MovingOn B.

Etsy = eBay with cutsie branding. They can hang all the 'Find Something Unique' monikers they like, it's just another trash selling site. Sure, there are the few truly artisan made finds and useful handmade things just like there are on eBay and Amazon, but they have become the few and far between. They are lost in an ocean of 'Handmade' bead on a string jewelers, AI generated art, digital print downloads made from photo's scraped off the internet or last years wall calendar, print on demand shops recycling last years wallpaper prints onto leggings and shower curtains, even 'upcycled' Aliexpress stuffed animals. You have as much chance of finding something unique there as you do on Craig's List or god forbid, Facebook Marketplace. There simply is nothing special about Etsy anymore. Although I hear their ad fees can be pretty 'special' and apparently they are introducing payment reserves much to their sellers chagrin, which frankly, if done right, is a good idea. But it's Etsy, so it's not done right. It's done with a heavy hand making for cranky sellers which we the general public have to put up with if we choose to still buy there. Next time you're there take a stroll through their 'Forums' and hear what the sellers themselves have to say.

In Etsy's defense, despite all the fancy lie to your face website packaging, it seems like a good place to maybe do test market sales for your latest and greatest design or invention, but anyone who goes in thinking that a shop on Etsy will be a business worthy of quitting your day job over is in for a rude awakening. If you're serious about starting a business, then start one. On your own or on one of those sites who helps you manage checkout, stock and taxes, etc... but leaves your branding and offerings alone. Why would any serious business owner even consider a shop on Etsy, where the site never tells you what their long game is, or even their short game for that matter, as a legitimate 'business'. It's no different that the weekenders who sell what's in their closets on eBay. At least there they don't try to hide the fact that re-selling is Ok.

I find that it is still a fairly good site for supplies, if that's your thing, but a quick check on any one of the other big selling platforms, or even Walmart, and you may be able to save yourself some money by not having the sellers Etsy fees included in your purchase. Vintage wares seem to be the largely true to form category left there but one should still do due diligence to make sure you're not buying something that is only presented as 'vintage', just like you should do on any other site.