was around AUS$40 (my jewellery was/is vintage style costume jewellery) and to have to pay for postage out of these sales was just not viable. I was 100% 5 star but I wouldn't be able to get eyes on my store unless I offered that free postage and also jump another hoop (the one I can't remember!) Anyway, I went from at least one or two sales a day to maybe one or two sales a week. HUGE difference. Instantly! At that stage the platform was still predominantly hand crafted goods but the mass produced crap was just starting to hit and I couldn't believe that they let this happen. I, along with many of my Etsy shop friends threw in the towel at the same time. There was definitely a (mini)mass exodus at that time. Such a shame because I loved my little shop and was so damn proud of what I had produced. I put a huge amount of myself into it and to admit defeat is not something I'm used to. About a year after I closed my shop, my buying account was suspended and I've never been able to get a human to help me resolve this issue. I have no idea why a purchaser account would even be cancelled. I purchased things and paid for things! No explanation, nothing. Luckily I was able to get into my Seller account and buy through that account, which is what I have been doing ever since. Anyway, thanks for the update on the state of Etsy because I was considering giving it another go this time for my art prints. After watching this, I will definitely concentrate on the Shopify side of things. Many thanks for the rundown, much appreciated.
Good information to keep in mind. Sellers should also keep in mind that even people using services like Shopify have experienced similar issues with them holding funds for months and suspending stores.
Right! Good to hear from this as well. It is better to have diverce sources of income and places to have your shop. None of the platforms seem to be stable.
@@dougdoug9223 it happens. Sometimes Google seems to show only or mostly results directly from Shopify help if you search for "shopify suspends store." You may need to try to reword it to something like "Shopify suspended my store." if you're looking to read about it.
I've been on Etsy for the past six months and am fed up, too many sellers, selling crap made in China and they are allowed to call it "handmade". Thank you for this content!
Thank you for sharing! Amazon now has a handmade section on their website. The rules may be better than Etsy, but you still don't have full control either.
So glad I saw this. I am an artist, and have been thinking about taking it to Etsy.....had no idea they would be so shady. Sorry you had to go through that. Honestly, I think it would make me not to want to paint anymore. So hard to be creative when you are stressed like that.
Hi yes totally agree l have had a shop for 9yrs on etsy very successful then two payment reserves. Finished my business overnight, currently waiting for the balance of a sale then lam closing my store for good. Good luck 👍 with your business
Couldn't agree more! I am so sorry to hear about your issues!!! Having a hold like that put on your account could easily drive a small business under! I have had MANY issues with them. And it makes me incredibly upset that they don't stay out of my business! All of their rules and regulations for handmade are truly ridiculous! I don't make product but I do have unique and exclusive candle making and soap supplies that take me a ton of time and effort to have created for me. My biggest issue is losing money with their "off-site" advertising! For some of my products it would cost me more to sell the products that I would make! Who in the world would want to lose money by being forced to do "off-site" advertising. Which you can't opt-out! And anyone saying "just leave", it isn't that easy as it takes HOURS and hours to set up the store. I would never relay on ETSY alone!
I had the exact same thing happen to me and my shop on Etsy late last year. They held a significant amount of money from me in the lead up to Christmas. And Trying to deal with their customer support, was an extremely frustrating process. It was another Etsy seller on an Etsy forum that was able to offer a solution that worked and helped me unlock the funds they were holding.
I sold a coat, my 2nd sale. Spent half its cost on shipping, which was a terrible shock. Then the person said it stank of smoke and it did not. (it had spent the past 40 years in a nonsmokers house. It was on my listing as NO RETURNS. i nicely told the girl to send it back. She said she was going to donate it. (lol, and it supposedly stank) Then I stopped talking to her realizing she was a scammer. She contacted etsy and they refunded her money. so not only did i get charged for the coat, she stole the coat from me too. I closed the shop and realized people are scum.;
I had exactly that happen to me on Etsy many years ago, and it certainly taught me back then that Etsy is never on the side of the sellers. Some woman bought a very expensive piece of jewelry that I had handmade, and then filed a claim, saying it wasn’t what she expected. I had a return policy, but she chose not to return it, and instead, Etsy refunded her the money and deducted it from my PayPal account. The only way I was able to rectify that was to contact PayPal and tell them I was being scammed. Apparently this Etsy buyer had been doing the same thing to a ton of people, there was a forum post about that and multiple people reached out to me to ask if it was the same person. It was! I have lost all faith in Etsy, and I am definitely motivated to start my own store. Driving traffic to an independent store isn’t going to be any harder than setting up listings on Etsy, considering you’re competing with problematic SEO, a flooded market place, and a BS market host that happily takes your money without cause.
@@phranne1234 Flooded marketplace is so right. I did not have one sale in 2023, after doing well during the covid years. I simply can't compete with foreign countries. Those folks are happy to make peanuts compared with US workers.
I was seriously getting ready to open an Etsy shop. Your video changed my mind. I agree. When Etsy started out, they were great. I will be checking out shopify. Thank you.
You're so welcome! I really do hope they can go back to what they used to be one day. I will say, if Etsy is something that fits your situation best, and you don't want a website, I never want to discourage someone from starting their business. I think as long as you know what CAN happen and prepare for that, it still could be worth it for some as some folks are very very successful on the platform. I wish you all of the best! ❤
@MiteraMade I made my decision after watching your video. In the last two weeks, I have watched 3 videos on the very same subject, from 3 different jewelry makers. I can't afford to have my money held back for that long. The prospect of having my money held for that long is scary and wrong. You're right about using your money for their selves. Thank you!
I am done with Etsy too! I am now selling everything off my own website. Etsy has lost its way! Like you said in the video, Etsy was there to help sellers in such a great way. Now they don't seem to care about anything. They will take down any listing and give you a generic reason or supply you with a violation , one of many things that you may have violated, but they never tell you the EXACT reason, so they take down your listing. I cannot wait for a big time investor or movie star with some clout to create a brand new homemade website and put Etsy down. They could have been so good, but they choose to ruin so many things. Anyway, I can now offer free shipping on all of my items because now I have no Etsy fees! I hope more and more people watch your video and learn to have a backup selling store so they do not depend on Etsy! Bye Bye Bye Etsy! Thanks for the video!
I completely agree with you 100%. Etsy started out as a handmade platform and now they sell everything....even athletic shoes! WTF? You would think with word spreading about their bad customer service for sellers, that they would pay attention. But I don't think they care about handmade sellers anymore. Sadly, Ebay has the same problems and that platform is now favoring their high performing sellers over their others. I hate that many selling platforms push you to do free shipping, on top of paying seller fees and also push you to discount your product. Its all about money in this world for sure, and it goes into big business's pockets.
Ridiculous! You are absolutely correct, and the only content channel advising others to have their own hosting (website). Not only did you share your horrible Etsy experience, but you made it clear that ANYONE can sell their goods outside of Etsy with a personal website. Absolutely, it is going to take work to bring traffic to your website if you’re on your own, but this is true whether you're on Etsy or eBay. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend starting with Etsy period. Why? Because too many newcomers to Etsy have also had their shops suspended or closed on day one for no apparent reason. It is not worth the chance to take the chance when Etsy’s platform is globally shutting down shops throughout their online website. Also, if anyone is reading my comment and is deciding to sell on Etsy or eBay or has already done so, please STOP! The day you start to sell your handmade or other goods is the day you become a business owner! And in the business world, being self-employed or part-time (getting started) means never, never, never give your profits away. The first mistake a business owner can ever make is giving part of their profits away - the biggest no-no in the business world. Doing business on Etsy or eBay is just that, you're giving your profits away. Just like yourself, you go into business (small or big) to make money. And this is true for Etsy and eBay. They don’t care about you; it’s the profit margin at the end of the day. From listing fees, selling percentage, and other extra fees, your hard work is being taken, which is downright poor business practice. As Adriana Avila stated, you can be successful outside of Etsy with your website. IT IS TRUE. Millions of private online storefronts are successfully selling their products. When you see those numbers of success, it goes to show it can be done. You’re in control of having your own website. You control the platform, setting your rules for how customers can purchase your goods, returns, shipping, and when items will ship. And the most significant benefit you will have with a personal storefront is that you keep 100% of the profit. The only time you would need to use a portion of your profit is the hosting cost per month or annually. The last cost is a percentage the credit card merchant gateway collects for each transaction; this fee is done everywhere, retailers (Walmart, Hobby Lobby, etc.) and everywhere credit cards are used; you can't escape from this. But that is it! You only have to pay for hosting and credit card transactions, nothing more if you open your own storefront. I highly recommend Wix to anyone wanting to start a small business selling online. AND NO, I’m not whatsoever affiliated or sponsored by Wix. As a RUclips Content Creator myself having my own personal RUclips channel (Lou Rao), I will only recommend Wix no matter what other content channels say or prefer to commend outside of Wix. Wix is the most advanced, easy-to-use website creator for getting started with. You can have a storefront up and running within one hour. Besides the robust way Wix works with the most outstanding templates than any other platforms, it has all the advantages for shop owners to utilize their advanced tools to help build their company. Wix has been around since 2006 and has more than 220 million users distributed across 190+ countries. Just a brief explanation on Wix, and you can see why I highly recommend them over other platforms. I do believe most people that use eBay and Etsy do so because of fear. Fear in the sense that they're afraid to open a website for themselves. They may believe it is hard, don’t know how to draw traffic, set up a merchant account, etc. But this is a myth. As soon as fear has been let go and you take the first step, there is no returning to Etsy or eBay; it is really that easy. And to start or already a business owner, fear isn’t in the equation. If you have Etsy fear is already there, when will they suspend me? When will they close down my shop? When will they hold my earnings? Does it really make sense to have a life based on these fears? It is really worth going to sleep and never know the next morning you may be a Etsy victim? It is worth for Etsy or eBay take 30% of your income? Yeah, it is ridiculous what many folks are still going through with their Etsy shops. Like I said earlier, you’re in control of your business, either continue with the punches and fears or free yourself from this madness. It’s your choice. I wish all those entrepreneurs the very best in all they do. 😎
Thank you so much for your advice! I wanted to start my business on Etsy and Shopify but I see more and more of these kind of stories about how crappy Etsy is treating sellers on their Platform, as you said I fear all the time that my shop could get suspended for the slightest error or any reason they think is legit to them without even explaining it. I still was thinking about not only betting on one horse, I am looking for different platforms and I already found few and I'll keep on doing my research. Am starting to warm up to an idea to open my own website too!
