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  #1  
Old 12-07-2018
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Default From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Hello,

I just wanted to share my thoughts of Etsy based on my experience the last 6 months or less. I am not sure what has happened but things have really changed on Etsy. The core business model of Etsy is what brought me to Etsy to shop. I have purchased quite a lot since joining. However I have noticed lately that sellers prices have skyrocketed. This is exactly how eBay got their start.

A site that offers nice used products that other people no longer want. They create a listing and sell those items at a very reasonable price. eBay completely changed and instead of that “guy” with some items he no longer needs are far and few in between. eBay now is primarily made up of commercial sellers who buy in bulk in order to turn a profit with consumers.

Etsy hasn’t got that way yet but hanging by a thread. However a bigger problem of prices out the roof and shipping fees can often be outrageous. My main category is model trains. I have loved them since a kid and have collected them my entire life. With my hobby in consideration it’s not uncommon for me fall in the floor over prices and/or shipping. I am very familiar with manufacturer, scales, values etc.
let’s just say its bad... very bad. I see a engine for example that typically would bring $30.00 used. That engine on Etsy is $130.00 used... shipping $17.99...

Sellers truly think they have something of high value when in reality it’s not. Lionel is a great example. Most of us I would safely say when they hear the brand Lionel we think back to the 1950’s - 1960’s. We also think big $$$$. The reality to it all is that’s just not true. Lionel was always referred to as rare and very valuable brand. Then comes the internet where people can connect via eBay or Etsy. These days Lionel trains are plentiful so they are not as rare as we once believed. Etsy sellers really try to take this brand to the bank. I just came from looking around Etsy and ran up on a listing of a Lionel train set. It’s a very common set that is easy to get your hands on for $100.00 or less. This seller has it listed for $549.00!?!? Plus shipping!

This has became par for the course on Etsy. What sellers are asking for their items makes your mouth drop. I am literally floored after ad after ad after ad. One cheap tyco made boxcar worth in reality about $5.00 used if that. Etsy sellers $19.99..... This is killing the overall sells for Etsy. Each seller brings in customers that can end up browsing products and make un planned purchases which helps all sellers of Etsy.

These over priced items sit on the site for 3 months to 6 months and even longer. I don’t understand the concept. No one makes money if their products sits collecting dust. It’s very disappointing to say the least to see Etsy going in this direction. Maybe someone can help me understand why these listings of a product that’s not hard to find are grossly over priced. Isn’t a sale better than no sale? How long does it take a seller to realize since this item is not generating any interest and I listed it 5 months ago perhaps I need to lower the price to make it more attractive? Makes perfect sense to me.

It’s like sellers just list it and forget it in hopes a buyer will come along. It’s too easy for the consumer to look up anything to see what the true market value is. These sellers must not realize this fact.

I use to be able to come on Etsy, picking out some items then connecting with the seller to see what we can come up with as in price and S/H. 99.9% of the time a deal would be made. That easy... now? Forget about it... the seller and consumer are miles apart in price it’s literally impossible to put together a bulk buy deal.

That’s my rant and please by all means if you have a answer to why this has became the norm. let me know because I am very interested as to why this is happening. I buy A LOT on eBay and Etsy and I mean a lot. The numbers are shifting for example I purchased about 25-30 items on eBay in the past month and 2 on Etsy.

I just don’t want to see Etsy following the same foot prints of eBay. I don’t see many commercial sellers on Etsy just yet so that’s a good thing. A seller with big box store connections to retailers literally smothers out the guy or girl working hard to make money.

Thanks for reading

Last edited by Onlinesupershopper; 12-07-2018 at 10:03 AM. Reason: Sentence run on
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  #2  
Old 12-07-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

It should work to your advantage if everyone else is overpriced. Think you could mark your inventory up further while still being under what other sellers are asking. Or stay at a reasonable asking price and get all the sales.

Bernie Madoff (great ponzi schemer) would have done something similar. While in jail he bought up all the hot chocolate packets, then sold them to his inmates at a higher price to turn a profit. Supply and demand.
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Old 12-09-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

I understand what you are saying but keep in mind I am not a seller. I am a buyer. The Etsy sellers I was discussing have gotten so high on their items that it forces the revenue and business to other sources for products. That’s what concerns me about Etsy and the future of Etsy.

I am just trying to understand what changed to make these particular sellers which is several sellers to be so high on their items. I see the same listings over and over because they can not sell these items at such a high price.
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Old 12-09-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Some sellers myself included jack up the price on listings when the product is out of stock. Prevents the listing from ending if the product can't be sourced again in a timely manner.

Could be that they're greedy hoping to cash out on a novice buyer. Call me sexist but some naive woman buying something for her husband might just fork out the money. Had someone actually buy something from one of those overpriced out of stock listings... got lucky and had just 1 left offhand and made like $80 bucks on a $20 item, ha.

