Etsy's Handmade Blog
Collectibles category: We've Reconsidered
Story by HeyMichelle, TechUpdates
Published on May 28, 2008 in Etsy News 		Photo by missmurraycod

Hi there everyone, here's an update:

We have decided to put the creation of a Collectibles category on hold. We want to make sure that we find the best long-term solution for the items that would belong in such a category, as well as all of the items on Etsy. We are so sorry for the inconvenience, as we know some of you were looking forward to a Collectibles category. We thank everyone who has given their input on this via the forums, convo, and email.

Let's have a discussion in the Treehouse room of the Virtual Labs tomorrow, Thursday at 7PM Eastern U.S. time to brainstorm possible ideas. Again, thank you to everyone, and I will hopefully see you tomorrow!

----------

Here's the original text of the article: 

Hello Etsians!

On Thursday, May 29 at 4PMish Eastern U.S. time, we will be adding Collectibles as a top-level category. We hope that makers of handmade collectibles will begin adding them to this new category as soon as it's live. We will also have a Showcase available for this category.

The Collectibles category is for handmade items, and is intended to include dolls and doll accoutrements, figurines, miniatures, plush animals, and other "toys" for adult collectors. As well, some items of non-functional home decoration, such as ornaments, or a tole-painted teakettle that is for decoration only, will fit into this category.

If there is currently another category that your item belongs in that you would prefer to keep listing in, you are welcome to do that! For example, some makers of art dolls may choose to remain in Art and some makers of amigurumi may choose to continue to list in Toys. Remember that at this time, a single listing may only be in one category. 

Tips:

  •  Start by adding your most recent listings to the Collectibles category, and then work backward in time.
  • Accurate tags help buyers find your items. While you are adding your items to the Collectibles category, take it as an opportunity to see if there is room for improvement of your tag choices. Check out our tagging tips for help. 
  • If your items fit into multiple categories, consider adding some to one category, and some to another. This will give more exposure to your items. Over time, observe the number of views, hearts, and sales that your items get in one category vs. the other, and then make listing decisions accordingly.

Please join us in this forum thread as we flesh out the subcategories and sub-subcategories of Collectibles. Also, a big thank you to those who joined in this thread to help us develop the idea for a Collectibles category! We love you guys!

Tags categories, category, Collectibles, selling, tagging, TechUpdates
All articles in Etsy News
Related Items
This article was reported by:
Etsy Admin
HeyMichelle
shop . profile . contact

TechUpdates
shop . profile . contact

19 comments     Login to add your own!

May 22, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. girlsavage

Very cool! Thanks!

May 22, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. TheSingingBird

I am Thrilled!!!! Thank you for this new category and for featuring Fairiesnest's beautiful doll, I'm a huge fan of her work! Yay Admin!!!!

May 22, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. Vanessa

Glad to hear you are pleased! If you have suggestions for sub categories, don't forget to post em in the forum thread linked to above.

May 22, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. Trollflings

Thank you thank you thank you thank you aaaaand thank you! :D

*wild applause*

May 22, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. mostlyart

Thank you SO much! I am very excited about these changes, can't wait to see it!

May 22, 2008 at 5:58 p.m. WhimsyCottageMinis

Thank you! ♥

May 22, 2008 at 6:03 p.m. GoldenUnicornMinis

Thank you, Michelle!!! Appreciate all of your hard work and long hours.

May 22, 2008 at 6:04 p.m. MomsTreasures

HeyMichelle,
This is great news.... Thanks..
I think Etsy is improving every day..
June

May 22, 2008 at 6:22 p.m. missbeahaven

I am so excited about this category!!! Thanks so much Etsy! (:

May 23, 2008 at 9:34 p.m. raghousenternational

Love this idea. I am sure these items that are being made now will be worth so much in years to come.

Ren

May 28, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. TallulahBelle

Thanks so much for taking the extra time to ensure the new category is right for all of us.

May 28, 2008 at 8:56 p.m. WHSKR

I appreciate this and will do my best to be at the discussion.

Can someone, Please, also define what "Collectibles" IS. To me it seems to be something completely different to other members of the EGADS team (Doll Artists) I belong to. Many of them are vehement that they do not want to be in 'Collecibles' as they consider this is Vintage and nothing to do with them.

Is it?

To me vintage is 20 years + and Collectibles are one off items; but the fact that I differ in interpretation from many of my fellow team members is causing me great concern. They value the Art category and their place within in.

This discussion will be valuable.

May 29, 2008 at 7:26 a.m. AGDesigins

Hope all the Artisit in the Prim World will go to the meeting so it will help us understand why this category will not be up, and the best place to add our Prim/Primitive items.....

Thank you for the heads up Michelle, do wish we had a place to put prims they need a home on Etsy

Annette

May 29, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. ScottBulgerPhoto

I think this is a good decision.

May 29, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. MountainEagleCrafter

Do what now?

This has nothing to do with my shop items, but I'm massively confused that apparently one article was replaced with another, with the original article at the bottom.

The comments all seem to point to an original one.

Forgive me if this sounds harsh, but given all the other articles that appear on here on a daily basis WHY NOT JUST POST A SEPARATE ARTICLE????

May 29, 2008 at 10:12 a.m. tinalewis

Etsy is wonderful and I am so glad that admin listened. I am glad Etsy is abandoning the "collectibles" category. Collectibles is an established description in the antiques and collectibles world. It appears that theintended use here is a little different and thus confusing. Not a good idea for a big drop down category but maybe a good choice. Some of my work (minis) might fit in the collectibles category but it is very confusing. I am already figuring out that using the "ceramics and pottery" category for my work is not always the best. Since there is apparently no bleed through between categories I have started listing appropriate things in "housewares" and get better views that way. Confusing!

May 29, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. Vanessa

MountainEagleCrafter, we decided to write "UPDATE" at the top and consolidate the two posts because we don't want people reading the 1st article without reading the follow-up. People have told us that when there are too many article, they get confused. We don't want to splinter the info into too many "streams."

May 29, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. ClickityClack

I do believe we need a better place to put handmade "collectible" items, but not under a collectible heading. As we sell both handcraft and vintage, I consider collectibles as a vintage catagory of long standing and can see a lot of confusion coming up if it is used in the handmade catagory.

I think we need a separate catagory for dolls and plushies that are not "art dolls" but not toys either. I also have a problem with the word "plushie". To me that means the item should be made of plush, faux fur or something simular but not cottons, linen, or like fabrics. Stuffies is the word that used to be used for all "stuffed" creatures and fits a much wider catagory. Since I make stuffed things out of a lot of different "fabrics", I would prefer the word stuffies so it would cover them all. Collectible stuffies are usually an adult thing, but I wouldn't want to list my items as "Adult Dolls and Stuffies". Whole new meaning to that catagory! Maybe "Decorative Dolls and Stuffies" as opposed to Art or Toy?

Let's just say, I wouldn't want your job! Good luck all!

May 29, 2008 at 11:44 p.m. kibbles

*sigh* It may be a good idea to study a few other sites for ideas for categories. Some of us are heavy sellers in our field, but not on Etsy because they can't be found. Primitives....VERY hot and should have their own category. Dollhouse Miniatures or Scale Miniatures......same applies. These have been high ticket items for years but nobody here seems to know that. I'll be watching anxiously.

Previous Page | Next Page