Etsy reviews

Paying over $30 for an item and not receiving is exactly what happened for me. I contacted the seller who basically said sorry for you and Etsy saying well that problem is between you and the seller is exactly that, disgusting. I wish I would have known how terrible this experience would have been because I would have just went to amazon.

I was nervous about purchasing jewelry on Etsy but my wife wanted a nature-inspired ring for our marraige renewal and our research kept bringing us back to Etsy and Segal Jewelry. The online display of his jewels looked really nice but we weren't sure if it would be as nice in person. It was far nicer in person! It is solid yet delicate, intense yet subtle. It is so unique and so special...my wife is over the moon! And to boot, it was supposed to take 4 weeks but arrived in 2. During the 2 week waiting period, the jeweler stayed in touch wth us, inquiring about our story. Through our communications, we shared that we planned to renew our vows so that our kids (6 & 9 years old) could be with us. When the ring arrived, the package included a highly personalized letter about love and how touched the jeweler was by our story and plan to include our children. My wife was touched at how personalized the entire experience had been and she says she feels that the ring was made with Segal's love. Thank you, Yaniv Segal!
#happywifehappylife

300/5000
I ordered a tank top on etsy and I never received it. The merchant did not want to refund me and etsy site did not intervene. They are not real merchants. They proceed illegally. It is very strange that the site has not yet been reported to the police. They're thieves.

The seller is unprofessional, check out all items before you purchase anything and make sure items advertised are genuine

I'm trying to start a business. It doesn't let me. also i gave etsy my credit card number, 2 days later somebody from etsy hacked into my account!!!!!!!!1

I started out as a buyer in 2011 and I really enjoyed the fact that I could find a lot of handmade items and vintage as well. I bought into the idea of helping out small businesses, even though the stuff was a little more expensive most of the shops were great.

Over the last couple of years or so most of the wonderful shops have been leaving because there are copyright infringing shops, shop owners that aren't held accountable for awful transactions, and a bunch of non-handmade items being sold as handmade. There's even been a class action lawsuit because of the shaky or lack of business practices.

Last year I decided to test out being a seller there. The top there complaints in the forums EVERY month are usually: 1.) copyright infringing-either someone gets caught or people try to look for ways around it. 2.) no customer/seller protection when there is a problem, dispute, or confusion with orders. Etsy depends on other shop owners in the forums to answer questions for people, but since they don't know anything about another shops orders then it makes no sense and no real customer service. 3.) People stating they don't like interacting with customers-these shops are a continuing problem and they let it be known.

As a seller you can work hard on your shop and others will copy everything you do. Your SEO, products, designs, and anything and everything will be copied. You can work all day and night on your shop and within a day or two get ripped off of the hard work you've put in because lazy shop owners will go around and see all your info since SEO isn't hidden. Etsy wants you to compete with other shops because you're going to do more free work on bringing more traffic to Etsy and not your singular shop.

Shops are lumped in together. The ranking on each page is random (which item/shop appears first when you search) so you can have the best customer service and someone that might not take care of their shop or has a bad ranking can be first page and you might be lost in the back pages. Some shops pad their ratings/reviews any way.

If you manage to get past all of that, and you're a great seller don't sell too much because Etsy takes out fees to restock, transaction fees, etc. Doesn't sound like much but if you sell a lot then it can add up to being more than having a stand alone monthly website fee.

Most of the handmade shops are getting the short end of the stick and that's why a lot of them have left. They can't compete with the cheap manufactured crap that is being sold there. A lot of the items there you can find on Ebay for pennies. Reporting these shops can go overlooked. A lot of shops have then turned to selling the cheap manufactured stuff and/or copyrighted materials. Which Etsy looks the other way on, but the copyright owner catches wind of it the shop owner looses everything.

Etsy acts like and says they don't tolerate it but they say only copyright holders can get people to take down the copied/infringing/non-handmade work. That invites people to steal, copy, and sell things that are not handmade. That's so backwards!!!! It's very much like saying,"don't do it....but we'll look the other way while you do."

If a shop owner is caught doing these things Esty says they'll close the shop. Depending on how the person handling the investigation is feeling is more than likely what will happen. Some shops have stayed open and some are closed. Some shops that have been only accused of wrong doing have been closed without a full investigation. So you can be closed on speculation alone.

Ebay has at least taken steps to improve the site and it's not fully perfect, but at least they're trying to make it better. At Etsy, you can sell culturally inappropriate and fake cultural crafts to some degree. (Black Mammy dolls, fake Native American crafts, costume jewelry as real), they say it's vintage. But, you can't sell German ww2 stuff, old rebel flags..that falls into vintage too.

Seems like the awful stores that used to be on Ebay got kicked out or moved to Etsy.

As a buyer, you have to be very careful now and shop around before making any purchases there. Don't get jerked around if a shop owner says that they'll mail it out and they don't give you a tracking number in the time they have listed in their shop. Hold their feet to the fire and if they don't talk to your credit card/Paypal company!