Welcome👍. You're headed in the right direction by conducting research. Research, research, and more research are the first steps to free yourself from this madness. When considering platforms, make sure they don't charge for listings, fees after sales, or any type of percentages to sell your products. Consider this: what can Etsy or any other platform that charges fees do that you can't achieve with your own website? There is a signup process, setting up the look and profile of your store, adding products, providing product information, and ensuring your titles are SEO-ready. Consider these steps; there's no difference with a website. You're still doing the main legwork with Etsy as you would for your personal online store. The difference with Etsy is that they charge you to do the legwork. I encourage you to take the leap with a website and nothing else. It doesn’t have to be Wix; GoDaddy is another excellent option to build your store. When setting up an online store, look for two payments and nothing else: hosting and credit card transactions. Start with a small budget website. As your business grows, you have the flexibility to upgrade with the hosting companies. I like Wix because it's the most user-friendly website to design and build your online store, and it provides additional 24/7 phone support. Plus, you can scale up when your business starts to grow with many rich features. GoDaddy also offers numerous business tools to help build your online store and attract traffic to it, along with 24/7 phone support. When looking for a website make sure to select e-commerce and not the basic, Wix or Godaddy. That said, cease betting regardless of the number of horses you're betting on; the odds are never in your favor😅. I wish you all the success with your online store.😎 Wix E-Commerce: www.wix.com/ecommerce/website Wix Learn: www.wix.com/learn/library/ecommerce/courses www.wixtrainingacademy.com Godaddy E-Commerce / Other Info: www.godaddy.com/pricing?category=Online+Store
@@LouRao Thank you! That's a lot of very useful information! I did the research on Gelato and Shopify they almost take the half of your earnings just because you use their platform! If I sell a t-shirt for 15 dollars I will only earn 6,44 or something like that, this is ridiculousl!
@@justynaschreuder8171Welcome! 👍 It is my pleasure giving advice when I can. I have another word instead of "ridiculous," but it would be inappropriate to say here 😆. Agree! Gelato and Shopify are no different than Etsy - fees. One way I’m glad you’re doing your research. But, on the other hand, stop the madness and take the plunge with no-fee websites I mentioned before. I would not recommend staying away from any hosting site that charges fees for listings, sales, or penalizes (eBay) with another fee if you don’t offer free shipping and use your own shipping methods. I have experienced them all in my 50 years of experience. Like many entrepreneurs, I've been there, from Arbonne to It Works, Agel, Rich Dad Poor Dad conferences, catering, and other entrepreneurial adventures, from selling my pasta sauce to helping others build their online stores. Between all those startups and investments, I was in IT for over 22 years. Using my IT background knowledge helped me assist others in building their entrepreneurial websites long ago when eBay or Amazon just got established. I was one of the first customers to join Wix in its beginning stages when their hosting was written in Flash and with just a few lines of HTML code. Many starts I had failed, and others succeeded. And failure is a good thing. Why am I sharing my somewhat experience with you? No other reason than to help folks like yourself not to get screwed or take the wrong path. It’s something I've done all my life, helping others to better themselves and succeed in whatever they may pursue. Regardless when I was young and now I always had a drive to lend a hand. Yeah, I pretty much had used all the most popular hosting for myself and others. And it wasn’t until the day I woke up and realized how much of my investments were being taken by these hosting sites I had mentioned. The wake-up call came from one of Robert Kiyosaki's entrepreneur conferences and reading his book Rich Dad Poor Dad, still one of the best sellers to this day. I highly recommend his book for anyone starting or already an entrepreneur. Robert Kiyosaki summarized in his book that you shouldn't give your money away. And those who do give their money away because they don’t know the meaning of money. Etsy, Shopify, Squarespace, and even eBay feed on those who don’t know the meaning of money. No different than credit cards companies handing cards like candy, people are in debt for that reason because they don’t understand money. Let’s be real, the argument could be made that many Entrepreneurs are making lots of money with any of the hosting I mentioned like Etsy, and true to an extent. Although, in their stupidity, they still lack the meaning of the dollar bill; 29% to 39% of their investments are going to unnecessary fees, and that is not how one should do business. Would you take advice from a successful Etsy seller making thousands a month or someone else who is making the same with their own private website? Hard decision. But, who is bringing in more income? On my RUclips channel, I focused on product reviews. It wasn’t until I had some health concerns that I had to put the channel aside. Even though I will always reply to questions or comments, the channel was on hold for any new content. Now life is good, and I'm very blessed to be where I’m at; we’re coming up with a new format. There may still be some product reviews, but a lot of changes are taking place for our new content. One thing I will be doing is helping folks like yourself on how to start an online store. The pros and cons with Etsy and others. I really do believe there is a need for this type of information. Too many new or even already established entrepreneurs are just being led the wrong way. And too many RUclips content Creators are promoting Etsy, Squarespace, or Webflow because 90% are sponsored. Dead wrong in my opinion. It doesn’t matter what is being sold; it is how the items are going about to sell and what is happening with their investments. And if this content I present can help just one person, I’ve done a good job. So, take the leap and start a trial on the websites I provided earlier in my last comments. If I can advise you no more research. Use the time you have to learn the website of your choice and get your product known. If you sell T-shirts, you're in a better position with a private online store than, say, Etsy. Why? Etsy (others) are oversaturated in this market for T-shirts. Use your time to build the online store and get familiar with all the features it has to offer before opening. Set up goals with dates. Each goal must be accomplished on the date you scheduled for. And most importantly, brand your name! Get your name known. 1. Do a trial on both hosting, GoDaddy or Wix (Wix has a free version but limited, use that just to get to know the Hosting). 2. Commit to Hosting. 3. Learn the format of the hosting. 4. Learn SEO and how it works with the hosting you picked. 5. Set up goals. 6. Part of the goals is to set up and design the store also get a website name of your store through GoDaddy. Important; if you don’t have a domain name (name of your company for the online store), make sure it is not long. Try to make the name as small as possible for anyone to remember. People’s retention is short, so you want to have something catchy folks could remember. No numbers or dashes. It’s going to take a long time to find a domain name, but it can be done. If you can, start with your first and last name and go from there when doing a domain name search. And only use .com nothing else - no matter what. 7. Where I said (5) set up goals, make sure they are realistic. You want to include your daytime job, family, and other responsibilities you have when setting dates to complete each goal. I hope this helps. Please do keep me informed. I would love to see what options you made and see your store when it is up and running. And if you ever need help, don’t hesitate to ask; I will be more than happy to assist. You can always contact me by email. You will find my email contact on my RUclips channel.😎
@lourao Thanks for your advice. I have been struggling with Shopify myself. I find it to be not user-friendly for sure. I just discovered wix yesterday as a matter of fact and decided to start with them once I watched one of their how-to videos and saw how simple it was to use. I'll watch for your new content. I'm looking forward to it.
I think Etsy is great to start with. I've been on there for 10 years and sell as a hobbyist maker. I don't put too much into social media so I can't drive my own traffic to my website. I'm wishing you so much success with your stand alone website.
I absolutely hate etsy. They have the worst customer service. They shut my shop ("suspended it"), refused to tell me what I'd done wrong (pretty sure I'd not done anything wrong. I've read all of their rules and guidelines, when I appealed, it came back in less than one minute with it being rejected. And pretty much then saying they don't need to tell me why, they won't reply to messages about it, and their decision is final. They're a frigging joke. Also they seem to be untouchable. There must be some body who can hold them accountable (but I can't find anyone). And they've kept my listing fees, even though they've unlisted my items. So that's a breach of contract right there. I'm sure their terms would say they're allowed if someone breaches their rules... but they refuse to tell me what they claim I did. Man I hate etsy. If you look at videos of their headquarters, you can see how much money they're p*ssing away on that. Spend some of that money on customer services!
That is exactly what they said to me. No explanation, no warning. I appealed and they replied within 5 hours denying my appeal and they also denied my request for a detailed list of offenses - or at minimum the general allegations. They refused to tell me what I had done to have my store shut down, stating that they could not do that for "security of the market." Give me a break.
I have a intro on my page that totally rips etsy for the shitfest that they are (selling child sexdolls bound at the wrists) and they still have my page up. Haven't sold anything there in years. they ghostban .
Thank you very much for sharing your story with us. I faced a similar issue. I had been developing my online art gallery on Etsy for almost 10 years, but it was permanently suspended just because I moved from Ukraine to Spain a year ago. Despite providing all the necessary documents such as my new residential ID, bank account information, and temporary VAT number, Etsy still suspected my shop. I tried to communicate with their tech support, but all my attempts were unsuccessful. They stopped communicating with me after suspending my shop as if I had never existed on their platform.
I appreciate you touching on the fact that Etsy puts a hold on funds. For new sellers especially this could be a detriment to a small business. We need the cash flow to perform! I sent them feedback on this exact thing. Their fees are now at almost 20% if you add it all up too. Terrible business practice, they care more about their investors than they do sellers. Bye Etsy
Great Video , I've just started an etsy store , I think this Video just saved me a torturous journey , Thanks
8 месяцев назад+1
This is solid advice. After 6 years, 5.5K sales and over half a million dollars in revenue I’m about to pull the plug. I have a Shopify but nothing like the sales numbers Etsy used to send my way. It’s the NOT being in control - it’s my sole income and knowing it could be withdrawn at any minute (by accident or from incorrectly flagged bot activity) is beyond terrifying 😢
Not surprised to hear that about Etsy. I met a woman who’s account was hacked & it put her out of business. Good your getting out. Your business will thrive because of you & your creations. Enjoy & keep creating!!!😊
cuteness overload!.... thank you for the insights it seems like a TON of people are enraged about the way etsy functions...CONGRATZ on your move to just leave em in the dirt you area great example for everyone! just keep moving forward now is all we can do... cheers! :)
You are so right about Etsy! I started my account late Dec. 2023 & it’s now March & I’ve had a hold put on my funds for some unknown reason. Everything in my shop are digital downloads so there are no refunds once the pdf is downloaded & there’s no shipping. My only thought is maybe a sudden surge in orders triggered something in their algorithms after I uploaded my 1st e-book & a lot more orders started coming in. Good thing I’ve got cash reserves in the bank to finance my actual work & that Etsy is a side hustle for extra money, but I’m definitely not going to stay with them once I have more experience with digital downloads, especially since I already have my own website.