Could be the size of the market on Etsy. You tend to see extremely high prices in smaller markets due to the limited supply. You can get away with listing something worth $50 for $300 until others join in. As supply grows it's natural for sellers to start undercutting each other and the prices drop. I don't know much about the toy train market on Etsy, but I know my father likes to buy old Lionel trains on ebay and the market there is fairly large and because of that the prices are reasonable.

Last edited by Sunspot144; 12-09-2018 at 03:50 PM.
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Old 12-09-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Harder the item is to source the higher the price. My dad had a huge lionel collection when I was a kid. The tracks and everything. I sold one train car or $500 a few years ago.

Im sure true collectors wouldnt want to buy a knock off lionel to add to their collections so they are willing to pay more for rarer items.

etsy is one of the places that the chinese have not totally decimated with cheap garbage to flood the market so you have better quality.

You do get what you pay for in that market. Im finding that its better than ebay at the moment and trying to expand.

Last edited by BigCJ; 12-09-2018 at 04:56 PM.
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Old 12-10-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

I have been selling on Etsy, various accounts, since 2011 and can honestly say that many sellers there are dumb as rocks. Don't believe me? Read through the Etsy forums and you will see some of the dumbest threads, stuff like "Why am I getting no sales?" Then you look at the person's shop and they have 3 items and just opened their shop 2 days ago.
I remember reading threads about sellers complaining that customers were coming to their shops and only favoriting their items instead of buying them!
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Old 12-11-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

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Originally Posted by big tymer View Post
I remember reading threads about sellers complaining that customers were coming to their shops and only favoriting their items instead of buying them!
It is kinda sad how buyers spam sellers with favorit-ing their shop just to get a possible coupon code. Does convert more, though.
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Old 12-11-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

I didn’t know there was such a program or “deal” that you get a kickback by favoriting items. I only favorite items I am truly interested in so at any given time I have well under 10 things I have marked as a favorite. If I change my mind by having more time to think on it I unfavorite the item right away.

I will see some listings that will say “favorited by 36 people” for example and I’m thinking wow 36 people marked a item but no one out of the 36 purchased it?

I will say that I that the sellers I have dealt with on purchases have been very nice and more than willing to work out a deal on items. I am dealing with one now and she seems like the sweetest person. She has definitely went beyond the call of duty to make the deals we have completed come together.

Unlike many eBay sellers who you are lucky to even hear back from at all if you have a question about a product they have listed.
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Old 12-11-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

I groan every time I get a new message... always questions I don't feel like answering nor have the time to. Got so fed up one day I told a guy to google it cause his question was so dumb. Lets say he didn't like that.

You answer some questions but never any gratitude like if you were on the phone. Even if you respond they've moved on and don't buy anything anyways. If the buyer shows a distinct interest in the product and asks a logical question I'll respond, otherwise I don't see a lot of incentive to reply.

Or it's USPS and they lost or smashed a package and the buyer's taking their aggression out on you with threats and defaming. Full refund there ya go dickhead.

Totally get why customer support exists now. They're like barricades to the hordes and let you be at peace while you focus on stuff to grow your business.

Last edited by Sunspot144; 12-11-2018 at 05:01 PM.
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Old 12-12-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Why would someone be selling trains on Etsy. Its for handmade and resale goods. I wouldn't pay more than 10 dollars on Etsy. Ignore the over priced stuff there.
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Old 12-12-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Everyone knows toy trains can be used as scrap metal to make earrings.
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Old 12-13-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Welcome to the forum OP - all the best as you master stealth
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Old 12-13-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunspot144 View Post

Or it's USPS and they lost or smashed a package and the buyer's taking their aggression out on you with threats and defaming. Full refund there ya go dickhead.
I always add the tracking number and I still get customers saying I never sent the package when tracking shows there was an attempted delivery (usually on the exact day they open the complaint).

They should open a board for sellers only to vent their complaints on bad customers. hahaha.

I am sure every seller has stories that just leaves you shaking your head.
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Old 12-14-2018
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Default Re: From a Etsy shoppers eyes

This seems like a weird thread to me. But I seem to be a different kind of et.sy seller to what you are talking about.

I actually make my items by hand, and though some people may think they are over priced, it's down to how I value my time and how much someone wants one of my products.

So this Christmas season I've had to work 8am to 10pm a few days to keep up with sales. That's not at a desk, that's physical work that hurts my wrists, back and feet, hell yeah I'm going to up my price. If a customer thinks my product should be worth less then they know where the door is.

I have competitors who do things much cheaper, with much cheaper materials, and I've had a company in china steal my designs and make cheap knock offs, but we all know what the quality of those knockoffs are like. If you buy cheap, you get cheap in my industry.

I would assume this train set thing you are talking about is a marketing tactic, it would draw customers in to look at other things, and if someone buys it then even better.

But please don't think sellers out there who actually hand make their product should charge so little, I like being able to pay my rent and if you are good at something you should never do it for free.

Maybe I'm having a little too much faith, but I like to also think that et.sy sellers are a bit more genuine, I've heard plenty of stories of knock off "rare" items on eb.ay being sold cheap, leading the buyer to believe they got a bargain, or that everyone else is being greedy.
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