I've seen these shops come and go, a lot of these people only do this for extra income so it's not their main priority. Stick with the shops you've done research on. I'm down to one shop that I buy from because the shop owner only sells there. I've been a customer for years. If it wasn't for that one shop, I'd would have been gone years ago.

I chose to leave as a seller a few months ago. I usually tried to be proactive in the forums to help people. One day I came across a forum post where someone asked about how sellers felt about negative reviews Etsy has if you do a Google search.

A few smug sellers responded that "customers were just looking for their 15 minutes of fame or only shining a spotlight on the negative". Since customers do share their favorite products on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and take the time to leave reviews....even if they aren't 5 stars, I felt that was a slap in the face since some buyers are also customers and these are the EXACT issues that need to be addressed. These customers have given their money and some haven't even been given their items or get horrible customer service and that's beyond stupid to write that! Must be the Etsy gang that wrote it.

Yes, there is an Etsy gang! They're seasoned sellers that talk down to new sellers, sometimes bully in the forums or private messages, and treat people that ask questions about their products like trash. (If a person doesn't immediately buy their stuff, they won't respond with answers).

I see them in the forums all the time claiming they created putting certain color combinations together or anyone that has a similar description or item must be stealing from them. Don't get me wrong, people do steal stuff...I'm talking more of a coincidence, like if you put something red and yellow together you aren't the inventor of it. These sellers are awful, I don't care how long they've been there.

The average seller makes about $100-$150 a month if you work at it everyday and put in well over 8-12 hours a day. I have seen fake shop accounts in the forums every few months (some of the avatars I remember seeing months earlier) that boast how well their doing for the month. Then, when you go and check their shop it shows they haven't sold anything in months. How can that be if they're doing so well for the month? I suspect favoritism or just the fact that it's an illusion to keep shops going and working for free advertising for Etsy.

Does $150 (if that) a month sound like you're getting a fair return if you work consistently every day? All the back tracking for your products leads to Etsy and they mask it as an opportunity, but really they cheat buyers and sellers.

Granted not every shop owner is terrible, but lately the bad ones seem to be overtaking the site. I'm not a jaded person because I feel should have sold more so I'm out to shake my fist at everything Etsy related. I'm grateful for the experience, but use caution if you do shop there.

This is probably my favorite place to purchase interesting things on the net. There are lots of great home made items, vintage items sold by excellent sellers.

In all do honesty if I could give this company less than one I would. To ask someone for $200 for a handmade item and then to mail them plastic items that you could pick up from local game store as cake toppers and say that they're handcrafted is downright rotten, irresponsible, and bad business. If people are going to keep doing business with this company Please be aware that the return policy for an item it that you're unsatisfied with is only half of what you paid for it because they're handcrafted.... when I go home I fully intend to look again at the bottom of these little tiny statues and see where they exactly came from and find out exactly how much they actually cost. On the website at first they were $50 then they were bumped up a $150 because they were out of stock and needed to be handmade.... when we received the box and found pre molded plastic figurines that weren't even the hand-painted item they where said to be we where disappointed I and upset...As well as a outraged. They are mere plastic like you would get in a McDonald's Happy Meal. Then the resolve was just as dispicable... we were offered a 50/50 split she would keep $100 we would return the items and we would get $100 back...That's not just poor business but nerve as well as fraudulent practice.... I don't know anything else to say except that this person is opportunistic and unfeeling...And moreover takes advantage of those who are in love.... but we will overcome this and my daughter will have a beautiful wedding.

I am extremely happy with the customer service and quick response with everything.
It was a pleasure to do business with Vanessa.

I was looking for a bouquet with a Scottish twist and saw one by clovathistles. The box arrived and I was thrilled with the beautiful purple thistle and white rose end result. This was bound with purple modern tartan plaid which I will use as a theme. I will cherish my hand made bouquet for years. It looks so fresh and real. Catherine ensured that I got exactly what I wanted and even did buttonholes to match and a horseshoe gift. This was a very high quality different wedding spray which I am looking forward to carrying ( and keeping). Thank you clovathistles

I am a seller and buyer on Etsy. I have never encountered any problems with sellers, and my customers are amazing.
I think to succeed you must invest time in your pictures for your previews, tags and titles for your items.
I can't emphasize that your preview pictures must be amazing. Please don't let one bad experience keep you away from Etsy. There are truly one of a kind items that you will only find from Etsy sellers.
The listing and selling fees are extremely affordable, and you are not locked into any long term contracts.

Sometimes I wonder if buyers realize that Etsy had individual sellers? Also, some complaining about sellers purchasing for exp items from Walmart for 12 bucks than sell said item for 45. Well how do you expect the seller to make profit??!!

