BB R.

First of all, I was not only a buyer on etsy, but a seller with all 5 star reviews and perfect customer service. I loved etsy and it was like a dream come true. I hand made ALL my own products from scratch. They shut my shop down saying my products didn't fit in with their "hand made" theme. I wrote them at least 30 emails telling them I absolutely do make my own products, so they said I needed to send them receipts and photos of all my supplies. It was a huge undertaking but I did it, then I waited... and waited... and waited. I heard nothing and kept asking what's going on.

Well, those A-Holes STILL wouldn't reopen my shop. WHY? I gave them irrefutable proof. Nope, they didn't care one bit. I worked so hard on my shop but what you have are these young little b*tches working there that are sitting there enjoying playing with people's lives and livelihoods. They WANT to see you squirm, beg and suffer. This is what they get off on. And here's the funny thing... there were pages and pages of products being sold on etsy that were 100% manufactured by supplement companies, cosmetic companies, and tons of other companies in China. Hello? WTF? I was making them money. It was a win win situation all the way around. They didn't care.

There were a million others just like me opening shops hoping for success and a better life for themselves. I was nothing to etsy. And here's another kicker... they suspended me from even shopping on etsy. WHAT? And what the hell did I do wrong that they would keep me from spending my money there? There's no rhyme or reason. They're scumbags that don't care about anything but themselves. There is NO customer service. Just a couple of snot faced b*tches sitting around drinking lattes and laughing at sellers and buyers who get screwed over by them and scam sellers.

UGH! It's been a year and I'm STILL not over it. I've never recovered financially from it. And what's worse is that there is NO other site that compares. I know that sounds contradictory, but it was amazing for me as a seller and all my customers loved me and praised my customer service.

So I have advice for both sellers and buyers:

Sellers- Don't put all your eggs in one basket. No, there is no other site that compares to etsy... when all is well, but it's just a matter of time before they pull the rug out from under you. It's happened to people that had been on there for 5 years and it can happen to you, so don't get too comfortable because they do not care one bit if selling on etsy is how you feed your family. And believe me, there is no amount of pleading, begging, sob stories, or anything else you could think up to do that will make them change their minds. They are heartless and evil. If your products are hand made, check out Amazon's new "hand made" section of their site. It's for people like you and I who take pride in our work and offer quality products.

Buyers- This is going to be short and simple. Do NOT use any other form of payment but Paypal. I know, they kind of suck too, but listen, at least you have some recourse if you don't get what you paid for. They tend to side with customers rather than the sellers. At least this is my experience. As a matter of fact, unless you're buying something on Amazon, use PayPal if it's an option. Protect yourself and do NOT forget to look at reviews on etsy or Bonanza.

Anyway, there's my two cents. I hope it helps someone.

I was the owner of a multi-million dollar a year business years ago. The BBB came to me asking me for money for a A+ rating. I wasn't about to give them money for a bogus rating. I was able to stand on my own merit, although so many people are lead to believe that the BBB is trustworthy. It's not. I wish everyone knew this, but they don't so they continue go there for their information. Not that long ago I read a story where the BBB was trying to extort money from Wolfgang Puck for A+ rating for his famous restaurant Spago. If he didn't pay them they were going to give him a bad rating. It was big news and he told them to go F themselves. The BBB is a big fat money making racket. Nothing more, nothing less.

As for Bonanza, I'm a seller on there after having gotten kicked off of Etsy for no damn reason. I haven't had the great luck with Bonanza that I did with Etsy, but I haven't really had any problems with them either... knock on wood! Mind you, I've never purchased anything on there either. It just doesn't feel safe to me. I don't think there are too many sellers out there like myself that has integrity and great customer service. But it is what it is. I hate that we as consumers don't and can't know who to trust on the internet. It's always a crap shoot unless you buy on Amazon. If you're shopping for the best price, you may end up getting what you pay for.

I shop on Amazon because I know that I can get my money back if anything goes wrong. I've purchased thousands of items on Amazon and have never had a problem. So, it may serve you to pay an extra buck or two or five so you can have peace of mind and know that you'll get what you've paid for.