tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post4070389136261139027..comments2023-05-31T07:37:38.948-04:00Comments on Etsy Bitch: Making Money the Etsy Way - The Untold Story About RenewingThe Cranky Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08492132798002763761noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-46191294582896799972011-01-31T02:18:11.129-05:002011-01-31T02:18:11.129-05:00I sell vintage on etsy and this has given me some ...I sell vintage on etsy and this has given me some food for thought. A lot of it I already knew but I always assumed that it was necessary to stay on the first few pages at least. I have decided that starting on February 1, I will do an experiment: no renewing. The amount of money I spent on renewing in January I will spend on paid advertising on strategically chosen other sites in February. It is not a totally controlled experiment, but I will let you know how it goes.Alisonhttp://ragsfeathers.etsy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-82637875984939065282010-10-26T19:26:21.863-04:002010-10-26T19:26:21.863-04:00etsy ... they are the new on-line bandits. Lock u...etsy ... they are the new on-line bandits. Lock up your well dress children and put bows on your poodles!! <br /><br />Relist, relist and relist!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-87054769686636110032010-09-29T23:57:59.618-04:002010-09-29T23:57:59.618-04:00WTF?
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread...WTF?<br /><br />http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6641200&page=1<br /><br />people are excited over an app that buyers have to go to another site to use? are the cupcakes drugged?missyKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-39085962856884985582010-09-24T11:47:00.355-04:002010-09-24T11:47:00.355-04:00Damn straight.....as more sellers come to Etsy, re...Damn straight.....as more sellers come to Etsy, renewing (for those of us that actually make stuff ourselves from scratch and don't get to list 1000 items over 5 days LIKE THE RESELLERS DO.) will be terribly expensive. I posted this in a forum yesterday and got accused of being a cool-aid drinking Obama supporter ..(I assume the poster thought I was an African-American and was slightly racially motivated)- thread took forever to get shutdown -guess I'm not a fave...........<br /><br />close me if you want Etsy - It'll get me off my butt on finishing adding the pay buttons to MY OWN SITE..........Wolfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-41219995891777798152010-09-22T20:07:21.319-04:002010-09-22T20:07:21.319-04:00While the whole renewing game is not a fun one, ha...While the whole renewing game is not a fun one, has anyone here actually played with the Relevancy search or the new Explorer thingy? They're not so hot, either. I tag and title and describe properly with keywords, and my items don't come up at top while items that barely have anything do... It's very frustrating nowadays. I listed 2 new, and renewed 1 yesterday - in 24 hours, they've rec'd 5 & 6 views, each. It didn't used to be that way... <br /><br />We were on the FP last week (5th or 6th time in 2 years), very odd timing, because I'd been speaking up with the rest in the Forums about the unfair overexposure happening daily. So, anyways, in one hour, these were the stats:<br /><br />260 item views (on an item that had just 9 in the 4 days since listing)<br />22 item hearts<br />15 shop hearts<br /><br />The highest traffic day in our shop, period, and the bounce rate dropped.<br /><br />I want to know where else Etsy sellers can get that kind of amazing exposure for free? Anyone who says it doesn't do anything much for you is lying through their teeth.<br /><br />Anyways, am hoping AF's deal comes through, because we need to diversify. Plus, I'm tired of being invisible.Erica Leahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13010721024815560173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-60841504510644973602010-09-21T17:19:18.715-04:002010-09-21T17:19:18.715-04:00@ for the hell of it