I have seen so many people on RUclips that have told stories of Etsy doing this to them. Most had their money held for 6 months or more & they left Etsy to find other platforms. You are so Smart to get out now.
These are all concerns I had with Etsy - I ended up leaving in 2018 (opened my shop in 2012), even before their fees etc became as high as they are now. I'm sorry your experience was so awful, and I'm glad you had another platform to work from! I'll admit my sales/income hasn't recovered even now, but I would rather have it lost than deal with the nightmare Etsy has become now.
I bought a dozen items on Amazon today through your link. I find your videos very useful. I'm just starting silversmith classes. Thank you. PS I tried to buy a sheet of 24 ga sterling on Etsy and my bank blocked the sale for security reasons. I didn't even call to say it was ok. China is the "C" in BRICS.
Thank you so much for doing that! 🥹💜 it really does help me pay the bills 💜🥲 lol Im so happy that I can help and I hope your enjoy your classes! 🙏🏻☺️ if you’re in the US, Rio Grande is a great place to purchase your silver and if you’re in the UK you can use Cooksongold 💜
I am just starting my own silversmithing business, self taught like yourself, and everyone was telling me to open an Etsy based on there old vision, as you mentioned. However even when doing research of similar products to my own (opal sterling rings) I noticed that there was no way I could compete with some of the crazy prices from dodgy sellers. Just discovered your vids tonight, very much looking forward to your marketing video :) Cheers!
I am seeing a lot of videos about the same subject of what Etsy is doing to people, it’s sad what people are doing is making Etsy rich and it’s not about the sellers. They can shut you down at the drop of a dime. Good for you, I just started on Shopify and I think I will be very happy. Good luck to you.😊
I've been teetering, regarding starting a shop on Etsy, but I've heard some real horror stories. My only use for Etsy would have been sending cards to customers with my website on it, but I'm sure I'd be flagged eventually. Learning that they blackmail you with your own money, basically...nah. Thank you for speaking out about it. I'd love to see your shop, so I'm going to look for links now lol.
I sent my website out on my thank you cards from Etsy orders and never heard anything about it thankfully. lol so maybe it could still be worth it? I have no idea honestly, it's not for me anymore. 😭 Thank you for checking out my website and your compliments! 🙏😊
Completely agree with your advice. I've been a seller on Etsy for 10 years, and yes, my main income comes from there... and it's very scary to think right now about the fragility of my economic situation. I made the mistake of not creating my own website. Ironically, at the beginning, I wondered if it would be safe to base my economy on this platform, but I was so naive that my doubts were whether Etsy was a reliable and solid company or could go bankrupt... what I never questioned is that Etsy could close my store without a solid reason, or reduce my visibility if their algorithms suddenly don't match with my store, or penalize my traffic if I put my store on "vacation mode," etc., etc. I simply started having many sales and didn't pay attention to that, just to work, now I regret it.
This is incredibly useful information. Thank you for such a concise explanation of the issues. Looks like Etsy is having some severe internal issues with their platform. Been watching your content for a while now and your work and process are excellent. I hope you are very successful with your enterprise. By the way are you in a brick and mortar shops? Galleries and other stores?
Thank you so much! 💜 I have not looked into brick and mortar stores 🤔 I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all, I’ll need to do some research on some shops that I think would be a good fit 💜 I wonder if it would be lucrative and how much I’d have to charge as a wholesale price and still survive🙈😂 hmmmmmm.
@@MiteraMade It's worth looking into ! Bricks & mortar stores are having a hard time with spiralling costs and crime, so are nervous of using cashflow on unknowns. But at the same time, they're an ideal venue for one-off products where the customer can get sold on them by seeing how amazing they are "in the flesh". If I could offer some humble advice, it's to avoid providing stock on consignment. It'll lead to disputes over who bears the cost if anything goes wrong. Instead, consider offering sale or return (but with payment up front or on delivery - some shops are notoriously bad at paying invoices !). That way, the shop doesn't risk cashflow if the items turn out not to be right for them, but you don't lose out if they fail to secure them properly. It's worth talking to them about safely displaying the products, leaflets, signage etc (all the marketing things that'll help their staff sell them !) With what you are making being one-offs or short production runs, it's worth photographing each item before delivery, and have you considered numbering them and adding certificates of authenticity ?
Wow, you are so patient. How dare Etsy is asking for such private ID's. Clearly, Etsy doesn't care at all about sellers. I heard so many stories like yours since the Covid.
Platforms like Etsy are good to start with. Bu in the end you did the right thing and concentratend on your own shop. Because that is YOUR brand and YOUR customers and YOUR income.
Each entrepreneur on Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify is building riches for these platforms, and they can get kicked out any day despite their hard work. We are doing the heavy lifting for them via our creativity and social media marketing to grow them. They give us crumbles as an exchange, and we're vulnerable to them. They have our clients' e-mail addresses, so we can't create a community, which is fundamental to online business. So why would anyone want to help these platforms become rich from our creativity and hard work when we can do it for ourselves without them?
I am contemplating doing the same!! I've sold 1000K+ items and constantly getting the "Funds Hold" notification which conveniently happened right before the holidays for 2 years in a row now. I've had to foot the bill for numerous items to ship and before the holiday was a complete hardship. Etsy does NOT help or care for the ones making their $$. It's been very disappointing being that I have hundreds of items listed with them.
Etsy allows and dare I say I feel encourages the opposite of what they claim-drop and mass shipping vs handmade/secondhand/unique items. Their dishonesty with shipping and so many other things mean I don't use them anymore.
Thank you for making this video and explaining everything the way you did. I was on RUclips specifically for revisiting the possibility of using Etsy and was AGAIN reminded of why it's a bad idea. I have only used Shopify and I will never use Etsy. Thank you and the best of luck in your business. 🙂
And now Etsy’s latest news is that they will be charging SOME new store owners (didn’t say how those people are decided) $15 just to open a store. All well and good, that’s their right, HOWEVER, I have already been seeing stories where people have PAID their $15, opened a store and then Etsy has closed the store with no explanation and seemingly no recourse for the store owner to get their $15 back. Absolutely highway robbery.
I became an entrepreneur because I wanted to create my own path and not have a boss. And Etsy sounds like a bad mean boss! They permanently suspended my store on my first day posting 1 image and done. But I believe that was a sign for me from god! Alhumdoallah ! Thanks for your content we deserve better and I wish you nothing but the best success.
My issue with all of these platforms is, they are utilizing other peoples talent to build themselves up. I am interested in creating a community not a platform and unfortunately on Etsy you cannot do that. I close my shop down and as sad as it was to close it down I’m really glad I did. Love your videos!
I had a random 3 mnth hold by Etsy. I wonder if they just have bots doing this for audit reasons? The only useful info I've ever obtained is from the community boards, trying to contact them is pointless. Luckily I just have a hobby business. It's turning into aliexpress/dropship central
That’s a good point, it may be an audit thing but it just has such crazy consequences 😭 and to do that for established sellers is so confusing. Wouldn’t you want to audit new sellers? 😭 and yes to the Ali express comparison 💔 there are so many good sellers on there with quality stuff and they’re being overshadowed, it’s sad. 😭
Thank you for your honest opinions and information on your experiences. I was contemplating opening an ETSY shop but I wasn't sure if that was the avenue I wanted to pursue. I would love your opinion on other ways to sell and collect payments. Your information is very much appreciated!
Thank you for sharing this with us. Sadly, I think you have convinced me not to open an Etsy store! I hope you find some other success and thank you again for sharing your story.
If Etsy were honest they would say: "We're sorry, but the guy that wrote the Social Security Interface app is long gone and no one here knows how it works. Besides, we don't own the source code, so we couldn't fix it even if we wanted to. Have a nice day!!"
GIRL!!!! you are so right about Etsy! I'm leaving and switching to Shopify. I just having my shop there just for new customers. I just need to get use to Shopify.
Unfortunately Etsy doesn't care about their sellers 👎
Bite the hand that feeds them.... stupid business plan.
Etsy was selling child sex dolls as they threatened to suspend people for supporting Trump .
@@dpaint6268 yep. Just like facebook and craigslist?
I worked as an auditor in the automotive industry for over 20 years, and it reminds me of a troubling situation we would see often. We called it ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’. It was a way for a dealer to use funds from one bank to pay another, because they were, technically, insolvent and didn’t have enough funds at one time to cover both. It sounds like Etsy is doing something similar. By holding funds, it allows them to invest (gamble) some of their sellers $$$, while they pay others. Likely, they don’t have the revenue to pay everyone on time, so it’s a good way to stay afloat and not expose their insolvency. Essentially, it’s a warning sign of a sinking ship.
You should have many more likes for your sensible comment. It’s all about money!
Not just Etsy, alot of online conglomerates double dip (invest) with owed money, hence waiting up to months to pay you, if they pay you at all.
good thing to know, i didnt know this, i had my funds withheld also
I literally had that thought and I have no financial background, but I was like "why would a company want to hold money..." they need it and are doing stuff with it...HMmmm smart unless well they REALLY NEED IT.
I was thinking this exact thing. The only way I can figure that a lot of established sellers are suddenly having funds put on hold is because Etsy, for whatever reason, is putting off paying them.
we need to start a new handmade platform. Etsy is done.
I heard about Folksy. Like an early Etsy from what I hear.
It should be worldwide and great customer service for both sellers and buyers
Absolutely true
Not just Etsy but eBay as well. They are horrible. You can’t rely on them.
@@someonewhoknows1891 You've got to remember that eBay isn't really for handmade, it's a platform to reselling mass-produced products.
My Etsy account was permanently suspended last week. They initially suspended me without sending an email explaining why, and once I filed an appeal, they were asking questions like what would I do differently to restore my account. I told them I wouldn't change anything because I don't know what I did wrong, and within 30 minutes of me sending my appeal, they permanently suspended me. I am Extremely disappointed in their business practices. I hate that at that moment, I was caught with all of my eggs in that one basket, but I won't let that be the end for me.