Etsy is by far the worst platform I've ever used. I will never use it again. No customer support for sellers--at all. They claim that you can contact them by requesting a phone call. I did that multiple times never heard back from them. They also claim to "protect the seller" which is totally a lie. I was selling jewelry that was a "made to order" item and it was available in several different color options. The buyer selected the wrong color which I then made and shipped. Now the buyer is claiming he ordered it in a different color when clearly the order forms states what color he actually ordered (which is the color that was made and received).This piece cost me hundreds of dollars to make and Etsy is forcing me to issue the buyer a refund. How is this protecting the seller? This isn't protecting the seller at all. Additionally, Etsy is issuing the refund on the basis that there wasn't a photograph of the item in the alternate color option, to which I respond, no one forced the buyer to order and purchase colors that were not depicted. For this reason, who as a seller can really afford the risk of selling on Etsy--why bother?

Everything is done by email, no phone customer support! You have to have a degree in design and website creation to list a legitimate store, then when you delete your account, THEY will not remove the outdated CACHE and Google can't touch it, because Esty is he 3rd party that has to remove the cache.
Also, they start charging your credit card immediately even before your store is created and capturing orders.
THEY WON'T RESPOSND TO ANY EMAILS TO HELP REMOVE THEIR OUTDATED CACHES', SUCH A $#*! ASS COMPANY!

I had a great experience with a Custom T-shirt order shop owner was very kind, Great customer service. I love my t-shirts, just as I imagined.
They not only design t-shirts, Aprons, tote bags, Pet t-shirts and ballcaps.
www.etsy.com/naesbargainoutlet

10 days later...still being shipped after of course..."damaged package" must be re shipped...save yourself the hassle and do not order from this company.

Everyone must agree to the Etsy policies. Vintage items must be at least 20 years old. Handmade items must be made by you or someone in your shop. You can not resell items made by someone else less than 20 years old. YEAH RIGHT - this is not true and fair for all sellers. If someone reports one of your items Etsy Legal "reaches out" to you by removing your item and threatening you with shutting you down, even if they are not sure there is a violation. They spew rhetoric intended to impress but has no meaning in content. Etsy Integrity team has "hit or miss" integrity that is not equal for all sellers. I have sold hundreds of items on Etsy over the years, until suddenly they removed an item that they were not even sure if it was in violation. If they really cared about integrity, all they had to do was search their site to find that there were many, numerous items listed on their web site ranging from brand new, (as stated in some of the listings) to vintage, whether it was vintage, handmade or NOT. There are numerous listings for brand new American Silver Eagle coins including 2017 all the way back to 1998. There are numerous listings for designer purses that are brand new listed as handmade, obviously not vintage or made by the seller or someone in their shop. The list goes on. Google searches frequently bring up items in Etsy that are not vintage or handmade. For someone like me, I depend on sales for my income. This is not a hobby, and their double standards affect my ability to support myself. They should be reported for not treating everyone equally or not providing a fair opportunity for all. It is shameful. Some sellers may make a mistake in listing an item, but many sellers complete the listing incorrectly (otherwise known as a lie) in order to publish their listings. Of course Etsy isn't looking at all of these. It is my personal experience it could appear they only care about making money and do not really have any ethics. If you choose to sell on their site, have a back up business plan and rotsa ruck, you're gonna need it!

I ordered an embroidered name plate that was supposed to be a Christmas 2016 present. I paid $87.00 on 10/1/2016, and now it is Mar 2017 and no product or refund and they say my case is closed because they sent me two emails and I did not respond.

great workmanship, looks great, lots of compliments from friends, will definitely butt more. great quality

After a seller promised to refund us when our custom order was shipped damaged and the wrong size agreed on..the seller not only kept our money but also has our purchase in hand..told us to deal with etsy..etsy came up with some crazy explanation why the case is closed..no way to get a hold of them..no phone number that allows you to talk to anyone and they do not respond to emails..just closes cases..numerous complaints on Google for the same type of story..wish i would have seen these before i used this site..now out 300 with nothing to show for it but a loss..that's why this seller said deal with etsy he knew they would do this. So frustrating..stay away from this site..it's fraudulent..I'm surprised they have not been investigated they allow these things to happen to many unsuspecting users. Hoping our bank can help get our money back..PayPal does not protect for custom orders pet policy..ughh what a nightmare..stay away!! Save yourself alot of grief!

They take forever to respond and have no direct contact lines Probably some Tech geek living in there parents basement.

They invite you to ask questions, but they don't answer them. I asked for information on how to personalize the item I bought, and they did not answer the question. Created doubt for me when ordering that I got it right. Did not appreciate the lack of response on the website, especially since they seem to be encouraging questions. This was the middle of the day, by the way, and still no answer.

I ordered the mechanics cake topper. It was at my door steps in a matter of days. Not only that this peice was exactly what I viewed on the site. Great quality. I would definitely use them again and again. I hope this will help someone. No need to wonder place your order without hesitation. Sheila from Brooklyn