I love the library. I love how organized everything is within a strict system of numbers, codes, subjects and alphabetical order. Whether it's the Dewey Decimal or Library of Congress system - either way, everything has a very specific spot in the library where I know I'll find exactly what I'm looking for every time. Hooray for order! If only all of life were so organized, huh?

I'm always disoriented when I first walk into a bookstore, because it's so very much not like the library. Books are arranged by generalized topics and hardly ever in alphabetical order. Sure, there's a loose system, but not a carefully mapped coordinate for each and every thing. It takes some browsing and flexibility to find what I'm seeking, but along the way I often find many other interesting things in the mix.

The Etsy Forums are definitely more like a bookstore than a rigidly organized library. That said, we do have different general sections for different types of threads. And like our rules say, "Do keep your posts on-topic and in the appropriate section of the forums."  It's important to keep some semblance of order.

As Admin, we will move threads to the sections where they fit best. However, it saves us a lot of time and your fellow community members a lot of confusion if you post your topic in the right place from the get-go. So to help everyone understand where to post what, below is a rough outline of the most common types of threads for each section of the Forums.

Site Help
have a question about the site? ask the community and Etsy staff

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

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

• suggestions for new features
• discussions of changes to the site
• 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
• downtime notices from Admin (also posted in The Storque's TechUpdates)

Crafting & Business
share and seek advice about creating items and running a shop

• advice/questions about marketing a shop or successful selling
• advice/questions about running a shop
• advice/questions about running a business
• requests for promo items for goodie bags, giveaways, etc
• threads about PayPal issues
• shipping and postage discussions
• photography questions
• crafting how-to help
• shop critiques

Etsy Teams
connecting people locally and globally, while getting the word out

• "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

Promotions
having a sale? looking to shop? post here!

• "show me your..."
• "I'm looking to buy..."
• Alchemy-type requests for custom items
• anything that is advertising or promotion
• sales threads for street team promotions
• sharing your favorite shops or recent purchases

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
• threads about blogs
• NOT your diary entries

Please note that these are not hard and fast rules, and often there will be threads that still don't quite fit. We use our best judgment if/when moving those. We hope this will help the whole community by keeping the Forums more organized and user-friendly.

An extra tip for this week: Make sure the title of your thread clearly describes the subject. This way people will know at a glance if it's a topic they're interested in reading.

In the Forum Decorum series, Lauren (stellaloella) and RobWhite of the Community team explain some of the finer points of cultural etiquette in Etsy's community spaces. When something is an official site rule, we'll be sure to link you up to the DOs and DON'Ts or Terms of Use. Simply consider these as tips for avoiding a forum faux pas.