Seeing is Believing Etsy, but.......

As of 6/18/09, saralouhicks has finally posted a lengthy response to the SEO debacle in this forum post

EB certainly applauds the corrections to SEO search titles that Etsy promises to put in place (though it is copying Artfire yet again), but we’ve been around the block a few too many times with Etsy. Promises that arrive many days after the issue became the hot seller topic in cyberspace just don’t come across as all that sincere. We’ll believe it when we see it. (And wait with bated breath for the next nutty idea.)

Meanwhile, the damage already done will live on, and the negative publicity surrounding Etsy’s latest faux pas will add to the pile of mistrust constructed by Etsy’s inability and stubborn unwillingness to communicate with their sellers BEFORE they implement dramatic branding and marketing changes that affect every single seller on the site. This time they went too far.

We’d like to point out that Sara’s conclusion is a little off the mark:

We read that some of you believe our initial SEO approach was deceitful or mal-intentioned. This is not true.

While Etsy’s "initial SEO approach" may not have been mal-intentioned or even malicious, it WAS DONE WITHOUT seller input and without beta-testing. Disrespectful and deceitful, yes.

It was also done with COMPLETE DISINTEREST in how it might affect the sellers on Etsy.

It was done with the explicit intention of benefitting Etsy’s merchandising and branding plan and boosting Etsy’s numbers in search and search results. It was NOT done to provide a better search tool to send buyers to individual sellers (since the seller names fell off the Search grid). The proof is in the fewer views and fewer sales pudding.

The complete disconnect between Etsy and its sellers couldn’t be more evident.

Repeat the Rage

We tweeted asking if people wanted a listing strike, and put a link to this old post with avatars we made when Etsy Fucked up search, remember that? Ah that was fun. Good times.

Tons of you spoke out, many of you seemed to have missed them first time around, so here are the links (above) so you can see them again. If we get around to it, we'll make more for THIS particular blunder. ("MY stuff is not YOUR stuff, ETSY!" has a nice ring to it!)

We are serious about a listing strike, though, it would be a strong message if several thousand shops just shut stores down in vacation mode for one week with an avatar from above post and a bluntly worded shop intro. DO you think it would help? What is your suggestion for subversive things to act against them? What date should we do the listing strike?

In the past it's proved that they only move tp repair blunders when there is a major backlash that bleeds off of Etsy onto other sites. Maybe it's time to step up the show and finally try to hurt them the only places they care, the wallet and public opinion.

Etsy succeeds at FAIL!

Did you know that when the newly released fancy automated order cancellation system refunds you the order commission fees that it's fucking you over on your listing fee for each item that you should be getting back as well?

Yep, it's an admitted bug, but you only find that out if you ask about it. If you notice, that is. The seller that reported this to us didn't at first, we're betting many others haven't either.

Can these idiots do anything right? Or is this what they were intending to do... to steal your money 20 cents at a time.

Sooooo close

Well, we really thought we had another kudos article on our hands. Etsy has finally unveiled the long-awaited, and much anticipated, vacation mode. But alas, after much discussion we have come to the conclusion that it sucks.

When you turn on vacation mode your shop disappears. Yes, if someone types in your address they'll find you, but searching will no longer find you or your items, no more exposure - at all. Now, Etsy knew this happens because this is from the Vacation Mode FAQ

When your shop is in Vacation Mode, your items will not appear in your shop. But if someone has bookmarked or Hearted a listing or reaches it from a link on an outside source like a blog, they will still be able to view the listing page. We'll show a notice at the top that you are away. The green "Add to Cart" button will be grayed-out until you return from Vacation Mode.

Nice, but why do we all renew so much if 'outside sources' are how the items are being found?

Let's take this example. You are going to a craft fair so you want your items deactivated. Well, the new batch deactivate/activate is very nice. To make it easier, you don't have to check all those boxes, now you can turn on vacation mode! But wait...you are no longer found in Shop Local, the very people you would want to be able to find your shop to read your announcement about where you'll be! And they can't browse your items! Nevermind losing EtsyMini that many sellers use on their main websites for sending people to their Etsy shop. Oh and that pesky grey box in favorites.

Other than the batch deactivate/activate and convo auto-reply (two things that should be available independent of vacation mode!), Etsy took none of the suggestions given in all those wonderful 'poll' threads.

Etsy was so close on this one, but they haven't yet learned to listen. And they definitely aren't yet in tune with the needs of their customers.

No new listings - a heads up

Just wanted to give you all a heads up that Etsy appears to be having issues with search and categories...well more than usual anyway. Admin HeyMichelle actually did post about several bugs reports they are responding to. How long they've been going on and how long it will take to fix is a whole other question. Though they think they have an idea.

The clock's ticking, Etsy. We've got our eyes on you!

In the meantime, it's a craps game as to whether you should list new items, renew, relist, or edit. With some disappearing or coming up as empty and unclickable, my suggestion is to not do anything on Etsy at the moment.

I'm taking bets on how long before it's fixed. Since this is their bread n' butter I'd say they're pulling the night shift - they'll clear their cache, reboot their servers, and jiggle the wires on the wrong wall before saying it's fixed and telling us in the morning that we were just seeing things. 'Nope, the listings are fine, those grey empty boxes are supposed to be there. Now RENEW!!!'