Your jewelry is absolutely beautiful, and I wish you success.
I’m so so sorry to hear that that happened to you, that’s awful! 😭I hope you’ve been able to start a website and continue your business 🥺💜
Thank you for your sweet words and encouragement. 🙏🏻🥲💜
I won't shop there anymore!
This sounds like it's an AI system operating... the same thing happened to me at a second hand website but I asked to speak to a real human and my account was reinstated immediately.
They let these computers run the system and lots of errors happen....
Wow. Sounds just like what happened to me. Mine happened in September, though. I'm still pretty hurt but trying to get along without them.
Probably looking at your social media.
I have been watching a lot of these types of videos lately, and a few people got exactly what they needed, because they contacted the Better Business Bureau and filed formal complaints against Etsy. I think you all should do the same, it will force Etsy to stop this crap.
BBB is untrustworthy,at least where I live.
@@davidr.wilson8194 BBB has helped me several times, like when Apple tried to cheat me out of a trade-in credit for a new laptop. The largest businesses will often cheat customers if they think they can get away with it.
@@davidr.wilson8194 They helped me out lol
BBB cant do anything, they have no auth.
You have no idea how the deep corruption is in this world.
My 7 year old best-selling item was delisted saying it 'violated their handmade policy'. My images, I discovered, had been stoled and used on other mass-production sites. It wrecked my income for 2 months. Eventually they re-instated it with a mild 'sorry' but zero compensation. It's scary. They can literally do anything to your shop and you have zero control over it. I've sold handmade on Etsy since 2007. Made them probably tens of thousands of dollars in fees. This is how they can treat us...
all my items are handmade by me. all my photos are mine. thrown under the bus because my IP was stolen from etsy and used on other sites!
Same. Happened twice. To 3 great sellling listings. Messed me up before Xmas. And took a month of emailing back and forth to get anything reinstated. 😖
Are you still using Etsy or have you found a better/different alternative? Sounds so scary
Wow, that’s crazy? And for “violating their handmade policy” of all things? What a joke. 99% of stuff on there these days is drop shipping mass produced crap. =/
@@ItsVesperArt Yes - it was insane. I've been on etsy for 17 years - you think they'd do a little background check and take a look at my shop and its history before doing something so drastic, right? Building my own website currently and also planning to stop Etsy entirely as soon as possible. Zero trust now. We all deserve a LOT better. Especially true artisans who work so hard for very little profit!
Thanks for being honest about the scam that is Etsy. I am SOOOO sick of the RUclipsrs telling people they can set up a shop in 10 minutes and earn hundreds of thousands $$$ easy peasy!
It just takes for all of the business owners to shut it down for 48 hours, they will get the message. You are not helpless when you stick together. It’s a reciprocal relationship and they must understand that.
Yet I just saw a vid by a top seller who was shut down just before Christmas with multiple shops but he blames the ‘artists’ for not making what sells and because Etsy is a business and artists don’t know how to be a business it’s our fault. FYI. He’s not a handmade artist. He just came up with a product and sells it on Etsy. Opportunist taking advantage of what artist built but Etsy new CEO turned their backs on. So with millions of people riding the wave Etsy won’t be shut down.
ETSY held nearly $1,000.00 of mine for nearly 4 months. I was forced to front money to ship dozens and dozens and dozens of orders out of pocket that whole time. I SUSPECT they invested MY money for 4 months while they were "holding" it. I wouldn't be surprised if they have done this with hundreds of thousands of sellers.
Yep, ETSY is broke. They're holding/ stealing folks money to pay their bills
Hmm that is an interesting thought........I sure hope that isn't what they are doing lol
That's a good observation, some companies that hold onto money often do this, where they reinvest your money as a kind of interest free loan under the guise of, the account broke TOS so funds are frozen. And they often drag out the process to get an account reinstated for this reason. Rumor has it Paypal does this and you agree that they can do this in their TOS should your account be frozen.
@@MiteraMade It's clear it's them looking after their own cashflow, not the sellers, they know there are hundreds of new sellers joining every day, as you say, most aren't selling things they make, especially in your niche! Ebay does it too but it has the advantage of better customer service and they only stop funds for a short period, if something is odd about the account, for example to ensure funds are available for refunds, if you have a return requests pending.
These are the same tatics PayPal does. They have been sued many times for this.
Thank you for sharing this information. You just saved some newbies from a heartache. 😊
Of course! I never want to discourage anyone from chasing their dreams, and if Etsy is your only means, DO IT, 100%. Something is better than nothing, but you at least should know what the risks are. ❤
I’m sensing a class action lawsuit is going to happen with Etsy.
Then they'll block ur store with an AGREE (to abandon class action lawsuits button) like Roku et al., did before allowing u to continue using their products!
When a company goes public in the stock market, run, run, run!
Etsy should be investigated. I’ve read they’re doing a lot of ilegal things. Lately I been thinking about starting a small business. If I do it won’t be with them. It’s better off to have a website and make promotions on your own.
@@evarodriguezalequin5705 I got insider informations, and they really do ban for no reason at all and even the appeal can be closed down by a bot. Sometimes they do something like april cleansing and just ban randomly whatever.
where do I sign?
I believe the whole corporate world is trying to squeeze every cent they can from consumers. They're taking the easy money vs the Craftsman. Ads and bloatware. Just found your channel, doing great job explaining everything; I'm learning. Thank you for your content.
Which is so funny since that was the exact reason Etsy was created in the first place to fight!
Hello. My name is Andrey. I'm from Russia. I am 58 years old. I am a machine embroidery designer and 3D jewelry designer. I worked on Upwork and Etsy, and because I am Russian, my accounts were blocked. I do not support what is happening in the world now, and I am against it. And I think that this is pure discrimination. But I also believe that politics should not interfere with art, this is not acceptable. And I saw that the accounts of other users from other countries were blocked for strange reasons. Sorry for my English.
I’m really sorry to hear that Audrey! 🥺💔 I hope you can get back to what you love soon. 🥺
Thank you. But just like in simple life, you meet people who betray you. Then you simply blacklist such people and move on. There is no point in throwing ashes on your head or tearing out your hair, as we say. There are ordinary people, outside of politics, with whom you continue to work and do beautiful things. Just like you on your channel.
Thats unbelivable and pure discrimination. Can't believe in what times we are living 😠
@@АндрейДульнев-й5кthat’s exactly why you are being sanctioned. Your society says “we are outside of politics”, and then you allow your government to establish dictatorship and invade other countries… until y’all become more courages and actually stop what your government is doing (murdering innocent ppl) that’s how it’s going to be. That’s like a German would be crying during world war 2 and complaining how the world treats him, when his government is committing a genocide. All of you are responsible.
I am so glad I watched this video and saw you comment. I believe this was the same reason for Instagram to suspend my account couple years ago after just one week of creating it. They said I violated community rules. Well, not sure now if I should even try to open my etsy shop.
Thank you for the information. My wife and I were just about to open an Etsy account…not now.
We appreciate your respectful comments.
I absolutely agree with you ! This whole platform sounds like a scam and a large lawsuit waiting to happen. I was going to open a shop to sell my cutesy canvas tote bags. Too many restrictions and not friendly ❤
I have been on there ten years. It's been a struggle since day one. Absolutely have your own website
I was contemplating on whether or not to keep going with Etsy. I sell digital products. I decided to do Etsy ads. I made a sale, and from that sale, I only made $2.19. After uploading a couple of images, I'm now having 1 cent going into my account. I stopped the ads and made another sale, but if I upload any more images, I will lose most of the money from that sale, too. I feel like it was meant for me to find this video because I was stressing about it. I wish you a tremendous amount of success in all that you do.
Thank you so much! 💜💜💜💜. I tried Etsy ads and honestly I preferred not time use then simply because of how much they take from the sell. Hopefully you can find growth in just the natural progression of Etsy without having to use their ads so you can keep more of your money 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜
Thank you for sharing your story. Though frankly, I am surprised at how many people commenting here are not aware of the pervasive problems with Etsy. There are NUMEROUS content creators here on RUclips that have detailed similar problems starting with Etsy forcing stores to offer free shipping and suspending their accounts for no visible reason.
@@SS-hl6ut yes it does!
Closed mine. Please be warned with their fees and yes there’s no one to reach out to. Tried so many times to rectify what they put a hold on for and then just canceled them altogether. This is the best video. So true about about holding funds. Rubbish
Thank you so so much for sharing this. I was just about to start an Etsy shop, BUT, after knowing now how bad Etsy is, I will not bother. I think it is dreadful that a company can keep control of YOUR money that you have earned and change rules, OH and also when you can never get to speak to a helpful human being then not a company I would ever like to deal with.
Thank you so so much for warning everyone. XX 🙂
Knowledge is power😭 hopefully they do better and they can be a force for good again one day lol.
Hopefully but won't hold my breath. When companies get greedy they don't change. @@MiteraMade
I never knew this about Etsy. Damn. I was going to start up a company there in the near future. I will never deal with a company where there is no control over what is yours. This information needs to be spread far and wide.
Everyones experience is different. I have been on Etsy for 10 years and it's ok for me.
My experience there ended badly, but I can’t say it’s not worth the TRY if you aren’t planning on having a website. 💜 you could be like Mele and have a wonderful experience. It’s just worth it to know what can happen and what has happened to a lot of people. If you don’t plan on having a website, it’s worth going for it, hoping for the best, but being financially prepared for anything.💜
I hope you continue with your plans on whatever platform you choose and thrive! 💜💜💜
I’ve had a pretty good experience with Etsy but I do agree the customer service is horrible. They put my shop on vacation for the same reason and they said I only had 2 tries to get my information correct when there was nothing I could change. It was all correct. I sell supplies and they are around $3 so fees for Etsy are way too high. I started selling on Michael’s craft store. Some things are not perfect there but customer service is way better. They gave me a customer service person I can call or email for everything and it’s always the same person and I’m not waiting over 2 weeks for a response.
And after verifying all my info a couple years later they say it’s incorrect again when nothing had changed. Luckily this time they didn’t put my shop on vacation mode. I also don’t like that we only have 24 hours to respond to a message 7 days a week and they say they can take up to 72 hours and it’s been way more than that when I have contacted them.
