Etsy, Why Handmade Left

My originally idea was  to blog about all the changes on Etsy over the past three years and the  impact to those sellers I have met.  I decided the post would be extremely long and might not be red through by most visitors. The topic will be broken up into several posts over the next few months.

They redefined handmade or change the legal definition of a word to suit themselves.   I believe they wanted to make more money so they decide to change their site TOU(Terms of Use) to reflect the new influx of sellers with commercial items that drop ship form foreign countries.



https://www.etsy.com/help/article/483
quote from Etsy's blog "HANDMADE items are designed and created by the shops that sell them. Because transparency matters on Etsy, we ask sellers to list shop members and share information about manufacturers involved in creating their items."


 I certainly can not speak for all of the sellers on Etsy.  I can speak for myself and the friends I have made there.  Yes I still know a handful of handmade shops on Etsy. Most I know have left the sinking ship.



As I used the site search by topic, key work and tag , I noticed hundreds of pages of items that were not handmade.  I started to discuss this on several of the teams I belonged to.  My discovery of the commercial items was not unique.  We being good site members reported the shops to the site as not in compliance with their TOU.  We waited a few days then weeks and the odd thing was the shops were still there.  In one case, the shop was on the front page of the  handmade section.  Many sellers had gone to other sites as a back up plan because they were afraid the buyers would leave Etsy.



I have a great group of friends and small business people I have became close with in the past few years.  We are online promoting each other through social media.  The group is Sellergroup.  We are a group of handmade, vintage and supplies buyers and sellers.  Please follow these links to learn about us.
Sellergroup  Pinterest




There are many sites the Hand made sellers have moved to.  I have tried several sites myself and now use my stand alone website as my main place I sell my work.   Here are a few of the options my friends have chosen:  Zibbet, Artfire, Indymade, Shopify, Bonanza, SupaDupa, Ebay, and Facebook groups. 

 To expand the audience of my sales and increase my customer base, I even tried selling jewelry supplies.  I listed my extra beads as destash supplies on Etsy.  The majority of my sales were during buying blitzes with the teams I was part of.  The impact has not been positive for myself, my sales or the majority of the seller of handmade I know.  This all began in 2012 when the site redefined handmade.

Hopefully you understand why many of us handmade artist have left Etsy.  Feel free to do an Internet search on Etsy, their stock and re-sellers (commercial items) to learn more.

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  

Vera Jayne - Handmade with Love

Vera Jayne

Handmade with Love

Vera Kirkpatrick started her business, Vera Jayne as a way to work from home while she home schooled her 5 children. Vera has had numerous handmade businesses before that but all of them involved craft markets and selling in brick and mortar stores.

Blue Baby Shoes

 

She wanted to start selling her handmade goods online. She wanted the freedom and flexibility of choosing her own working hours and still having time to do the things that she thought were important in her role as a mom.

Vera Jayne sells hand knits – scarves, hats and accessories for ladies and children and crocheted baby shoes. Vera has always loved creating and she started making these particular products as there was a demand for them.

As for advise for someone starting out in her line of work:

•  Running a handmade business is hard work. You start off creating and doing what you love but when the orders start rolling in, you need to move from a hobby (creating and selling the few things you create which brings a little income and job satisfaction) to running a business! 
•  Use all free social networks. Her favorite is INSTAGRAM and she have gotten many sales and wholesale orders through this venue alone. It is free! Vera also use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Wanelo, We Heart it, Keep, Polyvore
•   Keep learning – She reads as much as I can about handmade businesses and small businesses. There is a lot of information out there! Vera is constantly self evaluating her product photos and trying to better her skills as a crafter.
•  Interact – She interacts with many handmade businesses and has formed good friendships. We support and promote one another. We pool resources and help each other succeed.

 As for where to one can find Vera Jayne products,  several places.  At the moment, she sell on Etsy, Storenvy and a South African online site.    She also sell her patterns on Craftsy and Ravelry. Vera supplies a local wholesaler who buys her baby shoes and sells them along with a baby outfit (sold as a set) that sell in Brick and Mortar stores all over South Africa.  Her baby shoes are sold wholesale to an online shop in the US that stocks brands

Chartreuse hair elastic

Vera love custom orders! At the moment her turn around time is 7 days but with wholesale orders (big numbers), depends on the amount required.  During the busy months her turn around time may be 2 weeks.  Her most popular item is baby shoes. 

To contact Vera of Vera Jayne

Instagram

Email

Store

Facebook

The Retired Quilt - Artists on my Team

Cindy Strader of The Retired Quilt is the featured artist this month. I met her online about 3 years ago.  About once a month we will feature an artist in my "TEAM".  I have been selling my work online and have a great TEAM of people whom I consider my second family. Here you will learn about the artist and their work.

Cindy's response when asked why she started her business & the products she sells.  She was contemplating retirement from my “real” job and knew that she needed a plan after retirement.  She had been sewing for more than 40 years and it was what She loved to do.  Cindy had had so many requests over the years to make/create things for others that her husband suggested that she start her own business doing it - it really started as a hobby and has grown into something wonderful.

The most popular request that she get is to create T-shirt/Memory quilts for people. As for what is the most fun to make, the same item. Because she makes so many t-shirt quilts, they really have become one of her favorite things to do - each one is different and unique.  No two are the same - the creativity part and seeing the final product is what makes it fun.

As for what to say to someone starting out in the quilting world, what advise would you have.  Her Grannie taught her how to sew when she was just in high school - the best advice she could give is “listen to your Grannie” - but if it is too late for that - then listen to your heart.

Absolutely she accepts custom orders.  All of her t-shirt quilts are custom orders.  She has also accepted many quilt custom orders.  The turn around time is really dependent on the item requested.  T-shirt quilt are just 2 weeks currently.  But around graduation time and Christmas time you want to be sure to get your order in early - Cindy becomes really busy with them at those times of year.


Want to know where to buy her wonderful creations?    Cindy has an Etsy shop, a web site, a Facebook page, & sells in a local Galleria.  She has tried the craft fair/ art events and does not feel they were successful for her.  She gets a lot of referrals from past customers also.

   Contact info for Cindy

   The Retired Quilt

Website

Etsyshop

 Facebook

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems