I've been a seller on Etsy for a number of years, and I also really appreciate being able to shop on Etsy and find and support amazing makers!
The space is co-created and consumer driven, but sadly anyone can open a shop, therefore please do your due diligence and look over each individual shop to get a feel for whether or not it is a true artist and not a manufactured sham. If it's a manufactured sham, please report it to help maintain the integrity of the site. If you have an issue with your order, try resolving it with the seller, and if that doesn't work, there's great customer service to help you navigate the issue.
Here are some tips before purchasing:
-Read over some reviews in each shop!
-Check their Social Media, Do you see photos of them actually making what they sell?
-Read their "About" section. If there's no About section, then that might be a red-flag. (Makers and artists generally enjoy sharing some part of their process)
Xo