I agree 100%, Fred Wilson i...@ for the hell of it <br /><br />I agree 100%, Fred Wilson is promoting Etsy on his blog to try to raise their profile in hopes that other people will decide to invest when they go public. He can't really believe they are doing a good job, can he? But he's kept giving them more money. I'm sure he'll cash out great on this whole disgusting debacle.<br /><br />Re: renewing, it USED to work. I was an avid Etsy seller in 2006-2008 too, and the funny thing is, you used to get like FIFTY views on the initial list, and 30 each renewal. These days, you'd have to be anointed by Mary to get views like that. Even the FP is hardly what it used to be. Etsy has just kept giving us less and less and less for the same amount of money. Meanwhile, they're making more and more money.Zombie Dognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-14973383001501519422010-09-20T21:00:25.235-04:002010-09-20T21:00:25.235-04:00I've never played the frantic renewal game. I ...I've never played the frantic renewal game. I will relist some things when they expire, I never renew it before then.<br /><br />The renewal game does explain people who wail they sold one item but have 600/m in listing fees. people renew the entire shop over and over, bragging they're listed up to 2017. <br /><br />Of course saying anything contrary to this strategy gets you ripped a new one.But I have consistent stock turnover in my shop, and few things get relisted more than twice. <br /><br />But hey, it's their money. Its why some people like the penny slots in vegas.sgt bunnynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-26804348831206597682010-09-20T17:39:55.596-04:002010-09-20T17:39:55.596-04:00Your arguments are pretty credible, I would like ...Your arguments are pretty credible, I would like to see actual data/evidence that shows whether or not renewing is worth it- ie more sales. <br /><br />I did a quick analysis of my own sales (won't be too accurate b/c I have only 21 sales so far). But here's the run down:<br />8 = listed once $.20<br />10=listed once, renewed once ($.40)<br />2= listed once, renewed twice ($.60)<br />1= listed once, renewed 4 times ($1)<br /><br /><br /> If data shows it's not worth it to renew, I would not renew again.<br /><br /> What I try to do instead is list a new item once a day. It is hard to do so when I am busy with my day job. But I often make several pieces of jewelry at once, then post them piecemeal. <br /><br />I would be really interested in seeing large amounts of data comparing listing/renewing fees to sales.ScrapMetalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10667479488520505138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-75361446920024809302010-09-20T15:43:31.485-04:002010-09-20T15:43:31.485-04:00I'm trying to get him to specify what he was r...I'm trying to get him to specify what he was referring to when he said "Cutting edge customer service". He's replied to me once with some jibber jabber but I replied again trying to get him to specify. I'm responding to his blog as Alexmmr.UgaBugaBowlshttp://ugabugabowls.artfire.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-81391979293545674802010-09-20T14:56:22.427-04:002010-09-20T14:56:22.427-04:00Well, boys and girls, Fred Wilson can very easily ...Well, boys and girls, Fred Wilson can very easily be followed on Twitter. Most of his posts lead directly to his blog, where it IS possible to comment.<br /><br />It seems to me that he has begun "his" promoing towards a decent IPO.<br /><br />Maybe the investors to be need to know about how the profit margin is maintained, ...<br /><br />No refunds to sellers who take returns from "their" customers.<br /><br />The end result of NO COUPON CODES which allows Etsy to give innaccurate sales totals to the world along with collecting full value FVF.for the hell of itnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-37158049093465040222010-09-20T14:21:29.748-04:002010-09-20T14:21:29.748-04:00@RRobin
It's pretty hard to have people buy ...@RRobin <br /><br />It's pretty hard to have people buy your stuff if they haven't even seen it. So yes, views count for something.Zombie Dognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-16227438060618419102010-09-20T09:33:11.573-04:002010-09-20T09:33:11.573-04:00I've been in business for 20 years. I also saw...I've been in business for 20 years. I also saw those dot.com perks. I cannot understand how etsy treats the employees like kings and yet they treat the sellers like dirt.<br /><br />If it truly is a million dollar company why don't they have a customer serivce department? Why can non paying buyers still ruin a seller's reputation with negative feedback?<br /><br />And why does the front page of the site always have wire wrapped jewelry, acorns and cowls?Ikeepwonderingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-44738251318108757962010-09-20T09:28:40.393-04:002010-09-20T09:28:40.393-04:00I don't see how Fred Wilson can sit on etsy...I don't see how Fred Wilson can sit on etsy's board and tell the public these lies.<br /><br />Customer serivce, after 6 years is still a cut and paste email after a week of waiting.<br /><br />Sellers still cannot offer their customers a coupon code or batch discount like any other freaking website on the planet.