Etsy started out as an amazing platform for makers to share and sell their creations, but over the last few years, things have been changing in a direction that we makers are finding increasingly difficult to support. Did you know that for every listing we make, we are charged a 20¢ listing fee? And every time someone buys that item and it renews, that’s another 20¢. On top of this, Etsy recently raised their cut to 5% of every sale *with an additional* 5% of every shipping fee.
Now Etsy is trying to roll out yet another new change that is going to severely affect the shops of most makers. Etsy is “surveying” people asking their opinions on adding free shipping to orders over $35. But this survey feels more like a way for them to cover their tracks for when they launch it and everyone is mad. It doesn’t look like a survey, it looks like an attempt to show us what they are definitely planning to do. Now I have nothing against free shipping, in fact, I think it’s awesome if shops can offer it. But here’s the problem. With this new program, Etsy plans to make it site-wide, meaning you can buy something for $30 at one shop and then $5 at my shop and both shops will have to send your items for free. For the first shop, that may not be so bad, but for me, that *guarantees* that I will lose money on that sale. In most cases shipping is AT LEAST $3.50.
To make matters even worse (yep, it still gets worse), Etsy has made comments that shop owners who don’t enroll in this program essentially won’t have their products show up in search results. They’re saying that the people who sign up for the free shipping program get better SEO. I’m sorry, but that’s bullshit.
This platform was supposed to be for makers, small businesses, artists, and creatives. These changes Etsy keeps implementing are making it seem like they want to be the next Amazon. I’m sorry, but most shops on Etsy are sole proprietors - people doing everything on their own. We don’t make enough money to pay employees and we sure as hell don’t make enough money to offer free shipping on small orders.
These are just the most recent changes Etsy has implemented. It no longer feels like Etsy is supporting the makers. It feels as though they are only looking to increase their profits.
At this point, I, as well as many of my small shop owners, am fed up. I have worked so hard to grow this business and it’s time for me to find a new outlet. In the next month or so, I plan to test out new shop sites (particularly Shopify) and see what they can offer. I have seen friends be successful after leaving Etsy and I’ve decided it’s time to do the same. I can’t wait to create a more user friendly site for you to shop, better listing organization, and a newsletter for those who would like to stay informed. I just want to make quality art that I can sell to you for the best prices. With all my recent changes, I think now is the best time for this and I hope you will follow me on my journey away from Etsy.
-K
*Originally posted on my Instagram @TheArtistryStudio on 3/26/19