You can spin it anyway you like, but...
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Original Post
The change to the renewal process gives us even *less* for our money.
www.etsy.com/storque/section/etsyNews/article/tech-updates-changes-...
It troubles me that sellers use renewals as a form of promotion, because the reason it's become common practice is because of Etsy's shortcomings - because the search function & category structure are so severely lacking. These long-standing & significant flaws with the site's infrastructure are now exacerbated by the unprecedented influx of sellers, a reaction to Etsy's marketing strategy which has been to focus on courting sellers rather than buyers - ie. more listing/renewal fees, more pressure on search/categories, & less exposure.
Let's be honest here, Etsy makes significant revenue from renewals - & if search defaulted to relevance & actually worked, this would be lost revenue. Now, for the sellers unfortunate enough not to make regular sales, they won't even be able to reap the benefit of the extended expiry date when their items don't sell - more revenue to Etsy, less value to the seller.
And the solution put forward in The Storque article? Buy a Showcase spot. And what about the "...new promotional opportunities for sellers", will they cost money too?
Sellers could always increase their prices since their profit margins are being bitten into harder than ever, but with the adverse effect on supply & demand that the influx of sellers is causing, teamed with the unrealistic "ideal" prices of Alchemy, & much of Etsy's press focusing on "bargains" & "bric-a-brac" rather than quality products, it's hard enough to get a fair price as it is.
If it's truly the case that the new renewal policy is to "...limit the opportunity for a store to be sitting idle with active listings for years and years", why not issue system emails to shops that have no activity for 6 months, & if there's no response after 3 warnings, freeze activity (the long pined for vacation mode maybe?). Problem solved, without affecting renewal fees.
I really want Etsy to work...I really do...I've spent a lot of time/effort contributing my ideas & opinions...but I despair sometimes at the short-sighted strategies & the ways they undermine Etsy's customers - the sellers.
Posted at 7:07pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
Responses
I don't think it been mentioned lately, but is any further news or updates or the search function?
If corrected that would seem to make everyone happy- sellers, buyers, and etsy.
Posted at 7:16pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
So is it a better deal to let items expire then renew or renew a month before it expires? I am confused by this new thing.
Posted at 7:19pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
magicjelly, in brief can you describe what is wrong with the search function?
Posted at 7:27pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
Yes, and are they e-mailing every user with this information??
Posted at 7:34pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
there is a big RED statement when you go to relist something......and a storque article......
not sure how I feel about it yet....gut feeling - not good....
Posted at 7:37pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
Here, here!
The Storque Article MagicJelly mentions:
"There are other ways to promote yourself on the site such as buying a Showcase spot, which many sellers find successful."
Really? Exactly who finds the Showcase as being "successful"? I haven't heard anything positive about them, other than upping the number of views. Views do not always equal sales.
Posted at 7:42pm Apr 21, 2008 EDT