<br /><br /><br />Good thing they get a free lunch.headdesktwonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-66608302977788595212010-09-20T08:53:35.930-04:002010-09-20T08:53:35.930-04:00I don't have any problems with free lunches, a...I don't have any problems with free lunches, a warm and fuzzy office, even down to tea cozies on the heating ducts. However, every corporation that I'm familiar with, other than Google, (I have two friends who work there and the perks are unbelievable...but they work 80 hours a week) that laid on every possible employee perk is bankrupt. <br /><br />Google is set up so that an employee almost NEVER has to go home. You can get your dry-cleaning done, bring your pets, the cafeteria is always open, there are places to rest and chill out, there is free massage, unbelievable. Google picks you up from home and brings you back, so you don't even have to focus on driving. And Google hires the very best people with the most dedication. The REASON Google is set up this way is to get the most out of the talent it hires. It has never lost sight of its mission. <br /><br />Unlike Google, Etsy seems to have no clear mission, which should be to serve its sellers. Instead, like many business failures, Etsy is concerned with what they look like, not the reality of what is going on, so the cute office seems to be its selling point. It's all about the Etsy image, not the job it is doing. Etsy has confused image and function to an extent that will lead to a giant fail. <br /><br />I am the daughter of one of the original "Ad Men." I learned very young to see advertising with a very jaundiced eye. Even in grade school I knew it was bull shit. Advertising permeates almost everything in our society. The misfortune is that very few people can separate substance and image. Advertising is so ubiquitous that few people see it, even on an individual basis. It's like this...as long as I look good, even though I might have a giant breast lump, even though I drink half a fifth of Vodka every night and smoke two packs a day, even though I scream at my husband and my kids when I am home alone with them, just as long as I am fashionably thin and wearing the right clothes, I can look in the mirror and say I am ok. As long as I look good, I am good. And that leads to individual failures on a massive basis. <br /><br />It's interesting to note that Google never blatantly advertises. It just is, like air, water and sunlight. Try to imagine life without Google and the mind boggles. The reason for Google's success is that it handles advertising for billions of other companies. Ironic, no?<br /><br />Unlike Google, Rokali and friends are rewarding incompetent non-workers. If he were rewarding the caliber of people who work as hard as they do at Google, I would be fine with every possible perk. If Etsy worked for me the way Google does, I would never leave. I'd be a happy seller and this blog would probably have never come into being. <br /><br />I'm at Artfire now. Funny, I have NO idea what the office at AF looks like, what perks they have, and I don't care. I do know that I have placed my little business in competent hands and I hope they have nice perks. Another thing about the people at AF, Tony, John, Jen, etc...they look like normal people who could be my neighbors. I do not see any false images, anyone trying to be something they are not. And damn, I love it. <br /><br />Sorry for the rant. Mistaking image for reality is something that I think about a lot. ~~~ LibbyPicklevalentinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-3186957677439228512010-09-20T08:31:54.233-04:002010-09-20T08:31:54.233-04:00Quoting TRush:
"The only way I ever get any ...Quoting TRush:<br /><br />"The only way I ever get any views is by renewing. If I don't renew any items on a given day, then I check GA the next day, I'd have maybe 5 total views to my entire shop. If I renew 2 or 3 things once or twice during the day, then I'm likely to have 50+ views."<br /><br />**<br /><br />You only need ONE view -- from a bonafide buyer. Collecting Etsy views is about as lucrative as collecting Facebook "friends" -- good for your ego, but not much real use.<br /><br />So what if your item gets 50+ views. The bottom line is: Does anyone BUY?RRobinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-81909271461154859442010-09-20T04:47:33.564-04:002010-09-20T04:47:33.564-04:00"They are getting the best talent in NYC to c..."They are getting the best talent in NYC to come to their company now."<br /><br />Wow.. If this really is the best, I'm very worried for you, NYC!Evelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13022820658897225045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-71490094071138566532010-09-19T21:57:45.736-04:002010-09-19T21:57:45.736-04:00Fed Up With Fools said...