Sitting at nearly 700 sales since opening December 2022. They froze nearly $1,000.00 of mine for MANY MONTHS (approximately 4 to be precise) a couple months after I opened.They just dribbled a few dollars OF MINE, NOT THEIRS, here and there my way for that amount of time. I had to pay out of pocket for shipping dozens and dozens and dozens of orders during that time since MY money was NOT available to ME. I SUSPECT they invested MY money to earn interest for themselves during the many months they froze my funds. I suspect they have done this hundreds of thousands of times. IT would be a mistake to EVER TRUST THEM.
So true, my designs have been ripped off by numerous Etsy sellers, they suck these days!
They always sucked.
This is also why many Native American turquoise and silver artists don't allow photos of their displays, for fear of cheap Asian copies coming out later.
That's nothing new. That was going on over 10 years ago when I was on there. They suspended me when I wouldn't comply to their "only Etsy Pay" demands. Best thing I ever did.
I had such a similar experience before even being able to get started! Within less than two months of starting my Etsy shop, my shop was put on vacation mode because they "couldn't verify my identity" in spite of all of my info being accurate. Two months later and I still cannot get in touch with a human no matter how I try. Moving to Shopify! Thanks so much for sharing your story, and best of luck!
I'm hearing more and more stories about Etsy like this. It started off with being a genuine site for small makers but now it's pushing all those legitimate makers out and caters to ppl who buy wholesale from fast fashion sites and pose as makers. I don't buy from them anymore. I only go to artist's personal websites to buy now. Keep going and keep promoting your site, and ppl will come ❤️
It happens to every platform it seems.
@@MeriaDuck I wouldn't be BIT surprised if Amazon doesn't buy Etsy in the near future.
I have an Etsy shop that I started in June 2023. I am terrified of something like this happening to me. I have heard stories like yours from multiple sellers. I signed with with Shopify but I've not had time to build the site. I really need to get on it because I am almost at the year mark and 140+ sales. Thanks for sharing your story.
Definitely prioritise doing that. They literally remove accounts at the drop of a hat. They did that to my boyfriends account, no explanation.
I have to do it now too!
ugh, listening to your story made my blood boil. I can relate so much. I left Etsy a while ago and the final push was also a total lack of professionalism and support from Etsy. It was ridiculous and left me disgusted as an honest seller that has been making them money for years. And I agree - their customer service is garbage, that's almost an understatement. I wanted to share my story for a while and you've given me the push to finally do it! While I agree with you that Etsy is great to start and experiment, there's so much, that small makers and business owners need to know, to avoid massive disappointments and problems with this platform. Excellent video, thank you for sharing!
I am so sorry this happened to you as well! 😭💔 I'm really interested in hearing your experience! I'll definitely keep an eye out for your video! 😭❤
I was also going to use Etsy and am so thankful to you guys for warning us all. Who do you strongly recommend we use now to start up an online store? Many thanks again! :)
As someone planning on starting a handmade business in the near future I'm glad I came across your advice. And I'm sorry you had to go through that with Etsy.
Lesson 1 in business: be in control of your business. Be that your own website, database of customers, sales facility, payment processing etc. All of this is relinquished when using 3rd party platforms.
Yes but the issue doing it on your own is you need to invest a lot of money in marketing for years to get a loyal customer base. That is the appeal of 3rd party platforms.
@@la6136 Thinking long-term, it's better to get that loyal customer base and worth investing the time and money. 3rd party platform customers are not loyal and probably don't even notice your brand. Not only that, you don't even control your cashflow from them and any customers you do have can be gone tomorrow without warning (including the whole site). I've had over 3,000 sales with 3rd party platforms (only 2nd hand goods, not my original work) and have had maybe 3 returning customers out of all those sales: around 1 in a thousand!
And the risk. Ow Etsy wants a selfie and a fee to open up shop. I gave had an account for years, but if they ever ask me for one of those two things then I’m out of there.
You will NEVER be in control of your business as long as the government regulates everything you do.
The only thing is TRAFFIC. Sites like Amazon and easy have well established customer base and name popularity. These sites do go rogue and oppressive with sellers to keep their bottom line. But, you are right mostly, but then the govt. Rules and regulations in countries like US are after your revenue and make restrictions to get their bottom line. But, still own site and authority over it is still a lot better, except for the marketing part. But, I feel this might be changing as more of us say goodbye to these oppressive monsters and switch to own sites and build customers trust.
I left ETSY (for a lot of the same reasons) last month and opened up my own shop through Shopify. I already love my new shop so much. Here's wishing you the best!
How are the orders coming in ?
@@Hayley-hb6vx for almost a month into it, I've made a little over 150 and that's great for me especially for Feb/Mar. I post everything in my Facebook and IG.
@@Hayley-hb6vx More than I thought it would do. I thought it was going to take longer to make sales but just for being with Shopify for a month, I've made a little over 150 and that's great for my small business. I post a lot in my Facebook and IG.
@@Hayley-hb6vx This is my third time trying to reply to you so I don't know where the other two have gone - I push reply and it shows up but then it disappears(?) 🤷🏻♀ Anyways, let's hope this time it stays. I've made about 25 sales since I opened up my own shop in February equaling to a little over $150. This is big for my very small shop. Two of my customers were returning customers and one was new. I posted my move in my social media including RUclips. I then post my products through my Facebook and IG. My last item (Admin Gift Bundle) sold out withing 3 hours of posting it on FB and I have requests to make more. I was on ETSY since 2018 and sold a little over 1800 items so I believe alot of my followers come from already knowing me and my art. I'm currently using the starter plan on Shopify but if business keeps going the way it is, I'll be able to move to the next level.
they probably arent@@Hayley-hb6vx
Good for you! I've sold jewelry making supplies for over 30 years, mostly brick & mortar. Went 100% online in 2020 with my own website. I also started Etsy around the same time because everyone seemed to be doing it. Those sales have been a lot slower because I don't really have much of a following there. However your story is all too common, so I decided to only list my clearance items on my Etsy site. Which has worked well since people are looking for specific items, and requires a lot less work on my part since I'm not trying to grow that store into a business.
I'm not on Etsy at all but I take a similar approach on eBay for sports cards. It's a pain to set up listings of clearance items but I can't think of any place where you can sell common cards for 99c as that is the minimum price allowed for Buy It Now. eBay sellers drop their business card or some sort of note all the time directing the buyer off eBay where the real profits and customer savings are.
Thank you for this video. You've helped me decide to stay away from Etsy. I feel they have completely overreached and my multiple negative experiences with them and wariness of the platform is now confirmed. Over and over with other stories like yours. I'm just not going to go there or give them my business. Feels good to finally just shut the door. Wishing you the best!
Etsy is a horrible company with no seller, customer support. I wasn't even selling, only purchasing supplies (a customer) and they suspended me too with zero explanation and no where to get help or an explanation. They are no longer a "handmade" platform anyway, & seem more like a Temu. Etsy is a garbage, dumpster fire corporate greed conglomerate. Glad you made this video. Thank you.
Not only handmade. We are a vintage shop on Etsy. Thanks for the video. Very educational
I just started working with clay and starting an art business, and I was thinking of beginning with Etsy, because at first, I probably wouldn’t make enough to even cover the monthly cost of Shopify. But.. now I’m not so sure. Thanks a lot for this info. I’m glad you’re holding them accountable where other small businesses can see. 💚
I left Etsy before they started shutting down shops. I was new to Etsy and hadn't found much success when I gave up and pulled the plug. Literally a few weeks after doing so, all this started to happen. At first I felt conflict from shutting down my shop, thinking I should have toughed it out, but after watching quite a few similar videos about the problems with Etsy right now, I am so glad I did. I haven't started up another shop yet and I am still exploring that and making new art items while I figure it out. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for sharing that experience! I was having nothing but problems with Etsy and now I know it's just them not me.
Building a brand and owning your work through a personal website is key. I totally agree. Thank you for sharing and i am sorry you had this experience with Etsy. All for the best!
Etsy cancelled me too. My experience was exactly like yours and I’m only a buyer :/ .
I feel that Etsy wants to become another Temu or even Amazon.
Glad your business is doing well. Best wishes.
Airbnb is going through the same thing. The original premise is gone.
Hello. I've been on Etsy since 2006. Everything you said is true. Etsy started as a warm and fuzzy place until the shareholders got their hands on it. Each year my income increased until 2015. After that year, my yearly sales income gradually decreased each year including today when I crunched the numbers for tax time. Your right. Thank you for this video.
Plus Etsy have opened their doors wider to China, so it really bad naw.
@@chicfini yes Etsy is really hurting for their shareholders.
exactly, it’s an apocalyptic hell scape now i am happy they are circling the drain they deserve it
Thank goodness for your video. Now it’s going to save me a lot of time!
Really thank you so much! 🙌
Adriana…I’m sure you did the right thing. Etsy just seems to have lost any sensibility and ethical responsibility towards too many of their sellers. They have obviously forgotten the reason they started a “handmade seller site” in the first place. I wish you all the best!
I closed my shop over 5 years ago because of fees for off-site marketing and not being able to opt out. It’s much worse now and while I feel sad about how Etsy has evolved, I don’t regret leaving.
Absolutely yes to everything you said! I opened a jewellery shop in 2016 and after about three years and many hundreds of sales, they changed the playing field completely by introducing the free postage rule and another one that I can't remember. I do know that both of these affected me massively because I'm in Australia and most of my customers were in the States or Europe. My average sale was around AUS$40 (my jewellery was/is vintage style costume jewellery) and to have to pay for postage out of these sales was just not viable. I was 100% 5 star but I wouldn't be able to get eyes on my store unless I offered that free postage and also jump another hoop (the one I can't remember!) Anyway, I went from at least one or two sales a day to maybe one or two sales a week. HUGE difference. Instantly! At that stage the platform was still predominantly hand crafted goods but the mass produced crap was just starting to hit and I couldn't believe that they let this happen. I, along with many of my Etsy shop friends threw in the towel at the same time. There was definitely a (mini)mass exodus at that time. Such a shame because I loved my little shop and was so damn proud of what I had produced. I put a huge amount of myself into it and to admit defeat is not something I'm used to. About a year after I closed my shop, my buying account was suspended and I've never been able to get a human to help me resolve this issue. I have no idea why a purchaser account would even be cancelled. I purchased things and paid for things! No explanation, nothing. Luckily I was able to get into my Seller account and buy through that account, which is what I have been doing ever since.
