Update: The information in this post has gotten a little rusty. Be sure to read our  announcement about the new organization of our Forums, and check the FAQ for tips on where to file your ideas, complaints and secret dreams!

Stellaloella may love the library, but I get stoked whenever a grocery store starts to renovate.  You know how it goes: when the changes are all done, the produce is still just inside the door, the eggs, milk and beer are still near one of the far walls, and the grumpy guy who can pick out the best cuts of meat for you is still going to be at the back.  The basics need to stay the same, because you don’t want anyone wandering into the grocery store and then throwing a fit when they can’t find the carrots at the usual spot.

So what actually changes?  From what I’ve seen, what gets added are always pretty specific additions that these grocery stores think you’re going to make use of.  Fairly specific stuff like prepared food sections, more space for “gourmet” items or the weird little olive bar.  In any case, their focus is narrower than your typical “baking aisle.”

That’s how the new additions to the Etsy Forums work.  We’ve provided a little tighter focus on some specific topics so that you’ll be able to find the information you’re looking for (both by reading and posting) quicker than before.  So what goes in what Forum now?  I’m glad you asked!  It’s important to get the right topics in the right places so that no one has a “where’s my carrots?!” moment; important enough that we wrote “Do keep your posts on-topic and in the appropriate section of the forums” in our rules.

Admin are here to help, too.  We regularly look through the Forums (often based on tips from the community) and move threads to their proper locations as we happen upon them.  However, it saves us time and is easiest for our wonderful and information-hungry community when you start by posting threads in the correct places.  To help you do that, check out this updated outline of where to post some of the most common topics on the Forums:

Site Help
not sure of how to use something on Etsy? Ask the community and Etsy staff

• questions about how to use the site
• questions about site features
• questions about site policy

Business Topics 
the ins and outs, ups and downs of being an independent business owner

• advice/questions about marketing a shop or successful selling
• advice/questions about running a business
• threads about PayPal issues

CPSIA 
Discuss the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act here.

• Discussions about the CPSIA itself
• discussion about compliance with the CPSIA

Critiques
give and receive specific advice about your shop

• advice/questions about running a shop
• critiques on:
  • Etsy shops
  • banners
  • avatars
  • listing descriptions, titles, tags
  • shop policies

Techniques & Materials 
share and seek advice about creating items

• photography questions
• crafting how-to help/tutorials
• questions about any material or tool

Teams & Events  
connecting people locally and globally

• “anyone from (location)?” threads
• street team discussions
• blog threads specific to street teams only
• threads discussing street team sales/promotions/ contests
• collaborative art projects
• craft fair or local crafty event announcements

Ideas  
have a way to make Etsy better? let us know!

• suggestions for new features
• Discussion about Etsy features/policy
• sometimes Admin announcements go here (unless they fit in better elsewhere)

Bugs  
if you’ve found a glitch in the site, please report it here

• reporting technical glitches

Promotions  
looking to shop, promote yourself or a favorite seller? post here

• “show me your…”
• “I’m looking to buy…”
• anything that is advertising or promotion
• sales threads for street team promotions
• sharing your Treasuries, favorite shops or recent purchases
• requests for promo items for goodie bags, giveaways, etc
• threads highlighting specific items or shops
• blogs/blog entries highlighting specific items or shops
• off-Etsy networking (via MySpace, Flickr, personal websites, etc.)
• milestones in number of sales, hearts or views

Etc.
if it doesn’t fit in another forum, it belongs here

• anything goes in Etc (unless it fits in one of the above sections)
• socializing
• other threads about blogs
• off-Etsy critiques (blogs, personal websites, etc.)
• NOT your diary entries 

These are the guidelines that we’re now using in moving threads, but we know that some threads don’t quite fit any of the above.  We’ll use our best judgment in those cases to determine whether or not anything needs to be moved.  We hope this update will help to keep things organized across the sections of the Forums, and can prevent you from having any carrot freakout moments of your own!

Discuss this article on the Forums, in this companion thread: Forum Decorum: Where to Post What.