Plus they get cater...Fed Up With Fools said...<br /><br /> Plus they get catered meals 3 times a week? Anyone know of any other companies who do that for their employees? Especially those who don't seem to be able to do their jobs efficiently and effectively? <br /><br />---------<br /><br />Not since I worked in Silicon Valley during the first boom.<br /><br />And all of the companies that gave us free lunches several times a week?<br /><br />All bankrupt. No kidding.Amenhotep IVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-54469498226873893742010-09-19T21:13:47.341-04:002010-09-19T21:13:47.341-04:00"You may laugh and say this stuff is frivilou..."You may laugh and say this stuff is frivilous (sp!) and a waste of time. But I can assure you that is not true. Etsy is a recruiting machine. They are getting the best talent in NYC to come to their company now. It is not just the vibe for sure. They have big and interesting engineering challenges. They are doing cutting edge things in marketing and customer service."<br /><br />So that's what they told you, huh? Some shitty reporting. He can't spell, either. "Cutting edge, best talent" my ass.YeaSurenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-88892497603048224912010-09-19T19:31:26.848-04:002010-09-19T19:31:26.848-04:00I totally can't believe I am finally going to ...I totally can't believe I am finally going to post a comment here. I have been lurking and reading for months now, but this topic is one I feel compelled to speak up on. The only way I ever get any views is by renewing. If I don't renew any items on a given day, then I check GA the next day, I'd have maybe 5 total views to my entire shop. If I renew 2 or 3 things once or twice during the day, then I'm likely to have 50+ views. There has to be something said for that. I have yet to calculate if I'm losing money yet tho, b/c renewing at a cost of $1.00 a day to sell an item that is $12, plus saying the 3.5% commission and the paypal fees. . .I think I must be still in the red. And for me, a front page. . .nuh,uh! Thanks for listeningTricia Rush Richnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046438048244603953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-39886383255098795282010-09-19T18:16:14.861-04:002010-09-19T18:16:14.861-04:00So Etsy has reached the point after five years whe...So Etsy has reached the point after five years where they can afford to spend money on extras like lunches, ductwork cozies and phone booths. That must mean all the issues are taken care of. Check out is working, search is a go and they have full on customer service. Wow, I must have missed all that.tired etsiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-80372422860086187132010-09-19T18:14:18.253-04:002010-09-19T18:14:18.253-04:00I stopped renewing years ago because i saw through...I stopped renewing years ago because i saw through their shit. Its only good if you want to stay on "listing roll," if you will, and keep current if you need a day off or etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-23075915960949809142010-09-19T18:05:28.161-04:002010-09-19T18:05:28.161-04:00for the hell of it...thanks for posting that link....for the hell of it...thanks for posting that link. It simply reinforces my opinion of the man being a complete blow-hard, as my Mother used to say.<br /><br />Trying to justify the large number of engineers, and "highly qualified" (sic) employees that do a shitty job of running things....give me a freekin' break.<br /><br />Plus they get catered meals 3 times a week? Anyone know of any other companies who do that for their employees? Especially those who don't seem to be able to do their jobs efficiently and effectively? <br /><br />Guess I was born in the wrong generation....no, I'm glad I'm as old as I am, so that I can see through all the rainbows and unicorns to the rotten underbelly of the beast called Etsy.<br /><br />There, I've said it an I'm glad!Fed Up With Foolsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-17956966874831075502010-09-19T10:42:23.253-04:002010-09-19T10:42:23.253-04:00There's a new fred Wilson post via Twitter rat...There's a new fred Wilson post via Twitter rationalising the why's of pampering the staff.<br /><br />http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2010/09/the-office-matters.htmlfor the hell of itnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-79643614926626707982010-09-19T07:23:37.735-04:002010-09-19T07:23:37.735-04:00If we knew how much Etsy actually makes from renew...If we knew how much Etsy actually makes from renewals, 15% is still one hell of a chunk of monthy income for a "tool" that has no value to sellers whatsoever. <br /><br />Renewal profits (which Etsy found so lucrative for their bottom line)on a by-volume site structure with 6.7 million listings ensures that the original premise behind most-recently listed does not work. Etsy pushes it as a seller-promotion tool when it is not. <br /><br />It's the same scam that Showcase spots are since Etsy took over 100%control of all site promotions 2.5 years ago. Etsy negated their value when they decided to dictate what gets promoted and how often (and moved Showcases to low-value site real estate locations that shoppers can't find).<br /><br />Etsy actually screwed itself, then talked a tanker-load of gullible sellers into forking over money for nothing. Pure profit, no Etsy effort involved! <br /><br />There is actually little seller-value left on Etsy. What shocks me is that would-be-sellers aren't pitching a fit about Etsy's unfair business practices that make it impossible for most sellers to sell.The Funny Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03545537988530733607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286747608538901945.post-70332796390187889472010-09-18T04:40:33.831-04:002010-09-18T04:40:33.831-04:00Renewals are NOT the majority of Etsy's revenu...Renewals are NOT the majority of Etsy's revenue at all. Initial listings fees and commissions are way more. And showcases. Renewals were like 10-15%, in 2007-2008 anyway.DryTortoisenoreply@blogger.com