Anyway, thanks for the update on the state of Etsy because I was considering giving it another go this time for my art prints. After watching this, I will definitely concentrate on the Shopify side of things. Many thanks for the rundown, much appreciated.
Good information to keep in mind. Sellers should also keep in mind that even people using services like Shopify have experienced similar issues with them holding funds for months and suspending stores.
Right! Good to hear from this as well.
It is better to have diverce sources of income and places to have your shop. None of the platforms seem to be stable.
I've never heard of Shopify suspending stores before. Wow!
@@dougdoug9223 it happens. Sometimes Google seems to show only or mostly results directly from Shopify help if you search for "shopify suspends store." You may need to try to reword it to something like "Shopify suspended my store." if you're looking to read about it.
I've been on Etsy for the past six months and am fed up, too many sellers, selling crap made in China and they are allowed to call it "handmade". Thank you for this content!
Thank you for sharing! Amazon now has a handmade section on their website. The rules may be better than Etsy, but you still don't have full control either.
So glad I saw this. I am an artist, and have been thinking about taking it to Etsy.....had no idea they would be so shady. Sorry you had to go through that. Honestly, I think it would make me not to want to paint anymore. So hard to be creative when you are stressed like that.
Hi yes totally agree l have had a shop for 9yrs on etsy very successful then two payment reserves. Finished my business overnight, currently waiting for the balance of a sale then lam closing my store for good.
Good luck 👍 with your business
Couldn't agree more! I am so sorry to hear about your issues!!! Having a hold like that put on your account could easily drive a small business under! I have had MANY issues with them. And it makes me incredibly upset that they don't stay out of my business! All of their rules and regulations for handmade are truly ridiculous! I don't make product but I do have unique and exclusive candle making and soap supplies that take me a ton of time and effort to have created for me. My biggest issue is losing money with their "off-site" advertising! For some of my products it would cost me more to sell the products that I would make! Who in the world would want to lose money by being forced to do "off-site" advertising. Which you can't opt-out! And anyone saying "just leave", it isn't that easy as it takes HOURS and hours to set up the store. I would never relay on ETSY alone!
I had the exact same thing happen to me and my shop on Etsy late last year. They held a significant amount of money from me in the lead up to Christmas. And Trying to deal with their customer support, was an extremely frustrating process. It was another Etsy seller on an Etsy forum that was able to offer a solution that worked and helped me unlock the funds they were holding.
Wow, I’m so glad you found a solution! Hopefully they never do that to you again 😭🙏🏻
I love how brutally honest this feedback is - good on you! Thank you for sharing 🙌🏼
I sold a coat, my 2nd sale. Spent half its cost on shipping, which was a terrible shock. Then the person said it stank of smoke and it did not. (it had spent the past 40 years in a nonsmokers house. It was on my listing as NO RETURNS. i nicely told the girl to send it back. She said she was going to donate it. (lol, and it supposedly stank) Then I stopped talking to her realizing she was a scammer. She contacted etsy and they refunded her money. so not only did i get charged for the coat, she stole the coat from me too. I closed the shop and realized people are scum.;
Oh my goodness….that HORRIBLE, I’m so sorry that happened to you 😭💔
This is a very common occurrence. It never goes in your favor as a seller.
Oh wow😂
I had exactly that happen to me on Etsy many years ago, and it certainly taught me back then that Etsy is never on the side of the sellers. Some woman bought a very expensive piece of jewelry that I had handmade, and then filed a claim, saying it wasn’t what she expected. I had a return policy, but she chose not to return it, and instead, Etsy refunded her the money and deducted it from my PayPal account. The only way I was able to rectify that was to contact PayPal and tell them I was being scammed. Apparently this Etsy buyer had been doing the same thing to a ton of people, there was a forum post about that and multiple people reached out to me to ask if it was the same person. It was!
I have lost all faith in Etsy, and I am definitely motivated to start my own store. Driving traffic to an independent store isn’t going to be any harder than setting up listings on Etsy, considering you’re competing with problematic SEO, a flooded market place, and a BS market host that happily takes your money without cause.
@@phranne1234 Flooded marketplace is so right. I did not have one sale in 2023, after doing well during the covid years. I simply can't compete with foreign countries. Those folks are happy to make peanuts compared with US workers.
I was seriously getting ready to open an Etsy shop. Your video changed my mind. I
agree. When Etsy started out, they were great. I will be checking out shopify. Thank you.
I am getting ready to start selling my jewelry and ì just want to thank you for your video!
You're so welcome! I really do hope they can go back to what they used to be one day. I will say, if Etsy is something that fits your situation best, and you don't want a website, I never want to discourage someone from starting their business. I think as long as you know what CAN happen and prepare for that, it still could be worth it for some as some folks are very very successful on the platform. I wish you all of the best! ❤
@MiteraMade I made my decision after watching your video. In the last two weeks, I have watched 3 videos on the very same subject, from 3 different jewelry makers. I can't afford to have my money held back for that long. The prospect of having my money held for that long is scary and wrong. You're right about using your money for their selves. Thank you!
I am done with Etsy too! I am now selling everything off my own website. Etsy has lost its way! Like you said in the video, Etsy was there to help sellers in such a great way. Now they don't seem to care about anything. They will take down any listing and give you a generic reason or supply you with a violation , one of many things that you may have violated, but they never tell you the EXACT reason, so they take down your listing. I cannot wait for a big time investor or movie star with some clout to create a brand new homemade website and put Etsy down. They could have been so good, but they choose to ruin so many things. Anyway, I can now offer free shipping on all of my items because now I have no Etsy fees! I hope more and more people watch your video and learn to have a backup selling store so they do not depend on Etsy! Bye Bye Bye Etsy! Thanks for the video!
Thanks for your honesty and for sharing
Absolutely! 🙏🏻💜
I completely agree with you 100%. Etsy started out as a handmade platform and now they sell everything....even athletic shoes! WTF? You would think with word spreading about their bad customer service for sellers, that they would pay attention. But I don't think they care about handmade sellers anymore. Sadly, Ebay has the same problems and that platform is now favoring their high performing sellers over their others. I hate that many selling platforms push you to do free shipping, on top of paying seller fees and also push you to discount your product. Its all about money in this world for sure, and it goes into big business's pockets.
Ridiculous! You are absolutely correct, and the only content channel advising others to have their own hosting (website). Not only did you share your horrible Etsy experience, but you made it clear that ANYONE can sell their goods outside of Etsy with a personal website. Absolutely, it is going to take work to bring traffic to your website if you’re on your own, but this is true whether you're on Etsy or eBay. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend starting with Etsy period. Why? Because too many newcomers to Etsy have also had their shops suspended or closed on day one for no apparent reason. It is not worth the chance to take the chance when Etsy’s platform is globally shutting down shops throughout their online website.
Also, if anyone is reading my comment and is deciding to sell on Etsy or eBay or has already done so, please STOP! The day you start to sell your handmade or other goods is the day you become a business owner! And in the business world, being self-employed or part-time (getting started) means never, never, never give your profits away. The first mistake a business owner can ever make is giving part of their profits away - the biggest no-no in the business world. Doing business on Etsy or eBay is just that, you're giving your profits away. Just like yourself, you go into business (small or big) to make money. And this is true for Etsy and eBay. They don’t care about you; it’s the profit margin at the end of the day. From listing fees, selling percentage, and other extra fees, your hard work is being taken, which is downright poor business practice.
As Adriana Avila stated, you can be successful outside of Etsy with your website. IT IS TRUE. Millions of private online storefronts are successfully selling their products. When you see those numbers of success, it goes to show it can be done. You’re in control of having your own website. You control the platform, setting your rules for how customers can purchase your goods, returns, shipping, and when items will ship. And the most significant benefit you will have with a personal storefront is that you keep 100% of the profit. The only time you would need to use a portion of your profit is the hosting cost per month or annually. The last cost is a percentage the credit card merchant gateway collects for each transaction; this fee is done everywhere, retailers (Walmart, Hobby Lobby, etc.) and everywhere credit cards are used; you can't escape from this. But that is it! You only have to pay for hosting and credit card transactions, nothing more if you open your own storefront.
I highly recommend Wix to anyone wanting to start a small business selling online. AND NO, I’m not whatsoever affiliated or sponsored by Wix. As a RUclips Content Creator myself having my own personal RUclips channel (Lou Rao), I will only recommend Wix no matter what other content channels say or prefer to commend outside of Wix. Wix is the most advanced, easy-to-use website creator for getting started with. You can have a storefront up and running within one hour. Besides the robust way Wix works with the most outstanding templates than any other platforms, it has all the advantages for shop owners to utilize their advanced tools to help build their company. Wix has been around since 2006 and has more than 220 million users distributed across 190+ countries. Just a brief explanation on Wix, and you can see why I highly recommend them over other platforms.
I do believe most people that use eBay and Etsy do so because of fear. Fear in the sense that they're afraid to open a website for themselves. They may believe it is hard, don’t know how to draw traffic, set up a merchant account, etc. But this is a myth. As soon as fear has been let go and you take the first step, there is no returning to Etsy or eBay; it is really that easy. And to start or already a business owner, fear isn’t in the equation. If you have Etsy fear is already there, when will they suspend me? When will they close down my shop? When will they hold my earnings? Does it really make sense to have a life based on these fears? It is really worth going to sleep and never know the next morning you may be a Etsy victim? It is worth for Etsy or eBay take 30% of your income?
Yeah, it is ridiculous what many folks are still going through with their Etsy shops. Like I said earlier, you’re in control of your business, either continue with the punches and fears or free yourself from this madness. It’s your choice. I wish all those entrepreneurs the very best in all they do. 😎
Thank you so much for your advice! I wanted to start my business on Etsy and Shopify but I see more and more of these kind of stories about how crappy Etsy is treating sellers on their Platform, as you said I fear all the time that my shop could get suspended for the slightest error or any reason they think is legit to them without even explaining it.
I still was thinking about not only betting on one horse, I am looking for different platforms and I already found few and I'll keep on doing my research. Am starting to warm up to an idea to open my own website too!
