L A.'s Profile

I have an orphan autoinflammatory disease. NIH is doing new research on it all the time. It puts out reports delineating what medications those of us who have this disease should never take, reports about other symptoms this orphan disease causes, and talks about what other diseases seem to be more common among those of us who have this disease. A lifesaver in my book.

I am a big reader as well as a jeweler and crafts person. I have never been disappointed with Amazon in all the years I've used the site. I love the book reviews and also the ability to look in some of the pages of books. That second feature has saved me a lot of money. I also love the previews on recorded music.

I also love the secondary sellers. It's just a great thing all around.

I started selling at ArtFire in 2009 and at first really liked it. The forums were friendly, there was a real sense of teamwork, everybody was helpful, including the COO, Tony Ford, and my sales were terrific. Last summer, the entire site took a nosedive and became the opposite of what it was. There has been a great deal of contention, implementation of crazy programs that don't work, kicking sellers off the site or muting them if they ask too many questions, a drastic reduction in the number of sales for many of us, and blaming sellers for problems.

In addition, there is a secret forum where where about 7 to 10 members of Tony's "Team" decide how they are going to handle unhappy sellers, which is usually to gang up, swear at them, make fun of them, and take any serious subject off topic. The mavens in Tony's special group will tell people they are "similar to a dangling turd" or to "F off" and "blow me."

The site is broken, it doesn't work, and the COO, Tony Ford, has a million excuses. ArtFire is not a healthy place to be, either for your pocketbook, or your psychological state.