Welcome👍. You're headed in the right direction by conducting research. Research, research, and more research are the first steps to free yourself from this madness. When considering platforms, make sure they don't charge for listings, fees after sales, or any type of percentages to sell your products. Consider this: what can Etsy or any other platform that charges fees do that you can't achieve with your own website? There is a signup process, setting up the look and profile of your store, adding products, providing product information, and ensuring your titles are SEO-ready. Consider these steps; there's no difference with a website. You're still doing the main legwork with Etsy as you would for your personal online store. The difference with Etsy is that they charge you to do the legwork.
I encourage you to take the leap with a website and nothing else. It doesn’t have to be Wix; GoDaddy is another excellent option to build your store. When setting up an online store, look for two payments and nothing else: hosting and credit card transactions. Start with a small budget website. As your business grows, you have the flexibility to upgrade with the hosting companies. I like Wix because it's the most user-friendly website to design and build your online store, and it provides additional 24/7 phone support. Plus, you can scale up when your business starts to grow with many rich features. GoDaddy also offers numerous business tools to help build your online store and attract traffic to it, along with 24/7 phone support. When looking for a website make sure to select e-commerce and not the basic, Wix or Godaddy.
That said, cease betting regardless of the number of horses you're betting on; the odds are never in your favor😅. I wish you all the success with your online store.😎
Wix E-Commerce:
www.wix.com/ecommerce/website
Wix Learn:
www.wix.com/learn/library/ecommerce/courses
www.wixtrainingacademy.com
Godaddy E-Commerce / Other Info:
www.godaddy.com/pricing?category=Online+Store
@@LouRao Thank you! That's a lot of very useful information! I did the research on Gelato and Shopify they almost take the half of your earnings just because you use their platform! If I sell a t-shirt for 15 dollars I will only earn 6,44 or something like that, this is ridiculousl!
@@justynaschreuder8171Welcome! 👍 It is my pleasure giving advice when I can. I have another word instead of "ridiculous," but it would be inappropriate to say here 😆. Agree! Gelato and Shopify are no different than Etsy - fees. One way I’m glad you’re doing your research. But, on the other hand, stop the madness and take the plunge with no-fee websites I mentioned before. I would not recommend staying away from any hosting site that charges fees for listings, sales, or penalizes (eBay) with another fee if you don’t offer free shipping and use your own shipping methods. I have experienced them all in my 50 years of experience. Like many entrepreneurs, I've been there, from Arbonne to It Works, Agel, Rich Dad Poor Dad conferences, catering, and other entrepreneurial adventures, from selling my pasta sauce to helping others build their online stores. Between all those startups and investments, I was in IT for over 22 years. Using my IT background knowledge helped me assist others in building their entrepreneurial websites long ago when eBay or Amazon just got established. I was one of the first customers to join Wix in its beginning stages when their hosting was written in Flash and with just a few lines of HTML code. Many starts I had failed, and others succeeded. And failure is a good thing. Why am I sharing my somewhat experience with you? No other reason than to help folks like yourself not to get screwed or take the wrong path. It’s something I've done all my life, helping others to better themselves and succeed in whatever they may pursue. Regardless when I was young and now I always had a drive to lend a hand.
Yeah, I pretty much had used all the most popular hosting for myself and others. And it wasn’t until the day I woke up and realized how much of my investments were being taken by these hosting sites I had mentioned. The wake-up call came from one of Robert Kiyosaki's entrepreneur conferences and reading his book Rich Dad Poor Dad, still one of the best sellers to this day. I highly recommend his book for anyone starting or already an entrepreneur. Robert Kiyosaki summarized in his book that you shouldn't give your money away. And those who do give their money away because they don’t know the meaning of money. Etsy, Shopify, Squarespace, and even eBay feed on those who don’t know the meaning of money. No different than credit cards companies handing cards like candy, people are in debt for that reason because they don’t understand money. Let’s be real, the argument could be made that many Entrepreneurs are making lots of money with any of the hosting I mentioned like Etsy, and true to an extent. Although, in their stupidity, they still lack the meaning of the dollar bill; 29% to 39% of their investments are going to unnecessary fees, and that is not how one should do business. Would you take advice from a successful Etsy seller making thousands a month or someone else who is making the same with their own private website? Hard decision. But, who is bringing in more income?
On my RUclips channel, I focused on product reviews. It wasn’t until I had some health concerns that I had to put the channel aside. Even though I will always reply to questions or comments, the channel was on hold for any new content. Now life is good, and I'm very blessed to be where I’m at; we’re coming up with a new format. There may still be some product reviews, but a lot of changes are taking place for our new content. One thing I will be doing is helping folks like yourself on how to start an online store. The pros and cons with Etsy and others. I really do believe there is a need for this type of information. Too many new or even already established entrepreneurs are just being led the wrong way. And too many RUclips content Creators are promoting Etsy, Squarespace, or Webflow because 90% are sponsored. Dead wrong in my opinion. It doesn’t matter what is being sold; it is how the items are going about to sell and what is happening with their investments. And if this content I present can help just one person, I’ve done a good job.
So, take the leap and start a trial on the websites I provided earlier in my last comments. If I can advise you no more research. Use the time you have to learn the website of your choice and get your product known. If you sell T-shirts, you're in a better position with a private online store than, say, Etsy. Why? Etsy (others) are oversaturated in this market for T-shirts. Use your time to build the online store and get familiar with all the features it has to offer before opening. Set up goals with dates. Each goal must be accomplished on the date you scheduled for. And most importantly, brand your name! Get your name known.
1. Do a trial on both hosting, GoDaddy or Wix (Wix has a free version but limited, use that just to get to know the Hosting).
2. Commit to Hosting.
3. Learn the format of the hosting.
4. Learn SEO and how it works with the hosting you picked.
5. Set up goals.
6. Part of the goals is to set up and design the store also get a website name of your store through GoDaddy. Important; if you don’t have a domain name (name of your company for the online store), make sure it is not long. Try to make the name as small as possible for anyone to remember. People’s retention is short, so you want to have something catchy folks could remember. No numbers or dashes. It’s going to take a long time to find a domain name, but it can be done. If you can, start with your first and last name and go from there when doing a domain name search. And only use .com nothing else - no matter what.
7. Where I said (5) set up goals, make sure they are realistic. You want to include your daytime job, family, and other responsibilities you have when setting dates to complete each goal.
I hope this helps. Please do keep me informed. I would love to see what options you made and see your store when it is up and running. And if you ever need help, don’t hesitate to ask; I will be more than happy to assist. You can always contact me by email. You will find my email contact on my RUclips channel.😎
@lourao Thanks for your advice. I have been struggling with Shopify myself. I find it to be not user-friendly for sure. I just discovered wix yesterday as a matter of fact and decided to start with them once I watched one of their how-to videos and saw how simple it was to use. I'll watch for your new content. I'm looking forward to it.
Good for you. I also sell on Etsy, but now I have started my own website. Etsy on on a race to the bottom with Ebay, Temu, and Allie Express.
I think Etsy is great to start with. I've been on there for 10 years and sell as a hobbyist maker. I don't put too much into social media so I can't drive my own traffic to my website. I'm wishing you so much success with your stand alone website.
It can be FOR SURE! I’m really glad it’s worked out for you, it does for many of people in the same situation! 💜💜💜
Thank you for your good wishes! 🥹💜
It’s not good for starting out either. I made one sale in 6 months and then got suspended when adding my EIN. Everyone should just steer clear.
Thanks for sharing, I didn't know they could hold funds for no reason. Your ring was beautiful, I'm glad your website is working for you.
I absolutely hate etsy. They have the worst customer service. They shut my shop ("suspended it"), refused to tell me what I'd done wrong (pretty sure I'd not done anything wrong. I've read all of their rules and guidelines, when I appealed, it came back in less than one minute with it being rejected. And pretty much then saying they don't need to tell me why, they won't reply to messages about it, and their decision is final. They're a frigging joke. Also they seem to be untouchable. There must be some body who can hold them accountable (but I can't find anyone). And they've kept my listing fees, even though they've unlisted my items. So that's a breach of contract right there. I'm sure their terms would say they're allowed if someone breaches their rules... but they refuse to tell me what they claim I did.
Man I hate etsy. If you look at videos of their headquarters, you can see how much money they're p*ssing away on that. Spend some of that money on customer services!
That is exactly what they said to me. No explanation, no warning. I appealed and they replied within 5 hours denying my appeal and they also denied my request for a detailed list of offenses - or at minimum the general allegations. They refused to tell me what I had done to have my store shut down, stating that they could not do that for "security of the market." Give me a break.
I have a intro on my page that totally rips etsy for the shitfest that they are (selling child sexdolls bound at the wrists) and they still have my page up. Haven't sold anything there in years. they ghostban .
Thank you very much for sharing your story with us. I faced a similar issue. I had been developing my online art gallery on Etsy for almost 10 years, but it was permanently suspended just because I moved from Ukraine to Spain a year ago. Despite providing all the necessary documents such as my new residential ID, bank account information, and temporary VAT number, Etsy still suspected my shop. I tried to communicate with their tech support, but all my attempts were unsuccessful. They stopped communicating with me after suspending my shop as if I had never existed on their platform.
That’s awful!
Cannot wait to see the video about shopify selling ❤
Hopefully it will be soon! 😊
I appreciate you touching on the fact that Etsy puts a hold on funds. For new sellers especially this could be a detriment to a small business. We need the cash flow to perform! I sent them feedback on this exact thing. Their fees are now at almost 20% if you add it all up too. Terrible business practice, they care more about their investors than they do sellers. Bye Etsy
Great Video , I've just started an etsy store , I think this Video just saved me a torturous journey , Thanks
This is solid advice. After 6 years, 5.5K sales and over half a million dollars in revenue I’m about to pull the plug. I have a Shopify but nothing like the sales numbers Etsy used to send my way. It’s the NOT being in control - it’s my sole income and knowing it could be withdrawn at any minute (by accident or from incorrectly flagged bot activity) is beyond terrifying 😢
Not surprised to hear that about Etsy. I met a woman who’s account was hacked & it put her out of business. Good your getting out.
Your business will thrive because of you & your creations. Enjoy & keep creating!!!😊
Oh my goodness, that’s devastating! 😭
Thank you for the encouragement 💜
cuteness overload!.... thank you for the insights it seems like a TON of people are enraged about the way etsy functions...CONGRATZ on your move to just leave em in the dirt you area great example for everyone! just keep moving forward now is all we can do... cheers! :)
You are so right about Etsy! I started my account late Dec. 2023 & it’s now March & I’ve had a hold put on my funds for some unknown reason.
Everything in my shop are digital downloads so there are no refunds once the pdf is downloaded & there’s no shipping.
My only thought is maybe a sudden surge in orders triggered something in their algorithms after I uploaded my 1st e-book & a lot more orders started coming in.
Good thing I’ve got cash reserves in the bank to finance my actual work & that Etsy is a side hustle for extra money, but I’m definitely not going to stay with them once I have more experience with digital downloads, especially since I already have my own website.
You are likely right about the sudden urge in orders! I am sorry this happened to you too and am really thankful you were prepared! ❤
Hello Jill would love to connect with you. I have some e content I wsnt to start as a side hussle . If you could share some insight please
I have seen so many people on RUclips that have told stories of Etsy doing this to them. Most had their money held for 6 months or more & they left Etsy to find other platforms. You are so Smart to get out now.
Thank u for sharing. I will pray for you as well ❤
These are all concerns I had with Etsy - I ended up leaving in 2018 (opened my shop in 2012), even before their fees etc became as high as they are now. I'm sorry your experience was so awful, and I'm glad you had another platform to work from! I'll admit my sales/income hasn't recovered even now, but I would rather have it lost than deal with the nightmare Etsy has become now.
I bought a dozen items on Amazon today through your link. I find your videos very useful. I'm just starting silversmith classes. Thank you. PS I tried to buy a sheet of 24 ga sterling on Etsy and my bank blocked the sale for security reasons. I didn't even call to say it was ok. China is the "C" in BRICS.
Thank you so much for doing that! 🥹💜 it really does help me pay the bills 💜🥲 lol
Im so happy that I can help and I hope your enjoy your classes! 🙏🏻☺️ if you’re in the US, Rio Grande is a great place to purchase your silver and if you’re in the UK you can use Cooksongold 💜
@@MiteraMade Thanks. I live in Reno.
I am just starting my own silversmithing business, self taught like yourself, and everyone was telling me to open an Etsy based on there old vision, as you mentioned. However even when doing research of similar products to my own (opal sterling rings) I noticed that there was no way I could compete with some of the crazy prices from dodgy sellers.
Just discovered your vids tonight, very much looking forward to your marketing video :) Cheers!
I hope they start a movement where everyone leaves ! ❤
I am seeing a lot of videos about the same subject of what Etsy is doing to people, it’s sad what people are doing is making Etsy rich and it’s not about the sellers. They can shut you down at the drop of a dime. Good for you, I just started on Shopify and I think I will be very happy. Good luck to you.😊
Thank you! Best of luck with Shopify, I hope you LOVE it! 😊
I've been teetering, regarding starting a shop on Etsy, but I've heard some real horror stories. My only use for Etsy would have been sending cards to customers with my website on it, but I'm sure I'd be flagged eventually. Learning that they blackmail you with your own money, basically...nah. Thank you for speaking out about it. I'd love to see your shop, so I'm going to look for links now lol.
UPDATE: found it! Very beautiful work, from what I've seen so far!
I sent my website out on my thank you cards from Etsy orders and never heard anything about it thankfully. lol so maybe it could still be worth it? I have no idea honestly, it's not for me anymore. 😭 Thank you for checking out my website and your compliments! 🙏😊
@@MiteraMade I meant what I said :) I think you're right, by the way. Perhaps it's best to utilize Etsy as YAMP (Yet Another Marketing Platform) lol.
Completely agree with your advice. I've been a seller on Etsy for 10 years, and yes, my main income comes from there... and it's very scary to think right now about the fragility of my economic situation. I made the mistake of not creating my own website.
Ironically, at the beginning, I wondered if it would be safe to base my economy on this platform, but I was so naive that my doubts were whether Etsy was a reliable and solid company or could go bankrupt... what I never questioned is that Etsy could close my store without a solid reason, or reduce my visibility if their algorithms suddenly don't match with my store, or penalize my traffic if I put my store on "vacation mode," etc., etc. I simply started having many sales and didn't pay attention to that, just to work, now I regret it.
This is incredibly useful information. Thank you for such a concise explanation of the issues. Looks like Etsy is having some severe internal issues with their platform.
Been watching your content for a while now and your work and process are excellent. I hope you are very successful with your enterprise.
By the way are you in a brick and mortar shops? Galleries and other stores?
Thank you so much! 💜 I have not looked into brick and mortar stores 🤔 I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all, I’ll need to do some research on some shops that I think would be a good fit 💜 I wonder if it would be lucrative and how much I’d have to charge as a wholesale price and still survive🙈😂 hmmmmmm.
@@MiteraMade It's worth looking into ! Bricks & mortar stores are having a hard time with spiralling costs and crime, so are nervous of using cashflow on unknowns. But at the same time, they're an ideal venue for one-off products where the customer can get sold on them by seeing how amazing they are "in the flesh".
If I could offer some humble advice, it's to avoid providing stock on consignment. It'll lead to disputes over who bears the cost if anything goes wrong. Instead, consider offering sale or return (but with payment up front or on delivery - some shops are notoriously bad at paying invoices !). That way, the shop doesn't risk cashflow if the items turn out not to be right for them, but you don't lose out if they fail to secure them properly.
It's worth talking to them about safely displaying the products, leaflets, signage etc (all the marketing things that'll help their staff sell them !) With what you are making being one-offs or short production runs, it's worth photographing each item before delivery, and have you considered numbering them and adding certificates of authenticity ?
Wow, you are so patient. How dare Etsy is asking for such private ID's. Clearly, Etsy doesn't care at all about sellers. I heard so many stories like yours since the Covid.
I'm small potatoes on Etsy but I find them shady and am looking for an alternative. This helped, thank you
Platforms like Etsy are good to start with. Bu in the end you did the right thing and concentratend on your own shop. Because that is YOUR brand and YOUR customers and YOUR income.
Each entrepreneur on Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify is building riches for these platforms, and they can get kicked out any day despite their hard work. We are doing the heavy lifting for them via our creativity and social media marketing to grow them. They give us crumbles as an exchange, and we're vulnerable to them. They have our clients' e-mail addresses, so we can't create a community, which is fundamental to online business. So why would anyone want to help these platforms become rich from our creativity and hard work when we can do it for ourselves without them?
I am contemplating doing the same!! I've sold 1000K+ items and constantly getting the "Funds Hold" notification which conveniently happened right before the holidays for 2 years in a row now. I've had to foot the bill for numerous items to ship and before the holiday was a complete hardship. Etsy does NOT help or care for the ones making their $$. It's been very disappointing being that I have hundreds of items listed with them.
Etsy allows and dare I say I feel encourages the opposite of what they claim-drop and mass shipping vs handmade/secondhand/unique items. Their dishonesty with shipping and so many other things mean I don't use them anymore.
It’s so sad 😞 maybe someone will creat another platform to provide what that can’t.
Thank you for making this video and explaining everything the way you did. I was on RUclips specifically for revisiting the possibility of using Etsy and was AGAIN reminded of why it's a bad idea. I have only used Shopify and I will never use Etsy. Thank you and the best of luck in your business. 🙂
And now Etsy’s latest news is that they will be charging SOME new store owners (didn’t say how those people are decided) $15 just to open a store. All well and good, that’s their right, HOWEVER, I have already been seeing stories where people have PAID their $15, opened a store and then Etsy has closed the store with no explanation and seemingly no recourse for the store owner to get their $15 back. Absolutely highway robbery.
I think it's way more than that now. I actually looked into opening a second account and I *think* it was over $30
I became an entrepreneur because I wanted to create my own path and not have a boss. And Etsy sounds like a bad mean boss! They permanently suspended my store on my first day posting 1 image and done. But I believe that was a sign for me from god! Alhumdoallah ! Thanks for your content we deserve better and I wish you nothing but the best success.
Feels like Etsy is doing some shady stuff with peoples money behind their backs. Like money laundering or secretly investing to somewhere.
My issue with all of these platforms is, they are utilizing other peoples talent to build themselves up. I am interested in creating a community not a platform and unfortunately on Etsy you cannot do that. I close my shop down and as sad as it was to close it down I’m really glad I did. Love your videos!
I had a random 3 mnth hold by Etsy. I wonder if they just have bots doing this for audit reasons? The only useful info I've ever obtained is from the community boards, trying to contact them is pointless. Luckily I just have a hobby business. It's turning into aliexpress/dropship central
That’s a good point, it may be an audit thing but it just has such crazy consequences 😭 and to do that for established sellers is so confusing. Wouldn’t you want to audit new sellers? 😭 and yes to the Ali express comparison 💔 there are so many good sellers on there with quality stuff and they’re being overshadowed, it’s sad. 😭
Thank you for your honest opinions and information on your experiences. I was contemplating opening an ETSY shop but I wasn't sure if that was the avenue I wanted to pursue. I would love your opinion on other ways to sell and collect payments. Your information is very much appreciated!
Yep! Just got the notice Etsy is going to hold my funds for 90 days!!! WTH!? THIS IS INSANE! That's my money. 😡
I’m so sorry 😭
Thank you for sharing this with us. Sadly, I think you have convinced me not to open an Etsy store! I hope you find some other success and thank you again for sharing your story.
If Etsy were honest they would say: "We're sorry, but the guy that wrote the Social Security Interface app is long gone and no one here knows how it works. Besides, we don't own the source code, so we couldn't fix it even if we wanted to. Have a nice day!!"
Thank you for sharing your experience with Etsy!! I’ll avoid them!!! Good luck with your other sites!
Even yt threatened me to delete my account over comments- I’ve learned a big lesson lately: if it’s not your land, don’t farm it.
I learned a long time ago that you can not control what you do not own.
GIRL!!!! you are so right about Etsy! I'm leaving and switching to Shopify. I just having my shop there just for new customers. I just need to get use to Shopify.
Every company goes to crap as soon as they go public
Thank you for making this video 🙏🏾, I’m so glad that I watched.